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the Devil
To beat hair algae, which I am currently in heavy combat against, I have read a *LOT* and experienced that, to beat it, you must:
1) reduce nutrients... the better skimmer you have, the less you will have. Think the largest EuroReef you can fit and afford
2) reduce phosphates... get phosphate sponge material, I think Kent makes good stuff. Run it through a cannister if you can (my next step, currently I have it in my sump in high-volume area contained in a nylon bag)
3) get an algae / lawnmower blenny... mine is obese. I'm not kidding. I think I am abusing the poor fish; he has a huuuuge gut.
4) get a zebrasoma tang... my purple and yellow and even hippo tangs go to town on this crap algae
5) set up a refugium... the more algaes that compete with hair algae, the better. Not just the coralline, but get gracilaria, sargassum, ulva, some mangrove trees, basically anything that will try to out-grow the hair algae by using the same nutrients, minerals, elements.
I used to have a veritable kelp forest of hair algae. It is at about 30% of what it once was just a month ago, and I hardly bother to remove it by hand.
Kicking off your lights won't eliminate it. Zapping phosphates, having plants compete with it, and having animals eat it will. Good luck!
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