Mature Tank?

I have had my 39 gallon tank running for about 4 months now and hadn't had much in it before besides fish. I decided recently to start a reef tank and began adding more live rock and 2 condy anemone. I think that one of the pieces of live rock i recently purchased had a bunch of inverts on it because now I am seeing a lot of feather dusters, copepods, worms in sand, snails, shrimp, and orange flatworms among other things. In your opinions, do you think this is a sign that my tank can be considered mature? I mean these things just started appearing out of nowhere! Also, I was considering getting a yellow tang because I have got quite a bit of hair algae that I have been purposely letting grow and was wondering if they will eat hair algae. Any input would be appreciated.

 

Yes all of the extras are a sign of a maturing reef. but you will need to figure out what is causing your algae. don't buy a fish that will outgrow your tank to resolve the issue temporarily.

My guess is that ur using tap water for water changes and the original fill up. Tap water contains a lot of extra nutrients and contaminents that you wouldn't want in your reef. Green hair algae loves these extras that tap water gives, especially phosphates. I would make sure your using RO (reverse osmosis) water at the very least, limit your feedings, especially if all your feeding is a clean up crew, and use good salt. With time, this should make the GHA reside.

 

Looking into getting a sixline wrasse before the falt worms take over.

 

oooooo another "quick fix" for algea, is to leave your lights out for two days. What type of lights do you have and how old are the bulbs?

 

ya and personnally i would not grow hair algae on purpose its one of the hardest algaes to get rid of the only type of animal that i have personally seen and heard that eats long hair algae is a lettuce sea slug you can try manually removing some and yes cutting the lights for a few days is a good idea i say no to the yellow tang and the reason your algae is growing is because of either; bad/old lights, high nitrates, phosphate, ph,alk

 

Maybe try an algae blenny?

~Will.

 

My old fox face would destroy long hair algea

 

noo algae blennys definatley dont but yes i have heard fox faces do

 

I wouldn't recommend getting a foxface in a 39gallon. They get too big for that tank.

 

Yup they are but if you can get one thats tiny like 1-3 inches use him to destroy the algea then sell him back