Cheaper alternatives to BRS 2 part additives?

[IPT]

Ok, so I know Mrs Wages pickling lime for Kalkwasser, and Mag Flake and Epsom salt for Mg mixing, but aside from Randys 2 part recipes with baking baking soda to make soda Ash, are there cheaper (yet still pure and clean) alternatives to BRS' Soda Ash? How about the Calcium Chloride (I'm not comfortable with the purity of something from Home Depot - or should I be?).

Just did a quickie and found these on Amazon:

MAV AquaDoc Pool Calcium Hardness Increaser - Calcium Chloride, 10 lb​

MAV AquaDoc pH Up for Swimming Pools - Soda Ash Pool pH Increaser, 10 lb​

They both say "pure" :) - So they must be safe......maybe :).

 

[Bj’s Reef]

Hmm.

 

[Acro Junky]

I don’t think you get any cheaper than baking soda ash.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

pool products could be ok, or not, but I’d opt for a purity graded material, such as food grades, pharma grades, or ACS reagent grades.

These include grocery store baking soda and Briners choice calcium chloride.

 

[IPT]

I don’t think you get any cheaper than baking soda ash.

yes, but is buying it from BRS the cheapest avenue?

I'd prefer not make my own. So, either BRS is baking a ton of baking soda and making their own, or they source baking soda ash from somewhere. I'd rather not pay the middle man :).

 

[IPT]

pool products could be ok, or not, but I’d opt for a purity graded material, such as food grades, pharma grades, or ACS reagent grades.

These include grocery store baking soda and Briners choice calcium chloride.

Thanks Randy - as always you're the man.

For the Ca, Briners choice, is that a name brand or a category one would serch for when looking for the product?

For the Soda Ash, something like this:

Univar solutions has it for $1 a pound (BRS come out to $6 a pound):

Univar Solutions: Soda Ash, Dense, NSF Grade (AWWA, Kosher), Granular, 50 lb Bag.​

 

[IPT]

Ok, I found one from Univar soultions that is listed as Technical grade / Kosher, NSF.

Under certification is says: Kosher, NSF, Granular.

Am I correct in assuming this would be a good substitute?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

NSF grade material should be reasonable quality.

What brand is it?

 

[IPT]

NSF grade material should be reasonable quality.

What brand is it?

Univar solutions, but it wouldn't let me place an order. I'll see what customer support has to say. Looks like they have the Briners calcium chloride too.

 

[IPT]

Looks like I can get this on Amazon with free shipping for $80 from Revolve Chem. Sometimes they back out when they see its too AK.

Sodium Carbonate – Anhydrous Dense Soda Ash High Purity NSF Certified Powder for pH Adjustment, Research & Titration (50 Pounds)​

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Seems reasonable. Buying baking soda and baking it may be easier, however, if there is difficulty buying it.