Strange tiny crystaline spots/marks on my negs

[art_arkin]

I just deved ten odd rolls of tri-x in tmax dev using a a Jobo ATL

1500, 4:10 @ 24 degrees c. I notice strange tiny crystaline spots /

marks on my negs though not on the emulsion side which is clean and

beautiful. These spots are only visible with light bouncing off the

glossy side of the neg and are maybe 1/4 mm in diameter. They look a

little like very tiny and flat ice crystals.

 

My jobo spirals are getting fairly shiny with silver deposits, could

this be the culprit ?

 

Could it be the wetting agent?

 

I have a fix time of 7 minutes on the Tri-x in Tmax dev 4:10 program,

is this too long? I use Ilford Hypam. I know 7 minutes is

significantly longer than normal and may well have something to do

with the reel silvering.

 

On a separate note, what do you recommend as a good fix time in a

rotary at 24 deg c. The suggested time of 3 odd minutes isnﾒt enough

in my Jobo. Iﾒve been doing 6 minutes for over a year no probs. When

programming this particular run I accidentally hit the fix with an

extra minute but figured this wouldnﾒt hurt, maybe it does ?

 

There is a standard lab inline water filter running to the Jobo, 20

micron I think. After processing I wash the films for a further 5 to

ten minutes with water coming through an even finer filter. Itﾒs

rather cold in London right now, the wash water canﾒt be warmer than 5

odd deg C, could this be it?

 

I've checked other emulsions, Neopan 1600 / 400 and 100ss deved over

the last week (6min fix), these show no problem, just todayﾒs Tri-x

 

Any thoughts, similar experiences or theories on what causes such

marks would be most appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance.

[conrad_hoffman]

Don't know, but that wash is awfully cold. Cold water doesn't wash as effectively. I'd try to keep it closer to the rest of the process. Doesn't explain the spots though.

[chris_waller]

I can't imagine that an extra minute of fixing has any effect.I use a 10 micron filter but again the difference between 10 and 20 is insignificant.

 

I note you say you are in London. At the moment there is an impending water shortage in the south-east of England and the reservoirs are low. I'm thinking that the concentration of soluble salts in the water is increased and this may be the root of the problem. Try a final rinse in distilled/deionised water to see if that clears it.

[joe_gagliardo]

Sounds like it might be static electricity marks. Can you post an example?