What will a water softener change in darkroom work?

Live with well water and if we get a softener it has to be at least 33,000 grain to work for us.
Our water has no iron at all. It has particulate dust & dirt so that a 5 micron filter still has a bit through it at times. As a result I have a separate in line filter at the darkroom sink for mixing chemistry.

Use only distilled water for mixing developer, one shot only for film and one session only for printing B&W.

If we put in a water softener - what changes do I need to watch for?

Have found a lot of general information but little accurate information specific to darkroom use.

I can only give you one anecdotal example from years ago. My first home darkroom (that was not a bathroom) was in a rent house that had a water softener. I did B&W, slides and color printing. I experienced no effect. Commercial photo chemicals are pretty forgiving of different municipal water sources, and I suspect that a water softener would fall into those tolerances. Also, since you are using distilled water for developers, I would suspect you'll be fine.

Hopefully someone will chime in with actual data, rather than just opinions.

I have been on well water and a softner system for forty years with no problems in the darkroom. I use distilled water for film developer and PhotoFlo. I also have a cartridge filter for my darkroom because we have a lot of iron in our water so it may be helpful for washing film and prints.




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We have softened well water here in PA and the main thing is the iron (they don't call it the rust belt for nothing). The water here does leave a deposit (it's still hard, no matter how much softening it gets) once it dries. I'd say the differences are because of the water, not because of the softener. I use distilled water (the cheap stuff from Walmart) to make chemicals for film, but I don't bother for paper.

I second winger's method. Distilled water from walmart is so cheap that I always use it for film development. You wipe out any peculiarities from PH differences and particulates and anything else, plus get the added bonus of it always being room temperature which is usually just right for developing.

Thanks guys.
Have a distiller as well as demudifier water for some things. Wife wants the softener for showers, washing and such. Since I'll be doing the plumbing I can run a separate un-softened line into the darkroom as well if it is needed.

A water softner is supposed to help you avoiding formation of limestone and calc throughout the pipes / bathrooms / kitchens / kettles / heaters / washing machines / ... and any ill effects from that for you darkroom process.

In the Lab, it probably won't affect you at all, as most modern developers contain chemicals already softening the water. If you see an effect, it will be most probably a positive one that there are no stains on negs & prints after washing.

If your water softener is a salt-substitute type be sure you do your final wetting agent/rinse with distilled water. Otherwise you will get salt deposits on the drying negatives. I processed for some time in San Antonio with such a softener and the final distilled-water rinse solved the problem just fine.

Best,

Doremus

I will start by saying I am stating the obvious. Everyone's comments here are excellent.
Water softeners convert Calcium and Magnesium carbonate to sodium carbonate. As everyone here says use distilled, DI, or RO (I have a reverse osmosis system) for developers and rinses. When I make color chemistry I use RO for everything. Sodium carbonate can raise pH. Water softeners are essential for dishwashers and for laundry. One option is just to soften the hot water line.
I have a water softener, I turned it down to minimum level. It was set so high when I moved in the water was slippery. (Never let a guy that sells salt set your softener...)
I wash all my films with tempered soft water with filters before the mixing valve.

For fiber base archival washer I have used the cold incoming hard water for years (I always use hypo clear agent). Most new homes don't run soft water to the sill taps for outside hoses.

When I lived in the country on a community well I could not dissolve XTOL in soft water impossible. It doesn't remove minerals it just converts them to a more soluble form.
I have saved water from my dehumidifier it essentially low grade distilled. Rain water would work.

I live in Iowa USA. We live on a ancient sea bed that is pure Limestone. About the hardest water around.

Best Regards to All, Mike

Deardorff5x7 said:

Live with well water and if we get a softener it has to be at least 33,000 grain to work for us.
Our water has no iron at all. It has particulate dust & dirt so that a 5 micron filter still has a bit through it at times. As a result I have a separate in line filter at the darkroom sink for mixing chemistry.

Use only distilled water for mixing developer, one shot only for film and one session only for printing B&W.

If we put in a water softener - what changes do I need to watch for?

Have found a lot of general information but little accurate information specific to darkroom use.

Click to expand...

Your washing times increase with soft water.harder water washes more efficiently