Dunster, I didn't find them too expensive. I bought 16 different colours, at 50 grams each, and paid about $130 including shipping (was a 20% discount sale going on). I only dipped into three of them. 13 still to crack open. I'd suggest buying three primary colours (red, blue, yellow) in a decent size, and trying that to start. As for the soda ash bath...that's just PH Up (must be sodium carbonate...read the label) from a pool store, or Walmart, etc. Here in Canada I got it at Canadian Tire. Anywhere that sells the inflatible ring pools will likely have it. A big bottle of it cost me about $4.