Arman Hammer Baking Soda Tablets..any downside?

[joseywales]

Arman Hammer Clear Balanceâ„¢ Pool Maintenance Tablets

I have a friend who is using the BBB method and went away for a week. His TA and pH seem to drop fairly regularly, so he tosses one of these Arman Hammer pucks in. He swear they bring his pool into spec within an hour and maintain pretty well.

They're $25 for 16 tablets at walmart. Fortunately, I have no issues with either pH or TA, but was wondering what you all thought of these tablets (just in case).

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I hadn't heard it it so I looked it up, looks like it's just their Soda Ash in tablet form, which is convenient to use with trichlor tablets. I couldn't find the MSDS.

There must be a reason why his PH and TA drop regularly....normal BBB methods they should hold stead, unless his tap water is very low in both and he has alot of water replacement?

Usually the PH/TA drop with trichlor use and soda ash is the remedy for that...

 

[JasonLion]

It looks to be a slow dissolving baking soda tablet with added clarifier, at least according to this web page. I suppose that if you are using trichlor it might compensate for your PH and TA constantly falling, but even then it would be less expensive to use soda ash, so I don't see the point.

 

[joseywales]

Where can you buy soda ash?

 

[frustratedpoolmom]

I haven't seen it at my local walmart, but it would be in the laundry aisle. It's also called "PH Up" in pool stores....but for more money, LOL.

 

[JasonLion]

Soda ash is sold as ARM & HAMMER® Super Washing Soda Detergent Booster. Do not confuse this with ARM & HAMMER® laundry detergent! It is sold in the laundry detergent section of most larger grocery stores and some big box stores. It is also sold by pool stores under various names, including pH Increaser, pH Up, Balance Pak 200, etc.

 

[Tonedeaf]

Soda ash can also be found at craft stores near the fabric dyes. Wife just finished a tie dye project with some family kids and used soda ash to prepare the fabric before dyeing commenced. :-D

 

[PachinkoPlayer]

arm and hammer pool care stuff at the 3 closest walmarts to me is right next to the "hth" chemical stuff...

 

[dattia]

Leslie's in Exton has it also. It is in a small tub and is labeled Soda Ash.

 

[dmanb2b]

saw the A&H tabs at my walmart as well in the pool supplies/toy section...$16 or so for a bag of baking soda tabs Got to love marketing

Here is a link...alomg with a link on the webpage to the official A&H pool care guide...honestly, it seems to give pretty solid advice, but does not mention this clear balance marketing stuff

 

[chem geek]

This website lists the ingredients on the label as:

Sodium Bicarbonate.....86.60%
Clarifier And Other Ingredients.....13.40%

Arm & Hammer describes their Clear Balance product in this link where you can read a Pool Owner's Guide which goes into more detail. Basically, the product is just baking soda plus a clarifier. The talk about pH is about pH stability (i.e. buffering). This product would mostly be used with Trichlor to keep the TA higher, though realistically one could use a pH Up product to balance TA and pH at the same time at a not-so-high TA level. If you use baking soda, the TA would have to be quite a bit higher to only use this product to maintain the TA and pH at the same time.