Price of Baking Soda Jumps

[SantiSuk]

21 baht for a small 300g bag in Tesco today, up from 17 baht. Nearly double what it was less than 3 years ago. Too many falang swimming pools around?

Wish I could find a bakery supplier selling large sacks of the stuff. Still not sure why my pool goes low on TA about once a year (something pool-boy BIL does if I go away a long time) but it takes a good dosing over a week or so - maybe as much as 7kg to get it back from 40- to 80+

[tingtong]

http://www.bigc.co.th/catalogsearch/result/?cat=0&q=McGarrett

costs 17thb.

[SantiSuk]

Thanks - should have mentioned the alternatives of Big C and Makro.

Makro too is probably still 17ThB, but for how long? The three have always kept the same price on this product in the recent past, so get out there and nab some if you can!

Mind you most people only use a few bags a year so going especially to capture a 13baht a kilo saving is pretty sad, which is why I have not tracked further than my local Tesco!

Those McGarrett resealable bags are pretty useful - I use quite a few for filling with powder chlorine so I have single doses on hand when I am in my non-salt mode (restoring CYa levels cheaply) and I use them around the house for things like sticking potentially leaky shampoo bottles in when I travel. The stupid things you get up to when you retire.

Edited September 8, 2015 by SantiSuk

[SantiSuk]

A mate and ThaiV member who runs Ubon's finest bakery & restaurant (Peppers - try it if you are visiting Ubon) has come up with the location of an Ubon wholesale bakery supply shop where I can reportedly get 25kg bags for 550 ish baht.

Result!

[spidermike007]

But, the world Bank said Thailand was experiencing deflation. Maybe they are not actually living in Thailand?

[Anthony5]

Mind you most people only use a few bags a year so going especially to capture a 13baht a kilo saving is pretty sad, which is why I have not tracked further than my local Tesco!

Only people who have no idea about balancing a pool need a continuous supply of pool chemicals.

From your post history, every year you need hundreds of liters hydrochloric acid, tons of baking soda and need to top up your CYA frequently.

I also have a SWG pool with a chlorinator with pH module which checks the pH level automatically. The HCI jug I bought more than 6 months ago hasn't been opened yet, I mostly need to top up CYA once a year after the rain season, and the baking soda I keep on stock has petrified already from age.

Yet my advanced test kit shows that my water balance is perfect.

Ever considered that you must be doing something wrong?

[fdimike]

I think we need to clarify a couple of things. BAKING SODA is used in baking and not in balancing a swimming pool.

To raise the Total Alkalinity (TA) of a swimming pool you would add SODIUM BICARBONATE which is sometimes referred to as BICARBONATE OF SODA. This is NOT baking soda.

Most any pool shop should have Sodium Bicarbonate for use in your swimming pool at very reasonable prices.

Edited September 9, 2015 by fdimike

[sappersrest]

Just to cover a few points already raised in this thread.

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate NaHCO3 not to be confused with baking powder.

The term balanced water is a much misused term in the pool water industry .The method of disinfection is not included in the formula to determine if the water is in balance.

The Palintest Water Balance Index is a simplified version of the Langelier Saturation Index and created with the aim of making it applicable and easy for use in swimming pools.

The Langelier Saturation Index was developed to describe the relationship between the factors in water that affect the solubility of calcium carbonate: pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, temperature and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). It helps to assess if the combination of these factors is optimal or can cause corrosion and scaling in swimming pools and other applications.

To use the Langellier formula one must be in possession of aTDS meter

To determine wether a pool is in balance.

There are many factors to consider, When trying to optimise the use of chemicals, The most important being source water, Source water should be tested every so often as there are many different factors to take into account notably T/A this can vary from area to area if well water is being used this can vary considerably even down to less than 1km ,How your friend treats his pool in the same town, could be completely different to you. This is all down to the T/A of the source water

T/A should be not less than 80mg/l or no more than 200mg/l So if the source water is outside these perimeters any owner or operator is going to struggle to keep the pool water in balance, Or manage to keep the test readings around the optimum level.

If you use electronic instruments, or controllers, keep them in optimum condition, by regular cleaning and calibration Ph probes and TDS meters immediately spring to mind calibration solution are available.

If you use UV to keep it in optimum working order the quartz glass tube needs to be removed and cleaned at least every 4 months , UV works well so long as the quartz tube allows maximum transmisivity usually around 95%, so if the tube is dirty , this decrease the efficiency of the lamp greatly, depending on the fouling by as much as 50%.

Important note UV breaks down chlorine so if you you have a SWG make sure it is installed after the UV unit so as not to waste energy salt etc.

One the following formulas need to be calculated to determine if a pool is in balance or not (If you have a SWG use the Palin method)

Langelier Saturation equation:

pHsat = TDS Factor - Temp Factor - Ca Hardness Factor - Alkalinity Factor

- See more at: http://www.palintest.com/kb/what-is-the-difference-between-the-palintest-water-balance-index-and-the-langelier-index/#sthash.Jmilfi3S.dpuf

Palintest Water Balance Index = pH + Ca Hardness Factor + Alkalinity Factor

- See more at: http://www.palintest.com/kb/what-is-the-difference-between-the-palintest-water-balance-index-and-the-langelier-index/#sthash.Jmilfi3S.dpuf

MOST IMPORTANTLY WHAT IS RIGHT FOR ONE POOL MAY NOT BE THE SAME FOR EVERY, EVEN A CLOSE NEIGHBOURS POOL

Edited September 9, 2015 by sappersrest

[fdimike]

Ooops your absolutely right Sappersrest my apologies for the misleading info. However, be that as it may baking soda, sodium bicarbonate or bicarbonate of soda should be available at nearly any pool supply in pool size quantities. I have no idea where the OP lives but I live in Udon Thani and have no problem sourcing sodium bicarbonate my several different local pool shops.

[Anthony5]

Ooops your absolutely right Sappersrest my apologies for the misleading info. However, be that as it may baking soda, sodium bicarbonate or bicarbonate of soda should be available at nearly any pool supply in pool size quantities. I have no idea where the OP lives but I live in Udon Thani and have no problem sourcing sodium bicarbonate my several different local pool shops.

You don't find sodium bicarbonate in the poolshops, what they have is Soda ash or sodium carbonate ( washing soda )

[sappersrest]

Ooops your absolutely right Sappersrest my apologies for the misleading info. However, be that as it may baking soda, sodium bicarbonate or bicarbonate of soda should be available at nearly any pool supply in pool size quantities. I have no idea where the OP lives but I live in Udon Thani and have no problem sourcing sodium bicarbonate my several different local pool shops.

You don't find sodium bicarbonate in the poolshops, what they have is Soda ash or sodium carbonate ( washing soda )

Swimming pools Thailand a forum sponsor stock it

http://swimmingpoolsthailand.com/en/271-chemicals-complete-list-en

Many high pool suppliers will carry this or get it for you.It is an extremely important pool chemical used to maintain T/A if required.

[fdimike]

Sorry to disagree with you Anthony but I just bought a large bag of about 25kgs of SODIUM BICARBONATE at the Phukit Pool Shop here in Udon Thani.

[Anthony5]

Sorry to disagree with you Anthony but I just bought a large bag of about 25kgs of SODIUM BICARBONATE at the Phukit Pool Shop here in Udon Thani.

Phuket pool suppliers seem to be better stocked then, because here in Pattaya and surroundings you will only find Soda Ash lite, and seemingly the OP was also not able to find it at pool shops as he was looking for it for a long time already.

[sappersrest]

Sorry to disagree with you Anthony but I just bought a large bag of about 25kgs of SODIUM BICARBONATE at the Phukit Pool Shop here in Udon Thani.

Phuket pool suppliers seem to be better stocked then, because here in Pattaya and surroundings you will only find Soda Ash lite, and seemingly the OP was also not able to find it at pool shops as he was looking for it for a long time already.

As I previously said check the source water ,there may not be a need for sodium bicarbonate in Pattaya because the T/A of the source water may be fine and does not vary, so therefore no need to stock it.

[Anthony5]

Sorry to disagree with you Anthony but I just bought a large bag of about 25kgs of SODIUM BICARBONATE at the Phukit Pool Shop here in Udon Thani.

Phuket pool suppliers seem to be better stocked then, because here in Pattaya and surroundings you will only find Soda Ash lite, and seemingly the OP was also not able to find it at pool shops as he was looking for it for a long time already.

As I previously said check the source water ,there may not be a need for sodium bicarbonate in Pattaya because the T/A of the source water may be fine and does not vary, so therefore no need to stock it.

Why would you consider that there is no need for Sodium Bicarbonate?

Pattaya is a pretty large area, and impossible that the water at one end the same is at the other end. My well water for instance has a low pH, so I assume low alkalinity as well.

But source water is also not the only factor that lowers your TA. HCI does lower it, as do other acids like CYA, so at one point there will always be a need to raise the TA.

[fdimike]

I would suggest the OP just order a 25kg bag from Phukit (not Phuket) Pool Supply here in Udon Thani. I'm sure they'll be happy to ship it to him (tel: 042-322815, 042-931095). It's also available from Phuket Swimming Pool Equipment in Phuket which would be closer to Pattaya..

http://www.phuketswimmingpool.com/products.htm#chemical

I've dealt with both companies and both are very reliable.. I'm sure Phuket Swimming Pool Equipment (in Phuket) will ship to you as they have always been willing to ship whatever I needed to me.

[SantiSuk]

Thanks for the info Mike, but I'm sorted now (post #4).

[SantiSuk]

Only people who have no idea about balancing a pool need a continuous supply of pool chemicals.

From your post history, every year you need hundreds of liters hydrochloric acid, tons of baking soda and need to top up your CYA frequently.

I also have a SWG pool with a chlorinator with pH module which checks the pH level automatically. The HCI jug I bought more than 6 months ago hasn't been opened yet, I mostly need to top up CYA once a year after the rain season, and the baking soda I keep on stock has petrified already from age.

Yet my advanced test kit shows that my water balance is perfect.

Ever considered that you must be doing something wrong?

Yes - many times but I'd rather bask in amateur stupidity than be a smug ba$tard

[fdimike]

Ok Santi. Keep those pool shops addresses handy just in case.

[sappersrest]

If you use a chlorine that is stabilised , this has the effect of lowering the pH. So we have to use soda ash to raise the pH.But the other effect of using soda ash (sodium carbonate) is that it raises the T/A, so you may be altering the T/A without actually knowing it.

Some people are very lucky and hardly have to do much to their pool, but others will be chasing their tail forever more.It is not always down to skill even some top chemists in the water treatment world struggle.

Good luck and don"t get to hung up about chemical levels so long as they are within recommended levels and the water looks good enough to drink you will be fine.

[Naam]

Sorry to disagree with you Anthony but I just bought a large bag of about 25kgs of SODIUM BICARBONATE at the Phukit Pool Shop here in Udon Thani.

Phuket pool suppliers seem to be better stocked then, because here in Pattaya and surroundings you will only find Soda Ash lite, and seemingly the OP was also not able to find it at pool shops as he was looking for it for a long time already.

As I previously said check the source water ,there may not be a need for sodium bicarbonate in Pattaya because the T/A of the source water may be fine and does not vary, so therefore no need to stock it.

Why would you consider that there is no need for Sodium Bicarbonate?

Pattaya is a pretty large area, and impossible that the water at one end the same is at the other end. My well water for instance has a low pH, so I assume low alkalinity as well.

But source water is also not the only factor that lowers your TA. HCI does lower it, as do other acids like CYA, so at one point there will always be a need to raise the TA.

Anthony is correct.

my experience: two pools of friends, my pool in three different areas of Pattaya. city water and deep well have extremely low alkalinity (~20). both water supplies differ only in CL and pH. my well water has a pH of only 5.2, the other two wells are around 6.0.

as my (enclosed) pool is heated six months a year and the area is moderately airconditoned for several months and continuously ventilated my water loss is up to 2m³ / 600 gallons per week due to water/air temperature difference. that means continous checking and adjusting total alkalinity as well as hardness.

my initial failure to do so caused substantial damage to the solar panels which i use for heating the pool.