Switched to Fritz RPM salt

[XNavyDiver]

My fritz boxes have been back to normal.

I guess I've been out of the loop on this subject. Can someone summarize what was the deal with Fritz? I've been using it now for close to a year.
BTW, really looking forward to my second order from you. Should be here tomorrow. You guys are #1 on my list of vendors.

 

[Velcro]

I'm still a huge fan of Salinity. Tank looks better than ever, the buckets are convenient for use as sealed containers and parameters are rock solid. That and it's honestly pretty cheap considering a bucket makes 225 gallons.

 

[Greybeard]

My LFS is using Fritz RPM... I needed some salt, they had it in stock, at a reasonable price...

My initial observations are positive, for me, at least.

Mixes up clean... no residue in container, much better than I was getting with RC.

Mixed to 1.026 SG (calibrated refractometer, thanks to Randy, I started calibrating properly last fall)
Temp 76f
Mixed for 12 hours before testing

Alk 9.2 (Hanna checker)
Calcium 480 (Salifert)

I didn't test Magnesium, just not something I normally test in makeup water. Calcium is a bit high, Alkalinity too, but neither one high enough to really bother me.

Biggest downside I see is a single, 55lb bag of salt. You don't get the convenience of a couple of smaller, sealed bags, like you'd get with most other boxed salt mixes. I guess I don't care that much, but it is something to consider.

 

[WWIII]

I guess I've been out of the loop on this subject. Can someone summarize what was the deal with Fritz? I've been using it now for close to a year.
BTW, really looking forward to my second order from you. Should be here tomorrow. You guys are #1 on my list of vendors.

The main areas of concern were with calcium and magnesium levels within some batches of salt. Some people (including myself) were testing over 500 ppm calcium levels and over 1500 ppm magnesium levels on newly mixed saltwater using Fritz. Some guys were testing up to and over 1700 ppm magnesium levels. I had 2 boxes a couple months ago that I tested right at over 500 ppm calcium and right over 1500 ppm magnesium. When I researched online I found several others reporting the same thing.

The other "issue" is with alkalinity levels. Fritz apparently has been testing a higher alkalinity concentration. Not sure if that has been implemented?

Then the last thing is LiveAquaria's new salt has the exact same listed parameters as Fritz. It also comes in the same sizes and containers (different labeling obviously). The only problem here for me is price, currently I can get Liveaquaria salt for $10 less per box. No one, that I have found from either Liveaquaria or Fritz has either confirmed or denied that it is the same or different salt. If it's the same, we can shop the best price between the 2.

 

[XNavyDiver]

The main areas of concern were with calcium and alkalinity levels within some batches of salt. Some people (including myself) were testing over 500 ppm calcium levels and over 1500 ppm magnesium levels on newly mixed saltwater using Fritz. Some guys were testing up to and over 1700 ppm magnesium levels. I had 2 boxes a couple months ago that I tested right at over 500 ppm calcium and right over 1500 ppm magnesium. When I researched online I found several others reporting the same thing.

The other "issue" is with alkalinity levels. Fritz apparently has been testing a higher alkalinity concentration. Not sure if that has been implemented?

Then the last thing is LiveAquaria's new salt has the exact same listed parameters as Fritz. It also comes in the same sizes and containers (different labeling obviously). The only problem here for me is price, currently I can get Liveaquaria salt for $10 less per box. No one, that I have found from either Liveaquaria or Fritz has either confirmed or denied that it is the same or different salt. If it's the same, we can shop the best price between the 2.

Thanks for the update. I think my current batch is also higher in ca+ and mg+. Alk has always been around 8.5, but I don't remember what Fritz claims it mixes to at 1.026. I'm currently trying to keep my alk at around 7.5.

 

[719bloodhound]

My LFS is using Fritz RPM... I needed some salt, they had it in stock, at a reasonable price...

My initial observations are positive, for me, at least.

Mixes up clean... no residue in container, much better than I was getting with RC.

Mixed to 1.026 SG (calibrated refractometer, thanks to Randy, I started calibrating properly last fall)
Temp 76f
Mixed for 12 hours before testing

Alk 9.2 (Hanna checker)
Calcium 480 (Salifert)

I didn't test Magnesium, just not something I normally test in makeup water. Calcium is a bit high, Alkalinity too, but neither one high enough to really bother me.

Biggest downside I see is a single, 55lb bag of salt. You don't get the convenience of a couple of smaller, sealed bags, like you'd get with most other boxed salt mixes. I guess I don't care that much, but it is something to consider.

My lfs sells Frits and it comes in 4 smaller bags in a box

 

[happyhourhero]

I switched back to IO. I can soak my sore feet in my tank though thanks to the 1800 ppm magnesium Fritz provided.

 

[BoomCorals]

I guess I've been out of the loop on this subject. Can someone summarize what was the deal with Fritz? I've been using it now for close to a year.
BTW, really looking forward to my second order from you. Should be here tomorrow. You guys are #1 on my list of vendors.

Just one guy, me. And I am glad to hear that! There were a couple boxes of fritz a while back that had higher alk, mag, and calc than normal. I only had two, but my boxes since then have returned to normal.

 

[Ashish Patel]

I am on my 2nd box of Fritz (same batch #). I only measured Alk on the newly mixed salt and it was at 9 DKH, and I turned over most of the water in my tank and only 2 parameters that rose drastically is CA and MG. Only major concern is MG which went from 1400 to 1550. MG is difficult one since it does not deplete in my tank much. The tank seems very healthy despite the high rise in Mg so I'll take it as other trace elements are probably elevated aswell.

 

[XNavyDiver]

My ca+ and mg+ for the last month with Fritz:

 

[GoVols]

I'm still a huge fan of Salinity. Tank looks better than ever, the buckets are convenient for use as sealed containers and parameters are rock solid. That and it's honestly pretty cheap considering a bucket makes 225 gallons.

Velcro,
I used the Salinity for the first year that it came out and I just went back to it.
You get .35 ppt per 1/2 a cup per gallon, best frig-gen buckets in the business and it supports my local reef shop.

It does go in a tad cloudy but I do my water changes late in the evening before lights out. By lights on the next day the water is crystal clear.
Can't explain it, but my water stays way more crystal clear with the Salinity than the Red Sea "Blue Bucket" did, between water changes.

Maybe it just skims better

Anyways the Salinity salt has always mixed spot on to the buckets specs, as long as you don't mix for too long and do not heat that salt, while mixing

 

[GoVols]

I switched back to IO. I can soak my sore feet in my tank though thanks to the 1800 ppm magnesium Fritz provided.

Good call.
I wish IO would lower the alk

 

[Trickman2]

You guy's still happy with this Salt?

 

[Greybeard]

I am. Mixes up clean, doesn't leave residue in my mixing barrel, price is reasonable, I've been through 2 boxes now, different lots, Alk between 9.0 and 9.2, Calc 470-480.

Critters seem fine with it...

 

[GoVols]

@Trickman2

Welcome to the Reef 2 Reef family!!!

 

[madweazl]

Good call.
I wish IO would lower the alk

3ml muriatic acid to five gallons drops it to approx 7.5 dKh for me.

 

[Ashish Patel]

My tank has responds well after doing waterchanges with this Fritz. I believe its a combination of my ALK remaining stable and elevated trace elements such as SR and potassium. I have adjusted my CA (by default) from 420 to 450 and ALK is 8-8.5dkh.

My test results for Fritz at 35PPT
ALK 9DKH
CA 470-480 (redsea)
MG 1600 (redsea)

MG is the only issue since the 2 boxes of Friz I got had elevated levels. Still if the next box had elevated MG Id still go with Fritz. I feel like this salt was designed for SPS reefers in mind.

 

[Ashish Patel]

I am. Mixes up clean, doesn't leave residue in my mixing barrel, price is reasonable, I've been through 2 boxes now, different lots, Alk between 9.0 and 9.2, Calc 470-480.

Critters seem fine with it...

Had the same experience on my 2 boxes. Identical parameters and the only concern was MG which was 1600

 

[GoVols]

3ml muriatic acid to five gallons drops it to approx 7.5 dKh for me.

Thank you!!!

I mix in those 5 gallon containers.

 

[pdiehm]

Good call.
I wish IO would lower the alk

But in small water change (ie: 12.5 gallons for my m purposes) the Alk of 10ish doesn’t really affect my alkalinity swing. Maybe 0.1-0.2, while keeping alk in the 9 range.

I dose calcium up to 430 before it goes into the tank.

That said, I was using RSCP due to the Red Sea program but my corals did not like that so have stopped it and will go back to IO once this bucket is done.

As for fritz, I was using it, but was getting whacky parameters.