Salvaging a Tetenal Colortec C-41 kit. Fixer?

[tanner]

The kit is about 6 years old, unopened, everything looks fine except BX Part 2 which has some precipitate in it. I've read this: https://www.photrio.com/forum/resources/converting-c-41-e-6-blix-into-separate-bleach-and-fixer.74/


What I'm aiming to do is process some expired film that I can't justify buying fresh chemistry for, plus I don't want this kit to go to waste. If the chem still works ok, I might put a few fresh rolls through it.

I have the potassium bromide, acetic acid, no pH meter, fresh Fix Ag Plus fixer from Compard/Agfa, 5yr old 1L (1+7) batch of the same fixer that has had 10 rolls put through it, but is clear.

Can I use the fixer I have? Can I somehow modify it to raise the pH if it's too low? Does the pH of acidic rapid fixer change as it's used, hence I might try the old batch? I don't use a stop bath with film, but do a wash before fixing, so that old fixer is unlikely have been contaminated with developer too much. Ideally I won't have to buy new fixer.

Does it even matter all that much what fixer is used given that I'm just looking to salvage some old chem and film and be super cheap while doing it?

 

[halfaman]

Fixer pH is neccesary for a good final color balance and dyes stability. If you don't care about any of these go ahead with any fixer you have.

 

[mshchem]

The kit is about 6 years old, unopened, everything looks fine except BX Part 2 which has some precipitate in it. I've read this: https://www.photrio.com/forum/resources/converting-c-41-e-6-blix-into-separate-bleach-and-fixer.74/


What I'm aiming to do is process some expired film that I can't justify buying fresh chemistry for, plus I don't want this kit to go to waste. If the chem still works ok, I might put a few fresh rolls through it.

I have the potassium bromide, acetic acid, no pH meter, fresh Fix Ag Plus fixer from Compard/Agfa, 5yr old 1L (1+7) batch of the same fixer that has had 10 rolls put through it, but is clear.

Can I use the fixer I have? Can I somehow modify it to raise the pH if it's too low? Does the pH of acidic rapid fixer change as it's used, hence I might try the old batch? I don't use a stop bath with film, but do a wash before fixing, so that old fixer is unlikely have been contaminated with developer too much. Ideally I won't have to buy new fixer.

Does it even matter all that much what fixer is used given that I'm just looking to salvage some old chem and film and be super cheap while doing it?

I've substituted fresh rapid fixer for the fixer part of blix for RA-4 color printing. Worked fine. If you have any fresh fixer you could try it out it should work.