Waterbed compositions (What to fill with and what is compatible)

Sodium carbonate (washing soda/Arm and Hammer)

Pros
Available commercially as washing soda
good rust inhibitor

Cons
Will leave white residue

Steel YES
Aluminum YES
Stainless YES
Brass YES

Sodium Nitrite (sold as food grade or non food grade, available on ebay in bulk)

Pros
Very good rust inhibitor (less is requires per gallon than sodium carbonate)
Available commercially as sodium nitrite (also a meat preservative and found in deli meats)

Cons
Is not compatible with aluminum and can create dangerous human carcinogenic nitrosamines (especially in high concentrations)


Steel YES
Aluminum (No, aluminum creates aluminum oxide and turns water acidic that is not safe for sodium nitrite)
Stainless YES
Brass YES

I ended up using a product called Green Cut from Canada and have had excellent luck with it.

http://www.lubecorp.com/greencut-pla...lasma-cutting/

What concentration is recommended? (ounces of powder to gallons of water for sodium carbonate)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jeepsr4ever

Sodium carbonate (washing soda/Arm and Hammer)

Pros
Available commercially as washing soda
good rust inhibitor

Cons
Will leave white residue

Steel YES
Aluminum YES
Stainless YES
Brass YES

Sodium Nitrite (sold as food grade or non food grade, available on ebay in bulk)

Pros
Very good rust inhibitor (less is requires per gallon than sodium carbonate)
Available commercially as sodium nitrite (also a meat preservative and found in deli meats)

Cons
Is not compatible with aluminum and can create dangerous human carcinogenic nitrosamines (especially in high concentrations)


Steel YES
Aluminum (No, aluminum creates aluminum oxide and turns water acidic that is not safe for sodium nitrite)
Stainless YES
Brass YES

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by MSM

What concentration is recommended? (ounces of powder to gallons of water for sodium carbonate)

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Green cut is 20:1 so not very much. I would spend the money and get something specifically designed for it. My table is clean after a 1.5 years of use.