Calcium will not rise but KH does!

Hi all.

I have had my tank up & running for around 9 months. I have it set up with a DSB sump refugium so very rarely have to do water changes.

Recently I started to stabilize my KH as I constantly chased it up & down from as low as 5-6 on the German dKH scale & then back up to 8. This chase had been going on for a couple of months so I set to improving it.

My problem lies with the calcium! It had dropped to 330. I have used numerous calcium increasing powder mixes but all with no increase. I have even increased my KH to 12 to try & help buffer the calcium but it makes no difference.
I have spoken to my LFS & they have been scratching their heads too! The odd thing is that it will not lower & it will not increase! I thought it may be my test kit so bought another & it gives me just the same results!

Can anyone give me any ideas.

Many thanks ;D

 

have you stabilized your magnesium yet... as that is the first of the three that you must get stable

 

Check your mag I had a problem with low cal raised mag and up went the cal.

 

Have you checked your magnesium level?

 

Hey thanks for the replies.

Its not the mag. That is the first place I went but holds stable at 1400 - 1440.
Never moves

 

I started with nutrafin test kits but moved on to salifert then just to be sure bought the JBL kit. Readings all come up the same!

 

what Ca additive are you using

 

What salt mix are you using? I chased Ca for several months only to discover I had a bad bucket of Reef Crystals. Every time I did a water changed, I lowered my Ca.

Jack

 

I started with Kent Marine Liquid Calcium. Then a bottle of Kent Marine Purple Tech (which has mag in it) then I moved on to a more potent powder form.
That one is called JBL CalciuMarin. None have made any difference :S

 

I'm using Kent Marine Reef Salt Mix but as I say I do not need to do water changes. The system takes very good car of its self! Almost lol.

I have been mixing some up in the hope it will help to increase the calcium!