COW BRAND vs SUPER WASHING

[JonL]

Is there any difference between the two kinds of arm and hammer baking soda

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Super Washing soda is washing soda (sodium carbonate), not baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Those are different, but either can be used to raise alkalinity. The washing soda will raise pH. The baking soda will drop it a bit. I mention them both in this article:

Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

I'm not familiar with Cow brand.

[Mikefromaz]

I don't know about Cow brand, but the Arm & Hammer washing soda has perfume in it. It says on the box that it is "fragrance free", but don't be fooled, it most definitely has some kind of perfumy smell. I use it in a 6 part baking soda to 1 part washing soda mix to create my own "superbuffer" solution. It works.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Mine doesn't have any perfume in it. I know some Canadian versions do, but yours is the first that I've heard in the US that does. Perhaps it is just from being near things that are perfumed in the store.

[Mikefromaz]

You know Randy, I was hoping the same thing but it has been months since I bought the box, and it still ssmells like perfume. It is so pervasive that even after being mixed in a jar with six times as much baking soda, you can still smell it when opening the jar. You would think that baking soda would remove just about any odor right? In any case, I have been using it, and since I normally only use a teaspoon or so I figure the worst that can haappen is tank exposure to 1/6 tsp of the stuff at any given time. I've used the home grown mixture for months now with no visible downside, so I would still recommend it.

[gtrestoration]

I thought the same when I first opened the box, but I think it just smells "Clean and Fresh".

Steve U

[JonL]

Im from canada and currently just mixed up 200 gallons (with cow brand baking soad) mixed in water and thrrew it into a my new bare tank.
Should I mix alot of baking soda into some water to see if it will show any tell tell signs of soap.
Help.

[gtrestoration]

I don't think you will find soap-type materials in Baking Soda, but some have found surfactants in Washing Soda.

Not sure what you mean by mixed up 200 gallons and threw it in your bare tank though. ???

[JonL]

I don't believe Arm in hammers COW brand contains anything other then plain baking soda. I could be wrong but why would they call it COW brand

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

why would they call it COW brand

Probably because there is a cow on the label, so it seemed a handy name. :D

http://www.goldtop.org/milk/lib/cows/bakingsoda.jpg

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Actually, here's the reason the used Cow as the name:


CHURCH & DWIGHT’S COMPANY HISTORY


Over one hundred and fifty years ago, in 1846, two natives of New England took the first step toward establishing an industry that has since become of national importance. Baking soda, which is a trade name for bicarbonate of soda, is now found in practically every kitchen throughout the country and is regarded a necessity by millions of Americans. It was first prepared for commercial distribution by two early New Englanders, John Dwight of Massachusetts and his brother-in-law, Dr. Austin Church of Connecticut.

Dr. Austin Church was born the year George Washington died, 1799, at East Haddam, Connecticut. He studied medicine at Yale, and received his doctorate in 1823. After marrying Nancy Dwight, he moved to Hartford, Connecticut, and later lived in Rochester, New York.


John Dwight was born in South Hadley, Massachusetts, in 1819, a descendant of the John Dwight born in England in 1600, who settled at Deedham, Massachusetts.

John Dwight and his brother-in-law, Dr. Church, started the manufacture of bicarbonate of soda in this country in 1846. The first factory was in the kitchen of his home with baking soda put in paper bags by hand. (Today, the absolutely pure bicarbonate of soda is processed and packed by highly specialized modern machinery and reaches the consumer never having been touched by human hands.)

A year later, in 1847, the firm of John Dwight and Company was formed, and subsequently Cow Brand was adopted as a trademark for Dwight’s Saleratus (aerated salt) as it was called. The standard package at that time weighed one pound. The cow was adopted as a trademark because of the use of sour milk with saleratus in baking.

Based on its popularity, Dr. Church felt there was a larger need for saleratus of baking soda, a need which justified the development of larger production facilities. He formed a partnership known as Church & Company, doing business under that firm name with his sons James A. Church and E. Dwight Church. He used the ARM & HAMMER brand as his trademark to identify the baking soda manufactured by Church & Co.

In 1896, the descendants of the founders of these two firms consolidated their interests under the name of Church & Dwight Co., Inc.

Today the use of bicarbonate of soda is no longer confined to the kitchen. It is used throughout the house, in every phase of housekeeping and personal hygiene. ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda, which was first prepared in a New England village, now is used the world over.

Copyright 1999 Church & Dwight Co., Inc.

from:

http://www.churchdwight.com/Company/corp_history.asp

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Pretty amazing what we cover in the chemistry forum. :lol:

[gtrestoration]

History Channel,

Beware of the new competition.

--------------------------------------------------
Now I know why I was confused, we stared on washing soda and ended with baking soda.

Steve U

[JonL]

So Cow Brand is not staight from the utter.
Ive mixed up 200 gal of water spiked with cow brand so now what?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Is there a reason to be concerned about it?

[Sloth]

So does Arm and Hammer have perfume in it or not? At least, in the US anyway. I just started some dripping in my tank.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

My Arm & Hammer baking and washing soda do not have perfume.

[gtrestoration]

On the same note...

A friend of mine gave me a jar of Kent Reef Builder (I think) and it seems it's just a combination of baking soda and washing soda. We opened the new jar and tasted it and it sure tasted the same.

Then he read the label and the warning begins with

DO NOT TASTE.....:lol:

I would finish the statement with

....because if you do you might figure out the stuff in it is real cheap at the grocery store.:D

BTW, that was last night and 10 hours later I'm still alive. I did rinse it out of my mouth with RO/DI though... tasted nasty!

Steve U

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Kent, or Seachem?

Some Kent buffers have borate in them, while the Seachem ones mostly do not.

[gtrestoration]

It was Kent.

It says for use when pH is above 8.3 (or so) and to use a different product (I think dkh something or other) of thier's if the pH was below that.

So...
the Reef Builder must be close to baking soda

and the other more like washing soda.

Randy, you are a great instructor!

BTW, what does borate taste like? LOL

Thanks,
Steve U

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don't think Kent sells a Reef Builder. Here's their lineup:

http://www.kentmarine.com/html/saltwaterbuffers.html

Marine Aquarium Buffer
Specially formulated pH buffer and alkalinity or carbonate hardness (KH) builder designed to adjust the pH of saltwater aquariums to 8.0 to 8.3 and build the KH

Pro•Buffer dKH
Raises alkalinity or buffering capacity and works automatically to control pH in any marine aquarium

Superbuffer dKH
Specially formulated pH buffer and alkalinity or carbonate hardness (KH) builder designed to adjust the pH of saltwater aquariums to 8.0 to 8.3 and build the KH

Coral Builder
Specially formulated alkalinity or carbonate hardness builder designed to build the KH of marine reef aquariums.



All list borate except the last one, which warns:

"Contains carbonate, and bicarbonate salts. Do not taste, swallow or breathe. If in eyes, immediately flush with water for 15 minutes. If ingested, drink water. Call a physician immediately! Contact with skin may cause irritation. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN!"

You may be correct about the reason that it says to not taste it. :lol:

[gtrestoration]

Coral Builder
Specially formulated alkalinity or carbonate hardness builder designed to build the KH of marine reef aquariums.



All list borate except the last one, which warns:

"Contains carbonate, and bicarbonate salts. Do not taste, swallow or breathe. If in eyes, immediately flush with water for 15 minutes. If ingested, drink water. Call a physician immediately! Contact with skin may cause irritation. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN!"

That's the one!

After re-reading the warning now, I didn't follow the "drink water" part either, I kinda mixed up the ingest and got it in my eyes things............ I "flushed" my mouth out with water.

They might add to the warning...
KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN AND WONDER WHAT IT TASTES LIKE PENNY PINCHING REEFERS"

Steve U