Fungus on slides

[DonRoos]

I have started scanning the 2000 odd slides in my collection and have found that some have a fungus growing on them. They are stored in slide trays or boxes in a cool, dry place so I am concerned that this may continue. On some, it looks as if the colours have melted and on others there is a definite patch of mould on the slide.

Is this normal? Will it escalate if left untouched? Is there something to reverse or stop the problem?

[Surly Ghillie]

you can clean your trannies using;
PROPAN-2-OL-AR ((CH3)2choh 60;10 (pure lab alcohol).

but if you have mould or fungus growing on your acetate, it can only be because of the presence of moisture (humidity). get rid of the humidity and they'll last for ever. hard to do at the coast. maybe move to the karoo?

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

Ouch... Ditto on Surlys post... no matter what you do, you need to get rid of the humidity, otherwise it's just coming back

[WayneB]

maybe move to the karoo?

Sorry, couldn't resist, I can just imagine what my wife and family would have to say if I told them we were moving to the Karoo because I was worried about my negatives and slides deteriorating! It wouldn't be pretty ...

[Surly Ghillie]

you gotta get your priorities right dude!!

[Deneys]

Sorry, couldn't resist, I can just imagine what my wife and family would have to say if I told them we were moving to the Karoo because I was worried about my negatives and slides deteriorating! It wouldn't be pretty ...

you gotta get your priorities right dude!!

hahahah...

[WayneB]

you gotta get your priorities right dude!!

Lol, can I quote you on that?

[peterah]

I have had varied success with using vinegar to clean fungus off filters - it may work on slides. Try one that you don't mind losing first .

On the storage front: I built a simple lightbox (box with a 20W bulb and some packs of silica gel in it) that works well to keep my lenses clean in Durban. A dehumidifier cabinet is just too expensive for me. This works well and reduces the humidity to around 25% (measured using a humidity probe). You don't want to dry the air out completely because then the rubber seals dry out and crack.

[Surly Ghillie]

I have had varied success with using vinegar to clean fungus off filters - it may work on slides. Try one that you don't mind losing first .

On the storage front: I built a simple lightbox (box with a 20W bulb and some packs of silica gel in it) that works well to keep my lenses clean in Durban. A dehumidifier cabinet is just too expensive for me. This works well and reduces the humidity to around 25% (measured using a humidity probe). You don't want to dry the air out completely because then the rubber seals dry out and crack.

DON'T use vinegar, or detergent.... or any of the ignorant suggestions from people who haven't handled trannies professionally, your colour layers WILL de-laminate. Glass and perspex are not the same as acetate base coated with colour gelatin layers (transparencies and or negs). Once you moisten your trannie the colour layers soften and become unstable. None of these other "cures" have a neutral PH and you will destroy your images. they're trying to be helpful perhaps, but like Wikepedia... you get more pig **** than pearls.

I have given you the tried and tested cure used by professional production labs for 30 years or more.
1. First clean your trannies with pure lab alcohol (It cleans without volatility)
2. If they are scratched you can coat with a thin film of liquid paraffin (CP grade), sandwich between 2 layers of optical glass and scan.

THERE IS NO OTHER AS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE CURE.

[peterah]

@Surly Ghillie: I stand corrected, sir. That is good to know.

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

I have had varied success with using vinegar to clean fungus off filters - it may work on slides. Try one that you don't mind losing first ....

erm... nooo... I don't think thats a good idea... I am pretty sure you will very effectively remove all trace of the fungus... and image... from the cellulose

[edit] bugger... slow typing

[DonRoos]

DON'T use vinegar, or detergent.... or any of the ignorant suggestions from people who haven't handled trannies professionally, your colour layers WILL de-laminate. Glass and perspex are not the same as acetate base coated with colour gelatin layers (transparencies and or negs). Once you moisten your trannie the colour layers soften and become unstable. None of these other "cures" have a neutral PH and you will destroy your images. they're trying to be helpful perhaps, but like Wikepedia... you get more pig **** than pearls.

I have given you the tried and tested cure used by professional production labs for 30 years or more.
1. First clean your trannies with pure lab alcohol (It cleans without volatility)
2. If they are scratched you can coat with a thin film of liquid paraffin (CP grade), sandwich between 2 layers of optical glass and scan.

THERE IS NO OTHER AS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE CURE.

Thanks Surly Ghillie. This sounds like the way to go and I will be giving it a try. Some of the slides are already too far gone and the image completely destroyed. For the remaining slides I will try this method.

Once scanned, is there any risk that damaged slides will 'infect' good slides? I am most worried about this.

[visagieh]

Sorry, couldn't resist, I can just imagine what my wife and family would have to say if I told them we were moving to the Karoo because I was worried about my negatives and slides deteriorating! It wouldn't be pretty ...

Wayne, Now I am in the same boat. Cant resist as we going off topic.

Why, dont they eat meat. ? Lekke Karoo lamb.

Ha Ha, back to the OP.

Hannes

[Surly Ghillie]

Don,
the damaged slides will not contaminate nearby trannies, provided they are in inert sleeves, or mounts, and not in physical contact which each other, which they should in any event NEVER be.. The cheapest and easiest way to keep your storage humidity low is to always keep them with a good supply of those little desiccant silicone gel parcels that electronic stuff is generally packed with when new. Under normal storage conditions at the coast they are sufficient to keep your films and lenses from the dreaded mould. B>T>W>, when modern lenses get mould, generally it is the lens coatings that are attacked first and once it is properly in there, the only cure is to have the lens reground and re-coated ~ a factory job. If the lens has been discontinued by the factory... I'm afraid it's just properly poked!!. Makes a nice paper-weight