Salt Order

[Charley]

I am ordering some Private-Label salt that should be available the end of this month. It comes in a 150-gallon box. I am getting a great deal on this first order, and wonder if anyone would like to join in with me. The price for a 150-gallon box is $40.00. I am not sure what the everyday price will be for it once I have it on the shelf, but it will be more than the $40.00 I am able to offer it for on this, the first order.

This is the same salt I use in the store. It is also used by the Public Aquarium in Oklahoma City. There are other public aquariums in the works.

I will need payment upon order, so come by the store and order a box or 12. I will contact folks when the salt arrives (I will be in Dallas the last weekend in May, and will pick the salt up then).

For those Techie folks, I am working on a web page that shows the information on this salt. It is a work in progress, so do not mind the mess. The page is:

http://www.austinaquariums.com/salt_info_body.htm

Charley

[Tim Marvin]

I'll take a box for $25

[Jimnorris]

Charley,
The salt is Fritz and is good salt! This is their new dry salt as compared to their wet salt. I am in the process of comparing the salt to Marine Enviroment and Bio Sea. For fish only tanks it seems to be good. My first tests show it is lower in PH, ALK and Calcium. It also takes way longer to competely mix. So for clams and sps corals it comes up alittle short. I think as I report my findings to Fritz they are going to work to make this a VERY GOOD salt for clams and corals! There are more facts coming because afew other club memebers are trying this salt for me. IMO Marine Enviroment and Bio Sea is the best right now!
Jim

[Charley]

That is interesting Jim, thanks for the heads up. The salt I am using at the store seems to work great with the corals I have. I dose SeaChem supplements in the tank in the wall, and Ben doses Kent in the used 165. I just received a reef test kit yesterday, and I will look at the levels in the salt I use at the store, and report my findings here.

The magnesium used in the salt does take a little more effort to mix in I will agree, so we stir it a little more than other brands.

Take care,

Charley

[Jimnorris]

Charley,
Just another item I was using Fritz until I switched to Marine Enviroment. An then I would add the additives as needed. With Marine Enviroment I add nothing! Also I do have a couple of frags I will bring by for your main tank. Are you there Sat.?
Jim

[miken]

Hi, my name is Mike Noce. I work for Fritz Industries, the company who manufactures the salt that is being spoken of in this thread. Fritz has been producing salt, as well as other products, for the professional aquaculture and professional aquarium industries for over 20 years

Jim, I am hoping you can provide me with the data that you came up with from the tests you performed on our salt. What readings did you record for ph, alk, and calcium to conclude that the mix is not adequate for clams and sps? We have had other hobbyists like yourself, as well as professional aquariums and aquaculture facilities test it and you are the first to come up with inadequate results.

For example the new Oklahoma State Aquarium in Tulsa chose our mix and is using it in all of their systems. Systems that hold giant pacific octopus, moon jellies, Alaskan king crabs, all different species of eels, and coral propagation systems. This is just a small percentage of the total systems currently excelling at the aquarium using our mix. The aquarium has a fully stocked and staffed water quality lab with two full time lab techs dedicated to water tests. There are over 125 systems in the aquarium/quarantine ranging from 500-400,000 gallons.

Of course the results of your tests could vary depending on the water you are using. I'm guessing you are using R.O. Deionized water, if not the tests could vary depending of the quality of you local water supply.

What's great about Fritz is that is that we can customize Austin Aquariums Salt blend by adding more calcium, etc. to make it acceptable to their customers needs.

As far as the mixing problem, could you define "way longer"? Because of the mesh size of different salts in artificial blends, certain salts, like calcium and magnesium, tend to separate in the mix during shipping/transport. Fritz grinds all salts to the smallest mesh size so that separation is kept to a minimum. Of course the speed of the salt going into solution could vary according water temperature, ph, hardness, etc.

I hope you can supply me with your data so that we can make this product the highest quality salt available to you.

If any MAAST members have any questions about any of Fritz's current products or have ideas for products you would like to see in the future please contact me at mnoce@fritzind.com.

Thanks,
MIKE NOCE'

[Nano_Steve]

hey mike,

i hope this is a true concern for the wants and needs of your buyers in order to better your product rather than a ruffling of feathers simply because someone chooses not to use your salts based on their personal experience. we wouldn't want our humble club turning into the disaster zone that reefcentral.com has become with all the "experts" knowing the "proper" solution to everything now would be?

just a thought, steve

ps charley our discussion concerning whether or not i should use bioballs in my refugium spawned some intense research and it turns out that the reason bioballs release phosphates and other toxins into the tank is due to improper care of the balls themselves. i am very dedicated to my tank and washing the bioballs(as they say to do on the packaging) every month is no skin off of my back. the "general consensus" you spoke of are most likely those whom use the product without fully understanding its care level. i on the other hand do and will. thanks for leading me into more research on them.

[Jimnorris]

Fact: Fritz is one of the BEST companys I have every seen! They have help me to no end and do make some of the best products (their chillers are second to none!) And again I was using Fritz's salt before switching over to Marine Enviroment. This changing was due to Dr. Rons findings and grew for me from there. The tests I did and will continue was/is very simple. (yes I use and RO DI system Kent). I use Salifert test kits, 50 gallon glass tank, reflactometer and pinpoint monitors. Now I am only a hobbist and not a chemist or scienist. The last test I use is my animals and seeing is believing. My intentions are not to blast anyone, just share what I have found works! And I also learn what others will share.
Thanks,
Jim

[miken]

Steve,

Concerning my post responding to Jim, after reading it back I may have come across a little snide and I apologize, that was not my goal. I keep in contact with Jim and have sent him a few products of ours to try out , he has liked some and disliked others and he has always been honest about his feedback. I totally respect his opinion, I was just asking for his data and am a little concerned about his conclusions differing from other users. Quality control is very important around here.

I definitely have the best intentions and want nothing more than to offer affordable, high quality products. I am totally serious about hearing feedback from any of your members on any Fritz products they may use or would like to see.

Thanks,
MIKE

Thanks,
MIKE

[Nano_Steve]

hey mike,

i completely understand and my hat goes off to you sir for showing honest concern in your buyers' feedback. very few companies today do such a thing so when i read statements as posted earlier i cant help but to be skeptical and at least raise an eyebrow. you see, it is the commercialized world we live in that renders it hard for buyers to trust in the companies they are buying products from since i am sure we have all had our experiences with various retailers and businesses. it is very refreshing to find a company that actually goes out of their way in order to please their buyers(not to mention rare). i commend you for the efforts you and your company show towards us, the aquarists.

regards, steve

ps justin that is very true and i had a simple idea that i wonder if it would help the process. it is still in its early stage of contemplation at the moment but once i draw up some plans id be more than happy to receive your constructive criticism concerning it.

[Ed]

Hi Mike,

Welcome to MAAST!

Thanks for joining the salt discussion. We may all learn from it.

Hope you will continue to contribute here.

BTW - Thanks for the goodies that Fritz sent for prizes at our March meeting.

I was fortunate enough to win a bottle of Invertebrate Banquet and am trying it out now.

-Ed

[Tim Marvin]

Mike, welcome to MAAST!
I can also help to back Jim's findings. I am usually on the same regime as Jim since we work so closely together. I have found the fritz salt to be much better than the other salts, but a little slow to mix ( 1 hour @ 76 degrees in 100 gallon rubbermade tub with rio 2500 circulating) PH was 7.8, calcium 375ppm, this was all I tested on the last test. I have noticed the aquacraft to mix a little fast, but haven't noticed much difference in coral growth. I also use a kent 5 stage RO/DI/hi-s filter for both water changes and top-off. I am running a dual calcium reactor and Kalk reactor also so the PH in the tank doesn't change even with the slightly lower mix. Calcium is almost always in the high 400's. If you would like to send me a sample bucket of Fritz salt I'd be happy to change one system to Aqua Craft and one to Fritz salt and set up identical tanks side by side with identical equipment and note growth of frags, mushrooms, and so on under controlled conditions.

[Charley]

hey mike,

ps charley our discussion concerning whether or not i should use bioballs in my refugium spawned some intense research and it turns out that the reason bioballs release phosphates and other toxins into the tank is due to improper care of the balls themselves. i am very dedicated to my tank and washing the bioballs(as they say to do on the packaging) every month is no skin off of my back. the "general consensus" you spoke of are most likely those whom use the product without fully understanding its care level. i on the other hand do and will. thanks for leading me into more research on them.

My pleasure Steve. Come by the store any time and we can "chew the fat"

Charley

[miken]

Tim, Is the salt you tested the partailly dissolved slurry that comes in a bucket or the new dry mix? Like I said earlier you and Jim are the first to find the low pH and Calcium and we are already looking into that and if there is a problem it is an easy fix.

Ed, let me know what you think about the Invert Banquet. We are working on repackaging that product into a squeeze type bottle right now that will make it a lot easier to dispense. Thanks for appreciating the samples. The feedback we get from you guys is invaluable so if anyone who got a sample product from us has comments, good, bad or indifferent will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
MIKE

mnoce@fritzind.com

[DeletedAccount]

Miken

I won some of the Invert food at the raffle, also. My corals seemed to love it! I have used it all, need to go see Charley to get more. :(

I also won some of your Sea Water Quick-Change. This has proven to be quit a life saver with grape asexual explosion that I just went through! I was happy to have something on hand that could be mixed in a very short time to get the toxins out of the tank immediately!

Thank you very much for your interest and concern, and for supporting our group! We all appreciate it!

[Ed]

Mike,

I like the Invert Banquet as well. I've been using it for several weeks now and my corals show definite improvement. They appear happy and are growing!

Thanks again for the samples.

When will the new packaging hit the stores?

I'll need more Invert Banquet soon and am anxious to see the new package.

Regards,

-Ed