No more stop bath

Gustavo_Castilla · Jan 23, 2005

Hi I wanted to ask if other user use a stop bath when processing film I started to use plain water bath insted and so far so good
any comments are welcome

rduraoc · Jan 23, 2005

I've never used a stop bath in film, other than plain tap water. I develop all my films (normally HP5+ in Rodinal or ID-11) mixing developer and fixer with tap water, and when the development stage ends, I just fill the tank 3 times with water, and then fix. Never seen a problem. But I'm a rookie, so...

Flotsam · Jan 23, 2005

castilg said:
Hi I wanted to ask if other user use a stop bath when processing film I started to use plain water bath insted and so far so good
any comments are welcome

I use one. Water will work fine but the fixer life suffers. In the end, it is probably more economical to use a stop bath.

Gustavo_Castilla · Jan 23, 2005

stop bath

Flotsam said:
I use one. Water will work fine but the fixer life suffers. In the end, it is probably more economical to use a stop bath.

I try to mix new fixer as needed I may put 3 or 5 120 roll trugh it (1500mml)
and mix some more as needed but I like using the water bath best (no smell)
LOl

Lee Shively · Jan 23, 2005

I use water and a stop bath. I rinse the film in water after pouring out the developers and then give it 30 seconds in a stop bath. As pointed out previously, stop bath increases the effective life of fixer.

Ian Grant · Jan 23, 2005

Flotsam said:
I use one. Water will work fine but the fixer life suffers. In the end, it is probably more economical to use a stop bath.

True if you use just one water rinse, but if 2 or 3 then I'd doubt it makes any differance.

If you use Tmax films its the incorporated dyes that diminish the fixers life far faster.

Gustavo_Castilla · Jan 23, 2005

and you get that ugly pink cast

fhovie · Jan 23, 2005

I only use stop bath with Amidol - (one kind of paper developer) and only then a VERY weak acetic acid solution - such that it is exhausted when I dump the tray. And that only because I had some staining when I didn't use it. I use an archival fixer and developers don't mess with it's ph much. I test it an dump it after it fails to completely clear a test film strip in one minute and get the full capacity of sq/in per liter the fixer should get.

Nick Zentena · Jan 23, 2005

Flotsam said:
I use one. Water will work fine but the fixer life suffers. In the end, it is probably more economical to use a stop bath.

True with an acid fixer. With an alkaline fixer the stop will kill your fixer faster.

Loose Gravel · Jan 23, 2005

Water since '69.

Dean Williams · Jan 23, 2005

I've always used a stop bath, and can't see any downside to it. Acid fixer lasts longer with a stop, and if you're using short development times, your developing can be more precise. Fixer costs a LOT more than stop. I'd rather extend the life of the fixer than skip the stop.
Using water is fine, though, if that's your preferred workflow. You'll just go through more fixer.

Dean Williams · Jan 23, 2005

That's some big gravel there, Mr. Gravel. (Just noticed your avitar).

Flotsam · Jan 23, 2005

Nick Zentena said:
True with an acid fixer. With an alkaline fixer the stop will kill your fixer faster.

Remember Aggie's old sig?
"When life hands you Lemons, Make stop bath."

John McCallum · Jan 23, 2005

My old enlarger was a lemon.

Bob F. · Jan 23, 2005

I always use acid stop. A teaspoon of citric acid in a litre of water and dump it when the session is over. Total cost under 20p (and mucous membranes still intact, unlike SOME acids I could mention...) - why not?...

Cheers, Bob.

John McCallum · Jan 23, 2005

Good way to go imo.

David H. Bebbington · Jan 23, 2005

I posted an extract from the Ilford Manual on the thread "I need a universal fixer" which may or may not be of interest.

Regards,

David

Maine-iac · Jan 24, 2005

castilg said:
Hi I wanted to ask if other user use a stop bath when processing film I started to use plain water bath insted and so far so good
any comments are welcome

Toujour water. Pas de problem!

DeanC · Jan 24, 2005

castilg said:
Hi I wanted to ask if other user use a stop bath when processing film I started to use plain water bath insted and so far so good
any comments are welcome

I use plain water when processesing film in my Jobo. The fact that the bottle my fixer (TF-4) comes in says "DO NOT USE ACID STOP BATH" probably has something to do with my choice.

Dean

Bob Carnie · Jan 24, 2005

I prefer a stop bath in both film and paper, it immediately stops development dead in its track.
When printing I find it extremely important to stop development and not wear out my fix as fast.

Ole · Jan 24, 2005

I use water with film, and with paper as well - except in the case of lith printing, where it's crucial that the development stops immidiately.

If I use fixer it is citric acid, about 10-15 grams is one liter of water.

Getting acid stop in an alkaline fixer shold not be a major problem. I use OF-1 (metaborate version) with citric acid stop, and have had no problems with lith prints. I would not use the bicarbonate version with an acid stop, nor would I use acetic acid stop with alkaline fixer.

OF-1 should be well enough buffered to take the small amount of stop that clings to the paper.

If the life of the fixer is shorter because I use water instead of stop, I have never noticed. But I mix new fixer frequently, preferring not to risk poor fixing for the sake of saving fixer. Film and the time to use it is far more valuable than fixer.

dancqu · Jan 24, 2005

You put 3 to 5 rolls of film through 1500ml of fresh fixer?
And no more? I might do that but I use fixer very dilute.
I think you are likely throwing a lot of good fixer down
the drain. Dan

Joseph · Jan 24, 2005

The Film Developing Cookbook, pg 103, suggests that a water stop bath will allow shadows to continue to develop (while highlighs do not) and can also enhance adjacency effects.

Has anyone found this to be true ???

Gustavo_Castilla · Jan 24, 2005

I guess so how may rolls do you put trough?

dancqu · Jan 26, 2005

Does that 1500ml of working strength contain 300ml of concentrate?
I've found that 20ml of 60% in a solution volume of 500ml will
completly clear a 120 roll of Pan F+. So I'd put 15 rolls
through 300ml of concentrate, ONE-SHOT.

You'll need to put a roll or two through and see how it goes.
I'd give a roll 3 minutes constant agitation, then see if it's done.
Test with a little exposed roll. That puts the silver load on the
fix and the quantity of fix is then the "worst" case amount.

The 20ml may actually be more than needed. I'll be doing some
more tests in a few days. Dan

No more stop bath

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