Can I ditch my bio balls?

[im_a_tidyman]

uuhhhhh oooooohhhhhhh

 

[alcohologist]

I do lots of top offs with water replacement because my tank temperature is always at or around 85 so I guess that's like doing changes right there on its own haha.

so, so wrong. the nutrients stay in the tank. nitrate, phosphate, other metabolites don't evaporate. trace elements arent replenished here either.
as an experiment, i'd do a couple WCs and see if there's any difference in the behaviour of the livestock. couldnt hurt.

 

[Amphiprion]

That is correct. I would do water changes regardless, myself. Honestly, I be less concerned about trace elements (way too much in salt mixes, anyway) and more concerned about refractory compounds and metabolites.