Filtration Question

[MikeyZO]

Ok, quick sum up of my tank:
36 gal (about 6 months old)
Pro Clear Pro 75 wet/dry filter with protien skimmer (and bioballs at present)
50 lbs live rock
40 lbs live sand
CF lighting

zoas, hammer, ricodera, 2 xenias, gs polyps, toadstool leather
2 ocellaris clowns, royal gramma, purple firefish, pygmy angel
snails, hermits, cleaner shrimp

Other than the shrimp, I havent added livestock in about 3 months.

My question is as follows. Ever since my tank cycled my nitrates have always been around 5-10ppm. Everyone has pretty much told me thats fine and contributed it to the bioballs. Within the last 2-3 weeks though, my nitrates have gone up to about 15-20ppm (and have plateaued again). Now some people have suggested taking out the bioballs altogether as the system will basically filter itself with the live rock, sand, protien skimmer and prefilter media, some people have suggested taking out some every few months, cleaning them, and putting them back, and I'm sure there are other suggestions that I havent heard yet. So what is best to do? take out the bio media completely and make it a sump? Take out some of the bio media so there is less to make nitrates? Just clean some of it every few months? I actually took out about 1/2 the bio balls yesterday and cleaned them up but havent replaced them yet. As of today my readings were as follows:

amonia - 0ppm
nitrites - 0ppm
nitrates - between 10-15ppm it looks like

So whats the general concensus?

 

[masterswimmer]

Remove the bioballs. Take them out one per day. When done, add LR rubble.

Your nitrates will most likely never be zero. < .20 is not out of line.

swimmer

 

[basiab]

Nitrites are zero. Why. Because they get turned into nitrates. But there is not much that will eat up your nitrates. So either reduce polution so that there less ammonia and less nitrites to turn into nitrates. And you do that by skimmers, less feeding, getting rid of things that trap debris like bio balls etc. Or you put a small ball of chaeto in there it will use up some of the nitrates. It needs light but try squeezing it into a tight space so that it does not run around your tank.Or attach a fuge.

 

[sporty]

I have pretty much the same setup and I have ran bio balls for the last 2 years and my nitrates have been zero for a long time ;even when I don't change the water for a long time. Mind you they were not zero all the time at the biginning.Give it time continue with a monthly water change for now and let your tank age when bacteria and worms and what not are in place it should be alright.An aged tank is indispensible.