Topic: Favorite bottles for chemical storage

[astrobeck]

Hi all!

I'm looking to replace my haphazard collection of photo chemical bottles and wondered what were some of the favorites.

Also, if you favor plastic over glass or vice-versa.

My current collection is made up of empty hydrogen peroxide, or unused cough syrup bottles from the pharmacy/chemist.

I'm really looking to make my darkroom look less like a "mad" scientist's lab and more like a proper dark-room.  
 
Thanks!

Edit:  Must add I'm interested in hearing if anyone uses and likes those collapsible bottles.  I normally just stick clear marbles in mine to take up the air space.

[Francois]

I have a bunch of those air-evac bottles. They're a pain to clean (I have to use BBs from the hunting store to loosen the crud from all those corners) and won't really hold a vacuum properly... at least mine won't.

For now, the best thing I could come up with was using some wine boxes (like the ones that contain cheap wine) with the bag inside. These have multiple layers so they're pretty much air proof, they automatically collapse when you take out chemicals, and the fact that they come in nice boxes makes them easy to put on a shelf. I painted mine white 'cause I didn't like the printed wine bottle logo on them and made some nice printed labels to identify what's in them

[Dave Elden]

I prefer plastic (glass doesn't bounce if you drop it...), I try and use empty Ilford containers since they are designed for photo-chemistry (presumably).  The fact they are square section not round means they take up less storage space as well.

[original_ann]

Most of mine are a mix of plastic (the accordion style, or the big Kalt data jugs and even some 'soda bottles' that I crumple and squeeze to eliminate oxygen).  I also use small glass amber bottles to store my developer full strength syrup.   

[Pete_R]

Some time ago, the Technical Manager at Patersons said in an email to me "Concertina bottles are not that effective due to the thin wall thickness of them, glass is far more effective." It was in reply to a question I asked regarding shelf life of developers.

[Roger Thoms]

I definitely have a mix of bottles. I did just get a couple more air.evac bottles as I like them for developer. Never had a problem washing them, just fill with got hot water and shake well. As far as the caps I've been lucky so far, they all still hold a vacuum. I find that my developer last longer in the air.evac bottles.

Roger

[LT]

Amber glass from the pharmacy is my preferred long-term storage option, but I do use concertinas for short-term (a few weeks) keeping.

[Nigel]

Becks - thanks for the reminder about the marbles. I heard that some time ago and forgot all about it. I'm going to go out and get some this week.

[Heather]

I use plastic soda bottles. I know it's not the best but 95% of what I'm storing isn't affected by oxygen anyway (just stop bath and fix usually). I don't like glass unless I have to (for c-41 a long time ago) because they're heavy.

[Francois]

I haven't put these to the test yet but I have a few Ocean Spray cranberry juice bottles. Since they're square, they should bit more snugly in the cupboard...

[jojonas~]

soda bottles for fix n stop. always mixed my developer for each session so nothing for that. thinking I should get an accordion bottle for my c41 kit though.

...how many bottles do you need for c41 btw? hmm, I should look that up.

[wblati]

i used plastic coke bottles before but now use old glass wine bottles.