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What is an acceptable nitrAte level for a 90 gal. cichlid tank? What causes nitrAtes to rise?

Nitrate is the final by-product of filtration

un-eaten food and waste become ammonia
(also fish breathe IS ammonia)

bacteria X essentially eats ammonia
it's waste product IS NitrIte

bacteria Y essentially eats NitrIte
it's waste product IS NitrAte

certain other bacterias can eat NitrAte
and leave Nitogen Gas,
but more normally in an aquarium we control the NitrAte
by doing water changes and gravel vacuuming

Ammonia & NitIte are dangerous in tiny ammounts
6 ppm is often fatal

NitrAte is only dangerous to most fish in HUGE ammounts
probably 600 ppm or higher

(bacteria X and Y are what is in a bag
of Uncle Ned's Good dirty water...
I will entertain no further insinuations that
one must buy a refrigerated $30 bottle of whatever-the-name-is product to control Ammonia and NitIte ...
people that say this are wrong)

So a good water change and vacuuming, and a little smaller meal for the guys and gals will lower nitrate levels that have recently climbed a little? (still well within acceptable levels)