Photux
Hi,
A black deposit has formed on the inside of my (transparent) fixer bottle, right up to the level of the liquid. I’m using Tetenal Superfix, 1+9. I prepared the solution last week and have only processed two films with it so far. The liquid itself is (still) clear, but it smells of sulphur – I had already noticed a slightly unusual smell when I prepared it.
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I read somewhere that this probably means the fixer has gone off, because the sulphur compound is decomposing. Now I’m wondering where this could be coming from – the 1-litre bottle is still half full and perhaps a year old; the previous one lasted significantly longer. I haven’t changed anything regarding the dilution or anything like that; I’ve always used it this way. The only difference is that the room temperature is slightly higher due to the weather.
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And should I risk using the stuff, or is it better to buy something new straight away? I’ve had my eye on the powder fixer from Calbe; it’s about time I placed another order with the host. ;)
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Thanks and best regards
Daniel / Photux
Morte
Hi Daniel,
That’s happened to me before too. I think the explanation about it being left to settle is likely. If the bottle has been sitting with you for a year, it’s still unclear how long it was sitting in a warehouse before that. A sulphurous smell with the fixer is normal, isn’t it?
The fixer will still work, but there’s a risk that the swirling black and silver crystals (which are hard to avoid when pouring it in and out) will scratch the film surface. My advice: throw it away, clean the bottle thoroughly with a bottle brush (or use a new one) and buy/prepare some fresh fixer.
gerich
That’s what happens when the fixer tips over: the silver settles on the sides of the tank, and the fixer starts to smell of H₂S rather than SO₂ in an acidic fixer, or of ammonia in an alkaline fixer. The sulphite, which is added to prevent oxidation, has been consumed by the oxygen in the air.
Photux
Thanks for your replies. :)
I think I’ll try to use up the residue quickly and get some more in the meantime.
gerich
Do not use the spilled fixer! The photos will not be properly fixed.
