Bio-Balls HELP!

[goodmoray]

Okay.....been researching this but want to get more feedback....I have a 55gl that is doing great ....it has about 100 pounds of live rock..and is mostly a coral tank(brain, bubble, hammer, torch, and green pylops....and all sorts of mushrooms....My question is can i romove the bio-balls?
I have read that it is possible once the live rock is doing the fitlering.....My PH is at 8.2 and amm is at 0.0.........nitrAte levels are at 5ppm and nitrite is at 0.....So can I get rid of them?.......I run a red sea protein skimmer and have just floss as a prefilter.....also a 20gl refugium with a little macroalgae growing....I'm starting to believe that the Bio-balls are turning into a nitrate factory...cause I can't get below the 5ppm.......Any help will be greatly appreciated.....thank you very much.......Rob
P.S. I have a good calcium and alk level......and tank has been up for a year.....RLA

 

[burnnspy]

Yes, remove the bio-balls. Since your bioload is so small it should have no impact on the system, as a matter of fact they are probably acting as a nitrate factory.
What kind of sand bed do you have?, since it is actually more important then LR at nitrate reduction.
BurnNSpy

 

[goodmoray]

Burn,
I have about 1 1/2" in the main tank and about 3" in the refugium....also have about 6 nice rocks with macroalgae in the ref........Another question is Do Closed Brain corals reporduce?>Because mine has like a drop hanging off it and it has a hard base and it looks like it's gonna drop off and stay by itself...the rest of the coral looks great .......if you need pics i will email.......any help would be great thanks.....Rob