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Having some Nitrates is normal in a tank. Ammonia is converted to Nitrite, and then Nitrite is converted to Nitrates. Different strains of beneficial bacteria do this. Nothing will convert Nitrates however, so this builds up. Having some aquatic plants will help, as they use Nitrates as a food source. But it's normal for Nitrates to climb when a water change has not been performed for a while. Adding more filter noodles won't help, as that will only provide more surface area for the bacteria that breakdown ammonia and nitrites. Removal of Nitrates will always be via the good ole fashion water change, or purigen/macropore media as a chemical absorbent. Nitrate sources will be from food, which you are constantly adding, waste from shrimp/fish, decaying organic matter (dead fish/shrimp or vegetation). You could give the substrate a light vacuum. Just the top 1cm say.

Welcome back dude, definitely goes to show the shrimp bug never stops biting!

Here's a colony for you

Nah, mosses and Java Ferns are too slow in growth rates to really eat up much nitrates. Water change is your friend.

I'm ONLY here to say hello to Sprae......Hi Sprae :-)

Nitrate is caused by excess waste, eg:food, organic waste, rotting plants etc etc, I would clean out canister and replace the noodles with marine pure spheres as they help to reduce nitrate, also I would do 30-40 percent w/c each day till nitrates are where you want them.

Who are you again :P lol j/k. welcome back

They are sterile ? How ? Why? Or is it because the conditions have not been right for them to feel

Courtesy: Beverley van Pragh The Warragal burrowing crayfish. Interesting article about some of Australia's endangered crayfish. http://theconversation.com/australian-endangered-species-victorian-burrowing-crayfish-19658