Water?

[Chronos]

I have everything I need to start developing film. I wanted to know what
water quality I should use. Tap, filtered tap, or distilled?

Thanks

Mike

[Phil Stripling]

Chronos <michaelrin...@earthlink.net> writes:

> I have everything I need to start developing film. I wanted to know what
> water quality I should use. Tap, filtered tap, or distilled?

I've always used straight tap water, complements of any of the several
towns I've lived it. Your mileage may vary if your water has lots of iron
or other things in it.

--
Philip Stripling | email to the replyto address is presumed
Legal Assistance on the Web | spam and read later. email to philip@
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[Michael Hood]

Same here, I get by just fine with tap water. Although a lot of people use
distilled water though. I'd say try both, if your tap water seems to work ok
then continue to use that.

-Mike

[maf]

"Chronos" <michaelrin...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:3C99387B...@earthlink.net...

Use distilled water for mixing and diluting film developer. Also use
distilled water for the final photo-flo rinse. In most locations you can use
tap water for all other chemicals, but using filtered tap water is not a bad
idea if you have it.

[Chronos]

Water varies so much. When I lived in Salt Lake City, there were 5 water
companies that provided water to my house, and every day the chemistry
was different. I think I'll go with a Brita or Pur filter to help remove
variables from the water so I can learn better. I always believe that
more variables you can turn in to constants, the better you learn and
the better your product.

[Chronos]

I run my tap water under a pressure filter (PUR) and then through a
gravity filter (Brita). When I do this, I can add the water to fish
tanks without any harm to the fish. If its good for the fish, it's good
for the film.

[mnah...@aurinko.ntc.nokia.com]

In article <3C997EE...@earthlink.net>, Chronos wrote:

> I run my tap water under a pressure filter (PUR) and then through a
> gravity filter (Brita). When I do this, I can add the water to fish
> tanks without any harm to the fish. If its good for the fish, it's good
> for the film.

Well, er ... I wouldn't use the lake water for film stuff but it's
perfectly good for some fish... and even unfiltered tap water in most
places around here is just fine for drinking and aquariums and
whatever and rather few people use any special filters for film either
AFAIK.

What do you people use for criteria when judging if the water is "good
enough"? Sure, no floating solids but ...?

>> "Chronos" <michaelrin...@earthlink.net> wrote in message

>>>I have everything I need to start developing film. I wanted to know what
>>>water quality I should use. Tap, filtered tap, or distilled?

>> Use distilled water for mixing and diluting film developer. Also use

>> distilled water for the final photo-flo rinse. In most locations you can use
>> tap water for all other chemicals, but using filtered tap water is not a bad
>> idea if you have it.

--
Mikko Nahkola <mikko....@nokia.com>
My ideas, not my employer's. No warranty. YMMV.
#include <disclaimer.h>

[Joe Schimpanzi]

Mike,

If you're shooting for consistency (and you should be, especially with
color), also, what some of these other post said (if you read between the
lines), it's better to use Distilled for your Developer (B&W), and all
chemicals (except the Stabilizer) in your color processes. I've seen by
your other post, that's the direction you're taking. To be dead honest, I
use Distilled or Demineralized (Demi) water to mix all my chemicals. It may
add a few cents to the overall cost per print, but the consistency pays for
itself in fewer 'bad' prints that are attributed to changes in chemistry.
Using distilled water for mixing color chemicals results in less to no color
shift when you mix a new batch of RA-4 for example.

While filtered water does offer some valuable benefits, one thing almost no
one thinks about is the amount of dissolved air (read: Oxygen) in tap water,
filtered or not. Oxygen is a major player in the chemistry of developers
and affects their storage life and their ability to just plain develop
(their strength). Distilled or Demi water is not aerated, and therefore has
a lower Oxygen content. Your developers will last longer.

So, if you want to base off my almost 25 years of darkroom experience, use
distilled water for almost everything.

Jim P.

"Chronos" <michaelrin...@earthlink.net> wrote in message

news:3C99387B...@earthlink.net...

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[Chronos]

[Leo]

Joe Schimpanzi wrote:
>
> Mike,
>
> If you're shooting for consistency (and you should be, especially with
> color), also, what some of these other post said (if you read between the
> lines), it's better to use Distilled for your Developer (B&W), and all
> chemicals (except the Stabilizer) in your color processes. I've seen by
> your other post, that's the direction you're taking. To be dead honest, I
> use Distilled or Demineralized (Demi) water to mix all my chemicals. It may
> add a few cents to the overall cost per print, but the consistency pays for
> itself in fewer 'bad' prints that are attributed to changes in chemistry.
> Using distilled water for mixing color chemicals results in less to no color
> shift when you mix a new batch of RA-4 for example.

This makes very good sense but I think you only need to do that to developer.
Unless the tap water has a tendency to cause PH value to shift for bleach and fix
there is really no reason to be too concerned about color consistency by using
tap water.

>
> While filtered water does offer some valuable benefits, one thing almost no
> one thinks about is the amount of dissolved air (read: Oxygen) in tap water,
> filtered or not. Oxygen is a major player in the chemistry of developers
> and affects their storage life and their ability to just plain develop
> (their strength). Distilled or Demi water is not aerated, and therefore has
> a lower Oxygen content. Your developers will last longer.
>
> So, if you want to base off my almost 25 years of darkroom experience, use
> distilled water for almost everything.

Leo

[Leo]

mnah...@aurinko.ntc.nokia.com wrote:
>
> Well, er ... I wouldn't use the lake water for film stuff but it's
> perfectly good for some fish... and even unfiltered tap water in most
> places around here is just fine for drinking and aquariums and
> whatever and rather few people use any special filters for film either
> AFAIK.
>
> What do you people use for criteria when judging if the water is "good
> enough"? Sure, no floating solids but ...?

Well, I don't know. Let me dig out my PH meter and make some measurement...
I know it will never be right on 7.

Leo