Hypo Clear turns Blue

[samcomet]

I am using homemade hypo clear recipe from the Darkroom Cookbook in my workflow with Foma FB papers. I notice that after a fairly short while the solution turns a light blue colour (maybe 10 prints). Does anyone know if this is indicative of an exhausted solution? I am using PF Liquidol, Kodak Indicator Stop plus Ilfofix and wash in the recommended times. I've done a search hereabouts but have only been able to discover that others have had a similar issue. But I cannot find a definitive answer. Just curious here.....

Thanks & cheers!
Sam

 

[Vaughn]

I am wondering if the blue might be whitener coming out of the paper.

 

[Lachlan Young]

Residual sensitising dye?

 

[samcomet]

I am wondering if the blue might be whitener coming out of the paper.

Thanks for the conjecture Vaughn but I have not experienced the blue tinge when using Kodak proprietary Hypo Clear so my guess is that it does not come out of the paper. I'm no chemist, so I could be totally wrong here. The mystery continues!

Thanks again though,
Sam

 

[samcomet]

Residual sensitising dye?

Hiya Lachlan. Thanks for your thoughts but to the best of my non-chemist knowledge, black and white paper does not use dyes. Again I could be totally wrong on this account but as in reply to Vaughn (above) I've only noticed this when using home brew Hypo Clear solution.

Thanks again to both of you for giving this some thought,
cheers,
Sam

 

[Lachlan Young]

Hiya Lachlan. Thanks for your thoughts but to the best of my non-chemist knowledge, black and white paper does not use dyes. Again I could be totally wrong on this account but as in reply to Vaughn (above) I've only noticed this when using home brew Hypo Clear solution.

Thanks again to both of you for giving this some thought,
cheers,
Sam

That'd be news to the manufacturers. You can't make an MG paper work without them. All papers use them to one extent or another & most MG ones use about 4 I recall - likely a sensitiser & an acutance dye each for the low & high contrast emulsions.

 

[R.Gould]

My Kodak HCA turns a very light blue over a printing session, I have never given much thought to it, it does not appear to affect the way it works, I guess it could be something with the layers in MG paper, but TBH I am not a chemist so have no idea why this happens, Maybe PE, if he catchs this thread, maybe would have a reason why?

 

[David Allen]

I have experienced a similar situation in the past. This occurred on the first and the very last time I used a stop bath with indicator dye in it.

I was given a bottle of Tetenal Indicet. I made seven 30 x 40cm prints and all looked fine but, when I came to the Hypo-Clear stage, the solution turned a definite blue colour.

I have no idea whether it was the dye or another component in the Stop Bath that actually caused the problem. I now use diluted 60% Acetic Acid and have never had the problem since.

Bests,

David.
www.dsallen.de

 

[R.Gould]

For printing recently I have been using clear acetic acid stop bath, no indicator, and my HCA still has a slightly blye tint to it at the end of the printing session, but as far as I can tell it is mot a problem. if it is I have had this ''problem'' for as long as I have printed on FB paper, I always thought that it was just something that happened, never worried me, indeed, it was a nice shade of blue, but then, I like the green colour that my Rodinal goes with Fomapan film
Richard

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

My HCA from Japan (Quickwash)starts off as a lovely blue, gradually fading away with use.
I have never used Foma FB paper, but I suspect it's something leaching out.
After rinsing the print, try leaving it sitting in a tray of tepid water for 15 minutes, before the HCA. See if it turns less/no blue.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

Probably antihalation dye. See PE's post in the sticky threads section.

 

[samcomet]

That'd be news to the manufacturers. You can't make an MG paper work without them. All papers use them to one extent or another & most MG ones use about 4 I recall - likely a sensitiser & an acutance dye each for the low & high contrast emulsions.

Hey thanks Lachlan,

This old man has learned something new. Never too late in life.
cheers,
Sam

 

[samcomet]

Thanks all!!!!

Looking over all the reply's it occurs to me that this colouration is NOT going to be a problem and the consensus via most of you plus PE's post in the sticky's section seems to confirm "that is just how it works - no probs". I must say that I was using Kodak Indicator Stop at a stronger than recommended dilution (my mistake) also seems to "help" produce this blue. Thanks to all for your 2 cents.

@Andrew O'Neill - my first wash between fixer and HCA is only about 3-4 minutes. Might try your suggestion about longer was too.

Thanks again to everyone,
Cheers!
Sam