Kim this ones for you or anyone else who uses washing soda!

[Aquattro]

Originally posted by EmilyB:
Washing soda...good God's grief on earth...
:eek:

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Deb, I believe Jimmy Chen from RAMR uses this combination of 6:1 baking/washing soda. He might be abe to comment a bit more.

[EmilyB]

Hey Kim, Brad - Thanks ! :D

Yes actually, I know what it is. I've not had to use buffer, but in the event I ever do, I think I personally would go with Seachem. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Canadian Man]

Seachem's great, but why pay $10.00 for the seachem when you could pay $1.50 for triple the amount of buffer and make it yourself.

works well for me.

[Tau2301]

Here is the reply that I received from Randy Holmes-Farley Chemistry Forum on RC.

web page

I will try the test that Randy suggests. I will also compare it to the Seachem Reef Buffer that I have.

Results will be posted here and on RC.

[EmilyB]

Originally posted by Canadian Man:
Seachem's great, but why pay $10.00 for the seachem when you could pay $1.50 for triple the amount of buffer and make it yourself.

works well for me.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">

I have $7500 invested in that one tank. $8.50 doesn't mean {squat} to me.

Also, I am determined to die in debt. :D [img]tongue.gif[/img] ;)

[DJ88]

I hear ya Deb...

Anything that physically goes into my tank I don't cut corners. :D well I try not to.. lol

[ 07 July 2002, 22:08: Message edited by: DJ88 ]

[Delphinus]

Well I don't think there's anything wrong with trying be economical, either. As long as you're 100% sure it's not an unsafe corner that's being cut. And I credit Kim and Jon for making sure before committing to it.

Now with the defense of that idea being said, I should probably point out that I'm using the Seachem Reef Builder and Seachem Calcium on my tanks, and not any washing soda or baking soda. And, although they cost me $30 each (which I thought at first was a little rich), they are well on their way to lasting me about 6 months, so it looks like a $120 per year investment.

Hmmmmm. Ok, that argument doesn't sound so convincing now that I read it back to myself. I WAS going to say "And so that's not too bad." But sheesh, $120, that's more than a metal halide bulb. At that kind of coin, it doesn't take very long for a Calcium reactor to pay for itself. A couple years, tops.

So, I'm going to go crawl back under a rock now, now that I have completely forgotten what original point I was trying to make.... :D

[JimE]

Another source for this is the swimming pool/hot tub industry. "Washing soda" AKA sodium carbonate AKA soda ash is sold as ph up/ph increaser. Definately wont have any soap in it and has no odor. Walmart/CTire have it this time of year - s/b $2-3 per kg.

Jim

[Canadian Man]

Definitley want the best for my tank but it seems to me that I should provide an analogy that I was thinking about after Debs post.

If you are purchasing a brand new car and money was no object. Why would you pay more from one guy just cause you have the money, if another guy was selling it for alot cheeper.
I sure as heck wouldnt.

I am not trying to raise tempers here or get anyone mad. Hey I purchased the expensive additives in my first year of reefing too.
I just cant see paying more for something that a manufacture packages for the reef hobby.

This is exact reason I made a trip to the USA to purchase 18 lbs of BALLS pickling lime for super cheep so I could stop paying BIG AL'S 24.95 for the same amount of product labeled under the Kent name.

Phew that was the longest post in a while for me.
Fingers are tired,,,,,,,must sleep [img]redface.gif[/img]

[ 07 July 2002, 22:50: Message edited by: Canadian Man ]

[Delphinus]

Oh geez Jon, now you've gone and done it. I'm just MAD now!!!

;)

No seriously. I agree. It's just like what "Bill Gates" said in the Simpsons when he bought out Homer's internet business "you don't think I got rich by WRITING CHEQUES now, do you?! (insert evil but geeky laughter here).

If it's the same product, why pay more. Just be sure it's the same product ... as you and Kim are doing.