New borax?

[a-team]

Hello, long time reader first time posting. Yesterday I was at target and while buying bleach I noticed that the borax now comes in a new packaging. Although the package is not the problem the ingredients now state sodium tetraborate without the decahydrate. I'm not to familiar with anything related to chemistry but is it the same?. Here are the pictures taken from the two boxes for comparison. Thanks in advance

 

[y_not]

I'm pretty sure they are just shortening the name to make it less confusing to the general uneducated consumer.

There's decahydrate & pentahydrate. Obviously from the Latin, that is the 2nd & 3rd level states of hydration, or dehydration in this case. ChemGeek will surely be along to give us the straight dope.

Pentahydrate is great, because it's pH neutral, so you don't have to add acid to bring the pH back down, which is AWESOME!
Costs more, but comes out to about the same price since no acid is required. That is if you buy it from DudaDiesel in a large quantity, even with freight.

 

[chem geek]

Pentahydrate is great, because it's pH neutral, so you don't have to add acid to bring the pH back down, which is AWESOME!

This is not true. The only difference between the decahydrate and the pentahydrate is the water content so you need more weight of the decahydrate for equivalent borate level.

I think you are mixing up boric acid which is close to pH neutral.

 

[y_not]

You're totally right chemgeek. It is boric acid that I was thinking of. That's what I get for posting at close to 2am when I should be sleeping.

 

[a-team]

I figured. Thanks a lot for the reply. I was freaking out a bit. Soon to super borate my pool and I wasn't sure. :-D

 

[y_not]

I figured. Thanks a lot for the reply. I was freaking out a bit. Soon to super borate my pool and I wasn't sure. :-D

Awesome!!
Are you following our guide on doing so?
So you want to add borates to your pool--Why and How