Nitrogen Cycle

[pREEFERed]

I have 90lbs of BRS reef saver and another 15lbs of fiji and DSB in my DT, 5lbs of fiji in my sump/refugium.

I just watched the BRS video (http://youtu.be/KtbsCPlBnQg?list=UUc...vg8NwXIxydJ86A) regarding the capacity of the various rock they sell, and include Marine Pure in their tests.

At 3:34 of the video Ryan starts to discuss the internal pore network of the samples and how beneficial it is for anaerobic bacteria to proliferate and turn nitrate into nitrogen gas...

I don't have much of a bioload (none, really) since my tank just finished its cycle, but I do ghost feed the tank every few days to keep the bacteria fed. My nitrate is at 5ppm, but it is decreasing.

Also, I have a small baseball-sized amount of chaeto in my refugium at the moment, its has only been in there for about 5 days, but it is starting to turn white and fall apart. My system probably just doesn't have enough nutrients for the chaeto to absorb causing it to deteriorate... this led me to try to find another way to extract nitrates from the system.

I am wondering if it would be beneficial to add Marine Pure sphere biomedia to the sump area in mesh filter bags in order to increase the surface area for anaerobic bacteria to process nitrogen? Based on the video, all signs point to "Yes", but since I am still a novice in this hobby I thought I would run it across the experts since I wouldn't be adding the biomedia to a wet/dry filter, just submerge the media in water in the sump.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Don't know how old the tank is but yes, if its just starting out, you want to keep feeding the tank, you want an abundance of bacteria when its time to add fish. My advise is to put a jumbo shrimp, grocery store shrimp, into a net and lay it in the tank water, the net will keep all the yuckys in place as it deteriorates. this will feed the tank through the cycle, and you will be more than set at the end of it.
As for your Chaeto, its dieing because it has no nutrients to feed upon. Do you have a good light on it?
I'd not put any biomedia into the sump, no need to. You don't need anymore surface area, you have rock for that.
Wait out the cycle, 4-6 weeks, and your all set for your CUC and a fish at that point, wait a couple of weeks for that to settle in, and then populate your tank.