This is really strange that a 10% water change would cause a whole system to crash immediately. To me, it seems like there was a toxin introduced that caused this to happen. As others have pointed out, maybe something leaked into the mixing salt container. I would think there would be a lot more people using the salt that would start reporting this issue on this forum and on other reef forums. Maybe that is still to come though.

As for mixing salt and leaving it for extended periods, I mix mine about 10 days in advance and keep powerheads and heater on.

This is all very true. But if you have a well established tank, the nitrogen cycle will quickly digest and render a small amount of ammonia totally harmless when added to your tank. But if it is accompanied by other deaths (eg livestock) and lack of O2, then the ammonia can indeed be a problem, and can result in what we call a tank crash.

Don't know if your problems were directly related to the salt, but I wouldn't take a chance with it, if indeed that was the only actual change to your tank routine. Best of luck with your recovery.

Ummm, Reef Crystals has crashed tanks in the past. Go call the Vancouver Aquarium and ask them about 2012. Or y'all remember former TOTM member Fooser? Ever wonder why he's not really around anymore? Yup, Reef Crystals. I've had several clients that had tank wipe outs from RC's. Again, this was in 2012, but the precedence is there. Just because it didn't happen to you doesn't make it imputes to call BS on another person's experience.

Is this the one? No doubt I've had salt troubles too. But I'm surprised it would kill fish before killing the inverts. I've had Instant Ocean salt that mixed cloudy and never fully dissolved. After seeing my corals react poorly to it (and some sps die I think), I threw out the salt.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=89006

Hey! There it is :D

WOW that may explain a few things that have happened to my tank. I was using Seachem Reef Salt and I was running low. I was at the reef shop one day picking up a few frags and asked about the salt, all he had was RC so I thought I would give it a try. Well I did a 20 gal change and everything seemed OK and did another in a weeks time. I then noticed one frag had a spot, skeleton showing, OH NO sure enough in 2 days 4 frags poof gone I ( they had be in the tank for awhile ) have also lost a Pipe Fish for no reason ( Pipe fish had be the tank for about 4 months ) was eating well getting along seemed to be happy. Went to sleep next day did not see him and have not since. I also noticed skimmer just was behaving the same and polyps not coming out. I noticed it the most on a Gorgonian that I had, was a beauty blue polyps. Then I did another water change may have been 2 weeks but I used the last bit of Seachem that I had and within minutes the polyps on the Gorgonian where like a giant rose bush bursting but within a few days they slowly became less and less. I thought OK must be trace elements so I picked up some Aquavitro Fuel, hope I spelled that right, but did not help much. Now all other measurements have be acceptable not perfect but within parameters but I have pretty much lost the Gorgonian and 2 to 3 more frags and I have not done a water change in a while just have not got to it, but things seem to have settled down as in no more loses, but I did decide that I was going to use another Salt and I picked up some Coral Life Salt and thought would give it a try but now that I have read this I think I may have to jump on this and see if anything changes. Wow this may explain quite a few things even that I have not listed just so it stays on the shorter side.
I will do a few water changes and post if notice anything worthy.

Mike

Did you have any fish that have the ability to release toxins? What size is your tank?

Also, in addition to a powerhead, salt should always be mixed with a airstone to proper disolve.

as far as your gorgonian goes it wasnt the salt you just simply never stood a chance at keeping it alive , it is NPS and the proper foods just arnt reasonable and sometimes not available , so it slowly starves

random changes in the aquarium can spark a feeding response but at the end of the day there very few people who can keep those types going longterm or even short term for some

the same can be said for pipefish they often starve or arnt suited for the tank they are in

frags could be anyones guess as theres alot of variables that take role;)

Well its interesting, I was just down looking at the tank and to give a small feeding, and you know on the lower part of the Gorgonian there is 2 polyps sticking out. I have not seen polyps on it for a long time and this was before I fed. I also noticed just more activity in general Hermits seem to be out and about and the Cleaner shrimp is out roaming not just sitting under rock ledge. Anyhow your right it may just be a fluke but that's what I have seen so far. I am going to do another water change and post if anything changes but definitely 2 polyps showed up on a coral I thought was toast.

All the best.

Mike

still though i wouldnt put any longterm hopes into that coral as mentioned it is NPS so unless your directly feeding it foods , and preferably live its only a matter of when.

when it comes to NPS gorgs just about anything can strike a feeding response including hands in the water , water changes , stirring sand, changing socks , feeding foods etc.

no salt on the market has what it needs in the way of nutrition;)