Out of Stop, switch to water?

[AdamD]

Hi.

I have been using Ilford Ilfostop when developing PF4Plus. But I'm just about out.

Should I just switch to using water for the Stop process and save the money?

Thoughts?

Adam

[Tin Can]

I always use fresh water stop with film

Paper I use citric acid

[Eric Woodbury]

Same here. After years of water only, I've found Ilford Multigrade paper likes a good stop or I risk some weird marks and colors on my prints. Film is still water. Paper is citric acid, as Tin Can noted. Buy a 5# bag from Amazon. No stink.

[reddesert]

Stop is the least expensive of the chemicals because it is diluted so much and keeps well. It's basically just acetic acid (pus a dye for indicator stop).

People do forgo stop - if you know what you are doing and are prepared to deal with process changes. But it may shorten the life of the fixer due to developer carryover. That can negate the minor cost savings anyway.

[chuck461]

Water stop for film. Acid stop for paper. I use citric acid like the others. About half tablespoon per liter of water. White vinegar is also an option. I've not used that so I can't recommend a dilution. Do a search or maybe someone will chime in here with that info.

CW

[Tin Can]

I use plain fresh water with my TF-5 fixer per spec. Fixer lasts plenty long

Read this http://stores.photoformulary.com/tf-5-archival-fix/

Stop is the least expensive of the chemicals because it is diluted so much and keeps well. It's basically just acetic acid (pus a dye for indicator stop).

People do forgo stop - if you know what you are doing and are prepared to deal with process changes. But it may shorten the life of the fixer due to developer carryover. That can negate the minor cost savings anyway.

[Bob Salomon]

In the USAF photo school at Lowry they sent us to the chow hall for vinegar that we diluted.

[Two23]

I've always used plain water, two rinses.


Kent in SD

[Jim Noel]

Water for film, diluted vinegar for paper

[Drew Wiley]

White vinegar. It's acetic acid just like stop bath; but you want something colorless that won't stain.