Small thin crystals in my fixer

nsurit · Nov 30, 2014

It has been several months since I have used my fixer and when I measured it out to process some film I noticed some fine thin crystal in the fixer. After much stirring I can't get them to go back into solution. I've used hypo check and it shows to be just fine. Do I use as is, filter and then use or just discard and start all over? It is Ilford rapid fix.

Sirius Glass · Nov 30, 2014

Try slightly heating the hypo container in a warm bath and stirring. Failing that you could filter the hypo.

nsurit · Nov 30, 2014

I filtered it and wash the bottle out. there ie still a bunch of dark gunk in the bottle. Guess I can buy a new bottle and or filter it each time.

OptiKen · Dec 3, 2014

I'm now filtering everything before using it for developing.
I cut about 4" off the top of a 2 liter soda bottle and invert the top to make a make-shift large mouth funnel and then use #2 coffee filters for filtering.
I throw the filter paper away after each chemical so as to not mix them inadvertently. I like the soda bottle funnel because of the wide mouth opening (about 3 cm) that makes filtering go very fast.

Mark_S · Dec 3, 2014

Late in his career, Ansel Adams made some very interesting close up photographs of crystals in fixer. Enjoy them .

hoffy · Dec 3, 2014

The question you have to ask is the small thin crystals actually causing any damage or problems with processing?

I am assuming that you are agitating often enough, as well as fixing for a decent amount of time (and you have done a clearing test prior to use), following by a decent wash with water that is either being constantly agitated (Ilford method) or replaced.

Just a thought.

Doremus Scudder · Dec 4, 2014

As far as I know, when fixer starts to form this precipitate, it is in the process of "sulfuring out" and at the end of its useful life. You state that your fix is old, so that is likely the case. Do a test to confirm fixer activity (a clip test which you can compare against your notes for a clip test from the same film in fresh fixer). If you don't have the data for the test, play it safe and discard the fix. And, if your clip test doesn't clear in roughly the same time as in fresh fix, discard as well.

Best,

Doremus

Terry Christian · Dec 4, 2014

If these "crystals" are small black flecks, like flakes of paint, then that's silver: your fixer is bad. Same thing if you're getting a dark coating on the inside of the bottle.

Small thin crystals in my fixer

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