dirty film / filtering liquids

[Mark Kononczuk]

Hello.
I had real issues with dirty 4x5 film negatives.
I'm talking about just checking developed film by scanning it (not making prints in the darkroom, yet.)
The first thing I did was to scrupulously control the putting in of the film into the film holder in the darkroom by spraying everything possible with compressed air, also spraying the film holder before and after putting the holder into the camera. And also spraying the holder before taking the film out. I run a hot tap in the bathroom (darkroom) to create steam to gather dust before starting developing.

Then I filtered my stock solution and fixer with cotton wool and used distilled water for the stop bath and the fixer.
Then I installed a water filter (I have my own well) with a 10 micron nylon coiled type filter for particle filtration.
And I started using Ilfotol wetting agent.

The negatives are now 90% cleaner but they still have white spots on them when I take them out of the fixer.

I have just mixed a new batch of ID11 developer with distilled water and I was wondering if this will solve the white specks problem?
I was also thinking of filtering this developer with cotton wool before use, but will this ruin it's developing properties?

A while back I ran a test on my tap water which showed that I have too much manganese and iron, Could these be the white specks on the negative? In which case, a second filter for iron and manganese would help?
Thanks,
Mark

[Maris Rusis]

Check the fixer. If it is slightly cloudy it is "sulfuring out" and precipitating millions of tiny white specks of elemental sulfur. And these specks, being insoluble in water, don't wash off easily.

[Mark Kononczuk]

Aha, thanks.
Can I filter the developer and the fixer with cotton wool? Does this not reduce their developing and fixing properties?

[Rick A]

I filter my chems through unbleached (tan ones not white)coffee filters.

[Pieter]

I filter my chems through unbleached (tan ones not white)coffee filters.

When I feel the need to filter a solution, I, too use coffee filters, but the white (bleached) ones. My logic is whatever might be left after the bleaching process is probably more benign than whatever is in the tan filters than needs to be bleached out. If I remember correctly from HS chemistry lab, all the filters were white there.

[Rick A]

When I feel the need to filter a solution, I, too use coffee filters, but the white (bleached) ones. My logic is whatever might be left after the bleaching process is probably more benign than whatever is in the tan filters than needs to be bleached out. If I remember correctly from HS chemistry lab, all the filters were white there.

I use unbleached because my Mrs. buys them for making coffee, I don't use many so I just grab what's in the kitchen.

[Mark Kononczuk]

So , filtering the developer doesn't make it work less well?
Nor fixer?

[Dugan]

It shouldn't.
The filter just removes solid particles.
Does it make coffee less strong?

[Kiwi7475]

It shouldn't.
The filter just removes solid particles.
Does it make coffee less strong?

Don’t open the coffee door… :-)

https://bluetokaicoffee.com/blogs/blue-tokai-coffee-roasters/18103240-how-your-choice-of-filter-affects-the-taste-of-your-coffee

/s

[Daniel Unkefer]

I bought some lab filter paper circles on Ebay and they fit my bigger plastic funnels.

[jp]

I use a plain white coffee filer in a funnel when I choose to filter.

You might also keep the film holders in a ziplock antistatic bag or at least ziplock bag when not in the camera or darkroom to maintain them dust free. I do that and don't have to clean them before putting them in the camera.

I have a well too, and use distilled water to make chemistry concentrates (such as developer) or re-usable chemistry. (such as fixer). I don't know what minerals are in it but it works fine for diluting developer, stop, rinsing, etc...

[Dugan]

I've also found that my stereo equipment sounds better with $1500.00 gold-plated liquid nitrogen-encased cables between my receiver and speakers... defintely made my Air Supply albums sound better.

[LabRat]

Sometimes it's from the plumbing or water mains... Even with water filters, plumbing or water supplies can have high minerals, or pipes can be corroded and release particles... (Now with the drought in the SW, the water is terrible...) A dual filter helps, but the tap and plumbing downstream from filters can be corroded...

Look at the pipes in your darkroom and note the age and if they are made of the same metals... If not, there can be an electrolysis issue where dissimilar metals in plumbing cause a weak electrical potential (like a battery) that speeds up corrosion in pipes causing releases of particles...

In certain areas, the water mains are old and release particles... And if construction or repair of the mains is happening, much gets into pipes... (When doing construction in my area, one film run was covered with particles of sand... I replaced the water filters, but within a week I checked the filters again and found a handful of sand in it again...) Also, local disturbances like floods, fires etc can let particulates into water supply (last year's local fires caused ash to enter water supply, and when washing a white bowl or cup, I seen the water was grayish...)

Try to take a wide view of other possibilities in the entire process (including housekeeping/drying etc) to eliminate other possibilities... You might get an exam from a plumber if water supply is suspected...

Steve K

[Photodave55]

I've also found that my stereo equipment sounds better with $1500.00 gold-plated liquid nitrogen-encased cables between my receiver and speakers... defintely made my Air Supply albums sound better.

[emoji115]


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[Photodave55]

Try mixing your chems with gallon/bottled water and you’ll know if it’s a mineral deposit issue. Some Foto Flow might help along the way.