Soda Ash -where to get locally

[Europhyllia]

I need to get soda ash -lots of it. Are there differences/different qualities?

I need it for dyeing and I usually get it where I buy the dyes (online). But I need some this weekend.

Where might I get soda ash?

[ShAgMaN]

Karin, you use dye in your tank?

[Europhyllia]

lol no no I actually have a multitude of other hobbies besides fish! lol

And I found my answer at Burch's website:

Soda ash is the active ingredient in washing soda. The chemical name for it is sodium carbonate, chemical formula Na₂CO₃. It is more basic, that is, less acidic, than sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), whose chemical formula is NaHCO₃. The purpose of sodium carbonate is simply to increase pH.
Hydration

Some forms of soda ash (e.g. that labeled as 'washing soda') contain more water molecules than others, which makes them weigh more and be larger for a given number of sodium carbonate molecules - this means that you need to measure out a larger quantity of the hydrated form in order to get the same results. If you buy sodium carbonate without the extra water molecules, then store it for several years in humid conditions, it will absorb some water and appear to lose strength, when in fact it has merely 'bulked up' and needs to be used in larger volumes.
The type of sodium carbonate used in washing soda is a decahydrate, so you need to use a lot more washing soda than you would anhydrous soda ash, perhaps three times as much - assuming that you are able to find pure unadulterated washing soda that is suitable for use in dyeing. (In theory, we should use 2.7 times as much washing soda as a substitute for soda ash, if measuring by weight, or 4.6 times as much if measuring by volume.)
Where can you buy soda ash?

Although you can buy washing soda in the grocery store, this is usually advised against, because some US brands in the past were known to contain optical brighteners, salt, and/or fragrances. However, Arm & Hammer brand "Super Washing Soda" does not now contain any additives, though you must use a larger quantrity due to its greater hydration level (see above). A better source is a swimming pool supplies store, or a hardware store that carries some pool supplies, which will carry pure sodium carbonate (a popular brand is pH Up), sold for the purpose of increasing the pH of pool water. This is typically cheaper than mail-ordering from a dye supplier, and just as good. Beware of suppliers that try to sell you sodium bicarbonate instead of sodium carbonate; bicarbonate is much less basic (it has a lower pH), and will not work for most dyeing recipes.

apparently I just like hobbies that include some sort of chemical...

[ShAgMaN]

Oh....I was like wow, maybe thats why her tank looks so coool...but that can't be good...lol.

[BSJF]

Buy some Baking Soda and bake it in the oven for 1 hour. Then it is soda ash.

[Europhyllia]

I need large amounts of it. Much more cost effective to buy pure soda ash ;)

Plus if you saw the little blurb about differences in the recipes depending on what kind of sodium carbonate you use (washing soda sodium carbonate takes nearly 3 times the amount pure pool sodium carbonate would take) - I just can't take the chance -although if the dilution factor is water I'd assume that would be gone after 200 degrees for an hour ;)

[dipan]

Leslis Pool Supply stores around town sell soda ash in buckets. Some folks on RC have used it but othets hesitate because it's not food grade. Your using it for two part mixing right?

[Europhyllia]

Oh no. I am using it to dye bamboo fabric with it. Doesn't need to be food grade for this. Just needs to be the correct strength

[dipan]

Pool supply stores are probably your best bet. I should have read your question more carefully