Brown/Hair Algea

Let me just say Happy 4th to everyone! ;D
Thanks for the cool new smileys Matt!
I am having the worst algae bloom ever!
I have been reaping as much of the stuff as possible by hand. I have done water changes so much that I wonder if that can't be fueling it.( I use reef crystals). I only use distilled water in the tank. Phosphate is testing out at 0.2(on a red sea test kit) which seems to be quite low. I use a blue bonded pad to clean the algae from the tank glass. I have been changing/rinsing out filter pads so often that my wife thinks I have finally succumb to some reef disorder where I need to track water all over the house. All other tank tests come out great so what else can I do? Stressed out by algea please help!!! :'(

 

how old is the tank??

 

I put the first fish in on 03/26/03 so.. a little over a year now
I have had blooms but nothing like this before?

 

do you use di or ro water? remember just because phosphates don't test high doesn't mean you don't have any, the algae are using phos for food so they may test low even though you may have enough to grow algae. what is your lighting?

 

I have never used any water but distilled I buy it in bulk by the gallon as for lights I'm using 220 watts of compact fluorescents the bulbs are under 6 months old?
2 10,000k and 2 true actinics

 

what are your water change regiments? how long are the lights on also? sorry for asking so many questions but i know algae is a pain in the a$$ and i really want to help.

 

i will say that i have never been a reef crystals fan, but that is probably not the problem, what is your ph also, i keep mine a little on the high side.(8.5 on a ph monitor, it seem to help keep the algae down a bit) also what is the temp of the tank, high temps grow algae like crazy, and it doesn't need to be real high 80 or above will make a difference. feeding will also, i feed my reef 3 times a week and only once on those days. what kind of skimmer do you have, imho skimmers make a real difference as they take out organics before they can become algae food. i know some will disagree but i really think uv sterilizers make a difference also(i did not used to think this, but a problem in my reef 3 years ago was imo cured by a uv)

 

I use B-inonic and it keeps every thing perfect for me.
my last tests were
P.H. 8.2
Ca. 400
Alk. 4.0
I recommend this stuff it's great I have a 55 gal tank and I use just under 15 ML. of each component each day I started with 15 ML. but sometimes the ALK. would hit 4.5 so that small drop and it cured that sometimes my Ca. will come out at 390-395 but I felt that that was better than the other.
So I would't want to mess with my P.H.
My temp hits 80'F at the end of the day (because of the lights I think) Through the night though it returns to 78'F.
I do not use a U.V. unit I heard they possibly kill as many good things as they do bad but I'm getting to the point where I thinking of tring it.
Has any body ever tried using the red/hair algae pad from the L.F.S.? Do they work? thanks da_colts

 

Oh yeah I've tested my Phosphates too there 0.2 which is the lowest on the scale on the test above 0
I use only distilled water and that tests out at 0.2 also?
but that is quite low. Right? here is a pick of the aforementioned pads

 

Calling all mods! Any ideas on this one Really I'll try any thing! I would rather try the pads then hook up a U.V. but does any body have any knowledge about them. (Are they really reef safe)? Is there any thing else I can try?
I have gotten like six huge Mexican turbos and they have mowed alot, but not enough. My wife says buy more, but they are so big!!! I have been manually pulling the hair algae out but I have alot of hameldia thats covered in hair algae should I rip that out too?