Municipal Water versus Well Water.

For many years I have been using well water for my photographic processing.
Since I will be moving from my current location, to a home with Chlorinated
municipal supply I am wondering about whether filtering the chlorine out
is an advised practice, & (Is there an easy way to do so)?

I mainly do B&W but will also do some E6 and potentially some C41.

TIA.
--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

Gregory W Blank wrote:
For many years I have been using well water for my photographic processing.
Since I will be moving from my current location, to a home with Chlorinated
municipal supply I am wondering about whether filtering the chlorine out
is an advised practice, & (Is there an easy way to do so)?

I mainly do B&W but will also do some E6 and potentially some C41.

TIA.

Filters primarily remove solid particles, and dissolved material, be it
minerals (e.g., calcium ions) or gasses (chloride ions) are not solids.

Those filters containing sufficient activated charcoal can remove some
dissolved gasses, such as chlorine.

Since most photographic solutions are buffered, it is unlikely that
something like chlorine will be dissolved in the water in sufficient
quantity to affect the pH very much. Some people have trouble with
changing from one water to another, though I never noticed it, even when
the taste of the water was extremely different from one place to another.
I assume (without knowledge) that their problems are perhaps due to
different ions in the water, and not chlorine or its pH. But since it
never bothered me to use municipal water, I never investigated it much.

Solid particals make a mess of negatives, especially small ones such as
24x32 mm ones on 35 mm film. Hence I use a 5 micron filter on my tempered
water. I mix my PhotoFlow with dehumidifier condensate that I filter
through a cotton ball (used one shot). But everything else I use just
plain municipal water.

Were I to use solutions containing precious metals (e.g., platinum, gold)
I would use distilled water for them. When I was doing Cibachrome (now
known as Ilfochrome), I was advised by Ilford to not use distilled water
as it was too soft and the wet emulsion was too soft. They recommended tap
water, which is usually harder, as the most practical for processing their
stuff.

--
.~. Jean-David Beyer Registered Linux User 85642.
/V\ Registered Machine 241939.
/( )\ Shrewsbury, New Jersey http://counter.li.org
^^-^^ 21:15:00 up 33 days, 10 min, 3 users, load average: 4.21, 4.16, 4.17

Gregory W Blank wrote:

For many years I have been using well water for my photographic processing.
Since I will be moving from my current location, to a home with Chlorinated
municipal supply I am wondering about whether filtering the chlorine out
is an advised practice, & (Is there an easy way to do so)?

I mainly do B&W but will also do some E6 and potentially some C41.


I never have and have no noticable issues.

Course I'm somewhat nearsighted

But in my part of the country the water is also very
pure (no pollutants or finer particles/sediment to
filter out, but is chlorinated and fluoridated.) I
would probably worry about filtering water that isn't
so pure.

TIA.
--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

Gregory W Blank wrote:

For many years I have been using well water for my photographic processing.
Since I will be moving from my current location, to a home with Chlorinated
municipal supply I am wondering about whether filtering the chlorine out
is an advised practice, & (Is there an easy way to do so)?

I mainly do B&W but will also do some E6 and potentially some C41.


I never have and have no noticable issues.

Course I'm somewhat nearsighted

But in my part of the country the water is also very
pure (no pollutants or finer particles/sediment to
filter out, but is chlorinated and fluoridated.) I
would probably worry about filtering water that isn't
so pure.

TIA.
--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

Gregory W Blank wrote:
For many years I have been using well water for my photographic processing.
Since I will be moving from my current location, to a home with Chlorinated
municipal supply I am wondering about whether filtering the chlorine out
is an advised practice, & (Is there an easy way to do so)?


Go to the local big box hardware and look over the various filters. It's
pretty easy to find one that'll handle chlorine. Can't hurt to get rid of
it. If you aren't in a hurry other methods then filtering will get rid of it
to but filtering is relatively cheap and painless. If you're setting up a
new darkroom then consider just putting the filters into the water supply.

Nick

Gregory W Blank wrote:
For many years I have been using well water for my photographic processing.
Since I will be moving from my current location, to a home with Chlorinated
municipal supply I am wondering about whether filtering the chlorine out
is an advised practice, & (Is there an easy way to do so)?


Go to the local big box hardware and look over the various filters. It's
pretty easy to find one that'll handle chlorine. Can't hurt to get rid of
it. If you aren't in a hurry other methods then filtering will get rid of it
to but filtering is relatively cheap and painless. If you're setting up a
new darkroom then consider just putting the filters into the water supply.

Nick

I was using well water and I used a Brita (or pur, same thing) which
cost me $30 for the kit that comes with a filter that screws onto the
faucet and I replace the filter once every two months. The water
output is low when its running so unless you have massive water needs
(and need them quickly) this may be a good choice.

Another thing i've done is used an aquarium charcoal filter you can
get at Petco/Petsmart/Pet-whatever. They are moderately tall, narrow
tube-like things with a faucet end and a tube end. This is relatively
low water output (and somewhat hard to control the temperature as the
water has to filter through about an 18-20" tube first, but I got used
to it and it worked fine for me... Its basically a tube packed full of
charcoal.



On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 02:14:52 GMT, Gregory W Blank
wrote:

For many years I have been using well water for my photographic processing.
Since I will be moving from my current location, to a home with Chlorinated
municipal supply I am wondering about whether filtering the chlorine out
is an advised practice, & (Is there an easy way to do so)?

I mainly do B&W but will also do some E6 and potentially some C41.

TIA.

Cheers,
-sd
http://www.zoom.sh

I vote with JD here. Never had a problem with anymunicipal water
supply for processing, except when a water main broke and my tap water
went Brown.

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 21:23:34 -0500, Jean-David Beyer
wrote:

Gregory W Blank wrote:
For many years I have been using well water for my photographic processing.
Since I will be moving from my current location, to a home with Chlorinated
municipal supply I am wondering about whether filtering the chlorine out
is an advised practice, & (Is there an easy way to do so)?

I mainly do B&W but will also do some E6 and potentially some C41.

TIA.

Filters primarily remove solid particles, and dissolved material, be it
minerals (e.g., calcium ions) or gasses (chloride ions) are not solids.

Those filters containing sufficient activated charcoal can remove some
dissolved gasses, such as chlorine.

Since most photographic solutions are buffered, it is unlikely that
something like chlorine will be dissolved in the water in sufficient
quantity to affect the pH very much. Some people have trouble with
changing from one water to another, though I never noticed it, even when
the taste of the water was extremely different from one place to another.
I assume (without knowledge) that their problems are perhaps due to
different ions in the water, and not chlorine or its pH. But since it
never bothered me to use municipal water, I never investigated it much.

Solid particals make a mess of negatives, especially small ones such as
24x32 mm ones on 35 mm film. Hence I use a 5 micron filter on my tempered
water. I mix my PhotoFlow with dehumidifier condensate that I filter
through a cotton ball (used one shot). But everything else I use just
plain municipal water.

Were I to use solutions containing precious metals (e.g., platinum, gold)
I would use distilled water for them. When I was doing Cibachrome (now
known as Ilfochrome), I was advised by Ilford to not use distilled water
as it was too soft and the wet emulsion was too soft. They recommended tap
water, which is usually harder, as the most practical for processing their
stuff.

Robert Vervoordt, MFA

I vote with JD here. Never had a problem with anymunicipal water
supply for processing, except when a water main broke and my tap water
went Brown.

On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 21:23:34 -0500, Jean-David Beyer
wrote:

Gregory W Blank wrote:
For many years I have been using well water for my photographic processing.
Since I will be moving from my current location, to a home with Chlorinated
municipal supply I am wondering about whether filtering the chlorine out
is an advised practice, & (Is there an easy way to do so)?

I mainly do B&W but will also do some E6 and potentially some C41.

TIA.

Filters primarily remove solid particles, and dissolved material, be it
minerals (e.g., calcium ions) or gasses (chloride ions) are not solids.

Those filters containing sufficient activated charcoal can remove some
dissolved gasses, such as chlorine.

Since most photographic solutions are buffered, it is unlikely that
something like chlorine will be dissolved in the water in sufficient
quantity to affect the pH very much. Some people have trouble with
changing from one water to another, though I never noticed it, even when
the taste of the water was extremely different from one place to another.
I assume (without knowledge) that their problems are perhaps due to
different ions in the water, and not chlorine or its pH. But since it
never bothered me to use municipal water, I never investigated it much.

Solid particals make a mess of negatives, especially small ones such as
24x32 mm ones on 35 mm film. Hence I use a 5 micron filter on my tempered
water. I mix my PhotoFlow with dehumidifier condensate that I filter
through a cotton ball (used one shot). But everything else I use just
plain municipal water.

Were I to use solutions containing precious metals (e.g., platinum, gold)
I would use distilled water for them. When I was doing Cibachrome (now
known as Ilfochrome), I was advised by Ilford to not use distilled water
as it was too soft and the wet emulsion was too soft. They recommended tap
water, which is usually harder, as the most practical for processing their
stuff.

Robert Vervoordt, MFA

On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 01:35:44 -0500, Some Dude wrote:

I was using well water and I used a Brita (or pur, same thing) which
cost me $30 for the kit that comes with a filter that screws onto the
faucet and I replace the filter once every two months. The water
output is low when its running so unless you have massive water needs
(and need them quickly) this may be a good choice.

Another thing i've done is used an aquarium charcoal filter you can
get at Petco/Petsmart/Pet-whatever. They are moderately tall, narrow
tube-like things with a faucet end and a tube end. This is relatively
low water output (and somewhat hard to control the temperature as the
water has to filter through about an 18-20" tube first, but I got used
to it and it worked fine for me... Its basically a tube packed full of
charcoal.

My only problem with one of these, aside from the agony of the slow
output, was when I first installed it, I had to filter out fine
Charcoal dust from the final product. Eventually I just went with the
unfiltered water supplies in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and
California. No differences in any results over many decades.



On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 02:14:52 GMT, Gregory W Blank
wrote:

For many years I have been using well water for my photographic processing.
Since I will be moving from my current location, to a home with Chlorinated
municipal supply I am wondering about whether filtering the chlorine out
is an advised practice, & (Is there an easy way to do so)?

I mainly do B&W but will also do some E6 and potentially some C41.

TIA.

Cheers,
-sd
http://www.zoom.sh

Robert Vervoordt, MFA