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#1
03-24-2011, 06:29 PM
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sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) vs sodium carbonate (soda ash)
Has anyone noticed any major benefit in using either one of these? I'm just wondering with the availability of soda ash if I should be switching to it as I am currently using baking soda, which seems to be fine so far.
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Christy's Reef Blog My 180 Build Every electronic component is shipped with smoke stored deep inside.... only a real genius can find a way to set it free. 
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#3
03-24-2011, 08:40 PM
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Quote:
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#4
03-24-2011, 09:22 PM
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Food grade should be fine. I believe that bicarbonate and carb will both cause The same long term effect, but have opposite (temp) impact on pH.
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400 gal reef. Established April, 2007. 3 Sequence Dart, RM12-4 skimmer, 2 x OM4Ways, Yellow Tang, Maroon Clown (pair), Blonde Naso Tang, Vlamingi Tang, Foxface Rabbit, Unicorn Tang, 2 Pakistani Butterflies and a few coral gobies My Tank: http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=28436
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#5
03-24-2011, 10:12 PM
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I thought soda ash affected the pH less so I always chose to go with that when possible but I usually just made my own by putting baking soda in the oven for an hour at 350 as per Randy Holme-Farley's articles. However I found that when I did so I would invariably get chunks of baked baking soda which would really resist dissolving, without a lot of mixing or by preboiling the RO/DI I was mixing it into. It was a messy and time consuming process which I didn't really enjoy.
I'm using BRS soda ash now and man that stuff mixes nice. No comparison, totally full of win. I never wanted to use actual "washing soda" (which is supposed to be soda ash), or I should say, I wanted to because it's easily accessible but I never did ever actually USE any because everytime I would buy some it would have this distinctly lemon scent to it. I am convinced that they are adding some kind of perfume to it but they don't list ingredients so I think it's too risky. I googled this several times over the years and each time could not find satisfactory answers, Randy Holmes-Farley just goes so far as to say that it does appear that it is perfumed in Canada but not in the U.S. The BRS stuff is a total win. Only thing is the shipping costs are high if you buy a lot so it dampens the enthusiasm somewhat. However I'm still hoping to try Eli's stuff that he's brought in for the next round. Anyhow: soda ash for the pH reasons, and BRS soda ash over baked baking soda for the ease of mixing. HTH
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-- Tony My next hobby will be flooding my basement while repeatedly banging my head against a brick wall and tearing up $100 bills. Whee! Last edited by Delphinus; 03-24-2011 at 10:25 PM. Reason: me have reel good grammr and stuff. Me fix it good all better now.
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#7
03-24-2011, 10:42 PM
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Why go through all the hassle of shipping etc to get soda ash. You only really need it if you need the pH move that it provides, and then you can make it yourself if need be. Baking Soda is available anywhere and is of known quality. I would say stick with what you know, unless you have a good reason to change.
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#8
03-24-2011, 10:58 PM
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Ok, I am learning today. Thanks for all the good info folks!
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Es355lucille & KissMyWrasse's 140g Main Tank 55g Sump http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=51996 
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