From my last printing session, I saved my mixture of selenium toner and Heico Perma-Wash. I usually mix fresh selenium each time, but I ran out of toner (my local camera store no longer stocks it) and decided to save this last batch.
Will it still be good?
I noticed a dark sludge on the bottom of the container I stored it in. I toned only a few prints with it during my last darkroom session a few weeks ago.
If I stir it up a bit, will it still be good to go?
Thanks in advance
Ben,
I often keep my selenium and just add a dash when I can no longer smell it!
When you get a lot of the dark sludge then go ahead and toss it, wash out the container and start new. Remeber however, that you should still do a second bath of Perma-Wash on the prints after the toning and before the final wash.
Also, decant the toner off of the sediment, don't mix it.Wash the storage
container clear of the sediment...EC
I mix my selenium with distilled water and just save it and replenish to a gallon with the mixed selenium. The sludge/sediment is filtered off each time that I use it. I was told that selenium toner can be used until it will no longer tone. If I use replenishment, I can probably use the same toner indefinitely. I don't think you have to be that severe, but definitely reuse your toner as I don't think that the sewers or septic systems really need the Selenium.
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