Shiny stuff in hypo clear

[Colin DeWolfe]

So, I did a few rolls last week, mixing up a new batch of hypo clear. Since I didn't use up its capacity, I bottled it and used it again this morning. When I poured it in after the fix, I noticed lots of shiny flakes and slivers. I immediately made a new batch, rinsed the film and started over, but when I looked at the bottle it came out of there were shiny things in it. I'm sure it's silver related.

I saw this once before a few months ago, but at that time thought it was my fixer. Any idea what it is? OR what causes it?

Colin

 

[dynachrome]

Hypo clearing agent is not expensive enough to reuse many times. You can use it as a one shot or filter it through a coffee filter to remove any floating particles.

 

[Simonh82]

Also not necessary for film. Check out the film washing test 'sticky' thread at the top of this forum. Ilford wash method is all you need.

 

[Xmas]

Also not necessary for film. Check out the film washing test 'sticky' thread at the top of this forum. Ilford wash method is all you need.

post WWII the RN reviewed their operational negs and discovered the shots from their corvettes that had not got desalination were better than any others, the corvettes had only salt water to spare and a bottle of distilled for a final...

they were austerity vessels see 'the cruel sea'

so after the chemists investigated...

I use hypo clear as well as an archival...

 

[Colin DeWolfe]

I've tried the ilford archival, and a lot of those when I was doing that are bronzing out. Have not had that problem with that with any I have hypo cleared.

So nobody knows what it is?

 

[Nuff]

It's silver, I had started using Hypo on my negs to clear out the base stain in Kodak films. Also to save water and get better long lasting negatives.
If you want to reduce (not eliminate) the amount of silver in your hypo, you can follow the fixer by some water with few inversions. I do 2 changes. Then hypo and followed by ilford method.
I'm very happy with my negs now, since all of the stain is removed from the base.

 

[StoneNYC]

It's silver, I had started using Hypo on my negs to clear out the base stain in Kodak films. Also to save water and get better long lasting negatives.
If you want to reduce (not eliminate) the amount of silver in your hypo, you can follow the fixer by some water with few inversions. I do 2 changes. Then hypo and followed by ilford method.
I'm very happy with my negs now, since all of the stain is removed from the base.

Your statement is confusing because you're using the wrong terms...

Hypo = Fixer.... It's the same thing.

Hypo Clear = Wash Aid

You don't NEED hypo clear to clear the fixer out of the film if you simply wash the film for 10-15 minutes it will clear all the hypo/fixer out.

Thirdly, I've re-used my hypo Cleese many times (like 20) I generally change my stop/fix/hypo clear all the same time, when the fixer is exhausted.

I'm not saying you should follow my advice, what I am saying is that I've never experience particles floating on my hypo clearing agent, ever, even after 20 films have gone through it....

So something else is wrong, perhaps you're not fixing the film long enough?

How long do you fix for and what kind of fixer?

 

[Colin DeWolfe]

I use Ilford Hypam without hardener, for 5 minutes. I always open the tank at 2.5 minutes to make sure the film has cleared. I've never had to extend past 5 minutes.

 

[anikin]

Which brand of HCA did you use, or did you mix your own? The only thing that comes to mind is that sodium sulfite has oxidized into sodium sulfate and since the latter one has lower solubility, it crystallized -hence floating flakes.
The questions to ask are: did you by any chance forget to dilute the HCA before use? Did you keep the HCA in a cold place?
Regardless of the answer, the flakes should not be a problem. You can filter them out with a coffee filter and use it. It may have lost some of its efficiency, but for film use it does not matter as Simonh82 indicated.
On the practical side, it is not a good idea to keep working strength HCA since it will oxidize quickly. Instead mix stock and keep it in air-tight container, and dilute just enough working solution for a single use. Or do what many of us cheapskates do - mix your own right before use. A liter of water, a tablespoon or two of sodium sulfite, and a pinch of sodium metabisulfite. Mix well and pour

 

[Rick A]

I never use HCA for film, only my FB prints.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

Hypo clear working solution should not have things floating in it. If it does, discard it. The solution was possibly contaminated with too much carried-over fix. Another possibility is that something was in the bottle you used to store the solution in (an old fixer bottle perhaps?) and contaminated the solution. In any case, you don't need particulates sticking to your film, so discard the solution and mix new.

The stock solution may develop some precipitate if it is stored at too low a temperature. Warming the solution should redissolve the crystals. A working solution of hypo clear has a rather limited useful life as it oxidizes quickly. You should not be saving the working solution for any length of time. Kodak says 24 hours and I wouldn't exceed that. Mx a stock solution as per the instructions (which, of course, you have read carefully) and mix just what you need for a session.

Are you sure that you are diluting your stock solution properly before use? I ask this because the concentration of ingredients in the working solution should be low enough to not precipitate out.

If you have bulk sodium sulfite and metabisulfite you can mix the working solution directly from dry chemicals. Since the proportions are not critical, a Tablespoon of sulfite and a pinch of metabisulfite per liter is quick and effective.

A comment about the use of hypo clear with film: Yes, you can dispense with the hypo clearing agent when processing film. With staining developers, you should never use hypo clear, since it will remove the stain. That said, with conventional films and non-staining developers, hypo clear will reduce wash times and save water. I use a staining developer and wash my film for 30+ minutes in order to get an adequate wash. When I don't use staining developer, hypo clear and 15 minutes is fine.

Best,

Doremus

 

[George Collier]

Hypo and fixer are not the same - hypo is a term for Sodium thiosulfate, the basic stuff that dissolves unexposed and undeveloped silver salts and makes them wash out in the wash.
Fixer is Sodium thiosulfate with other chemicals added like preservative, etc. My current knowledge of this isn't what it used to be, but the essence of it is that hypo is only the Sodium thiosulfate that does the actual fixing work. Pure hypo has been recommended for use just prior to toning to eliminate staining, although some will argue as to the viability of this.