HC110 Foaming Help

[Bryan Murray]

I started using HC110 for the first time and i'm getting a lot of foam. I use a big tank (3 rolls of 120) and i'm inverting the tank 2 times in 5 sec - every 30sec. (dilution H). Any ideas on reducing the amount of foam build up?
thanks for the help

 

[Ian Grant]

It may be coming from the reels not the developer. They need a good wash in warm water after each processing session as Photo-flo can build up on them.

Ian

 

[Gerald C Koch]

My experience is that Kodak's recommendation for Photo-Flo is too generous. After all they're trying to sell the stuff. When too much is used a greasy deposit can build up on reels and other equipment. I suspect that the anti-foaming agent in the Photo-Flo is to blame. Try using less Photo-Flo or use something else. Other companies make comparable products which use a different anti-foam.

Kodak suggests cleaning reels by soaking them in a dilute solution of sodium carbonate and sodium sulfite. The amount isn't critical and a spoonful of each in a quart of warm water should work. Allow reels to soak for an hour and then rinse thoroughly.

 

[MattKing]

I'm guessing that the OP doesn't have the same foaming problem using the same tank and reels with other developers. If I guess right, it would seem strange that Photo-Flo induced foaming would occur with HC110, but not otherwise.

It can't hurt to clean the reels thoroughly though. As to Photo-Flo dilution, I'd ask how hard is your water? The recommended dilution is suitable for hard water, but softer water requires less Photo-Flo concentrate.

Some context questions are in order.

What film are you developing, what type of tank and reels are you using and what developer were you using previously with that tank and those reels?

Depending on the tank, 2 inversions in 5 seconds every 30 seconds could be a significantly agressive agitation scheme.

 

[Mike Wilde]

I at the end of the wash, have a 2 l jug of reverse osmosis filtered water, plus photo flo.

I use to use the rule of thumb of half a capful of the plastic bottle of photo flo and found it to be too foamy. I now use about a quarter of the cap full.

I recently bought an old darkroom lot at a garage sale, and in it was a glass bottle of photo flo with a metal cap. The volme of the metal cap is about half that of the plastic cap. Maybe that is why the rule of thumb I heard 30 years ago was right.

I never do final rinse on reels. I unspool, look at the neg, and drop it into the jug for a minute, while I walk it to the filtered air drying cabinet in the laundry next door to the darkroom, open the door, get the clips ready, and then draw stright from the final rinse into the drying rack.

 

[Bryan Murray]

It can't hurt to clean the reels thoroughly though. As to Photo-Flo dilution, I'd ask how hard is your water? The recommended dilution is suitable for hard water, but softer water requires less Photo-Flo concentrate.

Some context questions are in order.

What film are you developing, what type of tank and reels are you using and what developer were you using previously with that tank and those reels?

Depending on the tank, 2 inversions in 5 seconds every 30 seconds could be a significantly agressive agitation scheme.

I live in brooklyn and i think the water isn't supposed to be really hard. I don't know for sure. So maybe i should use a little less photo flo. But... I've only had this problem with HC110. I've used the same reels/tank with microdol x, xtol and d76 and no foam. It must be the developer.

I tried using a gentler agitation (figure 8) and it helped. I also cleaned the reels in warm water. So it's better. Thanks a bunch

 

[fschifano]

I live in brooklyn and i think the water isn't supposed to be really hard. I don't know for sure. So maybe i should use a little less photo flo. But... I've only had this problem with HC110. I've used the same reels/tank with microdol x, xtol and d76 and no foam. It must be the developer.

I tried using a gentler agitation (figure 8) and it helped. I also cleaned the reels in warm water. So it's better. Thanks a bunch

You have at your disposal is arguably some of the best municipal water in the country. It is most assuredly not hard. All of NYC's water comes from upstate reservoirs, and none of it is pumped from wells. I am not far from you, but I'm on a completely different water system here in Nassau County. All our water is ground water and is harder than your water supply. I'd kill to be on the NYC water system, believe it. Even with that, I've found that Photoflo at 1+200 is too strong. It works well for me at 1+400. Another thing to consider is that HC-110 does foam a bit when agitated. That's just the way it is. Normally it's not a problem since the bubbles always float to the top. Just use a bit more solution (~50 ml) to insure that the foam is above the top of reels and all will be fine.