Storing used Fixer separately?

So, I was thinking... I know. Scary.

I just mixed some new fixer and labeled it. I was thinking of pouring used fixer into another bottle and note how many rolls I used. When I'm done with the new batch, start using the once used bottle. And just repeat. I figured this would be one way to make sure the entire batch gets used evenly.

Anyone else do this with their chemicals?

No. I use a 1 gallon jug since my fixer makes 1 gallon at a time (tf4 or tf5 fixer). I use it till it slows down (as evidenced by film clearing) and then retire it. Then I soak a silver magnet in it for a few days, and then down the drain it goes. There are methods of testing the fixer which I've used, but find the fixer slows down and get dirty well in advance of officially failing a fixer test.

Some people use a two-fixer process where they have two fixer baths, first the old fixer to do the rough work, then clean newer fixer to finish the fixing.

I mix up solutions for paper and film. For paper, I use the above method. Just test speed until it takes 3 minutes or more to completely clear a clipped film leader. For film, I note how many in^2 it's processed (in terms of 135-36 rolls-- 120 is 1, 4 sheets of 4x5 is 1). I go by kodak's recommendation (can't recall it right now) and test periodically. Precipitate doesn't matter too much, I strain when it goes back into the bottle. Instead of small bottles, I dump back into the big bottle. That way there's no rapid deterioration, and it won't slow down significantly in a single session. When my fixer's done for, all of it goes into a big jug to take to get recycled.

Where do you get the silver magnet?

jp498 said:

No. I use a 1 gallon jug since my fixer makes 1 gallon at a time (tf4 or tf5 fixer). I use it till it slows down (as evidenced by film clearing) and then retire it. Then I soak a silver magnet in it for a few days, and then down the drain it goes. There are methods of testing the fixer which I've used, but find the fixer slows down and get dirty well in advance of officially failing a fixer test.

Some people use a two-fixer process where they have two fixer baths, first the old fixer to do the rough work, then clean newer fixer to finish the fixing.

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Thanks guys. I don't know which way I want to go. I might develop a roll tonight so I want to try to decide which route I'll start out with today.

For film just mix up a liter or two of working solution and dump after you reach half the manufacturers capacity. For Hypam it's 24 rolls per liter of working solution. So I mix 2 liters and dump after I develop 24 rolls. You don't want to go near the capacity limit of the fixer and risk your film not being completely fixed.

For paper use two bath fixing.

brian steinberger said:

For film just mix up a liter or two of working solution and dump after you reach half the manufacturers capacity. For Hypam it's 24 rolls per liter of working solution. So I mix 2 liters and dump after I develop 24 rolls. You don't want to go near the capacity limit of the fixer and risk your film not being completely fixed.

For paper use two bath fixing.

Click to expand...

Do you know if manufacturers rate fixer at exhaustion, or just where results will fall off and quality will decline? I have had no issues using Kodak fixers to the rated capacity, and I find that even my 'dead' fixer will still clear a clip of film in about 4 minutes. I know at some point results will taper off, but I kind of go by the double clearing time... kind of. 5 minutes continuous agitation, or 3x clearing time with continuous agitation, whichever is longer. I have no issues with underfixed film, even with the last roll I run through before dumping into my big jug.

fretlessdavis said:

Do you know if manufacturers rate fixer at exhaustion, or just where results will fall off and quality will decline? I have had no issues using Kodak fixers to the rated capacity, and I find that even my 'dead' fixer will still clear a clip of film in about 4 minutes. I know at some point results will taper off, but I kind of go by the double clearing time... kind of. 5 minutes continuous agitation, or 3x clearing time with continuous agitation, whichever is longer. I have no issues with underfixed film, even with the last roll I run through before dumping into my big jug.

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If you've done tests I'm sure you're fine. Clip tests are good but once you get up to a 4 min clearing time now you're fixing for 8 minutes. I shoot 120 and have never done clip tests. I read about half the capacity and dump in a book somewhere and have been using that method since. Now I'll have to figure out what book that came out of. It was a well respected photographer. After 24 rolls my fixer is looking shot but I'm sure will keep fixing if I tested and possibly extended fixing time. For me it's just not worth it. Fixer is cheap. I don't like keeping working solutions more than a few months anyway. There are many folks on here that believe you should use fixer one-shot! I don't feel I'm being wasteful, just cautious.

cjbecker said:

Where do you get the silver magnet?

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Through John Nanian (jnanian here on APUG): (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I don't have one (due to some storage issues) but he is great to deal with, and a very helpful person.

Here is what I do:

1) I keep one bottle for my film fixer - it is large enough to run at least two separate batches of film at the same time;
2) I pour one batch of fixer into my film developing tank at the start of the fixing stage, and do a clip test with T-Max film with the rest at the same time;
3) When the clip has cleared, I dump the first fixer into a graduate, and pour the second batch into the tank. I then fix for the same time as the first run, but this time in the somewhat fresher fixer;
4) After use, all the fixer goes back into the bottle - although I will consider filtering it if necessary.

I continue to use that fixer until the earlier of:
a) I have fixed enough film to have reached 2/3 of the manufacturer's recommended capacity for that volume; or
b) the clearing time reaches twice what the starting clearing time was,

at which time I take it over to friends' place, where they are reclaiming silver from their fixer (they have more space, and use more fixer).

I put masking tape on the bottle, and mark it with the initial clearing time and a "/" for each roll fixed.

If I had more room, I would use two separate bottles, and the two bath fixing regime.

I use Kodak Rapid fixer (1 gal jug size) and just dump it back in the jug for film. Generally I will throw it out after 2 months, and occasionally I will use a clip test. It should clear inside of 30 seconds. You can triple the length of time it takes to clear the leader if I remember correctly for your film fixing times, but I just increase it from 5 minutes to about 6 minutes after 10 rolls, and to 7 minutes after 20. This could be seen as over fixing, but better that than under fixing, and I've never had any problems doing this.

It usually comes down to about one month or 20 rolls, then out it goes. I believe that Kodak says that the shelf life of mixed fixer is only 2 months, but here in Florida the heat is ever present, so 2 months and I mix up a new batch no matter what. It's cheap.

For prints I use a separate container of fixer than the film fixer as it's a different dilution, and the byproducts from paper are different than film. I don't use 2 step fixing as space is limited, and I use Hypo check for this to see when it's exhausted. And don't worry about getting the fixer up to the very top of your bottle as it isn't that sensitive to air. Developer is.