Soda ash?

miyags · Nov 15, 2020

Does any one know if TATA brand soda ash is reef safe? I just seen a local add for 50 pound bag's of TATA Soda ash for 10$ a bag.Is this a Deal or No Deal?

Biglew11 · Nov 15, 2020

Not sure I would trust it. It could be ok, but seems like it's more for industrial use, meaning it may have other impurities. You can find bulk food grade sodium bicarbonate in 50 pound bags and bake some as needed at 350 for an hour to make your own soda ash.

miyags · Nov 15, 2020

I think it was used for agriculture? 14 left over bags on a pallet. I think they used it on the grape fields,In North East Pa..And only 10$ a bag.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 15, 2020

The reason my recipes start with baking soda and then have you bake it to make sodium carbonate is that sodium carbonate of high purity assurance is not easy to come by last I checked.

miyags · Nov 15, 2020

I don't know much about TATA Brand soda ash,thats why I was asking.If anyone is familiar with it.Only 10$ a bag.

Semisonyx · Nov 15, 2020

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
The reason my recipes start with baking soda and then have you bake it to make sodium carbonate is that sodium carbonate of high purity assurance is not easy to come by last I checked.

What are your thoughts on Arm&Hammer washing soda? I saw it in the store the other day and wonder if it would be as safe as the baking soda?

Also, do you know of anyone that has tried microwaving baking soda instead of baking it? Seems like that might be a quicker substitution to driving out the water than an hour in the oven + the preheat time.

Biglew11 · Nov 15, 2020

You want food grade baking soda. Anything less may contain impurities.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 16, 2020

Semisonyx said:
What are your thoughts on Arm&Hammer washing soda? I saw it in the store the other day and wonder if it would be as safe as the baking soda?

Also, do you know of anyone that has tried microwaving baking soda instead of baking it? Seems like that might be a quicker substitution to driving out the water than an hour in the oven + the preheat time.

It may be fine, but again, the specific reason I designed my two part to use baked baking soda was because washing soda sold at grocery stores carries no purity assurance grade.

Microwaving may not be a great plan as it may not heat well. I'm not certain the "water" in it is in a form that absorbs microwaves.