Fritz Salt Issues?

[fcmatt]

After 30 pages the conclusion a reader should draw is that there is nothing wrong with fritz salt?

Because we have all read about tank crashes and finding the root cause can be very difficult in some cases.

 

[sergifed91]

I've been using Fritz sale for a couple years now, but lately I've been having issues with montipora paling out. And I've heard that other users are having similar issues. Does anyone know what might be going on? Going to switch to Red Sea Blue bucket as I've exhausted all other possibilities. At first I thought my caulerpa went sexual so I pulled it all and left only chaeto. Then I thought my toadstool was releasing toxins from me fragging it. So I pulled him out. Replaced my water mixing containers with grey brute trashcans as I thought maybe the black ones might be releasing stuff into the water as I found out they were freezing temp resistant. Afterwords I did a series of water changes and everything seems to be at a standstill. Not getting any worse but doesn't appear to be getting better.
Only thing I haven't done yet, but am doing today, is changing out all my RO/DI filters including new RO membranes. Was getting 0 TDS water but thought maybe something that the meter doesn't read was getting through as I've had a small algae outbreak.

If I had any hair left i'd be pulling it out.
Any and all suggestions welcome.

Parameters have stayed pretty consistent, these were the numbers as of last night
Sg 1.026
Alk 8.1
Calcium 440
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 2.5 PPM
Phosphate .03 PPM
Temp 78.2 depended on the day

Thanks in advance and here is some glitter to brighten up your day!

I used fritz blue box once. Saw low alk. My ph dropped drastically. Had precipitation from it. Ph dropped so low that all my corals started to turn white. I ended up going back to reef Crystal's. Tank is finally bouncing back after several months. Still fighting low ph but I TV should be getting better.

 

[NanoDJS]

I have been using this product RPM for years now , and never had a salt related issue .IMHO the coral love this salt mix, I have had my best results using it, I run a multi tank system and collect coral usually by buying up peoples / stores dying corals then heal them up.

 

[PhreeByrd]

After 30 pages the conclusion a reader should draw is that there is nothing wrong with fritz salt?

Because we have all read about tank crashes and finding the root cause can be very difficult in some cases.

I think the second statement in this post cannot be overlooked or downplayed. And Crabs' original post points to how many factors (besides a single component like salt mix) can be potential issues. Sure, it's possible the salt mix could be a cause. A sudden change in some (even rather obscure) elemental parameter could conceivably cause a reaction in corals. But this is extremely difficult to validate, and it is both unfair and irresponsible to blame the most obvious potential factor out-of-hand and without some kind of reasonable logic to stand on.

Just for fun, here is a theoretical example:

• Today, I decided to change salt mix from X to Y. I wanted the higher (Ca, for example) in company Y's mix.
• I also got a new, bigger mixing container (or cleaned the old one).
• And a different, bigger mixing pump (or cleaned the old one).
• And a bigger heater.
• And started using a salinity monitor instead of my old hygrometer.
• I just changed all my RO/DI filters too.
• The weather got colder today so the windows are closed and the furnace is on now.
• I decided to start cleaning the sand bed during water changes.
• I added some new macroalgae to the sump.
• I added a leather coral (or anemone, or whatever) to the tank last week.

The possible list is nearly endless. And seemingly harmless, innocuous changes may not be as harmless as we thought... not to mention that it's very easy to forget or overlook the fact that we did make some other seemingly simple change at the same time we changed salt mixes. Any of those little changes could be a cause of a negative (or positive) response by corals... even the ones we consider trivial.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I think the second statement in this post cannot be overlooked or downplayed. And Crabs' original post points to how many factors (besides a single component like salt mix) can be potential issues. Sure, it's possible the salt mix could be a cause. A sudden change in some (even rather obscure) elemental parameter could conceivably cause a reaction in corals. But this is extremely difficult to validate, and it is both unfair and irresponsible to blame the most obvious potential factor out-of-hand and without some kind of reasonable logic to stand on.

Just for fun, here is a theoretical example:

• Today, I decided to change salt mix from X to Y. I wanted the higher (Ca, for example) in company Y's mix.
• I also got a new, bigger mixing container (or cleaned the old one).
• And a different, bigger mixing pump (or cleaned the old one).
• And a bigger heater.
• And started using a salinity monitor instead of my old hygrometer.
• I just changed all my RO/DI filters too.
• The weather got colder today so the windows are closed and the furnace is on now.
• I decided to start cleaning the sand bed during water changes.
• I added some new macroalgae to the sump.
• I added a leather coral (or anemone, or whatever) to the tank last week.

The possible list is nearly endless. And seemingly harmless, innocuous changes may not be as harmless as we thought... not to mention that it's very easy to forget or overlook the fact that we did make some other seemingly simple change at the same time we changed salt mixes. Any of those little changes could be a cause of a negative (or positive) response by corals... even the ones we consider trivial.

Respectfully, in my case, the salt was the only thing that changed.

 

[Emmanuel Zamora]

Well I’ve been using it for almost 2 years, and no problems at all.

 

[CoralShop]

This seems to be a common thread at this point but I wanted to add my voice to this theme.
Recently switched to Fritz (~4 months ago). I do water changes every 3-4 weeks (100g on 450g over a weeks time). Since the first WC the tanks have been sliding down hill. First issue was a vicious diatom bloom that seemed to cover and consume zoas (undetectable P/N and parameters always w/in reasonable limits). Didn't connect the dots so I did another WC trying to combat this issues then the montis began to bleach from the center out (never seen this before). Time went on, algae got worse despite all effort and solid parameters. Recently resorted to using DinoX as I have heard nothing but good things about it. Product worked, dinos died off and all corals started to look slightly better. So, I did a WC as usual (5/6th WC since siwtching from IO to Fritz), and things start to slide even more quickly. This time it wasn't just montis and zoas, it was anything encrusting and SPS as well.
At the time of writing I am mixing up some IO to do a 100g WC with salt that I trust to try and salvage what is left.

Point being; my personal recommendation would be to avoid Fritz at all costs.
I am emailing support to try and figure this out, but they seem convinced that it could not possibly be their salt.
I will update with their response and how this issue unfolds.

 

[CoralShop]

Also, to clarify, nothing else was changed and parameters were as follows; Alk ~9.2 Calc~410 Mag~1325 P/N~undetectable Sal~1.027 PH~8.2-8.4 consistently

 

[NanoDJS]

So you switched from a salt that mixes up at 11 to 14 dkh @ 35ppt to a salt that mixes up to 8 dkh @35 ppt then you had problems and believe it's the actual salt....ok then

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Also, to clarify, nothing else was changed and parameters were as follows; Alk ~9.2 Calc~410 Mag~1325 P/N~undetectable Sal~1.027 PH~8.2-8.4 consistently

I have zero input on fritz salt, but alk seems extremely high for a tank running undetectable N/P.

 

[Bryknicks]

So you switched from a salt that mixes up at 11 to 14 dkh @ 35ppt to a salt that mixes up to 8 dkh @35 ppt then you had problems and believe it's the actual salt....ok then

As well as undetectable N/P ;Facepalm

 

[Bryknicks]

I just saw this thread and have not read any of it. I switched from IORC to fritz rpm about 8 months ago and everything looks better than ever. That is the only thing that changed in my system. I personally believe the main reason why for me was stability. I am able to hold my numbers in check as the fritz is within my parameters kept which is why I originally switched.

 

[RedSea500MaxS]

My two cents.....always test your mix water!

I was using Fritz Pro and CA was ALL OVER from low to very high.

So my tank tech brought his Red Sea.....and I forced him to test prior to water change. CA was over 530. He tested his personal home tank and it was over 515!

 

[RedSea500MaxS]

I just saw this thread and have not read any of it. I switched from IORC to fritz rpm about 8 months ago and everything looks better than ever. That is the only thing that changed in my system. I personally believe the main reason why for me was stability. I am able to hold my numbers in check as the fritz is within my parameters kept which is why I originally switched.

My LFS uses a pallet of Fritz a week, no isssues. TEST IT BEFORE WATER CHANGE! CA, DKH, MG, plus SG as usual.

 

[DirtMcGurt]

I've used fritz for almost 2 years. Never any issues. I test my new water and adjust alk, calc, or mag only if I need to. Idk what's going on with CoralShops tank but undetectable N03 and P04 is not helping anything and is likely the issue. Corals need nutrients.

 

[Bryknicks]

My LFS uses a pallet of Fritz a week, no isssues. TEST IT BEFORE WATER CHANGE! CA, DKH, MG, plus SG as usual.

Yep, I make a 50 gallon barrel and test prior to using any. It always mixes within the params listed on the box. I have yet to have it mix up any different.

 

[fcmatt]

Well I bought two blue cases of fritz. I was a regular io user. I wanted alk around 8 and I was tired of io being so far from it. I have a smaller tank. Around 80 gallons total.

I have 4 clowns, 3 hadonis, 2 gigs, several btas, 4 acropora, 2 monti, and one acan. Tank is about 3 years old I reckon.

I started using fritz last year in nov. I am fully switched over to it. Alk around 8. Etc..

Tank is doing better then ever. Acro growth excellent. Anemones healthy. Fish fat and happy. Normal cleaning to maintain tank with the usual algae growth typical for reef tanks. I keep po and nitrates pretty darn low but are detectable. I run carbon and gfo.. just a little off my manifold when I feel like rotating it once a month.

I would recommend fritz blue box to others. It has the the right amount of everything and mixes clean.

 

[Jeeperz]

I learned to always check alk/Cal right before use. I now use regular IO, mixes lower than everyone states, alk at 7, Cal at 370, mag 1240. Used reef crystals before ALK mixed around 9, Cal at 450+ mag at 1600. The only other salt I've used is salinity, which mixed very close to whatever number was on the bucket, but I can't get that salt any more where I am. If I didn't start checking my mix before use and correct it, not sure what would happen

 

[AdamNC]

I’ve been using the Fritz RPM blue box the past couple of months and I’ll say I’m not that impressed. The synthetic salt seems to brown stain my mixing jugs and cakes real bad on my funnel and scooper. Corals seem meh and fading in color. After this 200 gallon box I’m switching back to Red Sea Blue Bucket. May be worth it if you start a tank using it but imho it’s not good for my 3 year established tank.

 

[mich2599]

Started another Blue box and my hollywood stunner started to bleach