Is hypo necessary for T-max 400

Hi!

I use T-max 400 and developing in jobo rotary tubes.

Kodak recommends using Wash aid (hypo) during development. Is it really necessary taking into consideration the development process with rotary tubes?

I wash for 5 min changing water in 10 cycles.

Thanks,
Stig

Hypo is fixer. Hypo clearing agent, HCA, or wash aid is something different. Tmax needs fixer (hypo). You can do without the HCA most likely as film isn't supposed to take up too much fixer due to it's base. However, it can't hurt.

It just dramatically shortens the washing time. I think recommended with HCA (you can use sodium sulphite) is 30 seconds wash, 30 seconds or a minute in HCA, and then 30 seconds wash. You don't ever need HCA. you could wash fiber paper for 2 hours but that isn't practical sometimes.

If I have understood your post correctly you wash the film for a total of 50 mins, changing the water 10 times at 5 min intervals. I'd be amazed if this wasn't enough by itself. Ilford's archival film wash is fill and invert 5 times then dump. Repeat with 10 inversions and finally repeat with 20 inversions. There are those who are sceptical as to whether this in enough but 50 mins is so far beyond this that I would have no concerns that 50 mins of washing isn't enough.

pentaxuser

Kodak recommends the following:

Either:

1) Use Hypo Clearing Agent and wash film for 5 minutes, running the wash water at least fast enough to provide a
complete change of water in the container in 5 minutes; or

2) For rapid washing in a small tank, use Hypo Clearing Agent first, then fill the tank to overflowing
with fresh water and then dump it all out. Repeat this fill and dump cycle 10 times; or

3) Wash the film in running water for 20 to 30 minutes.

I find this publication useful:

http://wwwtr.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/aj3/aj3.pdf

if by hypo you're referring to hypo clear, then it can definitely shorten wash times, both for film and paper.

but the real answer is this: different fixers can give different results for wash times. Fixers that have emulsion-hardening agents in them need longer wash times vs non-hardening fixers. Using a HCA with a hardening fixer is standard, mostly because it can shorten your wash time by 1/2 or more. If you use a non-hardening fixer, then you can still use a HCA if you want, but it isn't as necessary as if you were using a hardening fixer.

-Dan

wiggywag said:

Hi!

I use T-max 400 and developing in jobo rotary tubes.

Kodak recommends using Wash aid (hypo) during development. Is it really necessary taking into consideration the development process with rotary tubes?

I wash for 5 min changing water in 10 cycles.

Thanks,
Stig

Click to expand...

Hypo is not what you think it is. Hypo is an old term for fixer. That is why Kodak's Hypo Clearing Agent is called what it is. Ilford's brand name for the same basic product is Washaid. You don't need either of them, but they are dirt cheap, and can help your film wash better with less water, so IMO you should use them. All they can do is help you.

T-Max films and some others, like the current version of Tri-X have a magenta dye that does not come out easily without a hypo clearing agent. I usually use Permawash.