Help me with my Xtol math?

[craigclu]

I've only done a quick test a couple of years back with Xtol and am returning to it after a delay... I didn't have a 5 liter, suitable container when I first tried it and mixed it as I used to do D76 1 gallons by using a 1 gallon thumb-hole glass bottle (gently rolling it to dissolve and minimize any aeration). I then decant to smaller bottles. I played with it at approximately 1:1 by mixing 100, 200 and 400ml in 250, 500 and 1 liter tank duties. I decided to get more to a standard this time and sat down to do the math and even though it should be simple enough, it just doesn't feel right. Can someone with a clearer head today double check my numbers for me?

To clarify: I'm mixing the 5L Xtol packet to a one gallon final batch size and wish to have my final dilution match standard dilutions. I'm attaching a simple spreadsheet.

 

[craigclu]

Oops....Here's a clearer sheet.

 

[vedmak]

ok, I still do not understand what are you trying to do, why not just look at the package and get 2 gallon jugs and make an entire 5 liter stock? It will keep better, and when you need to have one to one or other dilutions, just add water, or replenish.

 

[craigclu]

I thought it would keep better at a higher concentration and I was already rigged for containers this way. I use mainly home brewed developers (PyroCat variations) and don't own anything large enough to do 5L with my magnetic stir equipment (I don't like to stir air into things).

 

[vedmak]

well if your bottles are small you run a risk of not using proper chem mix, that is why Kodak stopped selling 1 liter packs, having said that you can measure appropriate weight if you have a scale and do smaller batches, or just get 2 gallons of milk use it, then clean those plastic jars and mix your 5 liter in one gallon jar, and then when dissolved add needed quantity of water to the second jar, and pour it back and fourth from one jar to the other few times. Worked for me, although make sure they are CLEAN

 

[tkamiya]

I am not quite understanding your spreadsheet. But, here's how I would do it.

XTOL bag is for 5 liters. You are going to mix the whole thing into 3.8 liter. Therefore, your stock solution is missing 1.2 liter of water.

If you wish to make it 1:0 (straight), then for 3.8 liter of stock solution, you add 1.2 liter of water
If you wish to make it 1:1 then for 3.8 liter of stock solution, you add 1.2 liter of water to make it 5 liters and add 5 liters of water.

If you wish to do this for smaller quantity of solutions, you'll just scale these numbers to suit your needs.

 

[Mark Fisher]

FYI - it is hard to mix xtol as it is with the full 5 liters. I think that it is fairly close to a saturated solution at room temp (not positive) meaning that you may have problems with precipitate. I just ended up getting a bunch of Boston rounds from Specialty Bottle. They are only a couple of dollars a piece for the 1 quart size (which seems to be one liter). The smaller ones are closer to $1.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Mark a bucket for 0.5 gallon, 1.0 gallon, 4 liters and 5 liters.
Put 4 liters of warm water in the bucket.
Mix in solution A.
When solution A is completely mixed in, mix in solution B
When solution B is completely mixed in, fill the bucket to 5 liters.

Put 1 quart or 1 liter in a bottle. That is your working solution.
Put the rest in an expanding 1 gallon or 4 liter bottle. That is your replenishment solution.

When you develop a roll of film, measure the working solution you need in a beaker. Add 70ml of replenishment solution in the working solution bottle. Then when you have finished using the developer, put the used developer into the working solution bottle and dump the excess.

Steve