Fritz Salt Issues?

[TheHarold]

Does the bad batch measure up (Alk, Ca, Mg, whatever else you have test kits for) the same as the others? Stinks, but I'm sure you'll bounce back.

The big three? Couldn't have been that; results were way too dramatic, especially with my 20% change. 25% max. Immediate complete polyp retraction until RTN. Alkalinity, Ca, Mg couldn't cause that. Im thinking some weird chemical or contaminant. We will know soon . If it is a contaminant in the mix, I don't intend to forgive LOL. I mixed the sample in a glass cup that was cleaned with RODI, to avoid the possibility that it was my brute can. (That I've used hundreds of times).

 

[MnFish1]

Fritz salt is not consistent with its parameters. Last bag I purchased had calcium at 360. Reached out to their customer support and was told to check on my Refractometer calibration as their QC report for the batch shows 420. I double checked and same result. Switched to RCP and params were spot on as per the label. I don't often write negative reviews but its seems to be a problem costing many. They need to improve on quality.

though I agree with you - Fritz seems inconsistent - im not sure what a refractometer would have to do with calcium - unless they were saying your salinity could be so far out of whack as to affect your calcium

 

[Bonsai reef]

though I agree with you - Fritz seems inconsistent - im not sure what a refractometer would have to do with calcium - unless they were saying your salinity could be so far out of whack as to affect your calcium

yes, they meant to say that I was mixing my batch to a lower salinity and thus the result was off. But my alk was at 7 and in line with their batch QC report. So the claim made no sense to me and I made the switch. If their QC is correct then something is going wrong before packaging.

 

[Silver14SS]

Does the packaging have batch #s? If so, maybe sharing the bad batch #s will save someone some trouble.

 

[Bonsai reef]

Does the packaging have batch #s? If so, maybe sharing the bad batch #s will save someone some trouble.

Here what i had- lot# 36550.8- issue- Low CA of 360 @ 1.025 salinity at 78 degrees F.

 

[TheHarold]

The big three? Couldn't have been that; results were way too dramatic, especially with my 20% change. 25% max. Immediate complete polyp retraction until RTN. Alkalinity, Ca, Mg couldn't cause that. Im thinking some weird chemical or contaminant. We will know soon . If it is a contaminant in the mix, I don't intend to forgive LOL. I mixed the sample in a glass cup that was cleaned with RODI, to avoid the possibility that it was my brute can. (That I've used hundreds of times).

Freshly mixed Fritz. 0TDS RODI, mixed in a clean class cup.

The aluminum content is very high. As is the phosphorus content, which is weird. But is it high enough to cause the immediate RTN that I saw? Dont think so. @Crabs McJones @MnFish1 .

@Randy Holmes-Farley any input on the aluminum-- would a 20% water change with this have an immediate negative effect on corals?

 

[NanoDJS]

I have run this salt for many years now , and stick by it , I have never had anything but amazing growth and health , even ran a mixed 3 tank 160gal system for 2 years with no water changes and large coral colonies as a grow out. I have a question for the people with this problem , do you dose A/B ??? I suspect people are running dilute but correct spec grav water in their systems... ie. to much sodium chloride / with no trace , so you could be at 1.025 but not allowing for the correct balance of SPS required material...which occurs from constantly dosing most A/B . Are you testing all your parameters ? I do not wish for anyone to loose coral , I would love to figure out why this is being attributed to the mix a lot of people have 0 problems with.

 

[Crabs McJones]

I have run this salt for many years now , and stick by it , I have never had anything but amazing growth and health , even ran a mixed 3 tank 160gal system for 2 years with no water changes and large coral colonies as a grow out. I have a question for the people with this problem , do you dose A/B ??? I suspect people are running dilute but correct spec grav water in their systems... not allowing for the correct balance of SPS required material...which occurs from constantly dosing most A/B . Are you testing all your parameters ? I do not wish for anyone to loose coral , I would love to figure out why this is being attributed to the mix a lot of people have 0 problems with.

Sorry, but whats A/B?
The only thing I dose is BRS 2 part. And check levels regularly to keep them between 8.0-8.5 and calcium between 420-450

 

[NanoDJS]

Sorry, but whats A/B?
The only thing I dose is BRS 2 part. And check levels regularly to keep them between 8.0-8.5 and calcium between 420-450

that is A/B or 2 part , many many people use it , but it has issues , namely replacing trace with sodium chloride , making your water read correct salinity , but take about 30-40% of the available saturation for trace elements resulting in a precipitate salt water (almost all salt , no traces mag,calc, ect .... its about the ionic balance of the water somebody like RHF could def explain it much better and probably has threads about it ....this is what prompted the "Balling" method

 

[Ly78]

I guess this video came out just in time about the 2part dosing https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/macna-2019-lou-ekus/

 

[danreefman]

Been using fritz red box, blue box, and black box for a couple years now. Have to say, I don't know why I haven't switched. I mix for two hours and wait a day as they suggest. Alk is always around 6-7 no matter the color of the box. Magnesium around 1300. Calcium is always with in range.

Thinking of going to esv.

 

[NanoDJS]

I guess this video came out just in time about the 2part dosing https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/macna-2019-lou-ekus/

This is epic !!! a must watch for all , good find !

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Oh - I was just answering someone's question that wondered if Live Aquaria's salt is rebranded Fritz salt - And I just noticed that the instructions (and the descriptions of the products) are almost identical if not identical - suggesting that they might be the same. the directions for the Red Sea coral salt is different (though you're right it does mention over mixing - which agreed makes no sense.

Folks might also copy instructions without copying the salt mix.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

that is A/B or 2 part , many many people use it , but it has issues , namely replacing trace with sodium chloride , making your water read correct salinity , but take about 30-40% of the available saturation for trace elements resulting in a precipitate salt water (almost all salt , no traces mag,calc, ect .... its about the ionic balance of the water somebody like RHF could def explain it much better and probably has threads about it ....this is what prompted the "Balling" method

FWIW, A properly designed two part accomplishes exactly what Balling does in terms of ionic balance.

 

[MnFish1]

@TheHarold - whenever I get a 'test result' - the first thing I wonder is 'is the test correct'. When I have had problems after water changes - it was usually when I made a mixing mistake (added too quickly) - So - to me the question would be - what are the results in the 'tank' compared to the results in the ICP (I dont know what a toxic level of ammonia would/should be.

My (total) guess is that there was another 'toxic substance' that caused the problem - OR - something that was markedly different between the tank and the replacement water....

EDIT - 'ammonia' above should be 'aluminum'.

 

[MnFish1]

Folks might also copy instructions without copying the salt mix.

Yes - I agree - if you read the 2 instructions - they are 'odd' - i.e. not used by other salts - and practically (if not entirely) word for word.

 

[Lou Ekus]

FWIW, A properly designed two part accomplishes exactly what Balling does in terms of ionic balance.

As you know , Randy, I have to disagree. I will give you that a properly designed two part system can very closely approximate the ionic balance achieved by the Balling Method. But I strongly disagree, and feel it is a very misleading statement to say, that the well designed two part system accomplishes "exactly what the Balling Method does in terms of ionic balance"! The ONLY way it could do that is if it contained ALL 70 (let's not argue about that number, I'm rounding off) of the trace elements found in natural sea water. And I don't know if ANY two part system that does that.

 

[MnFish1]

As you know , Randy, I have to disagree. I will give you that a properly designed two part system can very closely approximate the ionic balance achieved by the Balling Method. But I strongly disagree, and feel it is a very misleading statement to say, that the well designed two part system accomplishes "exactly what the Balling Method does in terms of ionic balance"! The ONLY way it could do that is if it contained ALL 70 (let's not argue about that number, I'm rounding off) of the trace elements found in natural sea water. And I don't know if ANY two part system that does that.

It would be really helpful if you would say 'why' its wrong which you dont do


i.e. You can just do 2 part *(formula x) but you should also do zzzzzz. I personally do not think there is any one 'method'. Dr Balling notwithstanding, I would ask - lets say the average moron is feeding his/her fish the reasonable amount - what is the chance that these "trace elements" are not being supplied?

 

[Righteous]

@TheHarold @Crabs McJones Has anyone with the possible bad batch of Fritz tried testing ammonia levels in a fresh mix? I know a lot of salts will be slightly positive, but maybe some batch was a lot worse.

 

[S.Pepper]

Like I didn't have enough to worry about starting up my 1st SW tank. LOL Of course, I am/was starting it out with Fritz blue box. It wasn't because I was sold on Fritz, but because saltwateraquarium.com included it for free with my purchase of my Waterbox system; and because it seemed to have a good name based on reviews I had read. Actually, the salt I had at the top of my list was Tropic Marin, and mainly because it dissolved the quickest during a test between 4 or 5 manufacturers of salt; and because it received high scores in other areas.

What to do? lol Sometimes you just have to dive in head first and hope for the best--with some preparation and planning.

P.S. And to think at one point and time the hardest decision was going to be where I placed my tank. Pffff.