Recommend alternative to Photo Flo?

[Ari]

I've been getting a filmy layer of scum on my film recently.
I tested my procedure, and found Photo Flo to be the culprit, so I filtered it through a coffee filter, and tried again.
Less scum, but still there, so I'm tossing my Photo Flo.

What do you use as a wetting agent? Looking for something that doesn't breed micro-organisms. :)

Thanks in advance.

[William Whitaker]

Ari, do you use distilled water for that stage?

[Erik Larsen]

You might try Edwal LFN.

[Ari]

Ari, do you use distilled water for that stage?

Hi Will,
Yes, I used both distilled and tap water when narrowing down the cause, I wanted to rule out water quality. The result was the same.
I got very clean negatives when using no Photo-Flo at all, so that was pretty conclusive.


You might try Edwal LFN.

I've heard good things about it; thanks, Erik.

[Richard Wasserman]

+1 for LFN. I had similar problems years ago with Photoflo, before switching to LFN. Hasn't happened again.

[Ari]

Thanks, Richard; LFN it is, then.

[mdarnton]

I've had really good results with distilled water and nothing else. I also wipe my negs on a pad made of a pile of paper towels, and that's the cleanest they get. I was having real problems with dust on x-ray negs, like never before with any other film, and that made all the difference. I take three or four cheapest (so lint free) towels, pile them, lay the neg on and pull it off sideways, several times in all directions. I haven't had any scratches from this, and the negs are spotless.

[Ari]

Thanks, Michael; I used to squeegee my roll film, wipe a sponge along it to remove the bubbly Photo-Flo, and I agree, I never saw scratches on the film.

Just ordered me some Edwal, thanks all!

[Old-N-Feeble]

How much Photoflo did you use?

[Drew Wiley]

There are several direct alternative. Ilfotol is one of them. These are basically wetting agents that allow your negs to dry free of mineral stain. I never reuse this stuff. All it takes is a few drops in a rinse tray of distilled water, immediately prior to hanging your sheet film to dry. A single pint of the stuff might last a decade.

[mdarnton]

There was just an article in the Chicago Tribune about pollution of water supplies with microfibers.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-great-lakes-fiber-pollution-20150130-story.html

I wonder how much of the problem I'm having is related to that--the last time I did darkroom work was in the pre microfiber era, and I never had the problems I have now. I do have a water filter for drinking water--perhaps I need to start using it for film stuff!

[Ari]

How much Photoflo did you use?

I only use 2-3 drops in a pint of distilled water; I rock the tray gently for a few seconds, let it drip off, then hang it in the film drying cabinet.


There are several direct alternative. Ilfotol is one of them. These are basically wetting agents that allow your negs to dry free of mineral stain. I never reuse this stuff. All it takes is a few drops in a rinse tray of distilled water, immediately prior to hanging your sheet film to dry. A single pint of the stuff might last a decade.

I never re-use wetting agent or developer, my stop bath is only water; fixer gets re-used, but only until film takes longer than 4 minutes to clear.

[Tony Lakin]

I purchased 2x5 litres of photoflo about 20 years ago, I have used about 3 litres so far, no problems.

[Jim Jones]

A few drops of Photo-Flo in 8 ounces of distilled water works fine. It is discarded after mixing and using. In time, flocculents form in diluted and stored Photo-Flo in my moldy darkroom.

[Drew Wiley]

Microfibers in tap water??? I'd be a lot more worried about what else got thru, if that were the case. Filters are a good idea on darkroom water lines anyway.
Sometimes a bit of rust can come through the line and spoil a neg or print, or interact with your chem.