Yeah it can be pretty hard to get a siphon going in a sump when its only like 16" or so difference in gravity. You could hook the hose up to a pump and have the pump in a bucket. The only thing there is any large particulates might not be so pleasant for the pump impeller.
A 100 micron filter sock on your sump intake might help with the particulate buildup but again, that would have to be changed fairly often to prevent nitrate buildup (I change mine every 5-7 days).
You might also want to try an urchin for the hair algae, I've had success with them in the past, and you don't have to ship them off to the next customer after the hair algae is gone, like you do with the sea hares.
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