The trouble with algae...

[xerxeswasachump]

Hey i recently stopped using CO2 in my planted tank. Almost immdiately there was a surge in all kinds of algae, including hair alge. Since i am not using co2 i scaled back my lighting and now i just use 2 55watt power compact bulbs. I have been trying to get a colony of japonica shrimp in there to clean up the mess, but they just hide and don't touch the hair algae. I also have 3 oto cats in there, but they dont seem interested in it either. I know SAEs will work but i am hesitant to use them because i have seen them kill and eat shrimp.
Anyone else have any creative solutions?
Also, lots of my plants are dying back, except the red tiger lotus, that stuff is invincible. All of my foreground plants are completely dead too. is this die-off just temporary? or will i have to get used to have just red tiger lotus as the only plant? I figure with 2.5 wpg i would still be ok. I knew the plant growth would slow but not that stuff would actually die off.
I have recently started using Fluorish Excel as i have hear it has an algicide in it and will also help plant growth. I have halted all of my previous fertilization (flourish, flourish trace) because i thought it would just feed the algae.
I do weekly water changes and while i had my nitrates under control for a while, they have begun to rise again.
Please check my signature for tank stocking...

[Damon]

OK I'll take these issues as I remember them..........

Livebearers love hair algae.....

Cutting off the Co2 was not a good idea. Scaling it back slowly over time would have prevented your outbreak (though I am surprised you got hair algae vs bba or staghorn).

The plant die-off is mostly temporary. They will adapt, albeit slowly.

For the mean time, manually remove all the algae you can. Prune infected plant leaves. Turn over gravel with algae on it. Then do a LARGE waterchange (Like 60-70%).

Do weekly 25% waterchanges and keep removing all the algae you see.

Thats a start.

[xerxeswasachump]

Ok, will do thanks.

Also, i read that UV sterilizers are bad for planted tanks because they can oxidize trace elements. Has anyone seen any indication of this being the case?

[Giddy012]

I had really good results using RO water to get rid of my algae problem. I have been doing half tap/half RO water for all my water changes for over a month now, and there is only a litle bit of hair algae left.

[xerxeswasachump]

I have an RO unit and do use it whenever possible. However, i have a feeling the membrane needs to be changed. I have incredibly hard water where i live and i think the membrane just got clobbered.