Quick hypo clear / perma wash question.

I was wondering if it was okay to use the same batch of hypo clear in this print processing sequence:

-> developer
-> stop
-> Rapid fix 1 (30s)
-> Rapid fix 2 (30s)
-> 5 min wash with tray siphon
-> hypo clear
-> sit in water bath (until I'm done my printing session)
-> 20 min in print washer
-> selenium tone
-> hypo clear
-> 20 min in print washer
-> dry on racks

I've been mixing a new batch of hypo clear for use after the selenium toning, and was wondering if this was unnecessary?

I'm printing on fibre paper. I don't like the idea of mixing the hypo clear and selenium toner together, because I like to re-use my selenium. I can't bear the thought of pouring it down the drain after every session - especially at the 1:5 ratio I use for toning Ilford Galerie paper!



Thanks!

I think as long you keep track of the number or prints processed and treat each print as two prints in regards to capacity I dont think you will run into any trouble. I always to a hypo residual test after the final wash just to make sure.

I would not do that. I think you might get some staining problems from the fixer but I'm not sure. Permawash is relatively cheap so use separate baths. If you have space issues, consider single tray development. That is what I do.

I think it is cheaper up front to use plain selenium toner without PermaWash but you will spend alot of time dealing with filtering the solution, cleaning up stains, etc. Time is money and I prefer using one shot selenium toner and toning in batches.

A tablespoon of sodium sulfite in a liter of water is far cheaper than Perma Wash, and does the same thing. Its low cost removes the temptation to re-use possibly contaminated chemistry.

Thanks, Jim. That sounds like a valid way to go about things. I've got to get more sodium sulfite anyways, so I'll just purchase a bigger amount.

Appreciate all the help, as usual!

Marco -

I routinely use the same hypo clear bath after fixing and before toning, and then again after toning.

Hypo clear is not all that expensive, but I still try to be frugal in my use of chemicals because the nearest shop that sells them is quite a distance away and I want to minimize the number of trips to purchase replacements.

The digital truth website gives a formula for wash aid similar to Perma Wash here: http://www.digitaltruth.com/techdata/washaid.php

You can order bulk quantities of sodium sulfite and sodium metabisulfite here: http://www.chemistrystore.com/index.html

You can order a cheap but perfectly satisfactory digital scale here:
http://www.amazon.com/Escali-Primo-...bs_sr_1/104-9802298-2619950?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen

Considering that Kodak HCA has gotten to be pretty expensive and that I dump it after every use, mixing my own is a very cheap alternative. The main expense is for the chemicals. Twenty five pounds of sodium sulfite and 10 pounds of sodium metabisulfite can mix gallons and gallons of wash aid for only about $56.00 plus shipping. Perma Wash now costs over $45.00 a gallon and you can mix about 40 gallons of working solution from this. The last gallon jug I bought went bad before I used it all so I switched to Kodak HCA. Although HCA is cheaper than Perma Wash it's more expensive than mixing your own with no more effort involved.