# Working life of stop bath and fixer.



## Grandpa Ron (Apr 5, 2019)

The data sheet for D-76 developers tells me about how many rolls or sheets of film I can get to a gallon of developer.

How do you know when the stop bath and the fixer are depleted? What should I look for to tell if the useful life of the stop and fixer are at an end?   

Just getting back to black and white film and I will be working with 35 mm and 4x5 cut film.


----------



## compur (Apr 5, 2019)

You can use what's called an indicator stop bath that turns color when exhausted. On the other hand you don't necessarily need to use stop bath for film. Many just use a plain water bath instead.

For fixer exhaustion, see:
fixer exhaustion


----------



## Derrel (Apr 5, 2019)

Have you considered using vinegar as a stop bath?


----------



## Derrel (Apr 5, 2019)

Using Vinegar as a Stop Bath


----------



## Derrel (Apr 5, 2019)

compur said:


> * indicator stop bath*.. turns color when exhausted


----------



## IanG (Apr 6, 2019)

Stop-bath will last a long tine if it;s acetic acid based (or white vinegar), Citric acid based stop-bath doesn't keep as well.

Fixer has a capacity which is given on the manufacturers data-sheets.  Don't use fixer you use for film with papers as there will be issues due to the iodide build up.  I use two bath fixing for prints.

Ian


----------



## webestang64 (Apr 6, 2019)

compur said:


> indicator stop bath that turns color when exhausted





IanG said:


> Fixer has a capacity which is given on the manufacturers data-sheets.



YES!

Kodak stop bath is red, turns blue when done. Kodak 1-gal powder fixer can fix up to 60 rolls of 35mm.


----------



## dennyr (Apr 27, 2019)

An older post but....... Citric Acid is SO Cheap, i use that and have not paid for commercial Stop in many years.
For film i just use water


----------



## jcdeboever (Apr 27, 2019)

I use vinegar and water for stop. I use hypo check for fixer, couple drops and if it clouds up, its finished. I use HC110 for push developing and D76 for normal. I buy ilford rapid fixer or Clayton rapid fix, depends on where im traveling. Prints I use Dektol for developer. I ise jet dry for final wash on film.


----------



## Derrel (Apr 27, 2019)

Back when I was a poor college student, I used old HC-110 Dilution-B film developer to develop my fiber-based contact sheets...I used to save my tanks of HC-110 in a couple of quart bottles. It worked 'okay', but I preferred Dektol as a paper developer.


----------

