Residual Photoflo

Pieter12 · Sep 22, 2018

When processing 35mm and 120 film, there seems to always be residual photoflo on the plastic Jobo reels. I can see foaming of the chemistry as I pour it out of the tank, and I see uneven development along the top edge of the top reel of film. I am going to try to switch to some sort of tray immersion or dipping in Photoflo instead of leaving the film on the reels.

How can I assure I have gotten rid of whatever Photoflood is still on the reels now? Soaking for hours? Under running water, how long? I have been rinsing everything under hot water for a 30 seconds or so up until now.

Photo Engineer · Sep 22, 2018

Wash longer than 30 seconds and use a soft brush if needed. Wash into a pan with hot water. Continue washing until the wash water in the pan stops foaming. It should foam no more than water not used for this wash.

PE

Pieter12 · Sep 22, 2018

Thanks.

Sirius Glass · Sep 22, 2018

Jobo strongly recommends to NEVER PUT THEIR REELS IN PHOTOFLO OR ANY OTHER SURFACTANT! I always remove film from any reels and tanks and put the film in a plastic bowl of PhotoFlo. Use hot water and a scrub brush to clean your reels and tanks.

Pieter12 · Sep 22, 2018

If photoflo is tough the get rid of, I would be concerned using any kind of soap.

removed account4 · Sep 22, 2018

this is why i use metal reels .. after you run the photoflo
you put hot water in the tank and wash the reels ..
never liked plastic reels ...

Sirius Glass · Sep 22, 2018

jnanian said:
this is why i use metal reels .. after you run the photoflo
you put hot water in the tank and wash the reels ..
never liked plastic reels ...

A brush still helps.

GRHazelton · Sep 22, 2018

I've run Paterson reels through our dishwasher. So far no problems. Whether that could be extended to Jobo reels I don't know. Could you be using too much Photoflo?

Pieter12 · Sep 22, 2018

GRHazelton said:
I've run Paterson reels through our dishwasher. So far no problems. Whether that could be extended to Jobo reels I don't know. Could you be using too much Photoflo?

1+200 as indicated.

RalphLambrecht · Sep 22, 2018

Photo Engineer said:
Wash longer than 30 seconds and use a soft brush if needed. Wash into a pan with hot water. Continue washing until the wash water in the pan stops foaming. It should foam no more than water not used for this wash.

PE

+1; works for me; and use Photoflow sparingly. I dilute as much as 1+400 instead of the recommended1+200;less is more

mercurye · Sep 22, 2018

Like Sirius Glass says, Jobo recommends never doing it, and even puts a disclaimer in the directions I have that it's REALLY not a good idea and they're not responsible for what happens. What I have been doing (if absolutely necessary, I stopped using photo-flo and don't really miss it) is holding each end of the film (usually 120) and souping it through a tray of photo-flo in an 8x10 tray. For 4x5 I simply take them out of the reels and soak them for a few seconds before hanging up.

Photo Engineer · Sep 22, 2018

I've been using a Jobo for almost as long as they have been made, and I always use Photo Flo. I take the drum off the Jobo and place it in the sink with the lid off. I remove each reel (usually up to 4 reels) and then hang and wipe the rolls individually. I then wash the tank and reels.

PE

Patrick Robert James · Sep 22, 2018

I stopped using surfactants for 35mm a long time ago. These days I just hang the film then wipe the shiny side with a paper towel to remove the water. Don't wipe the emulsion side for obvious reasons, and use a light touch. I'll use LFN sometimes for 120 but i usually skip it.

I use a JOBO too. I wash the reels and tanks in bleach every now and then. Keeps them in good shape. Been using the same reels now for over 25 years.

jim10219 · Sep 22, 2018

I use Photo Flo after years of just using my fingers to squeegee them clean. I never got any scratches using my fingers, but I also have soft skin and always washed my hands really well first. For sheet film, I used a silicone squeegee with the film layer flat against a small mirror. It never caused any scratches either, but you have to be meticulous about keeping the glass and squeegee clean. I switched to Photo Flo because it’s just easier to deal with. The trick is to use so little, that it doesn’t foam up. If it foams up, you used too much. Don’t rely too heavily on their recommendations for concentration. The hardness of your water will effect how much you need to use.

As for cleaning the tank and reels (or tray), I always clean that stuff with soap, and then rinse it thoroughly with water. I actually use the soap as a clean indicator. When the water stops foaming when agitated (beyond normal), it’s clean. Then I wipe them mostly dry with a cheap paper towel. I find the cheaper ones don’t leave lint behind, especially when wet (if not abused). Then let it air dry the rest of the way.

I know many photographers like their processing equipment stained, like a badge of honor or something. But I switch out chemicals too often and don’t want to mess with cross contamination, so my stuff always looks brand new.

Arklatexian · Sep 22, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
Jobo strongly recommends to NEVER PUT THEIR REELS IN PHOTOFLO OR ANY OTHER SURFACTANT! I always remove film from any reels and tanks and put the film in a plastic bowl of PhotoFlo. Use hot water and a scrub brush to clean your reels and tanks.

+1

Photo Engineer said:
Wash longer than 30 seconds and use a soft brush if needed. Wash into a pan with hot water. Continue washing until the wash water in the pan stops foaming. It should foam no more than water not used for this wash.

PE

While I never put any reel in PhotoFlo or equiv, and also keep it out of my tanks, your instructions on how to get the stuff off of equipment is the first I have ever read. Thank you. This information should be easier to find. Again, thank you........Regards!

removed account4 · Sep 22, 2018

Pieter12 said:
1+200 as indicated.

does that work out to 2 - 3 drops / tank ? 1:200 sounds like too much
you need barely anything for it to work .. i thnk they say as much as they do
so you buy more photoflo ... to make my point
i had "darkroom monitors" when i too classes in high school who would admininster
"drops of photoflo" because students used too much .. i mean they were kind of fascists but ...

Sirius Glass · Sep 22, 2018

jnanian said:
does that work out to 2 - 3 drops / tank ? 1:200 sounds like too much
you need barely anything for it to work .. i thnk they say as much as they do
so you buy more photoflo ... to make my point
i had "darkroom monitors" when i too classes in high school who would admininster
"drops of photoflo" because students used too much .. i mean they were kind of fascists but ...

1:200 is 5ml PhotoFlo in 1 liter water. How is that too much?

MattKing · Sep 22, 2018

I mix an intermediate stock solution using isopropyl alcohol (1 Photoflo + 7 alcohol) and then dilute that stock solution 1 + 24 for use.
It is much easier to mix accurately to the manufactured recommended 1+199, and accuracy seems to matter.

REAndy · Sep 24, 2018

I've always just mixed up photoflo 1:200 and put it in a quart sprayer bottle. After film has been washed, removed from reals, hold up film with one hand and spray both sides of film with photoflo. Then run your fingers down the film (like a squeegee) hang to dry. Someone showed me this in high school back in the late 70's. I've always had clean negs.

I've never used photoflo on prints.

removed account4 · Sep 24, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
1:200 is 5ml PhotoFlo in 1 liter water. How is that too much?

maybe it isn't for you, but their recommendations always seemed a bit much for me ..
besides why would anyone want a container of pre dilute photoflo lying around ?
i assisted this guy years ago who kept what seemed like a gallon of photoflo in one of those floating lid containers
to do his end run on his film .. always seemed to me to be a good way to get a fungal infection on your film
besides mixed fresh, a couple of drops at a time seems like no bother ...
its like the people who use dawn or jet dry or some other self made alternative to photoflo, i mean a bottle will last 15 years
and is probably the cheapest part of the whole film processing ordeal i don't see the point ...

REAndy · Sep 24, 2018

jnanian said:
i mean a bottle will last 15 years

+1!

AgX · Sep 24, 2018

Pieter12 said:
How can I assure I have gotten rid of whatever Photoflood is still on the reels now? Soaking for hours? Under running water, how long? I have been rinsing everything under hot water for a 30 seconds or so up until now.

You may stop doing the final rinse in the processing tank. One alternative with benefits is to open the reel and let the film just fall into a small container with final rinse in it. Then take the film for hanging directly from that container.

halfaman · Sep 24, 2018

AgX said:
You may stop doing the final rinse in the processing tank. One alternative with benefits is to open the reel and let the film just fall into a small container with final rinse in it. Then take the film for hanging directly from that container.

That is exactly what I do. Best if you are going to process multiples reels.

Residual Photoflo

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