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Old 15th March 2020, 02:57 PM
Terry S Terry S is offline
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Default Difference between the two Ilford fixers?

Like others, I've been looking at the Ilford site, as they have a FREE DELIVERY promotion on until midnight on Monday coming.

I've not long made an order of chemicals and papers, so the only item I really need is Stop Bath. Checking it out, Ilford's turns out to be a Citric Acid based one, which doesn't seem to get very good reviews because of fungus growing problems.

But browsing, I noticed about a £3.00 difference between their Rapid Fixer and their Hypam Fixer, which is what I've always used, with the Rapid Fixer being very slightly cheaper.

So does anyone use this one and can tell me why there is a very slight difference in price? I mean do they really need to sell two different ones at all?

Terry S
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Old 15th March 2020, 03:11 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Terry, it would look as if neither Hypam or Rapid Fix( the slightly cheaper of the 2) are fixers with hardeners but you can use a hardener with Hypam but not Rapid fix.

There would appear to be little use for hardeners these days so unless one of your processes or films calls for a hardener there is no benefit in Hypam and a definite cost to your pocket

Mike
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Old 15th March 2020, 03:14 PM
Terry S Terry S is offline
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Yes, I've just noticed that small difference as well Mike.

As you say, there is little call for the use of hardeners today, so I'm surprised that Ilford both making two rather than just the one fixer.

And then of course, I have just noticed that there is a third fixer, 'just' for processing machines...

Terry S
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Old 15th March 2020, 04:17 PM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is offline
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Essentially they are quite similar, the difference is Hypam has additional buffering to allow the use of a hardener. You need this to keep the pH more stable as a hardener becomes less effective as the pH drops towards neutral with use.

The market wants the cheaper fixer, but a few need to use hardener.

Ian
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Old 15th March 2020, 05:54 PM
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Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry S View Post
I've not long made an order of chemicals and papers, so the only item I really need is Stop Bath. Checking it out, Ilford's turns out to be a Citric Acid based one, which doesn't seem to get very good reviews because of fungus growing problems.

Terry S
All citric acid stop baths will suffer from the same problem of the dilute/working strength fixer allowing fungal growth - not just Ilfords.

Stop bath is cheap as chips - about £6 for 0.5l for Ilfostop - so is it really worth storing the working solution.

I use a weaker than recommended strength - at 1+29 - but as the Stop Bath is yellow - it is acidic - so works just as well.

I then throw it out at the end of the day.

If I am making prints I make up 3l - so 1+29 = 100ml = 60p.

If I am developing film I need either 1 or 1.5l = 20 or 30p.

Considering the cost of the paper or film plus the other chemicals used that day, the Stop is probably the cheapest part.

Of course, if you have a well ventilated darkroom and don't mind the smell too much the, Acetic Acid stop baths are better value for money.

Personally, I really don't like the smell - so citric acid is my choice.

Martin
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Old 15th March 2020, 06:30 PM
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Barry Barry is offline
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I use 15g/litre of citric acid. I have a small marked measure into which I spoon the citric acid powder up to the mark. Cheap and easy to use and discard after each printing session.
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Old 15th March 2020, 06:56 PM
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MartyNL MartyNL is offline
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I thought I read somewhere long ago that Hypam was good for use in the tropics...

Can anyone else confirm or remember this?
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