Can't keep calcium levels up

[Fireworks]

I have been having a problem maintaining a proper level of calcium in my tank ever since I put it together. My tank is 150gal fowlr with @120lbs live rock, I run an Ehiem 2228 cannister filled with floss and three packs of chemi-pure, Euro-Reef skimmer and 260watt lunar Aqualight. I add 36ml Kent techCB part A and B every day, alk is around 11dkh and I use ro/di water to mix water for monthly changes. Calcium levels are not even on the charts of the test kits (less than 300ppm). Am I missing or doing something wrong? TIA Jamie

 

[flame82]

what brand of salt mix do you use ? maybe a bad test kit ?? or what kind of test kit do you have ?

 

[HoopsGuru]

I would also recommend verifying your results with another test kit.

 

[MarineFlake]

Make sure your kit is good. I would get a second opinion via a good salifert test kit. As for raising your Ca, if indeed it shows low, check your mg levels. depressed mg levels (Should be around 1350ppm) can cause your ca to flatline. Your alk looks a tad high, so long as its steady there. Getting ca up will be more challanging at 11dkh, but should raise with some ca additive like Kents turbo calcium or the like. A and B additives are typically for maint not really intended to raise one specific param.

GL!

 

[flame82]

once you have a new test kalkwasser would probably be your best bet

 

[BillyZ]

i'll second (or third/fourth heh) the advice to verify your tests first before doing anything drastic.

Note also, that pH, Alk and CA all go hand in hand when balancing these readings. A page that I have found to be infintely valuable for my understand Alk/Ca/pH is this link:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

pay attention to the additional links at the bottom for even more detail.

IMO, if your tests are accurate and your pH is ok, I would lower the Alk just a tad while trying to bring up the CA.

And I'll also second flame82's reccomendation of a kalk drip... but thats only once you have things stable.

 

[Fireworks]

Thanks everyone for your help, I did not include in my question that I use Tropic Marin salt and have tested with two different RedSea test kits, both with the same results.I will test the mg level to see where it is and go from there. Thanks again.

 

[seaham358]

If your alk is high do not add that part of the additive only add the cal part until the level comes up. In the beginning I only had to add Cal on a daily basis and alk once in a while. Doing water changes kept my alk level up. Now with a mature tank I need to add both daily. So hang in there and just remember to bring any levels up or down slowly.

 

[Fireworks]

I just tested for MG and found the level to be 625ml/l. I hope this is the reason for the ca buffer's lack of effect on ca levels. I will now add Seachem Reef advantage magnesium and see what happens when MG is back up to speed. Thanks again for all your responses