Hair Algea out of control - Help

[lv-reefer]

I've had my tank running for almost a year now and I've had major green hair algea plague. I've tried numerous stragedy's of ridding it and it keeps coming back. My phosphate level is fairly low, I'm running 4 VHO's, 2 whites, 2 atinic's (and that's reduced from 6 bulbs) I had to move the tank once and at that time, I scrubbed every piece of live rock and manualy removed as much as I could and now it's been about 2 months and it's all back. It's all over every piece of live rock, covers all the sand, power heads, back of the tank, snails, crabs, it's on everything.
The only corals I have is a branching hammerhead, alacapora, 2 rocks covered with zoos and 2 ricordea mushrooms.
I was thinking of taking the hammerhead and alacapora back to my lfs and getting just normal flourescent bulbs and taking out the VHO's. Also taking all the rock out and putting it in a tub with no light for a few weeks to kill off all the Algea.
Will my Zoos and Ricrodea be ok under normal basic fish bulbs? I've read that they don't require lot's of light.
What do you guys think? any suggestions?
I use RO/DI water for top off and the VHO bulbs are fairly new. Should I just go with 2 VHO bulbs?
I mainly just want the Zoo's to spread over the live rock, so the only thing I really want to keep is Zoo's and probably mushrooms and not green hair algea.
PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[g-dude]

What kind of clean up crew do you have? Please list it for us.

 

[who dey]

what do you mean by your phosphate is low? # ? what is your lighting cycle what brand of test kit are you using for phos

 

[murph145]

if you have any phosphates then you have anough for nuiscance algae to thrive.... they live off of the extra nutrients in the water.... i had a level of between .1-.2 and i had some algae break outs....
i used the phos sponge and its coming down i also added more to my clean up crew doubled my snails from 5 turbos to 10 of them and added some more hermits and a couple peppermint shrimps.....
that should make a difference .... to lower phosphates make sure to do your water changes in a timely manner..... i do 10 gallons every 2 weeks

 

[lv-reefer]

Ok, here is my answers.
I use Salifert test kits, P04 tests between .1 and .2. I have used Kents Phosphate sponge. I change 20 gallons of water once a month using Oceanic Salt, my light period is 5 hours from 2pm to 7pm. I have 5 emerald crabs, 1 pepermint shrimp, probably 10 red footed scarlet hermits, some turbos, nassarius, mexican snails, probably 20 snails total. Nothing will eat the long hair algea. It's not Biopsis, I have seen the emerald crabs eat it, but they will only eat the shorter stuff. I will take a pic and post it later.
If I only want to keep Zoos and mushrooms, can I get away with just running standard flourcent fish bulbs?
Do you think the intense VHO's are adding to the problem?
Everything is fine and doing well, but I would rather look at Coraline algea on the live rocks rather than green hair algea.

 

[loon]

I don't think it is your VHO's, I run 4 of them over my 55. I have them on 10 hours a day, and have never (knock on wood) had a hair algae problem. I do regular water changes on have rowaphos in the tank (the best for phosphate IMO). Phosphate test kits don't give you the whole story, especially with all the hair algae, it is using it so it won't read on the test. Try cutting back your lighting time and I would suggest Rowaphos for phosphate removal.