Sludge in Photo-Flo

[nickrapak]

I was developing 2+1 rolls of film tonight. I finished up the first 2 rolls by pouring Photo-Flo in the tank, swishing around, and pouring out. The Photo-Flo went in and came back out clear. When I finished developing the third roll, I poured in the Photo-Flo, and a brown sludge came up on the top of the tank. Thinking that somehow the film had reticulated, I lifted out the negs to see that they were fine, save for a few spots of the sludge on the sprockets. When I poured the rest of the Photo-Flo bottle out into a beaker, there was a brown sludge suspended in the Photo-Flo. The solution was only a few months old. Is there anything that could have caused this?

 

[3e8]

Photoflo working solution provides a decent growth media for bacteria, mold, and algae. Are you reusing the solution? with how dilute the working solution is, I just prepare enough for each developing session, and use single shot.

 

[Tim Gray]

I used to reuse photoflo. Never had a problem. Until the time I developed two batches of film in the same session. The sludge got all stirred up after the first batch and got all over the second batch. It was a mess. Never again.

I just mix it up as I work now. I'll reuse it in the same session, but I don't keep it around for months anymore.

 

[clayne]

Is there anything that could have caused this?

Yes. The third roll. If the previous two were noticeably clear, I can't see how the pFlo was the issue. However, I too, mix it up when needed.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

I also had growth problems with Photo Flo and now mix it up just before use and discard. If you buy a gallon of PF600 it makes up 600 gallons of working solution - enough for a lifetime for most of us.

I pre-mix the PF600 at 12 ml of PF in a 32oz bottle of isopropyl alcohol and then use the resulting mix 1-shot at 1:7 (1 oz of mix / 8 once tank). The alcohol helps with the sheeting action.

 

[Kirk Keyes]

Dump it and start over with fresh solution. I do as Nicholas and mix it fresh for each use and then dump it. It's quite inexpensive even using it just once.

 

[nickrapak]

One-shot it is then! Thanks for your help.