Fritz Salt Issues?

[amazongb]

A reefing friend and myself both tried Fritz a couple of months ago. Tropic Marin was out of stock, and I need to do a 20% water change. After two years of growth, I almost lost everything. Most SPS gone, LPS struggled, but was able to save with weekly water changes with Tropic Marin for a few weeks. Tank is still hurting, but slowly coming back. My friends tank had similar issues, but not quite as bad as mine.

The issue I had - my tank's alk normally sits around 8 dkh. A 20% change with Fritz and it went to 11+ dkh. I should've tested the fresh mix, but didn't, my fault. I think something else in the salt besides just an abnormally high alk. My next step is an ICP test.

Watching Rico's video just brings back memories... I should've said something on here 2 months ago, but didn't want to put a company on blast.. and I couldn't rule out that maybe it was something else I did to cause the crash.

 

[leepink23]

Fwiw Pet co has 20% TM pro reef 80$ save20 is the code

I couldn’t get the code to work

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You know that's not what they recommend on the box. I tried mixing the way you did it as well, I got the same result, cloudy for hours after adding it.

If preventing precipitation is a goal, add the salt slowly to rapidly stirring cold water. Lower pH by mixing in a high CO2 environment will also help. Adding some acid can stop it entirely, but lowers alk.

 

[Reefahholic]

I used two boxes of the stuff. In the two boxes, luckily, nothing happened. The only positive thing I can say is how quickly it mixes up clear, but other than that I don't see any reason to buy anymore of it. My TMP mixes up clear in 15 mins, for 40+ gallons, and it's been around forever.

I know it was mentioned up there, but Rico's Aquarium was having issues a few days ago with widespread TN; obviously it's something in his water (I feel) and it's possibly his salt: Fritz. I've read some bad accounts of people losing their tanks when they switched over, coincidentally.

I stopped using it mainly because alk was mixing up all over the place, from 8.5-10.0 dkh

When I used it...here are a few Alk readings I got. After mixing up approx. 40/G's at 1.026

9.2 dKH
8.4 dKH
8.6 dKH
8.7 dKH
8.1 dKH

 

[Reefahholic]

I wonder what the potassium levels are on a freshly mixed batch. Low K is a big contributor to paling Montipora ime.

Their Potassium should be at 400 ppm.

 

[Flippers4pups]

If preventing precipitation is a goal, add the salt slowly to rapidly stirring cold water. Lower pH by mixing in a high CO2 environment will also help. Adding some acid can stop it entirely, but lowers alk.

Randy, could very high levels of manganese cause coral death?

 

[Tyler Bullock]

I've used Frits blue box for the past year. I got my recent box of 200 about a 2-3 months ago. Ever since I have started doing water changes on my tanks. I have lost a few acro's, my first stylophora, my chalices, leptos, and 1/2 my euphyllia. I never thought about this until I started seeing others post about it. I am 90% sure I am going to switch salts. I'm either going to do TM Pro, Red Sea, or Brightwell.

 

[328 reef]

I've been thought 1000.00 coral loss using Fritz. switched to Aqua Forest. Love the salt so Far. I was at Macna last week and talked to the Fritz rep, and he said mix the salt {fritz} until it clears, shut of mixing pump and do water change. Do not use the Heavy white mixture in bottom of container, and you should be fine.

 

[Evan28395950]

Very interesting! Following

I've been thought 1000.00 coral loss using Fritz. switched to Aqua Forest. Love the salt so Far. I was at Macna last week and talked to the Fritz rep, and he said mix the salt {fritz} until it clears, shut of mixing pump and do water change. Do not use the Heavy white mixture in bottom of container, and you should be fine.

 

[Reefahholic]

A lot of these elements can be

I've been thought 1000.00 coral loss using Fritz. switched to Aqua Forest. Love the salt so Far. I was at Macna last week and talked to the Fritz rep, and he said mix the salt {fritz} until it clears, shut of mixing pump and do water change. Do not use the Heavy white mixture in bottom of container, and you should be fine.

That's kinda scary thinking about it.

 

[328 reef]

I hear a lot of people including myself, that once I start to mix the salt, I would keep the power head running for hours. That is what causes problems. mix until dissolved and do water change.

 

[User1]

I hear a lot of people including myself, that once I start to mix the salt, I would keep the power head running for hours. That is what causes problems. mix until dissolved and do water change.

So if that is the case and you want to store water pre-made then Fritz isn't the salt to use? I don't use it but just wondering. I mix a bag up and use it within a month. BRS just did that series on salt mix vs. time. Was Fritz one of them?

 

[328 reef]

you can mix it up and let it sit for a month or two. just don't disturb the mixture.

 

[Reefahholic]

Randy, could very high levels of manganese cause coral death?

I know what high levels of Core7 can do.

 

[328 reef]

 

[SeaDweller]

I've mixed Fritz all day from AM until I used it at night without mishap; it DOES mix clearly fairly quickly, but I just didn't like the wonky alk numbers. I'm glad Im fortunate to not have issues, but to read that a rep told someone not to use the white mixture on the bottom is pretty off-putting.

 

[adawg362]

I've been using fritz for about 6 months now. I noticed a couple of months ago that my tank was slowly starting to decline. Many lps were slowing receding and sps had stn and I was having trouble dialing in my alk to be consistent. I have my system set up to do automatic water changes and I made new batches every two weeks or so.

One day I just had a hunch to test my batch of salt water that was mixed about a week prior. After initial mixing, my alk for the water was 8.7. A week later, it was 7.2. The alkalinity had dropped that much in one week. No wonder my alk was jumping all over the place. I no longer do automatic water changes and do water change within a couple of hours after mixing like they recommend.

Tank is looking slightly better after I started doing this but it's still not like what it was. Just some food for thought for those doing auto water changes or letting their salt sit in containers for long periods of time after mixing. I am also considering switching salts but don't want to jump to conclusions.

Just sent out for ICP test for the first time and I am interested to see the levels.

 

[Anchor]

My 2 cents.. and I dont use Fritz, I was a freshwater guy for a long time and Fritz was a product I gave up on long ago.. like in the 80's.. Anyway. I would not count out Tap water or failing RO cans either.. Municipalities change things and tell nobody. As long as water tests as potable, they will make changes. Carbon filters in RO systems fail a lot faster when some changes get made.

My experience was with IO RC salt. Had a box of 200 gal with 3 of 4 bags testing above 2200 for Magnesium.. I stopped at 2200 and never got a color change.. so I know it was higher. the 4th bag tested around 1500. I have lost 90% of my LPS in 2 tanks and Zoas and Mushrooms were very unhappy for a long time. Changed salts.. Problem stopped. But I had to lose a lot to start looking at the salt. I went to my tap and RO first. changed all the cans and still had the problem.. smaller tanks so was finally able to pinpoint this in the salt mix.

SO, I still would not blame Fritz right off especially if all evidence is anecdotal. Get your ICP's done and test for what you can test for.. Dont rule out your water supply or RO unit. In Rico's case, it does look to point at the salt. But he has to get his proof first.

One other little add one.. I know the effects on softies and LPS and shrimp with Overdosing Iodine and using too much NoPox as well. Not good..

 

[Reefcowboy]

I recently had an unrelated tank crash due to spike in nitrates from wife overfeeding while I was on a biz trip. Lost 85% of sps and can feel Ricos pain in the recent videos. Losing so many corals makes you consider quitting the hobby, cant immagine losing so many as he did.

As far as Fritz salt, this thread has already way too many cases in my opinion to be suspicious. I think salts have more bad batches than we immagine

I use Tropic Marin Pro for years now, but should test them once in a while. I pop open buckets and mix without ever suspecting. Heck, if food supplements have cross contamination, I cant immagine salts not having issues often

 

[Anthony Scholfield]

Couple of curious questions to those who have had problems and believe it to be fritz salt.

1. When did you buy this salt? And from where?

2. Have you tested all the parms on the fresh mix? I read a thread on here about hw marine having a bad batch of salt that was way low in potassium and a lot of people lost coral because of it.

3. Are you leaving the salt mixed for a long period of time before using it?