Chemical Storage:

[Bill Kumpf]

How do you store your chemicals? I prefer glass but I have not found a local source for bottles for PMK and TF-4.

Some options are:

PETE – pollyethylene terephthalate

HDPE high density polyethylene

Do you have any other recommendations?

Which plastic bottle would provide the best shelf life?

Thanks in advance.

[Eric Woodbury]

I've always used glass for PMK, but I'd think PETE is fine too. Ask your drug store for some rinsed out bottles or if you know someone locally in industry, they often use brown bottles, too. Or look at the local glass recycler. You may find a product at the grocery store that has a bottle you like. A friend of mine used liquor bottles, but you don't want to confuse those. These things are usually stored in the darkroom anyway, so brown, green, or clear, color doesn't matter.

I don't think it matters for fix. I use plastic milk and juice bottles.

[Marko]

Snapple bottles (glass).

I just peel the labels off and wrap them in aluminum foil to prevent confusion. This gives me nice small portions to work with while keeping the rest relatively airtight.

[Drew Wiley]

I always use amber glass bottles with airtight caps. You can get these from many lab
supply companies. I use LSS (Lab Safety Supply - huge selection). Photographer's
Formulary also carries some. For a little extra, you can get glass bottles with a plastic
overlayer so they won't shatter if dropped.

[Bill Kumpf]

I can buy glass by mail order. I just have problems paying more for the shipping than for the bottles. I have not found a lab supply house in middle TN. The local drug stores I have checked with now use PETE bottles. One provided 2, 4 and 8 oz bottles at no cost.

I may wait untill Photographer's Formulary offers free shipping again and load up on bottles.

[Drew Wiley]

Bill - PMK does not easily oxidize and is quite stable until the final A/B mix. Virgin
poly bottles are probably fine, but you might have to be careful about recylcled plastic bottles, especially thin ones. But don't overlook the caps; they have to seal
well. Glass is always the best bet, especially when working with developers which do not have good shelf life. And I suspect that there are a few pre-mixed developers
which store OK in concentrate in poly, but are much more vunerable in working
dilutions.

[Jim Ewins]

If you use PMK as a one shot there is no storage. The same for TF4.

[John Cahill]

I can buy glass by mail order. I just have problems paying more for the shipping than for the bottles. I have not found a lab supply house in middle TN. The local drug stores I have checked with now use PETE bottles. One provided 2, 4 and 8 oz bottles at no cost.

I may wait untill Photographer's Formulary offers free shipping again and load up on bottles.

*******
For large quantities, I use heavy-duty gallon gasoline containers. I take out the spout and cement the plastic sealer into the cap with silicon glue. I have used the same jugs for almost twenty years for developers and for fixers.

There is a German mineral water called Appolinaris which comes in nice liter, green bottles. I save them.

Costco sells their housebrand vinegar and olive oil in four-sided green liter bottles.

Wide mouth 250 liter amber glass from American Science and Supply. Same source for cute little 10 ml screw top brown bottles.

At one time, most supermarket apple cider came in brown glass bottles.

And--really going back here--Clorox at one time came in brown glass bottles.

[Bruce Watson]

How do you store your chemicals? I prefer glass but I have not found a local source for bottles for PMK and TF-4.

Somehow I doubt that. You just aren't looking in the right place(s).

Just about any restaurant will point you to their recycling bins. Get yourself some old wine bottles. These big heavy tinted glass bottles are designed to keep wine in pristine shape for hundreds of years. Then get yourself some Vacuvin vacuum stoppers for these wine bottles.

I've tried lots of ways to store photographic chemicals. Storing in heavy tinted glass bottles under vacuum is without doubt the best way.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I would like to echo what Bruce suggested. I use the same vacuum stoppers, which you can find in the local grocery stores. I have found that I can store Xtol in wine bottles with these stoppers for up to 6 months and have it fully active.

Many types of plastic can breath even when securely sealed, and are not suitable for storing chemicals that can be oxidized.

OTOH strongly basic solutions and chemicals should not be stored in glass because they will etch glass and weaken the bottle.

Mike