As a newbie you probably want to simplify the situation. Until you have a real feel for your gray scales, use your neg developer only once. Get in the habit of simply pouring down drain each time. Chemicals are cheap. Consistent development is everything.(posted 9109 days ago)As for fix, I strongly recommend a nifty product called "Hypo Check". Comes in a small eye-dropper plastic bottle, a single drop tells you when fix is shot.