Bicarbonate Of Soda

[Rhykiru]

What is Bicarbonate of soda?

in the sticky about diy c02, it says that thats what you should use as a stabiliser.
If i have a ph water of 7.5, should i even use bicarbonate of soda?

thanks!

 

[Themuleous]

The chemical compound for bicarbonate of soda is (NaHCO3). It is also known as Bicarbonate or bicarb. Its what me measure for when doing a KH test.

Its added to DIY yeast to help stabilise the reaction, but in hard water areas you can often do without it.

Sam

 

[Colin_T]

it is sold as baking soda in Australia. People keep an open carton in the fridge to prevent smells from building up. It is a white powder that raises the PH of water.

 

[ulster exile]

It is a white powder that raises the PH of water.

As I understand it, it raises the KH of water thus buffering the PH from the effects of CO2 (ie preventing a PH crash where the KH of the water is low). In the UK at least, bicarbinate of soda and baking powder are not the same thing - I have both and the ingredients listed on the baking powder are not the same as bicarb.

However, in the separate context of the bicarb being added to the DIY CO2 mix, I understood as Themulous - that the bicarb was to stabilise the DIY mixture itself and produce a longer lasting effect.

 

[Colin_T]

baking powder has more in it than baking soda. Baking soda is generally just Sodium Bicarbonate.

Sodium bicarb will raise the PH and KH.