Terrible smelling fixer

[Llamarama]

Hello everyone, I've just mixed up some Ilford Rapid Fixer 1+4 and it stinks! It has a very pungent rotten egg smell, The concentrate has been kept cold and the last batch of 1+4 smelled normal. Any ideas?

 

[pentaxuser]

How long a period has elapsed since the normal smelling fixer was made? You need to tell us this before we can begin to speculate and unless you can tell us as much as possible speculating is all we will be able to do.

If the period was short then how old is the original fixer. It may be possible that if the fixer is very old the last batch was getting close to decomposition and the ensuing period has tipped the balance but trying to read between your lines this seems unlikely and I am surprised as you seem to be

pentaxuser

 

[Rick A]

If it smells rotten, it is gone bad and needs disposed of.

 

[Llamarama]

I mixed the last batch about 2 months ago, no smell there. The odd thing is the smell has disappeared and the fixer works fine, if anything it's working better than the last batch. Thoroughly confused now...

 

[adelorenzo]

I'm working my way through a pile (literally) of old 500 ml bottles of Ilford Rapid Fixer. It smells bad when I first open them but they are working fine. I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[pentaxuser]

Might the cause have been connected to the campfire scene in "Blazing Saddles" Just a thought

pentaxuser

 

[Llamarama]

I have solved my fixer problem, by resolving to shoot more until it's all used up!

 

[mr rusty]

The tail end of my current 5L of ilford rapid fixer smells quite acid - more like stop. It's clearing my clips fine though, so still using it. I might ditch the last 3/4" as the new 5L has arrived.

 

[mrred]

I have solved my fixer problem, by resolving to shoot more until it's all used up!

Now that's using your head!

 

[pentaxuser]

The tail end of my current 5L of ilford rapid fixer smells quite acid - more like stop. It's clearing my clips fine though, so still using it. I might ditch the last 3/4" as the new 5L has arrived.

I am glad you said this as I noticed exactly the same thing. The darkroom became more "vinegary" despite using citric acid stop which has almost no smell

pentaxuser

 

[Arklatexian]

Hello everyone, I've just mixed up some Ilford Rapid Fixer 1+4 and it stinks! It has a very pungent rotten egg smell, The concentrate has been kept cold and the last batch of 1+4 smelled normal. Any ideas?

I can't really answer your question directly but an answer to a question may help. Rotten egg odor usually denotes hydrogen sulfide. Is there any thing in Ilford Rapid fixer that would give off this gas? I would probably throw it out but if that is a normal smell. that would most likely be a mistake....Regards

 

[Doremus Scudder]

When fixer starts to smell of sulfur/H2S, it is deteriorating and on its way to becoming useless. If the process is just beginning, the fixer may work well enough, but the capacity is sure to be reduced. Clip tests and residual silver tests would be called for IMHO. Some have suggested that adding a bit of sodium sulfite to such a fixer concentrate may rejuvenate it a bit. I haven't tried this, but you could search here for that if you're interested.

When "sulfuring out," a fixer is losing sulfur from the thiosulfate compounds. These are the compounds that do the fixing, so fewer of them means less or no fixing capacity. Use such a fixer with caution.

Best,

Doremus

 

[RalphLambrecht]

When fixer starts to smell of sulfur/H2S, it is deteriorating and on its way to becoming useless. If the process is just beginning, the fixer may work well enough, but the capacity is sure to be reduced. Clip tests and residual silver tests would be called for IMHO. Some have suggested that adding a bit of sodium sulfite to such a fixer concentrate may rejuvenate it a bit. I haven't tried this, but you could search here for that if you're interested.

When "sulfuring out," a fixer is losing sulfur from the thiosulfate compounds. These are the compounds that do the fixing, so fewer of them means less or no fixing capacity. Use such a fixer with caution.

Best,

Doremus

agreed.the next step will be that sulfur will drop out of the solution and the fixer will become more and more cloudy;time to get fresh.

 

[RattyMouse]

When fixer starts to smell of sulfur/H2S, it is deteriorating and on its way to becoming useless. If the process is just beginning, the fixer may work well enough, but the capacity is sure to be reduced. Clip tests and residual silver tests would be called for IMHO. Some have suggested that adding a bit of sodium sulfite to such a fixer concentrate may rejuvenate it a bit. I haven't tried this, but you could search here for that if you're interested.

When "sulfuring out," a fixer is losing sulfur from the thiosulfate compounds. These are the compounds that do the fixing, so fewer of them means less or no fixing capacity. Use such a fixer with caution.

Best,

Doremus

The nose can detect H2S extremely well. Only a few ppm in the air and you will smell it. With such tiny amounts detected by smell, it probably is still very early in the sulfuring out phase.