Dirty Water from Prints in in Kodak HCA

thefizz

Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
2,349
Location
Ireland
Format
Medium Format
I have been using Ilford's Wash Aid or just plain sodium sulfite to hypo clear fibre prints for many years without any problems. Recently I purchased a pack of Kodak HCA and noticed the solution turned very dirty looking after the prints had been submerged for a few minutes. Is this normal for Kodak HCA? My water supply has not changed and looks perfectly clean.
 

koraks

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Nov 29, 2018
Messages
24,154
Location
Europe
Format
Multi Format
That's odd. Thinking out loud:
1: Something in the prints washes out in the HCA bath, turning it brown.
2: Something in the water itself turns brown.
3: Something in the HCA makes the water turn brown.
AFAIK HCA is really just sodium sulfite, and I don't really see any way in which that would turn brown in solution. Leaving 1 & 2, with #1 being the IMO somewhat more likely cause. Can you describe how you process your prints? What developer do you use? Fresh fixer or reused (does the problem also occur with fresh fix)?
 

Doremus Scudder

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2002
Messages
3,603
Location
Eugene, Oregon
Format
4x5 Format
It could well be carried-over developer leaching out into the wash aid solution and oxidizing. Especially if you aren't using a stop bath and/or acid fixer. Short processing times (e.g., Ilford) gives the developer little time to neutralize and dissipate into the surrounding solutions.

Best,

Doremus
 
Last edited:

mshchem

Subscriber
Joined
Nov 26, 2007
Messages
15,036
Location
Iowa City, Iowa USA
Format
Medium Format

That's a good lead to follow. Best guess I've seen so far.
 
OP
OP

thefizz

Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
2,349
Location
Ireland
Format
Medium Format
Acid stop for 30 seconds minimum followed by two-bath fixing in Moersch Alkaline fixer which is buffered to protect against significant pH change.
As I mentioned, the hypo clearing bath stays clear when using Ilford Wash Aid or when using sodium sulfite. It's just the Kodak HCA that has produced the dark solution, so maybe it was just a bad batch.
 

pentaxuser

Member
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
20,117
Location
Daventry, No
Format
35mm
thefizz said:
As I mentioned, the hypo clearing bath stays clear when using Ilford Wash Aid or when using sodium sulfite. It's just the Kodak HCA that has produced the dark solution, so maybe it was just a bad batch.
Click to expand...

Well it would sound that way to me, based on what you are telling us

pentaxuser
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
53,682
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
FWIW, based on the MSDS, the Kodak HCA also includes the following components, some iof which I believe are intended to help maintain an appropriate ph level:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…