Nah.. could I have... ?

Ok just test developed about 3 shots, 6x6 that I took this morning, from a roll of 120 .. nothing...
(wanted to prove that the developer was still good.. for some more rolls I have)
Perplexed..
Know I pulled the dark slide..
Know I set the shutter, as I heard it work

Sooooo... could the developer be so bad that nothing would show? ... Doubt that...
or'
Nah... could I have.. poured the developer into the Blix bottle and the Blix into the developer bottle the last time I developed color...
To verify this... what color is the Blix is it darker brown or a cherry red?

Its a Arista C-41 Liquid Color Negative Developing Kit, 1 Quart

If it's a camera error and your processing is correct, then you would see the index numbers. I interpret your wording " .. nothing..." as that you didn't even see index numbers ---> yes, something likely went wrong during processing.

I have seen C-41 CD take on all kinds of colour from light brown to very red, but in all cases it still looked very different from BLIX. CD should be mostly transparent, think diluted apple juice, whereas BLIX is a very thick liquid which is definitely not transparent and only slightly translucent.

If you are still not sure which one is which, you can in broad room light dip two test clips of colour negative film into either liquid. In BLIX the milkiness of the test clip will clear up quickly, leaving you with a pale orange fully transparent clip. In CD, however, the clip will turn black and non-transparent. If the results are the exact opposite of what you expected from the labels on your process liquid bottles, then you have an explanation what went wrong and are ready to try again. If something else happens, we'd have to investigate some more.

Before I start processing I arrange the chemicals in order in the holding rack of the Jobo processor. I pour each chemical into the Jobo processor. I move the bottle to the return tube and at the end of the time raise the tank and the chemical returns to the original bottle. The original bottle gets it cap back. Repeat until done. The chemicals always end up in the correct bottle.

Rudeofus said:

I interpret your wording " .. nothing..." as that you didn't even see index numbers ---> yes, something likely went wrong during processing.

Click to expand...

Yep.. made two strips.. first in Blix... cleared it..\
Then the DEVELOPER! Which is DEAD.. DEAD.. DEAD... didn't do a thing... and then put that strip in Blix..
cleared it..

Well glad I tried it on only three exposures.

Developer that is unused should keep for about 1 month and used about 2 weeks in a filled bottle. I get a little more out of them by careful treatment, but that seems to be good for me. If you got less, something is wrong.

PE

Tetenal's C-41 instructions say that you go directly from CD into BLIX, and I strongly suspect you were told the same thing by Arista, except that you inadvertently went from BLIX directly into CD. In other words: you carried over a highly concentrated, well buffered and slightly acidic process liquid with lots of Iron into your delicate colour developer. Yes, I can imagine that this was not good for your CD ...

... but killed it completely?

You do realize that CD needs 3:15 at 38°C in order to fully blacken a fully exposed negative strip, yes? Convert this time from 38°C to 20°C room temperature (you didn't heat the CD for this test, did you?), and you need (according to this little gem) almost 20 minutes, give or take a few. So before you throw out your expensive CD, try another quick clip test for at least 10 minutes, before you decide to throw it out. Once you confirmed that it still does its job, I'd say do another test run, this time in the correct sequence, and see whether you get usable negs.

PS: Depending on the amount of Iron you carried over from your BLIX into your CD, the shelf life of your CD may have become much shorter, depending on the amount of sequestering agent in your CD. I'd say try to use it up in the next few days if it still works. Iron, if not sequestered, will deteriorate the CD quickly.

At that pH, the Iron would precipitate out as a mix of Oxides and Hydroxides as well as oxidizing a bit of the color developer and lowering the pH, so the developer would be pretty much shot for any "real" process. I wouldn't use it in this case.

PE

Some clarification on the issue..
The kit was in the correct bottles ... so I didn't screw up there.. and I had only developed 4 rolls with it, and although the temp was not correct, they were still siting in the 'bath' that warmed them, when I did the test strips. Did Blix test strip first and seeing it come clear, I suspected that the Developer was in fact dead, and tried that next, for about half the time.

So.. why was the developer dead.. ha... the extension on the Wheel of Time.
That's why I wanted to test on three negs that were not important, but never thought I would get nothing from the developer, even if it was old, I thought it would show something!
In this case wrong, and understand why.. but was pushing the envelope.

I've had good luck with these kits beyond there normal stated time limits.. in the past, as I do not do that much color development. Usually shoot a four or five rolls of color in spring, and a couple of rolls this time of year.

But on this one went to far.. it was purchased sometime in the later half of 2014, and mixed back in May.. and last used at the end of July..
yep I know... that's why I wanted to test.. but didn't believe it would do nothing.

So I will have to order another kit.. this time having read all the conversation about Blix from the two of you.. (PE & Rudeofus) not going to go with a Blix kit..

Meanwhile.. going down to Tucson to see the grand kids later this week so will drop the rolls off at Photograhic Works down there.

BTW.. the kit has been dumped..
Thanks for the help..