New member-darkroom question Re: useful life of Fixer

[TJersey41]

Hello all--

This appears to be the forum I've been looking for. Been into photography for about 3 years now-mostly film-and have recently been bitten by the B&W photography bug and darkroom after taking a darkroom course. I have set up a darkroom at home, been happily developing film (results-so far so good) and now am just beginning to get into printing. I have some incredibly naive newbie questions that perhaps someone can help me with:

I've been using Ilford Rapid Fixer-4:1 for film, 9:1 for prints. Question-how often can you reuse the fixer. Do you keep separate batches for film dilution and paper dilution? I kept all the fixer I've used to date as I'm aware its a big no-no to pour the stuff down the sink.

Many Thanks, this is probably just the first of many questions.

 

[fightheheathens]

fixer is good until it is all used up.
the way to test this is to get something like hypo check or something

ask your local camera store
but what you do is put a drop into your fixer and if you see a some white floaty like stuff form (also know at a precipitate) your fixer is all used up

 

[TJersey41]

Thanks,

I check out the fixer test solution.

Tom

 

[Jazz]

Question-how often can you reuse the fixer. Do you keep separate batches for film dilution and paper dilution?

I mix Ilford Rapid Fix 1:4 for both film & paper. I keep the fix for film in a 1 litre plastic bottle and re-use the film fixer once. I don't re-use the paper fix at all, just mix it in the morning, use it that day, and dump it.

 

[ksmattfish]

I also use the same dillution for both film and paper.

When I was using acid fixer I used it for prints until the hypo-check indicated it was exhausting. Now that I'm using TF-4 fixer I go with the manufacturer's recommendations for capacity.

For film I use fixer until the clearing times get too long. I regularly reuse my print fixer for film.

You can re-fix both prints and film, and fixer is about the most expensive darkroom chem, so I do like to push it as far as it will go. The problem with prints is that I can't see if they are fixed properly, until it's way too late. So I make sure that I'm using fresh fixer with prints. With film I can see if the fixer is dying; either the film clears or not. I can re-fix with newer fixer. But it rarely comes to that anyway, because I discard it when the clearing times start getting long.

 

[mysteryscribe]

My use of fixer may not be exactly what you had in mind. I use the manufacturers dilutions. more or less. I have a 8oz plastic drink bottle. I put two ounces of fixer in it and fill it with water. The mix is about 3.5 to one. I Put one ounce in it for paper about 7 to one. The only paper I develop is paper negatives and they are easily done in that amount of chemicals.

I change like Matt said when I open the tank after two minutes and the film is not clear. The paper isn't so important because I scan it to file anyway. Not much help but just another way it is used,