Fixer turned PINK

fmariasilva · Apr 20, 2021

Hi everyone

So I have this newly bought Adox Fixer. I used for the first time yesterday to develop 2 CMS20's 35mm. I used adox Eco Stop Bath for the first time yesterday (i used to do it with water). After I poured the fixer back to the storage bottle i notice it was as pink as a flamingo. I've never seen anything like it. Sure that sometimes it comes out not as translucent as it was before, but i know that's normal. But PINK? ......... I left it sink for the night and today was as translucent as usual, but I wonder what happened. Does anyone have any idea what could have caused it? Does it have anything to do with the stop bath? Is it armful for the fixer, or is it just normal?

Thank you all!

Francisco Maria Silva | Portugal

DMJ · Apr 20, 2021

fmariasilva said:
Hi everyone

So I have this newly bought Adox Fixer. I used for the first time yesterday to develop 2 CMS20's 35mm....or is it just normal?

Thank you all!

Francisco Maria Silva | Portugal

Welcome !

1) You shouldn't develop film with fixer! Is that what you did?
2) That film requieres a special developer

http://www.adox.de/Photo/adox-films-2/cms-20-ii-adotech-ii/

MattKing · Apr 20, 2021

Welcome to Photrio.
First, I would like to thank you for the best description I've seen on this site in a while. "Pink as a flamingo" just made me smile!
It is probably normal, and most likely relates to the acidity (ph) of the fixer.
I've seen a change of colour in fixers before, and they usually resolve into transparency quickly - I assume when the buffering in the fixer has had a chance to do its work.
I say "probably" because I haven't used that exact combination of stop bath and fixer before.

Pieter12 · Apr 20, 2021

I have had fixer turn pink after processing film--certain films seem to make that happen more than others. The color goes away and doesn't seem to affect the fixer. Just keep track of how many rolls of film you fix with it and dispose of it before it is exhausted.

Lachlan Young · Apr 20, 2021

Depending on the pH of the fix & a few other factors, it can go quite spectacular colours - what you saw was likely residual sensitising/ acutance dyes etc - and the fading you saw is because the residual dyes are destroyed by exposure to oxygen, light etc. TMax is another that can cause quite lurid colour in C-41 fix - many other films leave purple dye behind.

fmariasilva · Apr 20, 2021

MattKing said:
Welcome to Photrio.
First, I would like to thank you for the best description I've seen on this site in a while. "Pink as a flamingo" just made me smile!
It is probably normal, and most likely relates to the acidity (ph) of the fixer.
I've seen a change of colour in fixers before, and they usually resolve into transparency quickly - I assume when the buffering in the fixer has had a chance to do its work.
I say "probably" because I haven't used that exact combination of stop bath and fixer before.

I was worried it would have something to do with the stop bath. I've never used stop bath chemistry before (again, used to do it with water). "I've seen a change of colour in fixers before" - me to, but usually, as you describe so well, "they (..) resolve into transparency quickly". But this took many hours.

Should I use this fixer again?

relistan · Apr 20, 2021

Never used that film but this is pretty common with certain film stocks (notably green from Fomapan 120) that have dyes that come out in the developer and fixer. No big deal, should have no effect normally. Try testing fixing time on a clip from a leader and I'm sure you'll find its unaffected.

MattKing · Apr 20, 2021

relistan said:
Try testing fixing time on a clip from a leader and I'm sure you'll find its unaffected.

+1
Here is a link to what is meant by a clip test: https://www.photrio.com/forum/resou...ixing-procedure-for-black-white-negatives.75/

Auer · Apr 20, 2021

Rodinal after Foma

I have also gotten pink fix from C41 process (Bleach Bypass) but never from a B&W process (yet).
Shades of yellow and a cool blue as well. All disappeared after a while..

fmariasilva · Apr 20, 2021

MattKing said:
+1
Here is a link to what is meant by a clip test: https://www.photrio.com/forum/resou...ixing-procedure-for-black-white-negatives.75/

Thank you so much!

Fin77 · Apr 29, 2021

My fixer is changing to pink when fixing TMAX 100 films and also with Delta 100, but not as much as with TMAX. Then it depends which fixer I use. Some fixers colour is more pink than others. Prewash also influence, without prewash color is more pink and without prewash less pink. With H5+ the fixer doesn‘t change colour. The pink colour will fade away when fixer is new but stay when the fixer loose its effect.

fs999 · Apr 30, 2021

My fixer is brown like milk chocolate. I use exclusively Caffenol

gone · Apr 30, 2021

Thanks for the pic of Foma in Rodinal! I'm shooting Foma for the first time and haven't finished the roll yet. Seeing this happen w/o knowing it was going to happen would have thrown me for a loop.

grat · Apr 30, 2021

Foma is a good source of "joker green" water. I always pre-soak the Foma/Arista 400, so that my developer only turns a little green, and my stop stays normal.

Fixer turned PINK

fmariasilva

DMJ

MattKing

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Pieter12

Lachlan Young

fmariasilva

relistan

MattKing

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Auer

fmariasilva

Fin77

fs999

gone

grat

Fixer turned PINK

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