I use rubbermade containers for trays, so I can seal them up when I'm through and they are still good for the next couple printing sessions. My probablem is that lately I have been getting mold growing in my stop bath tray, even if I leave it for just a day or two. I've tryed washing it out with soap and water, but to no avail. I don't get mold in any other trays. any suggestions?

also is there a good way to tell how long hypo clear lasts for? I have recently started using edwal version, no problems yet how would I know, short of a risudual hypo test.

doug

-- doug (dmcgoldrick@usa.net), September 23, 2000

Answers

Doug,

Try using bleach to wash the tray. If that fails, then buy a new tray. Trays are relatively inexpensive. Why bother...

I discard my tray of hypo clearing agent after each session. I dump the stop bath and developer as well. Over the years I've come to the conclusion that I would rather have prints I know are processed in fresh chemistry, than to have prints go bad as a result of trying to stretch the life or second guess my chemistry. I think it's just plain risky business to use anything but fresh chemistry.

Good Luck.

Tom Schumacher

-- Tom Schumacher (tlschuma@orotech.net), September 23, 2000.

Tom's right, there's no point in saving chemicals. I stopped saving developer years ago and now toss stop bath and hypo clearing agent and photo flow. Hypo is good for several rounds, but do get some Hypo test fluid, just to be sure.

-- chuck k (kleesattel@msn.com), September 23, 2000.

I have to agree with the rest. Saving stop bath is real penny pinching. A fresh bath is only good for a few prints anyway, and if it's growing mould, then the chances are that the acidity is too low to be of any further use.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), September 25, 2000.

There is a point to saving chemicals. The point is that practically all chemicals (stop bath being an exception) are pretty toxic and thus bad for the environment. (I know, I know: There are strong differences in the views on this point in the different countries. People usually tend to believe what's easier for them. So it is quite easy to believe that photo chemistry is not a problem, and to overlook the good arguments that prove that the stuff is in fact pretty hazardous.)

Now about mold: If you want to save chemicals, don't keep them in trays. Pour them back into bottles. Once you had mold somewhere, it's hard to eliminate again. Bleach may be as bad for the trays as for the mold. Boiling water is another good disinfectant, but there, too, I don't know what rubber trays will survive. Fixer may get moldy, too, but once there is a certain amount of silver in it, this will act as a preservative.

-- Thomas Wollstein (thomas_wollstein@web.de), September 26, 2000.

Test only

-- harry sullivan (harry.sullivan@virgin.net), October 18, 2000.