Instant Ocean killed my fish

[Bill]

So last night I did 20% water change using the usual RO/DI water but with a new 160g pail of Instant Ocean. This morning, everything gone!

Tank is 180gallon, the RO/DI membrane and cartridges are 3 months old. I also did 20% water change in my freshwater tank and all is good. I also mixed the salt prior to use in case of settling.

Tested saltwater shows no chlorine, ammonia, nitrites. Phosphate is 0.5ppm, nitrates are 5ppm. Alk at 3.5 meq/l, calcium at 380ppm. Temperature at 78F, sg at 1.024, ph at 8.3

I got the salt at edmonton big al's boxing day sale December 2014

I was wondering if anyone knows where I can get a full spectrum water test done for saltwater? Also considering necropsy for one of the fish.

[Aquattro]

what is alk of freshly made water? IO is fairly high, like 10dkh.

[gobytron]

So last night I did 20% water change using the usual RO/DI water but with a new 160g pail of Instant Ocean. This morning, everything gone!

Tank is 180gallon, the RO/DI membrane and cartridges are 3 months old. I also did 20% water change in my freshwater tank and all is good. I also mixed the salt prior to use in case of settling.

Tested saltwater shows no chlorine, ammonia, nitrites. Phosphate is 0.5ppm, nitrates are 5ppm. Alk at 3.5 meq/l, calcium at 380ppm. Temperature at 78F, sg at 1.024, ph at 8.3

I got the salt at edmonton big al's boxing day sale December 2014

I was wondering if anyone knows where I can get a full spectrum water test done for saltwater? Also considering necropsy for one of the fish.

While it is possible that your one bucket of IO did this, it is very unlikely.
If it was IO (one of the most widely used salts in the aquarium trade) this would be a big deal in the hobby and a quick google search of the net would reveal many more cases.

I would rule out some other kind of contaminant that was somehow introduced to your nsw before outright blaming the salt.

[kien]

holy crap! Well that sucks.

Now, when you say "everything gone", do you mean like, every single fish is dead and your corals are dead? Or do they look sick and stressed ?

[achillesreef]

Wht did you mix your salt in ?? It may be possible that u or someone had used that same bucket to do some type of cleaning possible soap,bleach ,,pinesol etc??
Either way sry to hear :(

[Simons]

I share others comments, loosing your fish is never a pleasant experience. Sorry for your loss, and it really is a loss.

As for the reason, I also echo others comments, I highly doubt it was 'the salt' specifically...I also, purchased IO salt during the boxing sale and have done many water changes with no such casualties.

I think, it is just easy to blame the salt because, you just performed a water change and then the result was the death of your livestock.

I would think it might well 'could' have been the water change which would mean it may be your salt water mixing container contaminant...but that doesn't rule out other possibilities, was there a temperature issue overnight? did the pump(s) stop due to power failure and the water became anoxic? Are you dosing and did something happen with the quantity or quality of the agents?

There are lots of things to look at...I will agree though in the end it may very well be the salt but I doubt it would be only your specific bucket...

[Ryanerickson]

I also mixed the salt prior to use in case of settling.
What does this mean quick stir or power head in bucket for hours?
Also what are you using to test salt level?

[hondas3000]

well one way to find out for sure is mix another batch from the same bucket and use some cheap fish to test. It fish die as well then for sure its the salt. I myself use IO and I went through 5 bucket so far. I find that fish are hardy to kill then coral.

[reefme]

Please find the cause so we all can learn from this.

[gregzz4]

What does this mean quick stir or power head in bucket for hours?
Also what are you using to test salt level?
Probably meant he rolled the bucket

[Madreefer]

Probably meant he rolled the bucket

:rofl:

I've never had a bad bucket of IO. I'd rule out the salt

[Aquattro]

:rofl:

I've never had a bad bucket of IO. I'd rule out the salt

To be fair, there was a batch many years ago with stupid high alk that killed a lot of tanks, but it was widespread and lots of info on it. But it killed everything, fish, corals, etc.
In this case, I doubt it was the salt.

[RDNanoGuy]

I also buy a years supply of IO every boxing day at Big Als (9 buckets). I go through a bucket every 6 weeks.

Had no problems with any of my 2013 buckets and I'm on bucket number 3 from this past boxing day 2014 with no problems so far.

I would seriously look at possible sources of contamination or maybe a drastic change in salinity due to a uncalibrated measurement tool.

[Jenn_737700]

+1 on using IO. In 5 years of using the stuff, I haven't had an issue. I truly am sorry about your losses though:cry: I hope it gets resolved!!

[gobytron]

Killer salt DOES happen.

It's just that when it does, it's not an isolated incident.

We would be haring about many, many more reefers having crashes if it were an io problem.