Goofy question about amber glass bottles.

LambentTyto · Apr 3, 2019

So I'm just wondering if I can save a few bucks by not buying amber glass bottles and using these 1 liter olive oil bottles for mixing the C41 developer? They're tinted, so I don't see why not, but I want to make sure.

trendland · Apr 3, 2019

That is extreme silly (to use olive oil bottles) - be aware of :
1) sunlight though yellow glass can older your c41 developer!
2) the oil inside bottles may destroy you c41 chems over night!

with regards : Warning Warning Warning - you are leaving the save sector!!!

PS : It is a smart idea - but you should indeed wash up the bottles!
If you are not so much experienced with : ask your wife - she perhaps will help you....!

AgX · Apr 3, 2019

It might let pass more UV light than the brown version.

AgX · Apr 3, 2019

trendland said:
1) sunlight though yellow glass can older your c41 developer!

The bottles in question are green not yellow.

MattKing · Apr 3, 2019

I'd be concerned about the quality of the lids (for the purpose of re-use), and whether I could get the olive oil completely cleaned from them.

Mainecoonmaniac · Apr 3, 2019

There's a reason why amber glass bottles work. Longer wavelength light damage the products inside the bottle. Clear or green glass doesn't block those damaging rays. I get mine FREE. But I have to drink kombucha first. I like Health Ade.
https://health-ade.com/

I went to a beer tasting. The presenter is one of the most well known beer experts, Michael Bamforth said that beer bottled in green glass is susceptible to damaging light making the beer have a "skunky" aroma.

AgX · Apr 3, 2019

MattKing said:
I'd be concerned about the quality of the lids (for the purpose of re-use), and whether I could get the olive oil completely cleaned from them.

I knew a photographic research lab that only used similar bottles with such caps (aluminium caps with moulded seal).
However, one may argue on the risk of corrosion of the aluminium if in contact with the liquid. Though one may wipe the thread of the bottle before capping.

trendland · Apr 3, 2019

AgX said:
The bottles in question are green not yellow.

Aha - well that makes a difference.......

!

PET would allways avoid a case of "broken glass" but these Italien oil glass is also much stabile!

with regards

Anon Ymous · Apr 3, 2019

You can use clear bottles and they work just fine. If your chemicals are susceptible to light damage, then you can store them in the dark, like in a box. Although I seriously doubt that indidect sunlight can do any damage.

dpurdy · Apr 3, 2019

Nothing stopping you from wrapping your bottles in duct tape. Also the aluminum caps on some wine bottles do a good job of keeping out Oxygen. That is how I bottle home made wine.

LambentTyto · Apr 3, 2019

I thought you were totally serious at first trendland! Thanks for the responses everyone. Normally I wouldn't worry about it, but it seems in Europe the prices on everything are a little higher on some things, so I'm trying to save a buck, and I've got a whole bunch of these bottles that I'm just throwing out!

pentaxuser · Apr 3, 2019

Mainecoonmaniac said:
I went to a beer tasting. The presenter is one of the most well known beer experts, Michael Bamforth said that beer bottled in green glass is susceptible to damaging light making the beer have a "skunky" aroma.

In that case I'd avoid British pubs if you are ever over here. Lots of beer in green bottles here. The saving grace is that the beer is never in the bottle long enough to smell "skunky".

Unfortunately there is a group of British beer drinking skunks who resent the adjective "skunky" and who have just left our shores for the U.S. to find you. As a fellow photographer I'll give you a tip. If you see a skunk looking a bit lost, engage him in conversation and if he uses the word "guv" that gives his identity away as British. You may then regard him as dangerous and not being a supporter of our "special relationship"

pentaxuser

mshchem · Apr 3, 2019

LambentTyto said:
So I'm just wondering if I can save a few bucks by not buying amber glass bottles and using these 1 liter olive oil bottles for mixing the C41 developer? They're tinted, so I don't see why not, but I want to make sure.

View attachment 220657

Based on the beautiful view from your balcony, I think you should use locally made bottles. The developer will love to be in such pretty bottles. I would find new lids, or maybe recycle a nice wine cork.
Just be careful you don't grab the wrong bottle when you are cooking!

In my experience keeping working strength developer in clear bottles allows you to see any color change. I mix up use and toss.
Best Regards Mike

BrianShaw · Apr 3, 2019

... but use Bertolli or Colavita bottles for your fixer. Wouldn’t want to mix them up!

jimgalli · Apr 3, 2019

Drink wine. Use bottles. Always a fresh source of brown bottles at our house. If you don't like wine, I'll drink it.

cmacd123 · Apr 3, 2019

cleaning and sealing are one problem, and labelling to be sure that no one confuses your chemicals with a food item is another.

Also don't return returnable bottles that you have used for chemicals.

jim10219 · Apr 3, 2019

Boxed wine bags. They keep the air out and since they're in a box, they keep the light out better than Amber bottles.

Agulliver · Apr 4, 2019

As someone who's job involves long term storage of hundreds of chemicals......some are indeed stored in amber bottles specifically because they react with light. We also tend to keep those in the dark.

AgX · Apr 4, 2019

And for a knowledgable amateur it shoud be no problem anyway to either store the few respective bottles in a dark place or give them a dark cover.

Those coloured bottles were rather intended for generic household use.
By the way, my supplier of Ethanol fills it in brown bottles too... seemingly more economic for him than using clear bottles.

dabsond · Apr 4, 2019

I started using glass vinegar bottles for my wet darkroom chemicals. Less than a dollar. Pour out the vinegar and rinse well.

Doc W · Apr 4, 2019

I went the other direction. I got sick of having too many sizes of bottles and worrying about half-stopped longevity, etc., so I just bit the bullet and bought a dozen dark brown glass bottles that hold EXACTLY one litre. I almost always mix up film and print developer in one litre batches. No more worry about washing out the Pepsi or how long developer will last in old gin bottles or inadvertently sipping on selenium from a wine bottle in the dark.

trendland · Apr 4, 2019

LambentTyto said:
I thought you were totally serious at first trendland! Thanks for the responses everyone. Normally I wouldn't worry about it, but it seems in Europe the prices on everything are a little higher on some things, so I'm trying to save a buck, and I've got a whole bunch of these bottles that I'm just throwing out!

No there was nothing seriously aproach within my WARNINGS...

....you got it - perhaps others here should think about! Look at what Annonymus stated! I agree in total!
The color, the material, of your canister isn't from importance - if you like your oil bottles - everything is fine!

with regards

PS : It HAS to be "Airtight" and it has to be filled up to max. (less oxigen as possible) and it has to be washed before use for c41 chemicals!

Rudeofus · Apr 4, 2019

Anon Ymous said:
You can use clear bottles and they work just fine. If your chemicals are susceptible to light damage, then you can store them in the dark, like in a box. Although I seriously doubt that indidect sunlight can do any damage.

+1 to that.

I have stored 1% Silver Nitrate in a clear bottle for years without any sign of degradation, because this bottle is in a dark cabinet most of the time. If direct sunlight can reach your bottles in storage, then little children's hands can reach them, too, and that would be bad.

lantau · Apr 4, 2019

MattKing said:
I'd be concerned about the quality of the lids (for the purpose of re-use), and whether I could get the olive oil completely cleaned from them.

Just flush the bottles with copious amounts of benzene and then immerse them in refluxing Aqua Regis over night. Should do the trick.

AgX · Apr 4, 2019

I likely would not work with pure benzene, furthermore it is practically banned here. I guess you mean gasoline...

Goofy question about amber glass bottles.

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