Wine pouches - how to choose?

[laser]

Full glass bottles only work when they are full.

Partially filled bottles become the same as full bottles is glass marbles are added. Glass bottles are available in a wide range of sizes from small to gallons.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I have much experience in this area from the early 1980s when casks were introduced in Australia (before that we had 'flagons' which were glass bottles) until the early 2000s when I stopped mixing my darkroom chemistry in gallons from pre-packed and took up mixing small batches with raw chemicals and a digital scale. Much easier for me as I no longer process as much film as I did, and with a little care, equally good consistency from mix to mix.

Other than occasionally 'colorising' your developers a light red, I never had any problems with wine residue in a bag affecting my film processing.

One also has the pleasure of drinking the contents (not the developer!) before using the bag. So a double win-win.

To cheap wine and film photography!

 

[destroya]

I use AstraPouch bags, as recommended by someone on Photrio a while ago. They are available on Amazon. I use them for C41 Flexicolor developer replenisher. The quality is great and I did not notice any issues for up to 5 months, when I run out. I will be switching my Xtol replenisher to these bags too, as dealing with variable-sized amber glass bottles is annoying.

these are the bags that I use and have used for years. they work great, especially for replenished chems. the tap is great when you only need 100ml or less to replenish. I am going on 3 years with my current e6 batch and c-41 batch and have always had great results with no deterioration of the chems. if I haven't used them in a while, I will empty out 300 ml and replace with fresh stock. they are inexpensive and well worth the cost.

john

 

[bernard_L]

I am going on 3 years with my current e6 batch and c-41 batch and have always had great results with no deterioration of the chems.

Please confirm: working strength C-41 still good 3 years after mixing. Which C-41? I'm especially interested since I'm unlikely to use up even a 1-L kit in the official 3 month (or...) official lifetime.

 

[destroya]

Please confirm: working strength C-41 still good 3 years after mixing. Which C-41? I'm especially interested since I'm unlikely to use up even a 1-L kit in the official 3 month (or...) official lifetime.

kodak flexicolor, purchased from either freestyle or unique, doing replenishment. keep a working solution in one bag and then the replenished solution in another. like I said, if i have not used the working solution in a while, I take out 3-400 ml and replenish it. I keep the stock ABC bottles topped off with propane in their original bottles as well

john

 

[destroya]

Now I remember! It was your recommendation that I followed and couldn't be happier. Thank you again!

your welcome. its crazy how great the bags are. one of my best photo accessory finds of the last decade.

 

[btaylor]

I have been using old 2L soda bottles but want something more substantial. I just ordered the 3L AstraPouch bags with the filler and boxes. Thanks for reminding me about this. Unfortunately I run sometimes a long time between development sessions and these bags look ideal.

 

[StrangestStranger]

5L bags that come with boxes! With handles!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BR674P3/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

This is exactly what i've been using for the past 5 years. i reuse the bags with the same chemical. i've had no problems with them.

 

[LFGuy]

I've got XTOL in Platypus brand wine bags that's almost 2 years old and still good.

 

[Down Under]

To cheap wine and film photography!

Some of the cask wine I have tasted in my time were strong enough to develop films by themselves...

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Some of the cask wine I have tasted in my time were strong enough to develop films by themselves...

It's those fortified "bum" wines. A couple of sips and all is right with the world.

 

[Craig]

I buy "bags with a tap" at my local homebrew supplier. They work great for storing the 5L Xtol when freshly mixed. I have kept mixed Xtol for 3 years and it was still good. I do replenished XTol and I keep the working solution in Mylar bags. They also work really well for storing paper developer, it completely stops any oxidation.

 

[toyoboyo]

How well do these work for refilling or leaks?

 

[Craig]

Never had any leaks, but the clear ones are not refillable. I fill the bag and then the tap snaps in place, I have not tried prying out the tap to see if it could be refillable. They are $5, so if I buy one every 2 years it's pretty cheap.

 

[jay moussy]

What about the plastic permeability, that is allowing oxygen in over time?

 

[fgorga]

What about the plastic permeability, that is allowing oxygen in over time?

You can be very sure that a container sold for brewing will gave very low oxygen permeability.

In brewing, as in wine making/storage it is essential to exclude oxygen so that the yeast make ethanol as the end product of sugar metabolism. If oxygen is present, the ethanol is converted to acetic acid and carbon dioxide

 

[Craig]

I have not noticed any effects of oxygen permeability. I just finished doing some densitometry on film tests and saw no difference between 3 year old Xtol in a bag and fresh Xtol.

 

[DMJ]

Has anyone tried these vacuum stoppers on glass bottles for chemicals?

https://www.amazon.com/Vacu-Vin-Sav...ocphy=9031033&hvtargid=pla-318190362906&psc=1

I use them for wine as I'm the only wine drinker in my house, but it never occurred to me to use them for preserving chemicals.
It's good to know that xtol keeps fresh on those wine pouches. I just started using xtol, with HC110 I didn't have to worry about this.

 

[destroya]

Has anyone tried these vacuum stoppers on glass bottles for chemicals?

https://www.amazon.com/Vacu-Vin-Sav...ocphy=9031033&hvtargid=pla-318190362906&psc=1

I use them for wine as I'm the only wine drinker in my house, but it never occurred to me to use them for preserving chemicals.
It's good to know that xtol keeps fresh on those wine pouches. I just started using xtol, with HC110 I didn't have to worry about this.

those stoppers work for about 1 day, 2 at the most before you start to see wine ox happen. being a much bigger wino that photographer I tried everything. If we dont finish a bottle that night, then I use the wine bags. thats how I had them to try out with chems. dont use them (the stoppers). you are better off topping off your bottle (your chems, NOT you wine!) with argon or propane then the suction tops.

 

[destroya]

How well do these work for refilling or leaks?

filling is easy. unscrew the top,fill and then squeeze out as much air as you can. I fill my sink up with water then submerge the bag and it gets 99% of the air out. then you use the tap to replenish your working solution. I use the bags for working solution as well, but just unscrew the top and poor into my glass jugs that I use in the slow cooker to keep them at 102 degrees. never had a leak in the 8 years I've been using the bags

john

 

[DMJ]

those stoppers work for about 1 day, 2 at the most before you start to see wine ox happen. being a much bigger wino that photographer I tried everything. If we dont finish a bottle that night, then I use the wine bags. thats how I had them to try out with chems. dont use them (the stoppers). you are better off topping off your bottle (your chems, NOT you wine!) with argon or propane then the suction tops.

Alright...just ordered those wine pouches for the wine....and for the developer .

 

[Sirius Glass]

I use StopLossBag™ www.StopLossBags.com I can keep developer for years and it stays good.

 

[abruzzi]

To decide on which bags to use, I started by looking at what was in the bag. then I had to drink what wa in the bag before I mixed xtol and filled it up. Of course I chose 5L of wine so the bag would comfortably store the full 5L of developer. The funny thing is someone here posted an amazon link with unused box and bag for $25, when a 5L box and bag with wine in it costs $18.99 locally...

 

[Nige]

freshly mixed Xtol. My 'goonbags' held about 900ml full so I ended up using 5 & 1/2. I'll label with the date and put one away for a year or so

 

[ChristopherCoy]

My astrapouch bags just arrived. For those that have used them, once you seat the valve all the way down, can you reuse it? Or is it a one time thing?