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<p>I have developed 2x35mm films on separate reels in one tank. The frames of one reel have this bubbly effect on them, mainly in the upper part of the frame. I have seen this effect before when I was developing 2 reels in a Paterson Tank. The tank doesn't give a recommended volume for 2 reels, maybe its not designed for 2x35mm reels. This time I used an AP tank which does list on the tank a volume for 2x 35mm. I thought that maybe the last time there was not enough developer to fully immerse the top reel.<br /> This time I used the recommended 570ml for 2 film. Does anyone gave a clue on what's happening here. Is any of the chemical foamy, I use the times and agitation set out in the Ilford sheets.<br /> Cheers<br /> Greg Nixon</p>

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<p>For stainless steel tanks, 500ml is usually enough for two reels, but maybe not for yours.</p>

<p>Put the empty reels in the tank and pour water until it is above the top of the reel. Then measure it.</p>

-- glen

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<p>What Glen says.<br>

Also, in some types of plastic tanks, the reels can slip upwards on the inner stem and stay there. Some require a retaining clip (easily lost) to hold the reels there.<br>

Among the reasons I prefer Nikor stainless steel tanks.</p>

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<p>Yes, I think you are both correct. With the lid removed it takes 600ml to just cover the top of the reels. The bubbles look comparatively large. Do any of the chemicals foam that much? The reels do float off the bottom and there is no room for a clip on the stem.</p>
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<p>Looks like the bubbles you'd get if you used photoflow in this tank. You can't get photoflow completely out of a tank, so the next time you use the tank, the developer foams.<br>

<br />The only "cure" I know of (other than a new tank that you don't ever use photoflow with) is to make sure your film stays under the liquid developer (and stop, and fix, and...). It can foam all it wants, as long as that foam stays above the film itself.</p>

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<blockquote>

<p>Looks like the bubbles you'd get if you used photoflow in this tank. You can't get photoflow completely out of a tank, so the next time you use the tank, the developer foams.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I use photoflo in all my developing tanks, stainless steel for 35 and single roll 120 and Jobo plastic for 4x5. I use approximately 4ml photoflo per tank. I never have any bubbling problems from photoflo.<br>

<br />Keep agitation to a minimum with photoflo to reduce foaming. Wash your processing equipment in warm soapy (dish detergent) water and rinse thoroughly then air dry after each processing session.</p>

<p>I too fill my tanks to their limit for inversion processing. Some developers foam worse than others if air space exists in the tank even without a trace of photoflo.</p>

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<p>Point taken about Photoflo, I use 2.5-3.0ml in the final rinse. This is the third time this has happened and always with 2 reels. I'll scrub the reels out thoroughly and check the volume of chemical required for the tanks.<br>

Thanks for all of your advice.<br>

Regards<br>

Greg</p>

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<p>That's really interesting about Photoflo and the bubbling. I've never used anything but a couple of drops of washing up liquid in the drum, after the wash, and just before hanging the film up to dry.<br>

Swirl the film about in the drum to make plenty of bubbles, take it out, unload it from the reel--I use Paterson stuff-- use my 1st and 2nd fingers as a squeegee thingy to get most of the water etc off it and then hang the film up to dry. I use a clothes peg at the bottom to help keep it fairly straight.</p>

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<p>Like the above comment, "squeegee fingers", However...I've never used photo flo in my tanks mostly because it's a waste of time, water and energy to clean 'em when you're through, Paterson or Stainless. I pull the film off the reels, have a 9X9 plastic bowl that's about 2-3 inches deep, fill about 3/4's full, 3-4 drops of Photo Flo, hold each end of the film pull it up & down throught he fluid, do the "finger squeegee" and hang it up! 'been doin' like that for a very long time, works great!! Never have to clean my tanks after the film wash! </p>
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<p>The usual Photo-Flo is Photo-Flo 200, which should be diluted 1:200 (or maybe 1:199). <br>

Too much is not better. So, 2.5ml for a 500ml tank. </p>

<p>When it came in 4oz bottles, the cap was less than 1ml, but now the cap is bigger.</p>

<p>I remember years ago, reading about Photo-Flo 2100, which comes in gallon bottles and dilutes 1:2100. </p>

-- glen

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<p>Maybe there was some contamination of the tank with wetting-agent? After washing the film, using the Ilford Method, I take the reels out of the tank and dunk them in a separate container of water containing wetting-agent. Also, after an initial 6 inversions of the tank I give one inversion every 30 seconds to avoid excessive churning of the developer.</p>
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  • 3 weeks later...

<p>You don't want to fill a tank completely full, it will screw up your agitation. Best to use the amount of chemicals that your tank specifies.</p>

<p>For photoflo, I didn't like scrubbing it out of the tank and reels, so now it never touches them. I fill a bowl w/ a small amount of my photoflo mixed up solution and dunk the film in that. It will curl right up in there if you hold it by one end and lower it into the solution. I also have taken to whipping the film strip a few times to get the excess solution off. You'll be able to dry the hanging film strips much faster, and never a drying mark.</p>

<p>Photoflo is great stuff, but it will dry on the reels, you won't know it, and make loading film into them a real pain as it will bind the film up. I had to scrub my reels in hot soapy water w/ a toothbrush before I decided to never put it in the tank again.</p>

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