TPF's Reef Edutank (PLEASE HELP!)

I figure its a bit early to start talking about this but hey. A while back some of you may remember me wanting a tank in a classroom. Now that dream is a reality, I found the perfect tank on CL and jumped. The tank is a 50 gallon Tenecor AIO with the back chamber that will be converted into a refugium. The tank will (hopefully) be lit by a ReefTechPros LED. Various graciously donated LPS and soft corals will be added.

The stocking will be as follows:
1 Longnose Hawk
1 Banded Sleeper Goby
Pair of Percs (NO KIDS, NOT "NEMO FISH" :)

Corals will include GSP, various soft "tree" like corals, all types of euphyllia, anthelia and mushrooms.

Inverts will include a (large) cleaner shrimp and basic CUC.

Hopefully I can get some better pics up later, but for now:

 

This brings me neatly to my first question: will fully submersed bioballs collect nitrifying bacteria? I have them in a HOB filter in my main tank in an attempt to collect some bacteria for this tank but they are fully underwater.


By now I know what you're saying, let the cycle do its thing but I'd still like some fish in there.

 

Please dont put a yellow tang in a 50G aquarium....thats like making you live your life inside a small bodied van...

 

Bump

 

Bump, cleaned it out.

 

Cleaned it out.

 

Wow that cleaned up nice! Yes they will collect bacteria. Personally though I wouldn't use bio balls. You'll have to remove them occasionally to clean them. Kind of a pain ya know. I'd go for something more porous.