Is An Alkaine Fixer A Must For Pyro

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Ian-Barber

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Just curios to know id an Is An Alkaine Fixer A Must For Pyro based developers and does it preserve more stain than using a Rapid Fix
 
Not with Pyrocat, it makes no difference to the stain.

Ian
 
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Thanks, I think I will stick to Rapid Fix if there is no issues with it
 
Sandy King sometimes uses Ilford Rapid Fixer after Pyrocat HD and saw no difference.

A good friend used a Pyrogallol based developer 30 years ago and had no issues with Rapid fixers a pH of 5.4 is barely acidic.

Ian
 
There are 2 good reasons for buying alkaline fix, it stays potent for a very long time in storage and it reduces wash times when used with fibre based prints. I have used alkaline fix with pyrocat hd and I have not seen any significant difference in stain. As I understand it once the stain is formed during the development the fix can't bleach it away. It would be an easy experiment to carry out a side by side test if you are concerned about slightly acid rapid fix.
 
Wash times for films or RC papers are similar with regular or alkali fixers. There may be a slight difference with FB papers but with a wash aid it's not significant.

One problem is many of the so-called "alkali fixers" are actually not alkali, if they were there would release Ammonia. Many recommend using C41 colour negative fixers.

Ron Mowrey who helped formulate TF-2 & 3 stated that you need to use a stop bath with them, he's seen dichroic fog with just a water rinse. Because of objections to the odour of these fixers he helped formulate TF-4 &5 which are odourless and not alkali, pH 5

Some people use C41 fixer, these are typically pH 6.1 - Kodak, pH 6.4 - Fuji, Ilford Rapid Fixer & Hypam are pH 5.0 - 5.5. All these fixers are only mildly acidic,.

This is from the Agfa MCC Technical Data

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Ian
 
Ian Grant said:
Wash times for films or RC papers are similar with regular or alkali fixers. There may be a slight difference with FB papers but with a wash aid it's not significant.

One problem is many of the so-called "alkali fixers" are actually not alkali, if they were there would release Ammonia. Many recommend using C41 colour negative fixers.

Ron Mowrey who helped formulate TF-2 & 3 stated that you need to use a stop bath with them, he's seen dichroic fog with just a water rinse. Because of objections to the odour of these fixers he helped formulate TF-4 &5 which are odourless and not alkali, pH 5

Some people use C41 fixer, these are typically pH 6.1 - Kodak, pH 6.4 - Fuji, Ilford Rapid Fixer & Hypam are pH 5.0 - 5.5. All these fixers are only mildly acidic,.

This is from the Agfa MCC Technical Data

View attachment 4770
Ian
Click to expand...
Good tip about the stop bath, yes c41 fix is as near neutral as you are likely to get. I have used fuji hunt c41 fix for pyro developed film. No issues at all. I had the Fuji developer go bad because I kept it in the plastic bottle it came in. Once the seal was broken ir got in. I should have sealed it in a glass bottle. Is the soda bath about 1 tsp per litre or do you need to weigh it out accurately?
 
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