Hair algea everywhere!

I know you all have heard this song and dance before but... here goes.

The past two or so months I've been battling hair algea. I don't have a PO4 test kit but I'm sure this is the reason because there are zero nitrates in the tank. (by the way I haven't done a water change in about 5 months)
Otty will be coming over this weekend to help me install my closed loop set up. To do this we're going to have to move some rocks around in the tank. My question is this, is it going to get rid of the problem if I scrub all of the algea off of the rocks and rinse them in salt water along with doing several large water changes? Oppinions are welcome....

 

algae spores live in rock for something like 7yrs.all you have to do is give them the right conditions to grow and have to small of a clean up crew and you'll have algae.i've pulled out large clumps of algae before to help the cleanup crew but i've never though of scrubbing as a good idea.

 

I guess my thinking was though scrubbing it off or pulling it of would get rid of the current growth and the water changes should take away it's "food" so it can't regrow.

 

Those water changes a good idea.

 

I would pull off as much of the long stuff as possible and let snails and hermits get the rest. I wouldn't bother scrubbing the rock because as has been mentioned, it won't help to remove what's causing the algae in the first place

 

Here's my method.
Remove nitrate/phosphate sources (phosban reactor, water changes, better skimming, ozone, etc)
Manually remove hair algae.
Repeat until you get it under control.
After 6 months of battling, I don't have an ounce of hair algae in my tank now and I added a phosban reactor, increased flow and manually kept removing it.

 

Does anyone have a basic formula for a cleaning crew that you'd recommend? ie what number of what hermit crabs and what snails per gallon

 

I've heard 2-3 per gallon of water. I have 160+ in my 55 and they keep it nice and clean

 

all different kinds though, cause they all like different foods. some love pizza some don't, most love green beans, most don't like anchovies...get what I mean?

 

I have a Skopas Tang & a Coral Beauty with 3 Hermets & no snails.Haven't had any hair algae for 18 months.