What the heck's floating in my D76?

[philip_glass]

I mixed up a gallon about a month ago and put it in a clear plastic

bottle. I use in one shot and keep it sealed between use. When I

checked today it had white "floaters" in it. It is obviously some kind

of contamination that looks organic. But what could live in full

strength D76? Any ideas? Thanks.

[craig_h1]

It sounds like undisolved crystals.

[jay ott]

Don't worry about it. Just filter it out by pouring it through coffee filters.

[ronald_moravec1]

Nearly always happens. You should see the precipitate if you mix from scratch. It doesn`t stick to the film though.

 

Quarterded Bounty paper towels are a much better filter than coffee ones.

 

Let it sit in the mix vessel covered with food wrap until it cools, then filter it as you put it into small one time use glass bottles. You will get more consistent results if you do not allow the developer contact with air in a partially full bottle.

[conrad_hoffman]

I get this too, and I've always suspected it's related to dissolved minerals in the water. If you mix from scratch with lab chemicals and distilled water, there should be nothing floating in it. Seems to do no harm, and filtering or just letting it settle works fine. It isn't good for developer to slowly dribble through filter paper because it oxidizes. Whatever you use should be fast- I use a couple cotton balls in the bottom of a funnel.

[john falkenstine]

Well, its been a LONG time since I mixed D-76 but I had this problem as well here in Tucson. As noted before, HARD water appeared to be the cause. Frequent replacement of the mixture was the only solution for me.

[ronald_moravec1]

I don`t use distilled water because film turns out grainy, at least T Max does which I no longer use. A friend didn`t believe me so he verified on his own. I use piped suburban Chicago water and he uses whatever comes from the tap in Naperville.

 

The Bounty quartered towels are very fast. As fast as the cotton.

 

The floaters in packaged D76 are not a precipitate as they are there from the start just 5 or so particles though. I have mixed scratch D76 with a magnetic stirrer and it starts clear and 24/48 hrs later the bottom of the quarts are layered with a precipate.