Debris in Dektol

[Loren Sattler]

This week I was getting reading for a printing session. While diluting Dektol I found debris in the stock solution. It looked like algae growth you would find in stagnant water or a poorly kept swimming pool. It would float and settle at the bottom of the bottle, sort of like dust, but larger.

The Dektol was mixed in November from powder using city water. It was stored in a used 2 liter pop bottle which was clean. I have been doing this for many years using the same source of water without issues like this.

It was not the precipitate you can get if the powder is not fully mixed. I always mix at the temperature on the package in a dedicated one gallon plastic mop bucket. After cooling, I pour through a screened funnel into used pop bottles.

Any ideas as to the cause? Bad water?

 

[tkamiya]

I had the same experience.

After a month or so, my Dektol solution became slightly darker and at the bottom, something that looks like brown dust, flake, or thread formed. When I poured it out to the tray, it had "stuff" floating. It still worked just fine but it was disconcerting.

What was happening was that the bottle I was using was letting small amount of air in. That apparently caused these stuff to form.

Since then, I changed the bottle and the problem went away.

 

[Rick A]

Run it through a coffee filter when returning to the bottle. Some of the debris is dust and such from the paper itself. I've noticed some grit on paper as it's pulled from the package, probably from the cutting process. I use a Yankee filter funnel when returning chems to the bottles, washed between chems to prevent cross contamination.

 

[Loren Sattler]

Rick, the post is about stock solution, not used diluted Dektol.

 

[NB23]

I think it's simply the water. Maybe winter has something to do with it.

I've experienced this a lot with diluted Photo-flo and the fungus-like formation was caused by the tap water. This occurance with photo-flo is well documented on the net. I believe your Dektol problem is the same.

 

[Rick A]

Stock or diluted, there will always be brown bits settling in the bottle. Some from oxidation in a fresh bottle, some from use. Initially, there may be some from incomplete mixing of chems even though you think it stirred enough. Always filter the solution into the bottle.