Nano Nitrate Instability

[nicksEvo]

I have a Fluval Evo 13.5, the cycle started in late September and I've been Ammonia/Nitrite free for about a month. I still can't seem to get my Nitrate under control. It will be at 30 ppm one day and 5 ppm the next, all without me doing a water change in the last 3 weeks. The only thing I'm doing for nutrient export is replacing the filter floss as much as possible, most of the time daily. I have two clowns, a coral-banded shrimp, and a standard CUC (a few snails, hermits, and a conch).
I don't feed anything crazy, every other day I give the clowns 3-4 flakes, and as soon as it hits the ground the shrimp attacks it. I have a small chaeto fuge running in chamber 2, but I can't really tell if it's doing anything.
Am I doing something wrong? I can't tell if I should be feeding more or less. With these large swings I'm airing on the side of feeding less, but I feel as though I feed too little already. Is this just part of new tank syndrome? Are these swings normal?

 

[Dan_P]

I have a Fluval Evo 13.5, the cycle started in late September and I've been Ammonia/Nitrite free for about a month. I still can't seem to get my Nitrate under control. It will be at 30 ppm one day and 5 ppm the next, all without me doing a water change in the last 3 weeks. The only thing I'm doing for nutrient export is replacing the filter floss as much as possible, most of the time daily. I have two clowns, a coral-banded shrimp, and a standard CUC (a few snails, hermits, and a conch).
I don't feed anything crazy, every other day I give the clowns 3-4 flakes, and as soon as it hits the ground the shrimp attacks it. I have a small chaeto fuge running in chamber 2, but I can't really tell if it's doing anything.
Am I doing something wrong? I can't tell if I should be feeding more or less. With these large swings I'm airing on the side of feeding less, but I feel as though I feed too little already. Is this just part of new tank syndrome? Are these swings normal?

Do hou think it might be a testing error that is causing the swings?

 

[nicksEvo]

Do hou think it might be a testing error that is causing the swings?

I think that's unlikely, I test often and in many of these swings, I double-test to make sure with the same or similar result. I'm using the API test, which I've heard mixed reviews about their accuracy and readability. I'm looking to upgrade to all hanna checkers. In the meantime, I have no idea what's going on with my tank. I'm trying hard to get into a maintenance rhythm, but it's hard to tell what I'm doing right/wrong with these huge swings.

 

[Daniel92481]

Don’t stress it too much. Like you have heard, the API kit is unreliable. I would get a Hanna for ULR phosphate and the blue one for ALK. Go to your LFS and pick up a Salifert nitrate kit. It should be less than $20 and will give you an accurate reading. Don’t do anything until you get that.

 

[Dan_P]

I think that's unlikely, I test often and in many of these swings, I double-test to make sure with the same or similar result. I'm using the API test, which I've heard mixed reviews about their accuracy and readability. I'm looking to upgrade to all hanna checkers. In the meantime, I have no idea what's going on with my tank. I'm trying hard to get into a maintenance rhythm, but it's hard to tell what I'm doing right/wrong with these huge swings.

I will make a bold prediction or wild guess. The average of all your API test results is near the true nitrate concentration.