I've got a 90gal with approx 80 lbs live rock, 2 inches live sand. I'm probably going to add about 30+ more lbs of dry rock. Just can't afford live rock right now (and it will be a long while before I can). Anyway … I’d like to slowly take all the bio-balls out of my sump because I think they’re contributing to nitrates that like to hover at +/- 15. Will I have enough good bacteria (in absence of the bio-balls) to prevent a huge ammonia, nitrite, nitrate ****e?

Eventually I want to replace them with LR rubble, but is this something I can do later, or does the switch to LR Rubble need to happen in conjunction with removal of the Bio-Balls.