Glass bottles / beer growlers for storing chemistry

Romanko · Dec 2, 2024

Randy Stewart said:
So, how do you know that photochemistry is light sensitive?

From old books on photography. How do you know that it is not?

Randy Stewart said:
Chemistry is conventionally retailed in non-amber, plastic containers.

Chemistry is sold in amber glass bottles. At least this is how we receive it from Sigma-Aldrich.

Michel Hardy-Vallée · Dec 2, 2024

When I was a broke student and every penny counted, I would go to the dépanneur (corner store) and ask my guy for 1.18L beer bottles.

They were just the right size for storing chemicals, they came with caps, they were GREAT for pouring liquids (I wonder why...) and they cost me only the price of the deposit, so maybe 50 cents each. Internet wasn't as convenient back then, and shipping costs are proportional to volume, so I preferred sourcing my bottles locally. And it was surprisingly hard finding a dozen bottles, so beer was the way to go.

These bottles never got stained or dirty, they would clean perfectly, cost nothing, and were convenient. But, they could break.

Eventually, when I had a few more pennies, I made a big order at ULINE for HDPE bottles in gallon, 2L, and liter size to cover all my needs. HDPE can stain, but it doesn't break and it's much less heavy on my shelves.

juan · Dec 3, 2024

I learned a large part of my photo chemistry from koraks, PE, Gainer, Gerald Koch and others right here on APUG/Photrio. Koch, a long-time published chemist told me here that keeping photo chemicals in the dark was good, and that keeping them in a dark cabinet in clear glass bottles or jars was just fine.

RalphLambrecht · Dec 3, 2024

lukajaku said:
Hello,

I want to ask about glass bottles for storing chemistry. Is it very important that glass bottle or beer growler would be amber? Or it doesn't matter for storing chemistry if glass bottle or beer growler is clear? I find amber beer growlers 10 x more expensive than clear ones so maybe anyone who has used clear ones for storing chemistry could share their opinion?

I also found reagent amber bottles which can be used for storing light-sensitive chemistry. As I know photography chemistry is light sensitive, so is it true that simple amber / reagent amber glass bottles are way better for storing chemistry? Or it depends on the place where that bottle will be stored? Lets say that I will store bottle filled with chemistry in complete dark for most of the time and I would only expose it to light for a short time when I need to use chemistry. What are your thoughts about it?

By the way, I wish you merry upcoming Christmas!

I'm very much opposed to and strongly recommend against using any type of food or drink containers for any type of chemistry. Apart from the technical issues, which may be minor, the chance of confusion or mix-up is always present. D76 in a beer bottle will look like beer to someone in a hurry and will end up in that someone's stomach. Always use proper chemical containers for photochemicals before you're sorry and have to explain yourself to the mother of an adventurous child.

Melvin J Bramley · Dec 3, 2024

Surely the best reason to use old beer growlers is for the pleasure of emptying them?

Glass bottles / beer growlers for storing chemistry

Romanko

Michel Hardy-Vallée

Membership Council

juan

RalphLambrecht

Melvin J Bramley

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