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Exausted fix for Paper.... Any simple test?

Gerald C Koch

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+1

Why is it some many on APUG resist keeping track of the number of prints/films put through a fixing solution??? They all seem to want some sort of test. These tests are not particularly accurate and as stated more than once it is archival permanence that is desired. This is lost way before the fixing solution fails to clear a print. If you MUST test then check for retained silver in a sample print.

Just a general observation. This question has been asked a number of times. If those new to photography would invest in a good book on photographic processing such questions would not have to be asked. Even searching the APUG archives before posting would be helpful.
 

miha

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Some years ago, in a conversation with Mirko of Fotoimpex, he told be that they had customers fixing for one year with the same bottle of fixer and then complaining about stains etc. They were abviously expecting for something to "happen" with the fixer...
 
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What we need is fixer that turns green, or explodes, or otherwise self-destructs when the dissolved silver level hits 0.5g/l ... or do we go with Haist's 0.2g/l ? But wait, film can tolerate up to 10g/l according to Ilford.... I guess I'll just have to keep counting and testing.

Humor aside, it's pretty easy to keep a tally of the number of prints (test strips included) that you put through the fix. I just make hash marks on my white board.

And the testing is pretty easy too. I did initial tests to find the limits of my workflow and now test either the last print through the fix/wash (usually it's the same one) or run a black test sheet as the last sheet through the fix after the capacity has been reached. My tests are now KRST 1+2 or even straight to test for retained silver and the Kodak HT-2 test to test washing. I might toss my fix a bit before it's really exhausted and my wash times may be longer than minimum needed, but my prints always pass the tests with flying colors.

Doremus
 

Rudeofus

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When it comes to testing fixers for exhaustion, a number of issues exist, which make such tests exceedingly difficult:
  1. Not all silver salts are created equal. Silver Chloride is quite soluble even in exhausted fixer, whereas Silver Iodide is very hard to fix. Therefore fixer exhaustion also depends on what kind of photographic product is to be fixed or has been fixed before.
  2. Fixation is not just a competition between silver halides and soluble silver thiosulfate complexes, there are many intermediate compounds with wildly varying solubility. It also depends on whether Potassium, Sodium or Ammonium ions are present, and their presence may change as developer or other photographic bathes are carried over. Sodium Thiosulfate fixers can dissolve much smaller amounts of Silver Iodide than Ammonium Thiosulfate based ones even if their molar concentration is the same.
  3. Photographic developers can also bring restrainers into the fixer through carry over, some of which stick to silver ions. These restrainers can either slow down fixation by preventing fixing compounds from reaching silver ions, and they can form competitive insoluble silver salts.
  4. The amount of silver halide, which can be dissolved by fixer, is strongly dependent on fixer concentration, and fixer concentration will change as water is carried over. Therefore even an accurate assessment of silver concentration may not tell much about exhaustion.
  5. As fixers approach exhaustion, they will leave poorly soluble intermediate compounds behind, typically some mixed salts of silver, alkali, thiosulfate and halide. Some of these mixed compounds will eventually wash out, but much, much slower than soluble silver thiosulfate complexes. It therefore also depends on washing procedure, whether a fixer can reach archival silver levels.

For all these reasons listed above, it is much better to test archival fixation in the film/paper, not in the fixer. These test solutions can be made very cheaply, and last a long time.
 

Gerald C Koch

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Very well said. Now if people can realize that it is the print that needs to be tested and not the fixing solution progress will be made.
 

RalphLambrecht

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I believe this is a good way to go
 

miha

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Above might be the reason behind the Principle of good fixation guidance by Ilford: #3 Use a single fixing bath plus a washing aid. The number of prints through the single fixing bath can be increased to approximately 40 20. 3x25. 4cm (8x10 inch) prints per litre/US quart of working strength fixer.