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low nitrate/phosphate = Hair Algae galore....what gives?



Hello Everyone:

	I have been a long time lurker but I thought I would come out of hiding
with this one.  I have two 10g tanks setup to breed (anyone...anyone)
Apistogramma.  I keep these tanks well planted with Crypts, Java Fern, and
Java Moss to provide hiding places and to improve the general health and
well being of my fish.  These tanks are setup in a waterfall fashion with
the overflow from the top feeding the lower and the overflow from the lower
returning to a homemade sump.  Total volume of the system is 26.5g.  These
tanks get 5g (r.o. filtered over peat) water changes twice a week. (2g
evaporation 3g removed.)  I've had a MAJOR outbreak of hair algae.  I
thought maybe I had been overfeeding so I did a test 0 Phosphate 0-20
Nitrate (hate those dry-tab colour charts).  What gives?  I dose with Kent
freshwater plant micronutrient + iron just to keep the Nitrate as close as
possible to 0 and to provide micronutrients.  These tanks have been stable
for at least 6 months.  Any ideas on what I'm overlooking.

Nitrate 0-20ppm
Phosphate  0ppm
Total hardness 10-20ppm
pH  5.5-6.5

Thanks

Kevin a.k.a. ApistoFreak