Ilfosol 3 small batch

With Ilfosol 3 (and other developers) is it okay to mix up small batches? For instance, if I wish to mix only a 500 ML solution will it affect the lifetime and effectiveness of the developer?

Ilfosol 3 is designed to be used one-shot. You dilute it, use it and throw it away. Also Ilford recommend not to keep the diluted working solution for more than 24 hours. It's all in the technical leaflet.

https://www.ilfordphoto.com/amfile/file/download/file_id/726/product_id/542/

OP, are you asking about the keeping qualities of the remaining liquid stock concentrate after you have decanted a small quantity to be diluted for a "use and dump" process?

If so, I think the answer is that once you open a bottle of concentrate it will oxidise over a period. To then preserve the concentrate you could decant the stock into full but tiny bottles of say 30ml for use at 1+9 for each 35mm film( very tedious assuming you could find such small bottles) or use a squirt of a heavier than air gas such as Protectan into the remaining concentrate to form a layer of gas which lies on the concentrate.

pentaxuser

pentaxuser said:

OP, are you asking about the keeping qualities of the remaining liquid stock concentrate after you have decanted a small quantity to be diluted for a "use and dump" process?

If so, I think the answer is that once you open a bottle of concentrate it will oxidise over a period. To then preserve the concentrate you could decant the stock into full but tiny bottles of say 30ml for use at 1+9 for each 35mm film( very tedious assuming you could find such small bottles) or use a squirt of a heavier than air gas such as Protectan into the remaining concentrate to form a layer of gas which lies on the concentrate.

pentaxuser

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This is probably most likely what I'm looking for.. I'm trying to find the most cost effective way to make Ilfosol last. Honestly I should just find a longer lasting developer.

The concentrate will last a reasonable time and you only have to mix up what you need. It is the working solution that has a very short life but that is designed for one-shot use so that does not matter.

I use Ilfosol 3 all the time. I decant the 500ml bottle into five 100ml glass bottles. From the 100ml bottle I mix my dev 1+14. A 35mm film takes 300ml of solution in my dev tank. So that's 20ml of Ilfosol 3 each time. I don't use any gas, but exhale throught a straw into the glass bottle after I poured out the dev.

I have never had a bottle go bad.

foc said:

I use Ilfosol 3 all the time. I decant the 500ml bottle into five 100ml glass bottles. From the 100ml bottle I mix my dev 1+14. A 35mm film takes 300ml of solution in my dev tank. So that's 20ml of Ilfosol 3 each time. I don't use any gas, but exhale throught a straw into the glass bottle after I poured out the dev.

I have never had a bottle go bad.

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Could you throw a link up for the glass bottles you use? (unless of course you obtained them otherwise)

Even a half bottle of concentrate properly capped lasts 4 months, according to Ilford and all their longevity times are likely to be conservative. You have to work out how many films you will develop in say 4 months and use that figure to decide what size bottle of concentrate to buy. You can then do what foc has said or use another heavier than air gas such as Protectan.

If your development rate is very low you might want to consider such as HC110 or the stuff that last for centuries called Rodinal

If you like Ilfosol then as a belt and braces solution, after you have done what has been suggested, do a leader test after a few months have gone by. Place the film leader in the correct strength Ilfosol and develop for the correct time. If the leader has gone black as it should then the Ilfosol is still good.

pentaxuser

I used to use Ilfosol 3, it does keep for at least 4 months after the bottle is opened, I don't know about longer than that because I never had a bottle last longer than that.

Now I use HC-110, my current bottle has been open over a year, it's gone kinda brown but it just keeps on working.

For storage between sessions, small Nalgene bottles from camping stores work well in 30, 60 and 125ml sizes. Water tight, gas tight and keep them in the cupboard. This lasts as long as original packaging.

foc said:

I use Ilfosol 3 all the time. I decant the 500ml bottle into five 100ml glass bottles. From the 100ml bottle I mix my dev 1+14. A 35mm film takes 300ml of solution in my dev tank. So that's 20ml of Ilfosol 3 each time. I don't use any gas, but exhale throught a straw into the glass bottle after I poured out the dev.

I have never had a bottle go bad.

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I am pleased that has worked for you but the science behind it is poor I'm afraid. The gas mixture you exhale is 4% to 5% by volume of carbon dioxide, much greater than in inhaled air, unless you live by a busy road, so if you are trying to put a CO2 "blanket" in the bottle that is not working. If you are looking to replace the air in the bottle with air you have depleted of Oxygen, a good strategy, unfortunately the volume of oxygen is reduced only by a small amount, 4% to 5%, compared to the oxygen inhaled. Perhaps you could compare a bottle without your straw breath and see if indeed it does go off but I suspect you are using the developer quickly enough and the air over the liquid is not large enough in volume to cause an issue. Of course it may be the combination of increased CO2 and decreased Oxygen, however small as a percentage may actually be enough. BTW the Nitrogen content of both inhaled and exhaled air is around 79%.
Personally, although the Oxygen content over the liquid is relevant, the stability I suspect is affected as much if not more by the storage temperature and the effect of light, you may be doing more good by storing in a cool dark place than worrying about gas replacement, but don't let me stop you, if it works for you carry on by all means.

Thomas Satalino said:

Could you throw a link up for the glass bottles you use? (unless of course you obtained them otherwise)

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I bought my brown glass bottles from my local pharmacy. The had to order them in and they cost €1 each.