OK my 2 cents. This thread looks to be dwindling but it is a great thread with a subject we all will encounter eventually.
By my own hand I created a hair algae problem. I had placed a piece of foam under my pump to quiet it down. It slowly released phosphates into the water.
I also was trying to trap a Mantis Shrimp and left my bait ( a hunk of shrimp) in too long. Suddenly HAIR ALGAE.
The outbreak was nothing like the pics others had sent up but having a tank years ago that was overrun with it I knew what lay around the corner for me.
A trip to Gerbers in Dayton, Oh. and a lengthy chat with their youngest and possibly brightest employee changed my mind from the lawnmower Blenny to a Rabbitfish (Siganus doliatus)
He sent my home with 2 Rabbitfish, 6 Conch, and a Yellow Tang that I wanted because it was pretty.
Also in my tank already are 15 turbosnails a brittle star and tens of thousands of unidentified critters.
My cleanup crew was in place.
It has been a week now and they have cleared out every form of plant life in the tank. I had several types of Algae that I wanted in there (and will grow back)
I also have a healthy growth of calurpa in my fuge and dropped one of the wife kneehighs loaded with a phosphate remover in my main overflow.
I can tell you honestly that the Rabbitfish and Conch WILL eat every bit of algae in your tank.
One note: They didn't seem to like the hair algae if it is too long so I removed rocks with the longest growth on them, scrubbed them with a brush and rinsed them under tank water that I discarded afterward.
I never really let it get out of hand but as you can see in the pic that crew mowed down to the stalk all algae in there.
Good luck with your endeavors!
Jeff