Developer Liquid Concentrate Storage

RedSun · Apr 24, 2014

I have some old Ektaflo (1 gallon size) concentrate (about 90% full) in its original clear plastic container. It works fine and I'm happy with it.

The problem is that, at the cap there has always been some leak (or sippage). Then it is very hard to open the cap with the solid from the leak.

I'm thinking of moving the concentrate to another bottle, probably the 1 gallon Falcon accordion. Do you think this is a good solution?
Thx.

Gerald C Koch · Apr 24, 2014

NO, NO, NO. The accordion bottles are usually made of low density polyethylene which is the worst type of plastic in which to store developer. This plastic allows too much oxygen to diffuse into the bottle. Use a glass or PET bottle or just find a replacement cap.

RedSun · Apr 24, 2014

So what these accordion bottles are good for? Working solution?

gone · Apr 24, 2014

I'm glad I saw this. I turned my Arista black plastic accordion bottle over and on the bottom it is labeled simply PE, which apparently is not a good place for my developer. My larger brown plastic bottles are labeled HDPE, which is supposed to be OK for other chemicals, but not developer. I'd better get some PET bottles.

My small brown plastic bottles have only a 'T' on the bottom. I wonder what that is good for? They are much more rigid than the HDPE bottles.

MattKing · Apr 24, 2014

RedSun said:
So what these accordion bottles are good for? Working solution?

Marketing - and not much else.

Gerald C Koch · Apr 24, 2014

Not only are these bottles bad for developer but the accordion pleats makes them impossible to clean properly.

bdial · Apr 24, 2014

The accordion bottles look very impressive, but they are junk.
What is truly amazing is that they are still sold.

NedL · Apr 24, 2014

Gerald C Koch said:
.... The accordion bottles are usually made of low density polyethylene .....This plastic allows too much oxygen to diffuse into the bottle....

That is incredible since the only purpose of an accordion would be to exclude air! I saw these a couple years ago at a local photo store and sometimes have thought I was being too cheap by not buying them and reusing glass bottles instead. Who would've thought!

RedSun · Apr 24, 2014

well, this is interesting, since the accordion was marked as photographic liquid bottle....

Alex Muir · Apr 24, 2014

I use two accordion bottles to hold stop and fix for my film processing. I don't know if they have markings to describe the type of plastic. I squeeze out all air before sealing with the lids. They remain in the same condition until opened again which could be a couple of weeks or more. I don't notice any significant ingress of air. That may be misleading, however, if the oxygen is absorbed into the liquid? I haven't noticed the chemicals going off.
Alex.

RedSun · Apr 24, 2014

I went back and looked at all the brown plastic photo bottles I use to save the old chemicals. None of them have any markings about the type of plastics. Most of them are the photo bottles made by Dallas-based Datainer. I assume these are the right bottles.

As for my liquid concentration, I'll just keep it in the original soft bottle (pouch). It is very easy to squeeze out the air.

Gerald C Koch · Apr 24, 2014

RedSun said:
well, this is interesting, since the accordion was marked as photographic liquid bottle....

They don't call marketers marketing weasels for nothing.

The two best plastics for developer storage bottles are polyethylene terephthalate PET and polyvinyl chloride PVC. The bottles can be identified by the recycle code on the bottom.

gordrob · Apr 24, 2014

The gallon Ektaflo container you have was designed to be used with the Kodak Screw Cap Dispensing Tube Model #2. The idea was to place the gallon container with the hose attached on a shelf and draw the amount of liquid you need through the tube. The container will deflate as you draw the liquid and there would be any air in the container. Works the same as the deflating bag in a wine box. Google the description above for a picture of the unit. I use them to store and draw E6 chemistry as I need it. They work well.
Gord

RedSun · Apr 25, 2014

When I got this item, it was in its original box. But it was leaking and the solid residue "froze" the cap. It took me quite some time to unfreeze the cap. I put the entire container in a water bath.

Right now, I try to keep the cap at the top and try not to let the concentrate to get to the cap. This time it was not too bad to open the container.

I just wonder why the later T-max concentrate does not use the same container, but the regular silver 1 gallon bottle.

polyglot · Apr 25, 2014

As to the original question, I would suggest using an aluminised mylar bag-in-box; the same containers that water and cheap wine are sold in. The taps do drip a little on use but don't leak in the long term or jam up from dried residue. The bag arrangement automatically excludes all air because the bag just shrinks as you remove liquid.

I store Xtol stock in these things, it lasts very very well and is super-convenient. I suspect what you have now is basically the same idea but that you don't have the right tap on there, like gordrob says.

Truzi · Apr 25, 2014

I acquired some Ektaflo Type 1 paper developer some time ago, of unknown age. It is an unopened cubitainer. I wonder if it is the same as yours and how well it held up. I've not gotten around to trying it yet.

fotch · Apr 25, 2014

RedSun said:
So what these accordion bottles are good for? Working solution?

The transfer money from the buyer to the seller. They keep making them because people keep buying them.

RedSun · Apr 25, 2014

I have been using this old stock for 2 years, no problem.

This is a pic of the container. You can find the similar package at wine store for Rose wine

Developer Liquid Concentrate Storage

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