I found a lot of algae removal and nitrate removal was patience for me. I had large nitrate spikes that slowly subsided when I fed less, as well as hair algae. Try feeding less every other day, instead of every day. I also had a massive hair algae outbreak - I took a toothbrush to the rocks and brushed it all off one piece at a time, and physically removed it from the tank. It took hours and days, but eventually I got it all.
I noticed a drop in nitrates when I added lots of flow to the sump. I have the overflow going down into a refugium filled with a basketball of chaeto, and macro algaes - with two powerheads blowing it into a vortex. Then the detritus flows down and into the second chamber where the skimmer is, then out and down into the tank.
You can also check your flow. If you have a lot of dead spots, this can cause algae growth and nitrate spikes from rotting detritus. You can also consider a dead fish. I had a major spike when a turbo snail died and polluted the tank pretty well overnight.
Patience is key. If you don't have a sump, make sure to get a lot more flow so the detritus can make it's way to the skimmer, and try doing a 50% waterchange once a week.
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