Before Agfa went under, I stocked up on their Universal Fixer. The label indicates that the ingredients are Ammonium Thiosulfate and Sodium Sulfite. From what I've read, both those compounds are neutral to alkaline.
So, given that one of the jobs of an acid stop bath is to neutralize any carried-over alkaline developer, and prolong the life of the fixer; does it make sense to use an acid stop bath, like Kodak's Indicator Stop Bath, if both the Developer and the Fixer are alkaline?
I ask, because I noticed that the alkaline fixer turns pink after a few printing sessions. I suspect it is the alkaline fixer that is neutralizing the carried over acid stop bath and causing the indicator to change colour. But doesn't that also mean that the acid stop bath is neutralizing the alkaline fixer? Am I degrading my fixer prematurely?
Does anybody know?
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