Re using chemicals

Threeracers

Threeracers

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Mark
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How many times can you re use stop and fixer?

I always use developer once and tend to use stop and fixer once unless I have a lot of film to develop and plan to use it a couple of times in one sitting. Today I have a backlog that will need four loads of three rolls each in the tank - stop and fixer will be ok for four consecutive uses won't it?

All Ilford chemicals if that makes a difference

TIA

Mark
 
You use fixer one-shot? For a 500mL or 1L batch (1+4), I often use it 5-10 times. My notes indicate that I used a batch 12 times, although I extended the fixing time since I knew it was getting weaker (a clip test is an effortless and informative test). After that roll, I mixed up a fresh batch.

I should note, the vast majority of the films I fixed were t-grain, which tend to need more fixing. If you aren't shooting t-grain, you could probably get even more rolls out of it.

(Ilford Rapid Fixer is the fix I'm using)
 
Also another thing, never take chances with developer - if you can't guarantee it was stored well, fresh and not exhausted, then dump it and mix a new batch up. However, re-fixing is very easy to do if necessary (I recently developed a roll of Tri-X that still retained a bit of purple, it was trivial to put it back in fixer for slightly longer) so re-use is almost a no-brainer IMO.
 
Thanks all. When I started I wasn’t quite sure, didn’t want to mess up a film with exhausted chemicals and as stop and fix were the cheaper steps of the process I tended to only re use on the day rather than store. As I use more I might need to re think that strategy and invest in some of those little bottles (that you squeeze to remove the air) to store it in between uses.

Developer is DDX so I mix on the day so it is only ever stored neat and I get through it quickly enough not to worry about age.

Fixer is Hypam. Most seem to use Rapid and I am not sure of the difference but it was recommended to me – as was the DDX - by someone at Ilford when I phoned for advice on choices and I have just continued to re order the same each time.

I read somewhere that Ilfostop changes from yellow to purple when it is exhausted so that makes it easier.

Regards

Mark
 
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