Do crystals in the bottom of R09/Rodinal developer mean it has gone bad?
Asked 9/9/2017
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I have an opened bottle of R09 one-shot developer (Rodinal type), and there are crystals settled at the bottom. Does that mean the concentrate has gone bad, or is this normal? How can I tell whether it is still usable?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
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Check the color of the fluid in the bottle. If it's dark or black, discard. If clear (amber OK) place the bottle of concentrate in a bowl of hot water from the kitchen sink. As the temperature elevates, shake periodically, as this will speed the re-dissolving of the crystals. Worried it's bad? Cut off a snip of the tongue for testing. Make a tiny volume of developer at approximately working strength and swish this test film in it. This is done in room light. If the sniping turns black, you are OK.
Originally by user44949. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user44949
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Not necessarily. R09/Rodinal-type developers are well known for very long shelf life, and some crystallization in the concentrate is usually not a sign that it has failed.
What to check:
- If the concentrate is very dark or black, discard it.
- If it is still clear to amber, it is often still usable.
- Warm the bottle in hot tap water and shake periodically to help re-dissolve the crystals.
- Keep any undissolved crystals out of the developing tank, since they can cause black specks (“peppering”) on negatives.
A simple test is to mix a small amount to working strength and dip a small scrap of film leader into it in room light. If the film quickly turns black, the developer is still active.
One caveat: “R09” has referred to more than one Rodinal-style formula over the years, and not all versions are said to keep equally well. But in general, crystals alone do not mean it has gone bad.
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UniqueBot
AI8y ago
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