Sodium chloride for hypo clear?

[WarEaglemtn]

Sodium sulfite is the main ingredient of most hypo clearing agents. The US Navy photogs found out in WWII that sea water cleared fixer from negs & prints faster than clean water. Would normal table/water softener salt work well for hypo clearing purposes? Any downside to using a mix of it?

 

[lee]

are you planning to make a quick run to the lake by any chance Dan? On a more serious note will sodium chloride disolve in water? I use sod sulfite in water to act as hca now it would be cheaper to use table salt.

lee\c

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Sea water was the original fixer, but it took a long time and a lot of water.

I've used salt water to clear Type 55 negs upon occasion, and it seems to work as well as sodium sulfite for that.