My BioCube is being overtaken by Green Hair Algae and I can't seem to do anything about it. I tested phosphates and nitrate, which is apparently the two things that encourage the algae to grow.... Well: my phosphates are testing at about 0 and so are my nitrates, so I did research and apparently the algae can "lock" up all those levels so they test at zero, but are actually quite high.... I don't overfeed, I'm trying to cut back on lighting (without stressing my corals) and still have algae spreading like wildfire... I only use RO/DI water for topoffs and I honestly don't know what else to do! Is there a critter that will eat all this junk for me? (not a lawnmower blenny... no more of those- he killed my mandarin and then commited suicide) Anybody have any ideas?

The key to fighting hair algae is nutrient control. They are spreading throughout your tanks like wildfire because there's an abundant amount of food for them to consume. Not to mention the fact that they are photosynthetic and your tank has a lighting system.

Take out your pumps, protein skimmer and every other mechanical item you have in your tank and clean them all. Remove as much uneaten food, fish waste and detritus from your tank as possible. While battling green hair algae it is important that you lower your feedings. Fish food and fish waste contribute greatly to phosphates and nitrates.

I am dealing with it in my salt tank as well. I have cut the lighting back, cut the feedings back, Doing regular water changes and to help reduce the algae i get a glass of fresh water and a glass that is empty, and started picking the algae out. The way this is done is you pick a clump put the clump in the empty glass and rinse your fingers in the fresh water glass b4 going back in for another pinch. You do not want any to float around in the tank because it can reattach else were and start a new clump of algae. this is a quick way to reduce the appearance of the algae but if you do not get your levels down it will keep coming back. hop this helps some,(if you still have this problem ) good luck!

Man.. its been aLOOONG TIME,WADUP YALL.
anywayz to get to biz, you asked if there were things that eat hair algae? yup. i was havin a prob with it after getting some new rocks and needing new bulbs, had a cyano outbreak at the same time....if you dont have any id def recommend some astrea snails, stay small so they can get almost everywhere. They wont tackle the long hair but they will keep the short algae that you cant got or dont see to a minimum. i have about 7 in my 55 along with my big zebra turbo. I also picked up a sea bunny(cuz they stay fairly small) and i aquired a longspine urchin. i did also get a lawnmower blenny but all the blennies are algae eaters so you dont have to get a lawnmower specifically, they just do a good job. ironically my spotted mandarin runs my tank lol and he's in there with a maroon and a pink bar goby/tiger pistol. emerald crabs are also algae eaters. If youve reduced your nutrients in the water, and your lighting is fine and youve cleaned your equip.(skimmer filter/ replace media) then just pick up what i call an algae cleaner crew and just stay on top of it. Once you get the levels down in your tank and basically stop feeding the algae, it wont take long b-4 its gone.

if you have HA you have nitrates the reason it tests 0 is because the Algae is consuming it. like said above you need to find out where its coming from. what kind of filtration are you using?

Why get rid of it? It's excellent nutrient export.

I only run my lights from about 3pm until 10pm now (did have them on from 6:30 am-10pm)....removed the dirty cartridges from my HOB filter (now have nothing in there except some LR rubble) and continue doing 10% one week and 25% the next week water changes with a siphon hose that I pluch the algae and suction it out as I am exporting my dirty water.

I have a few cell phone pics that I might put up later.