Is sodium bicarbonate same as sodium carbonate?

[mshumack]

I picked up a box of Arm And Hammer Baking Soda today and noticed the ingrediants are listed as "Sodium Carbonate" not sodium bicarbonate as expected. On the box it says "Super Washing Soda". I got it in the detergent section not the food section of the store. Is this the same stuff recommeded by this site to increase alkalinity?
Thanks.

[waste]

It's close but not the same. What you picked up is 'generic' pH up (CarlD has talked about it's availability). Some of the real chemists here could probably tell you the exact difference (and, considering how long it takes me to type a post, probably have ;) ) but what you have will give a big rise in pH and a small rise in alk (baking soda - sodium bicarbonate - will give a larger rise in alk and a smaller rise in pH). If both pH and alk are low, go ahead and use it, but you won't get the alkalinity increase that baking soda would give you and the pH will go up quite a bit. There's the whole 'carbonate alkalinity' thing that I kind-O-understand but not well enough to explain. Richard, Evan, Pat, Steven, Michael, et al could tell you, one of them will probably see this and expound.

[waterbear]

Waste hit it right on the money. Arm and Hammer Super Washing soda is sodium carbonate, the same stuff as pH increaser at the pool store (for a lot less money). It will raise the pH quickly (and if overdosed can make it go quite high) but it will also cause the TA to go up fast also. If you have low pH AND low ALK then it can be useful. It is NOT the same as Arm and Hammer Baking soda, which is sodium bicarbonate. Sodium bicarbonate will raise ALK and will cause a slight increase in pH. It really isn't that effective at raising pH compared to either sodium carbonate or sodium tetraborate (borax). Sodium bicarbonate is best at raising ALK while not impacting pH all that much, although it does tend to make it go to around 8.0-8.2.
Washing soda is used as a laundry additive and a degreaser and is somewhat caustic. Baking soda (usually in the baking and spice section of the supermarket) is most commenly used in cooking and for medicinal purposes.

In a nutshell these are two different products made by Arm and Hammer (Church and Dwight Co.)
Hope this helps to answer your question.

[waste]

Don't want to steal thread, but if I can get one knowledgable, quick answer - can you dump the box of baking soda that you used for 3 months to keep the fridge 'unsmelly' into the pool and have it still adjust the alk properly? If this steals the thread I'll have to ask to have it separated. :)

[Watermom]

Absolutely.

EDIT: Just to clarify -- I was saying that it is absolutely fine to pour the baking soda you had in your frig into your pool as was asked in the previous post. I was NOT SAYING that sodium bicarbonate is the same as sodium carbonate.