OK to mix these?

[LadyTang2]

I am interested in mixing sodium bicarb and soda ash. Can I mix these powders and store them long term for dosing? Or will they not store well when together?

 

[redfishbluefish]

Wait....you wish to mix both sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and sodium carbonate (soda ash) together to make a solution?

The simple answer is yes, you can mix and store this without the chemicals breaking down.

Now I'm not sure why you'd want a mix of the two. First off sodium bicarbonate solubility is about half of sodium carbonate. That is, you can make a "stronger" solution of sodium carbonate. And, if you have some sodium bicarbonate and wish to convert it to sodium carbonate, simply spread it on a cookie sheet and bake for one hour at 350 F. The heat blows of the CO2 to convert bicarb to carb.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I just re-read your OP....and now realize you might of simply wanted to mix the two powders....and the answer to that is also, yes, that can be done without effecting either compound However, I still don't know why you'd want to do that.

 

[LadyTang2]

Soda ash raises ph a little, with a tank w lots of sps/high demand the ph bump will be too much so I thought to mix so the ph boost is some but smaller.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It is fine to mix them dry or wet, to get a product in between the two.