D-23 Tmax fog

I'm trying out the D-23 formula 11 from the Darkroom Cookbook. I'm using Tmax-100 in 35mm. My dilution is 1:1, my temperature is a consistent 68F, my agitation continuous for the first minute and 4 inversions every 30 seconds thereafter. My developing time is 7:00. I'm getting .15 above b+f in Zone 1 and 1.58 above b+F in zone VIII. The problem is I have a huge amount of fog, it measures 1.1. I have re-measured the chemicals, and made three batches so far, and I always get the same amount of fog. In the divided version they say there might be fog and to add 10% potassium bromide to the solution, I'm going to try that, but any other ideas?
Steven

Kodak D-23
Water 750.0 ml
Metol 7.5 grams
Sodium sulfite 100 grams
Water to make 1 liter

It may be dichroic fog in which case it can be cleared with dilute ferricyanide bleach. As I recollect TMX can be developer finicky
Mark

That is a ridiculous amount of fog. I would
wonder if there is not some problem with
the film. It might help if you were not
to over develop. Too much agitation.

I use an 8 - 80 formula D-23 at a 1:7 dilution
on Across. Fine looking negatives; very little
fog and lots of compensation. Dan

D-23 does not ordinarily behave the way you describe. Properly compounded, it is a very well behaved developer. I have used a similar divided developer, D-23 modified with a larger amount of metol, and never had any sort of fogging.

I have never seen that kind of fogging. (Except one time when I screwed up compounding it, and put the wrong chemical in instead of sulfite.) W/o a preservative it may still create an image, but you may not like it. I got a lot of fogging.

A couple of ideas.

1. Problem with the film? Have you tried a different batch of film known to be fresh? D-23 just isn't that active. And it is quite clean working.

2. Mislabeled chemicals? Maybe the film is fine but you have unknown mix of developer. How does this film develop in pre packaged D-76 1 to 1 or 1 to 2? Does it show much of any fog? I would suggest that if the film is good in prepackaged D-76 that the film may be bad. Either fogged through very bad storage , airport x-raying gone crazy, age...

3. Are you replenishing it (KodakDK-25R) and maybe using it beyond the point it should be tossed? Suggested limit is 25 rolls/litrer, then throw away.

squinonescolon said:

I'm trying out the D-23 formula 11 from the Darkroom Cookbook. I'm using Tmax-100 in 35mm. My dilution is 1:1, my temperature is a consistent 68F, my agitation continuous for the first minute Steven

Kodak D-23
Water 750.0 ml
Metol 7.5 grams
Sodium sulfite 100 grams
Water to make 1 liter

Click to expand...

********
D23 has long had a reputation for being a very log fog potential soup. If you are getting fog, check your film storage. I refuse to think it could be your D23--a soup I have used for many years.

The third edition of the Darkroom Cookbook mentions Divided D23 has a tendency to raise base fog levels. "If a problem occurs, the fog level can be contained by adding a 10% potassium bromide solution to the A bath. Use 10ml to start."

edit - Sorry, I was thinking you were using Divided D23.

Any response from the OP?????

How old is the film? I have some 10 year old TMY, and base fog levels are quite high (eyeball method) compared to what I would expect out of any other film of that age. I use D23 exclusively; I never considered that it could be the developer because the developer works fine with all other films.

I remixed and everything was fine. I was doing something wrong. I haven't pin-pointed what. But everything is back to normal.
Thanks everyone.
Steven