How many sheets in a jobo 2509n, how much chemistry for reliable tetenal 3 step E6 in an ATL1500

[art_arkin]

Im about to do my first E6 run in an ATL 1500. I have 6 5x4 sheets of

exposed Kodak EPN and a 2509n reel to go in a 2523 tank.

 

What is the correct chemistry quantity in ml to process this reliably

and is it worth recycling it for a 2nd run or will 6 sheets exhaust it

completely?

 

Should I stick to 12 sheets in a 2523 as I have a 2nd 2509n reel. The

manual states 500ml for this tank but doesnt suggest anything for the

smaller 2523, 250mm?

 

Have any ATL users out there settled on tetenal kit quantities that

divide neatly into 1 litre?

 

An old aquaintance who I've lost contact with swore by recylcling 3

step Tetenal chemistry and claimed to get 3 full runs time and time

again in his ATL 2.

 

Any help or suggestions would be most appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance.

[art_arkin]

Correction to the above line:

 

Should I stick to 12 sheets in a 2553 (not the smaller 2523, oops)

[g._armour_van_horn]

You have to measure the chemistry to fit the tank, not the reel, and I wouldn't trust anything other than what it says on the side of the tank. Some have said that you need to have the tank filled with reels, whether they have film on them or not. Anyway, that quantity is to ensure that the entire area of the film is covered. Kodak says you can run 90 sheets of 4x5 in one gallon of first developer before needing to extend the processing time, which I think means you can get 12 films run in a half liter, and then the same again with a half-minute addition to the time.

 

I wouldn't touch a three-bath process with a barge pole. Those here who know the actual chemistry don't recommend it to start with, and I can't see paying a whole lot of extra money for something less than the real thing. If you're going to do any quantity of E-6, you want to be able to regenerate your bleach. Using the Kodak chemistry and regenerating your bleach will cost you less than a third what the Tetenal product runs.

 

Van

[discpad]

Arthur,

 

Van beat me to the punch: The 3 step E-6 kits are pretty much for emergency use only; and even so, all you'll get is "pleasing color" -- That is, if the "blix" (bleach & fix mix) is dead-on and you don't end up with retained silver.

 

Van is correct that you should get the one gallon Kodak kit, if you don't want to replenish. Even so, you'll want to capture and replenish the bleach, since it is, by far, the most expensive liquid.

 

Incidentally, I have a pair of ATL-3 processors. I also had a couple 2509 reels, and they are an abortion that survived: Fortunately, I have the big 3010 and 3005 drums, which work MUCH better... But you're stuck with the smaller drums & reels.

 

Calumet has a nice stock of darkroom chemistry:

http://www.calumetphoto.co.uk/ctl?ac.ui.pn=search.CatList&menuId=307

 

I see Kodak packages the E-6 kit for 5 liters (not one gallon) for Britain, so this is the one you want:

http://www.calumetphoto.co.uk/item/156-156Z.html

 

Hope this helps!

Dan