POLL: Do you use a wash aid for FILM?

[bvy]

Curious how many of you use a wash aid as a regular step in your black and white film processing. I mix my own from 2% sodium sulfite, but I only started doing so because it sounded like a good idea, not because I was trying to solve any sort of problem. I wonder now if it's indulgent.

My regular washing method is based on the Ilford method but more like 1+1, 5+5, 10+10, 15+15, 20+20+20+20 with soaks during the 20's. (Those are fill and dump cycles, by the way, with the number indicating how many times I agitate the tank before dumping.)

 

[Anon Ymous]

I used to, but don't. I don't use a hardening fixer and it's probably the most important bit. A fixer like F24 actually washes out of the film pretty easily. I do a quick rinse after fixing, to get rid of most of the fixer. I then do 5 water changes with soaking periods. I agitate for about 30'' for each water change and let the tank sit for 2 more minutes. The HT2 test confirms that my film is very clean, practically no stain. This procedure might actually be an overkill, but I'm too lazy to test the limits.

 

[Svenedin]

No I don't use a "wash aid" but I do use a wetting agent in the final rinse (Tetanal Mirasol). I either follow the Ilford archival wash sequence or if lazy I use a Paterson force film washer in the Paterson tank.

 

[removed account4]

yeah i use it for film and prints

 

[Ian Grant]

It's not needed with films or RC papers.

However with Fibre based papers some of the intermediary Silver/Thiosulphate complexes formed during fixing form week bonds with the cellulose of the paper base and if the Silver level in the fixer is to high the equilibrium between insoluble and soluble means retained silver complexes remain in the paper base, they break down and attack the silver image, staining or even image bleaching at the worst.

Wash aid which is basically Sodium Sulphite helps tip the equilibrium balance of the Silver/Thiosuphate complexes to soluble, it won't work were a fixer has had too many prints through it, it's best used with two bath fixing of prints.

Because the emulsions of films/plates and RC papers are on a chemically inert base there's nothing for the semi soluble silver/thiosulphate complexesto so they wash out quite easily, so wash aid really isn't needed.

Ian

 

[pentaxuser]

bvy, given how much more thorough you regime is than the Ilford one,I'd be amazed if this didn't remove all the fix without wash-aid but to answer your question: No, I don't use wash-aid in film processing.

pentaxuser

 

[bvy]

bvy, given how much more thorough you regime is than the Ilford one,I'd be amazed if this didn't remove all the fix without wash-aid but to answer your question: No, I don't use wash-aid in film processing.

Thanks. I feel like my wash is pretty thorough. It's the same one I use for C-41 (with no wash aid) and it seems to work okay. Of course mixing up a wash aid is pretty easy, so I don't know. Maybe I'll let it go for a while...

ETA: I use a hardening fixer with Acros, so will probably continue using a wash aid for it...

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Only for prints on fibre.

 

[Alan9940]

I cast my vote of "No", but not because I think it's generally unnecessary; rather I use a non-hardening alkaline fix and, according to the instructions, use of a wash-aid is unnecessary. I've never formally tested this fact, but I've never had any issues with my film either.