usccharles Posted November 11, 2008 Share #1 Posted November 11, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) hi been googling and searching on the forum but haven't been able to get really clear answers so here is a new thread.. sorry if it is redundant questioning. i just developed my first b/w roll at home. SO DOPE. i'm really excited to get more experience into it, but now i have some questions about the chemicals. i'm using at the moment, kodak developer, kodak stop bath, ilford fixer, and kodak wetting agent, all at their recommended dilution. how many times can i reuse each of these chemicals? its seems like from what i have been reading that stop bath and fixer can be reused. i'm using indicator stop bath so i will know when that is up, but how do i know when the fixer is due for replacement? is there a general rule on how many rolls i can process? also, it seems as though develper is recommended as a one-time use deal, but i'm not doing any serious photography so i would like to reuse the chemical if possible. is there also a general rule i can use the developer? i've heard about 4 to 6 rolls before replacing. is wetting agent reusable too? now to disposing. what can and can't i dispose doen the drain? some say i should be able to dispose everything but the fixer down the drain. others say all chemicals should avoid the drain. its kinda mixed. any opinions? also, when i take the used up chemicals to a lab to properly dispose, can i mix all these chemicals in one big drum or should each waste chemical be stored separately and disposed of separately. sorry lots of questions, but thank you much in advanced! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 11, 2008 Posted November 11, 2008 Hi usccharles, Take a look here using and disposing chemicals . I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
maxspbr Posted November 11, 2008 Share #2 Posted November 11, 2008 Charles, That's not a redundant question! About the reuse: The stop bath usually is a very weak solution of Glacial Acetic Acid (10%). It is so cheap that I never bored about reusing it. My normal procedure is to make one liter and use it for 4 or 6 rolls. For papers, until it stop smelling like vinegar, it is OK. About fixer. One liter is enough to fix well 10 rolls. The clearing time is a good tip about the wealth of the fixer. Usually the fixing time is about 5 minutes when the fixer is new, and it must be clean. When it needs 5 minutes just to clean the film (just image and the base), and so you need to stay the film in it for other 5 minutes to finish the fixing, the bath is exausted. This is true for the traditional fixing bath, using Sodium Hypossulfite. I don't know how works Ammonium Thiosulphate fixers. For papers, one liter is enough for around 30 enlargements 18x24cm. (as I ever make 1,5l, I'm always sure about good fixing). Difficult to write about developers. If you are using "one-shot" developers, of course you can't reuse them. Other developers can be reused until exausted. Please say what one you are using. The wetting agent I ise is just a few drops in one liter, so I never reused it. About disposing the baths. Stop bath is something like vinegar (that's why the smell is the same!). No problem about just throw it away. If you want, mix to the developer to destroy the sodium carbonate (or sodium hidroxide) that it can have. Fine grain developers usually have only weak alkalis like sodium borate or sodium bicarbonate (some food is made with this, and medicine like alka Seltzer uses it too), and these are harmless. In fact, some of the "ingredients" you will find in several cosmetics! No problem too about fixers. In fact, the biggest problem do dispose of chemicals occurs with selenium tonning baths, some intensifiers and reducers. These you will use once in a lifetime. Tonning is just a problem of personal taste. Good luck! Regards, Martin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted November 11, 2008 Share #3 Posted November 11, 2008 hi now to disposing. what can and can't i dispose doen the drain? some say i should be able to dispose everything but the fixer down the drain. others say all chemicals should avoid the drain. its kinda mixed. any opinions? It is mixed because different areas have different policies and "the drain" could be to a septic tank system where any chemicals need careful consideration before being added. there is detail of this and more ... much more from our friends at Ilford. General Information Just noted you are Kodak orientated. Perhaps when you see the quality of information which Ilford supplies compared to trying to navigate Kodak sites (detail of the Ektar film is hidden in the digital section) your loyalty may change. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
usccharles Posted November 12, 2008 Author Share #4 Posted November 12, 2008 thanks martin and chris. i am currently using tmax developer. i originally intended using all ilford as i do agree that their website has so much more helpful information than any other brands, but i live in Korea and the film shop only had a mix and match of solutions, hence the kodak ilford mix. cheers! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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