Help!

[-billabong-]

I've just returned home from university to find my tank full of green hair algae. All the plants are completely covered and its formed a layer a few inches thick across the surface. It resembles the blanket weed commonly found in ponds.
Anyone got any ideas or solutions

 

[aaronnorth]

link in sig if that helps. Wipe as much off as you can then do a large 50% water change, keep removing as much as possible, it usually goes away, seachem excell is said to get rid of hair algae.