Keeping your developer fresh for longer

[FishyFish]

I read an interesting blog post from Jim Grey today where he's been using Stop-Loss bags to keep his developer from expiring before he has chance to use it. The principle is nothing new - simply a means to keep air away from the solution - but it's perhaps a more practical method than filling bottles with marbles or using concertinas.

Keeping black-and-white film developer fresh longer with StopLossBags - Down the Road

A review of StopLossBags, an airtight bag for storing liquids. They're made for wood finishes, but in my testing they work great for film chemicals.

blog.jimgrey.net

You can buy the bags in the UK (amazon have for for £15). I've rarely gotten to a position where my developer has been at risk of expiry, but it may be handy to have some of these nonetheless.

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

I read an interesting blog post from Jim Grey today where he's been using Stop-Loss bags to keep his developer from expiring before he has chance to use it. The principle is nothing new - simply a means to keep air away from the solution - but it's perhaps a more practical method than filling bottles with marbles or using concertinas.

WordPress.com

wordpress.com

You can buy the bags in the UK (amazon have for for £15). I've rarely gotten to a position where my developer has been at risk of expiry, but it may be handy to have some of these nonetheless.

Direct link to article: https://blog.jimgrey.net/2026/01/08/keeping-photographic-chemicals-fresh-longer-with-stoplossbags/

I've been doing this for a good few years but I just use generic "bladder bags" - a random example https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DLB73...cF9waG9uZV9kZXRhaWw&aref=pY9tLC1pQq&sp_cr=ZAZ

When I refill them after dev-ing a film I squeeze the air out and then put the lid on. After 3 years of use my original 3 bags (dev, stop, fix)started to de-laminate but fortunately I store the full bags in a bucket. I still had 7 bags left from the 1st purchase so just started afresh.

 

[FishyFish]

Direct link to article: https://blog.jimgrey.net/2026/01/08/keeping-photographic-chemicals-fresh-longer-with-stoplossbags/

I've been doing this for a good few years but I just use generic "bladder bags" - a random example https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DLB73...cF9waG9uZV9kZXRhaWw&aref=pY9tLC1pQq&sp_cr=ZAZ

When I refill them after dev-ing a film I squeeze the air out and then put the lid on. After 3 years of use my original 3 bags (dev, stop, fix)started to de-laminate but fortunately I store the full bags in a bucket. I still had 7 bags left from the 1st purchase so just started afresh.

Thanks for posting the correct link to Jim's blog - I copied the URL and then just pasted it without checking it.

I've edited my post accordingly.

 

[ped]

I’m using a bottle of Rodinal from the 80s