Suggestions for leaking blix?

S

shawn

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I recently started using the Tetenal C41 kits to develop color negs at home. I use Hewes reels and stainless tanks. I have done B&W for many years and typically do that on a rotary motor base and have no problems with leaking.

My problem is the tanks seems to always leak during Blix. Due to the leaking I invert for color processing instead of using the motor base. Any suggestions on how to stop the leaking? I have a Paterson tank but much prefer the Hewes reels... esp. for 120.

Thanks,

Shawn
 
Shawn, I've experienced the same thing with my SS tanks and reels. The biggest factor seems, in my case, to be how well the tank lid seals. Temperature also plays a role.

I take a paper town folded in half and then half again, holding it atop the tank and just let it leak if it's going to leak. I also wear nitrile gloves when developing. I know this isn't a good solution but it's about as good as I can do.

Kenny
 
The jobo tanks with the expandable membrane solve the problem. The pressure build up has somewhere to go instead of forcing liquid out through flakey seals.
 
After posting that I tried a Jobo tank with the expanding membrane in the cap. That tank still leaked around the cap itself. I have one 120 Hewes reels that fit Jobo/Paterson tanks.

Regarding the teflon tape, are you putting that on the tank edge or in the channel on the lid? I'll have to give that a try.

If all else fails I was thinking a Paterson tank and using the agitator to keep the tank upright during Blix would solve the leaking. Not sure if that would be enough agitation for the blix though?

Thanks,

Shawn
 
I have two caps for my jobo 1500 series tanks. One of them has a little hole in the center to let the pressure out. The first time I developed C-41 the gas build-up blasted the cap off with a loud pop, and splattered blix all over my bath tub. It looked like I had just slaughtered a small animal.
I have an older jobo print drum that I use for 4x5, and this tends to leak quite a bit. I develop by rolling it back and forth in the bath tub, and I periodically rinse the spill with a jug of water. This is not ideal, but it is not a huge problem either. I do recommend wearing gloves.
I'll also give the teflon tape a try, although I am not sure how easy that is to apply when I am loading the tank in the dark.
 
When using a Jobo with cog you have an open system in the elevator so during the degassing of the Blix or Bleach and Fixer you do not have any of these problems. In a Jobo with Red lid the problem is solved in another way
because it can expand when degassing.
 
"In a Jobo with Red lid the problem is solved in another way
because it can expand when degassing."

Unfortunately mine still leaked. I pushed down the red lid with it off to allow for the expansion but I ended up getting leaking around the cap itself. Not as bad as the SS tank but still more than I would like. May end of going with the Patterson and just use the agitator during BLIX.

Thanks,

Shawn
 
I think Jobo actually advises not to store it snapped onto the tank. Presumably the flexible plastic gets tired more quickly that way.
Click to expand...

Correct and when it is just a small leak you can "re-generate" the Red lid by cooking, put on the top and let it cool down in the right form. Then you normally can re-use it for another few years.
 
Use the swivel-stick with Blix, I also had some messy "blowouts" with the Blix, changing to the stick solved my problem.

I don't think you need to worry too much about uneven Blixing, as long as you have enough liquid in the tank.
 
znapper said:
Use the swivel-stick with Blix, I also had some messy "blowouts" with the Blix, changing to the stick solved my problem.

I don't think you need to worry too much about uneven Blixing, as long as you have enough liquid in the tank.
Click to expand...

Me too, I twiddle the blix, and have had no issues, 10 seconds every 30.
 
Last edited:
Ezzie said:
Me too, I twiddle the blix, and have had no issues, 10 seconds every 30.
Click to expand...

I assume you also use the stick for the developer? What is your agitation?

I always wonder how other people agitate using the stick - it seems that 'official' instructions always assume inversion.

Randy
 
zauhar said:
I assume you also use the stick for the developer? What is your agitation?

I always wonder how other people agitate using the stick - it seems that 'official' instructions always assume inversion.

Randy
Click to expand...
For me anyway, I use inversion with the developer, then I use the stick with the blix (a few back and fourths each minute, nothing quite set in stone....I just make sure to "stir well" to get a good movement of the blix, before I leave it to stay for another minute).
 
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