F-6 Fixer shelf life

[mark_costantini]

<p>I'm moving from Kodak Fixer(not Rapid Fixer) to F-6 which I'm making myself using the Adams/Sexton variation(F-6 with about 1/2-2/3 less hardener than the original F-6). This is to reduce the fixer smell in my darkroom. My question is this; as I work in the darkroom quite a bit, I usually get the powdered Kodak Fixer that will make 5 gallons at a time. I lasts me a few months stored in a large, spigotted drum with a floating lid. I'm wondering if I mix up 5 gallons at a time of the F-6 from my bulk chemicals, will it last as long as the Kodak Fixer or do I need to make it and use it as needed within the next day or two?</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>For film or Paper? Test it on film then adjust.... for paper...</p>

[Alan Marcus]

<p>The keeping qualities of both formulas are about the same. A dip test is always a good idea. Save the tongues of the 35mm films you process or sacrifice a roll or two. In the light, immerse half of a short piece of undeveloped film into the fix. Swish it about. In a few minutes, you can see the film changing from opaque to clear. Time this action. You will always be safe if you fix twice as long as it takes this test film to clear.</p>

[mark_costantini]

<p>Larry, Thanks for the advice but I may not have been as clear as I could be on my post. My question was regarding <i>unused</i> fixer. If I mix 5 gallons of F-6 fixer and store the <i>unused</i> portion in a 5 gallon spiggoted container with a floating lid -- in other words drawing off what I need to process or print, using it until it's exhausted then dumping it -- how long will that last? This is how I've done it for years with Kodak Fixer as the unused fixer will last for months in the floating lid container. Thanks again.</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>What Alan has said and I .. If in doubt tes.. if in ore doubt add time then dump....</p>

[russ_kerlin]

<p>Alan is spot on. I keep a roll of 35mm film that I bulk rolled a while back handy. Every so often I snip off about an inch or so of the film, drop it into a cup of fixer, and time how long it takes to clear. I use TF-3 fixer which has a recommended fix time of 3 minutes. In general you want to fix 3 times as long as it takes to clear the film, so provided the test strip clears in less than a minute, I know I have plenty of fixer life. Even it took longer than a minute to clear, I could probably still use the fixer by increasing the fix time. However, by that point I have gotten my money out of the fixer and it's time to mix up a new batch.</p>

<p>I have tried to keep track of how many rolls I run through the fixer, but I am not very disciplined using this method.</p>