Strange "things" in my Xtol ...

GeorgesGiralt · Sep 29, 2007

Hi !
I wanted to process some HP5 in Xtol. So I took 200 cc stock and mixed it with 400 cc water ti have the 600 cc needed for my 120 HP5+ at 1+2.
But being paranoid, I took a leader of 135 TMY and dropped it into the soup to check for activity because of Xtol "sudden death". And I stirred a little with the thermometer to mix things up. I was surprised to see little particle catching light in the soup. At first I thought it was glass from the bottle, but they seemed to have no thickness.
Willing to save my film, I filtered the mix using a coffee filter and now, the bottom of the filter has gold looking deposit at the bottom.
What the hell is this ? And from where did this mess came ?
BTW, the HP5 is fine and the TMY leader is as black as hell !

donbga · Sep 29, 2007

GeorgesGiralt said:
the bottom of the filter has gold looking deposit at the bottom.
What the hell is this ?

Sounds like gold!

Paul_C · Sep 29, 2007

/me starts panning his xtol.

GeorgesGiralt · Sep 30, 2007

You can stop panning or you have to pan a huge quantity of Xtol. The deposit is so thin I can't get it out of the coffee filter. it seems embedded into it.

Alex Bishop-Thorpe · Oct 1, 2007

Exact same thing happened to me in my last batch of Xtol. I'd left it for a while (long time spent not developing film), and it had little white "things" floating in it. For me they were white and seemed like plastic....I filtered it and it worked fine. The latest batch I mixed up doesn't have the same problem, so far...

Nicole · Oct 1, 2007

Georges it's actually just sediment and nothing wrong. Filter if you wish. Replenishing has given me nicer negs with more detail. Add 70mm new Xtol (stock solution) for each roll when using the recycled/replenished Xtol.

GeorgesGiralt · Oct 1, 2007

Nicole,
I do not use any product full strenght nor re-use it.
In the Xtol case, I use it 1+2 dilution so it is one shot.
I use Xtol since 1998 so I have a proven routine with it, and repeatable results.
I use boiled water for mixing stock and never saw such deposits, given that I did not move and the water company has not changed since 1998 in my town. I always use the same vessel (dedicated to mixing Xtol, and same glass bottle also dedicated to this product. So I'm puzzled by these deposits.
The HP5+ films came perfect, but I wonder what is the cause ad what are these deposits.
Anyway , thanks for your help !

Neanderman · Oct 1, 2007

Fleath said:
it had little white "things" floating in it.

Did these sort of look like little 'clouds?' I found the same thing until I started mixing my XTol with distilled water. Since then, it's remained clear as a when mixed.

Not sure what it was, but I always suspected it was a mold or fungus or some such thing. It never seemed to be detrimental, but I feel better without it.

Ed

Snapshot · Oct 1, 2007

I use XTOL as a one-shot developer and I've never had this issue. However, I've experienced this with other developer solutions. I only use distilled water with developers now.

GeorgesGiralt · Oct 2, 2007

No, no clouds, like small metal particles floating in the solution and reflecting the light. Shiny one side and one side more dark.
Gold looking in the coffee filter when wet and whitish when dry.

Strange "things" in my Xtol ...

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