Paper developer age

redbandit · Dec 13, 2022

Even though the container gives a "range" of life for working solution in 8x10 prints... Is it a generally good idea to replace ones paper developer once

1. the color gets twice as dark in 2 days
2. odd forms of life start floating around once the working solution gets shaken well?

Don_ih · Dec 13, 2022

The answer is "Yes." #2 doesn't matter much. But #1 means the developer is oxidized too much and will probably make muddy prints.

removedacct1 · Dec 13, 2022

Its not a good idea to save your working strength (water added) developer for re-use over several days - its going to be compromised by oxidation within hours of mixing. Use it for one printing session and discard it.

koraks · Dec 13, 2022

redbandit said:
2. odd forms of life start floating around once the working solution gets shaken well?

Contact a microbiologist, as they'll be delighted to hear about the life forms that manage to survive in the inhospitable environment of a paper developer. All kinds of particulate contamination are possible of course, but they're usually quite lifeless. And also quite harmless, fortunately. Mostly it's just clouds of calcium salts precipitates.

redbandit said:
1. the color gets twice as dark in 2 days

That's a bit of a subjective statement; I wouldn't know how to evaluate 'twice as dark'. But dark paper developer isn't always a problem. Mine starts out virtually clear, but ends up the color of a particularly nasty and strong herbal tea at some point.

paulbarden said:
Its not a good idea to save your working strength (water added) developer for re-use over several days

It depends a bit. I, and several others too, work with a replenished paper developer stored in an oxygen-free environment. It lasts very long this way. Stored improperly and without adequate replenishment is indeed asking for trouble.

MattKing · Dec 13, 2022

Pay attention to how long it takes for the image to begin to appear.
If with fresh developer the image is clearly there after ten seconds, note that.
When it takes twice that long for used developer, check the capacity recommendations - it probably is time to discard.
Dark developer is a little more difficult to use - because it is harder to see what is happening - so that might factor into the equation.

Tim Stapp · Dec 13, 2022

What about replenished paper developers, such as LPD?

gone · Dec 13, 2022

I think for most all the developers, it should (might) give you the details on the container or their website for how many prints can be developed, and how long it can remain in covered trays for the next day. At the time I was using a liquid developer called Sprint.

I would take Saran wrap, cut it a little larger than the trays, and smoosh it down on top of the developer to get as much air out as possible. If I had finished a late night print run, it was OK to use again the next morning.

That's as far as they recommended, but what Matt said is sound advice. If it's taking a much longer time to develop your prints it may be time to dump it. With Dektol, as it's nearing exhaustion it will give you a few warm prints right before it dies.

mshchem · Dec 13, 2022

I make up 5L of Ilford Bromophen, I divide it into 20 full 250 mL bottles. Ea 250ml makes a liter of working solution, I use the working solution for a week or so 5hen toss.

Never leave solutions in trays unless you are actively using.

I use clear bottles to store the working solution, I toss it if it is dark.

Dektol is not as clean working as Bromophen and LPD.

MHOFWIW

albada · Dec 13, 2022

How many sessions do you get from a tray of developer?
BTW, like @mshchem, between sessions I store the working solution in a glass or PET bottle to keep oxygen out.

Mark

mshchem · Dec 13, 2022

From Ilford

As most water drawn from pressure mains is highly
aerated, we advise that users draw off the water
they need and leave it to stand for a few minutes
before mixing developer.

IT'S ABOUT OXYGEN! We live in a very reactive atmosphere.

relistan · Dec 14, 2022

albada said:
How many sessions do you get from a tray of developer?
BTW, like @mshchem, between sessions I store the working solution in a glass or PET bottle to keep oxygen out.

Mark

like Mark, I pour the chems into bellows type bottles if I’m going to print the next day and I haven’t exhausted the developer or fixer. I test first thing before next session and 90% of the time it’s fine. I would not leave them out.

Doremus Scudder · Dec 15, 2022

PQ print developers generally have a longer tray life than MQ ones. I use ID-62 a lot and usually get two sessions from one tray of working solution. The developer is stored in a bottle between sessions. I could maybe get more life from one batch, but it's easy to mix up new. FWIW, every time I've been worried that my developer was dying and mixed up new in the middle of printing one particular image, the new developer has made very little difference in the image; maybe developing a bit faster, but no noticeable contrast change. That means I'm not overusing my developer

Doremus

drfoxmd · Dec 19, 2022

relistan said:
like Mark, I pour the chems into bellows type bottles if I’m going to print the next day and I haven’t exhausted the developer or fixer. I test first thing before next session and 90% of the time it’s fine. I would not leave them out.

I was trained to store it in brown glass bottles in a cool, dark location to extend life. I think it helps but you will notice longer development times as it ages.

redbandit · Dec 19, 2022

finally got around to dumping out my crappy chemicals. That life form in the developer was like black snot that when shaken up with hot tap water turn to black ink.

cleaned easily but still not sure what it was. And im really running ragged on time again to get done. Suddenly having to play elder care taker every morning sure kills personal time.

koraks · Dec 19, 2022

redbandit said:
That life form in the developer was like black snot that when shaken up with hot tap water turn to black ink.

cleaned easily but still not sure what it was

It's generally a combination of oxidized developer compounds, which tend to turn black, calcium precipitates that mix in with the black stuff to make it extra gooey, and perhaps a tiny bit of gelatin, sensitizing dyes etc. Generally harmless; I always have some of that crud floating around in my replenished paper developer and it doesn't harm a thing.

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