"Stones" in my Amaloco AM 74 concentrate.

[Raphael]

Hi all,

No, not the "Rolling" ones, but rather big crystals has appeared in an almost full bottle of Amaloco AM74, only few months old, sprayed with Protectan.

I saw on the net that such thing happens when the Amaloco (or Rollei RHS), is stored under 4°C of ambient temperature.

It's very surprising, since mine is stored in my basement/lab, and the temp is rarely under 10°, when it's freezing outside (a few days a year), and never under 8°C.

The crystals seems to be from the hexagonal system, as far I can see.

So, at this point, I have two questions to submit to your knowledge and cleverness :
- Is the developper still reasonably usable in this form (of course, with filtering the liquid part) ?
- Can I revert it to normal, and how ? With heating/shaking ?

Have you ever seen this thing with the Amaloco (it's my first use of it) ? (Sorry, this a third question ).

Thanks,

Best regards,

Raphael

 

[pgomena]

I would warm it gently and stir it until the crystals go back into solution. Filtering them out would change the concentration of the solution. I'm not familiar with this particular brand, but it's probably a very saturated solution that starts to crystallize at lower temperatures. You're not going to use it at 8 or 10 degrees C anyway. I'd just put it in a container of warm water and stir or shake it when you're ready to bring it up to temperature to use it.

Peter Gomena

 

[Gerald C Koch]

If you cannot get the crystals back into solution with warming and shaking you should discard it and buy fresh. I would keep this in a warmer place in your house to avoid future problems.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

If it's not too many crystals, pour it in a stainless steel film tank with some of the developer and put the tank in hot water and stir. Hopefully the crystals will dissolve. I have the same problem with sodium sulfite solution for clearing solution Polaroid type 55 and the method worked in dissolving the crystals.

 

[Роберт]

I am using AM74/RHS for a long time. Around 4C is the critical point it will crystalize hence once a bottle was sent in the Winter I had the same problem. You have to heat the content up till approx. 50C and then it will go into the solution again. Not very handy but it works.
AM74 should be clear and not Yellow. When it's Yellow the Phenidone/Hydroqiunon is oxydized. It's a nice and easy developer to use.

 

[Raphael]

Back to normal...

Thanks to all for your replies,

I just put the bottle near one of my domestic heating radiator in the living part of the house (around 20°C), and miracle ! The big crystal totally reverted back in the solution in a few hours. It's impressive, this bigger was around 4x3x1,5cm in dimension, and I don't even need to shake the bottle !

It is funny, since I never experienced such things with any of the "modern" developper I use and store in the basement, like Ilford DD-X, Spur SLD, or even Rollei-RHS (yet I believe it's a very similar to the AM74 in formulary).

Regards and thanks again,

Raphael