rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
I have successfully devloped my own BW film before but that was a long time ago and for the last decade and a bit, my favorite BW film has been Kodak BW400CN. Which is discontinued and getting pricey.
So, I'm looking at having to find another film. And I don't like my results with XP2.
Which leads me to looking at some traditional film. Which has me also thinking about home processing.
Where I live 10 months of the year, I can not dispose of the chemistry.
That leaves me with 2 options; either process where I live for the other two months and where I can use the city waste system or process here and save the chemistry(I have no problems accumulating 5 gallon buckets and lids) until I get back to the city.
The final wash after developing should not stress the treatment plant here if I do the prior steps right. I think? If I'm wrong about this part, then processing here is out and I'll do the first option.
How much chemistry for a single roll tank? 8 ounces? 16? I need to get a relatively good guess about how much waste water I am potentially going to be hauling home. I know that the total will clearly be affected by how much film I'm shooting so if I can get a good aproximation for one or two rolls, I ought to be able to work out the totals.
Thanks for any help/insight here folks!
rob
So, I'm looking at having to find another film. And I don't like my results with XP2.
Which leads me to looking at some traditional film. Which has me also thinking about home processing.
Where I live 10 months of the year, I can not dispose of the chemistry.
That leaves me with 2 options; either process where I live for the other two months and where I can use the city waste system or process here and save the chemistry(I have no problems accumulating 5 gallon buckets and lids) until I get back to the city.
The final wash after developing should not stress the treatment plant here if I do the prior steps right. I think? If I'm wrong about this part, then processing here is out and I'll do the first option.
How much chemistry for a single roll tank? 8 ounces? 16? I need to get a relatively good guess about how much waste water I am potentially going to be hauling home. I know that the total will clearly be affected by how much film I'm shooting so if I can get a good aproximation for one or two rolls, I ought to be able to work out the totals.
Thanks for any help/insight here folks!
rob
NY_Dan
Well-known
I may be wrong, but I think the most important thing to do is save the spent fixer, and bring that to your local town hazardous waste drop off -- where they take stuff like oil base paints and such.
Use water for stop bath, use hypo clearing agent for archival and to shorten wash times.
That should do. I have a Phototherm processor, so 5 gallons of water will do 12 rolls of 35mm -- and the Phototherm automatically saves my fixer and hypo clear. I use Tropicana orange juice containers to store my spent fixer and when I have a few of them I bring them to my town drop off.
Use water for stop bath, use hypo clearing agent for archival and to shorten wash times.
That should do. I have a Phototherm processor, so 5 gallons of water will do 12 rolls of 35mm -- and the Phototherm automatically saves my fixer and hypo clear. I use Tropicana orange juice containers to store my spent fixer and when I have a few of them I bring them to my town drop off.
02Pilot
Malcontent
Don't know if you're dedicated to a particular developer, but due in large part to similar concerns I've been using Caffenol exclusively and have been happy with the results. Since it's just instant coffee, washing soda, and vitamin C, there shouldn't be any issues with disposal.
itf
itchy trigger finger
I'd be surprised if the final wash water is a problem, there would be a pretty small amount of fixer in it. Each roll takes 300ml (~11oz ?) at each step. Liquid fixers like ilford rapid, rather than powdered, can be reused a lot if you're using non t-grain film. I think 5 litres working solution of ilford fixer does around 100 rolls, from memory?? Some developers can be reused too, or as has been suggested, caffenol.
titrisol
Bottom Feeder
Use your fixer one shot for film.... not enough silver to harm anything
Developer is quite innocuous, speically if you use a concentrated one like Rodinal or HC110 or DDX
Developer is quite innocuous, speically if you use a concentrated one like Rodinal or HC110 or DDX
froyd
Veteran
Just in case you want to persist with XP2 -- a film which I use often and really like -- I can recommend the following article: http://theonlinephotographer.typepa...er/2012/10/how-to-shoot-ilford-xp2-super.html
Skit the generic intro to the pros and cons of c-41 vs silver-based BW to the second half of the article "Never Push".
Skit the generic intro to the pros and cons of c-41 vs silver-based BW to the second half of the article "Never Push".
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
Thanks, folks!
>NYDan, yes, I was thinking that the fixer and the spent silver are the main problem. The Phototherm looks very appealing but is a bit beyond my budget.
>Caffenol might be a way to go; I'll need to learn some more about it and about what film(s) it does better with. O2pilot, what films are you using it with?
>5 litres for 100 rolls would be a manageable quantity to haul back to my city and then dispose of.
>One shot fixer might be ok for a very few rolls but our treatment plant here is small and the guy who runs it is--as he should be--very particular about maintaining it as well as he does. I am NOT going to be putting any thing into the waste water that would affect the bacteria we rely on for safe output.
>Interesting article about XP2! It has given me at least a partial explanation of why I have been happier with my results from BW400CN than I have from XP2. Going to shoot a few more rolls bearing in mind the info there and see how I like 'em.
Rob
>NYDan, yes, I was thinking that the fixer and the spent silver are the main problem. The Phototherm looks very appealing but is a bit beyond my budget.
>Caffenol might be a way to go; I'll need to learn some more about it and about what film(s) it does better with. O2pilot, what films are you using it with?
>5 litres for 100 rolls would be a manageable quantity to haul back to my city and then dispose of.
>One shot fixer might be ok for a very few rolls but our treatment plant here is small and the guy who runs it is--as he should be--very particular about maintaining it as well as he does. I am NOT going to be putting any thing into the waste water that would affect the bacteria we rely on for safe output.
>Interesting article about XP2! It has given me at least a partial explanation of why I have been happier with my results from BW400CN than I have from XP2. Going to shoot a few more rolls bearing in mind the info there and see how I like 'em.
Rob
ABrosig
Well-known
This thread peaked my interest and I did a bit of research online. What I found was the suggestion to pour the used fixer into a jug/bucket with steel wool which will precipitate the silver out onto the wool and into the bottom as a sludge, leaving the rest of the liquid fairly inert and harmless. Also, using a highly concentrated developer (Adonal/Rodinal, HC110, or the like) means so little actual chemistry in the waste as to be negligible and not a real cause for concern.
Discuss.
Discuss.
02Pilot
Malcontent
So far I've had good results with Caffenol (as you probably know, there are innumerable variants; I've been using C-M(RS), C-H(RS), and C-L, as appropriate) with FP4+, HP5+, Tri-X, TMax 100, TMax 400, and Acros. I'm still working out how to get good quality from Fomapan 200, but others seem to have done it. It seems quite flexible once you dial it in.
wblynch
Well-known
There are enviro-friendly developers. I believe XTOL is the most friendly of the Kodak offerings. There are niche companies that specialize in this. Check Freestylephoto.biz.
As for the fixer, I know I want to try one of those silver magnets. I discard fixer about once a year at the regional household waste center but the magnet idea sounds cool. Maybe I could collect enough to melt into a ring or something.
As for the fixer, I know I want to try one of those silver magnets. I discard fixer about once a year at the regional household waste center but the magnet idea sounds cool. Maybe I could collect enough to melt into a ring or something.
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
Once a year, about how much film are you developing and how much fixer are you taking to the waste center?
I am not a chemist but I think there is something a bit off in the idea that a "concentrated" developer (or what ever chemical) some how leads to less chemical in the waste stream....seems like the actual chemical would be the same amount but the other stuff--mostly water?--is what is removed to make the developer more concentrated. I'm thinking of it like making a stock, I would start with x amount of meat/veggies, add some amount of water and start cooking it. As it cooks more, it becomes more concentrated because I'm removing water.
Rob
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
I clearly need to learn more; any suggestions for either books or web sites that address this kind of concern?
Rob
Rob
mfogiel
Veteran
I suggest to investigate about some home made system for making this photo liquid waste eco friendly. Most likely somebody will sell you some bacteria that will be happy to eat your used fixer and developer and be content with it. If they can eat plastic bags, they can eat anything.