What's the difference between your typical reef buffers to regular baking soda?

[carlos413]

I was just wondering because the major ingredient in most water buffers is carbonate. And the price of baking soda it's around $2 VS reef buffers costing almost ten times that.
I'd like some input on this.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There is little to no important difference. Baking soda is perfectly adequate. Bake the baking soda if you want it to boos tank pH.

Some have borate in them, but I do not recommend those anyway.

Many claim they do magical things to the pH of the water, but really all they have is a ratio of carbonate to bicarbonate that fits a particular pH in seawater. As soon as you add it, the pH will shift away from that ratio.

 

[rezaktp]

+1 Baking soda is the way to go get it at the warehouse stores for 13 pounds for about $6.00!