[Leica] OT: Light purple/pink Ilford film, part 2

[Pete Su <psu@esgear.com>]

For what its worth, I got rid of the pink stain...

I did some more film processing over this weekend, after mixing up
some D76 and buying a new bottle of Kodak Rapid fix. FWIW, here is
what I found:

1. Tri-X processed in the Sprint developer and Sprint fixer also had
   the same pink cast as the HP5. I've never had Tri-X come out pink
   when I fixed it long enough. I fixed for more than twice as long as
   the bottle said I should need to.

2. HP5+ processed with D76 1:1 and Kodak Rapid Fix lost the pink cast,
   and came out a nice normal blue/gray.

Both the Kodak and Sprint fix are ammonium thiosulfate "rapid" fixers,
but the Kodak product has a hardener in it. Also, I mixed the sprint
with distilled water but the Kodak with tap, but I doubt that makes a
difference.

Anyway, given all of this, I think I'll stick with the Kodak fix. Note
that I also had the same pink negatives when I used Ilford rapid fix
without hardener. Happily, the Kodak fix is at least a lot cheaper
than the Sprint.

My question is, did I just somehow get exhausted bottles of Sprint *and*
Ilford fix? Or, is there something in the Kodak formula (the hardener) that
is designed to take out this pink dye?

I'm just happy to have gray negs again, and a good scheme to keep getting
them.

Thanks for all the input,
Pete