Algae becoming a total drag please help :(

[Sandra the fish rookie]

I am trying my best to get this algae under control. I go in and manually remove or trim off leaves with algae I lowered my lights etc.. I do water changes every 2 weeks and fertilize per the instructions on the ACO Easy green and Iron (to help my red plants). I have a lot of fish in there (guppy babies). I have an air stone in one corner, and a sponge filter on the other corner AND a HOB so I honestly feel flow is not the issue. 

I check chemistry often (due to load). Once the some of the guppy babies get large enough I will move some to the 40 gallon to continue to grow out. 

I have the easy carbon as well that I am using. The new growth does not seem to have any algae but I want this stuff to GO AWAY already.

Tank age set up Dec 2020. 

Lights: Hyggar on a Kasa timer (I don't know what the intensity is it goes from bright to low light). 

Schedule On 9 - 1130 am then On 3-10 pm

See pics below. Any advise is welcomed and appreciated. 

[Cory]

I'd add a siamese algae eater to work on the black beard and hair algaes.  Then some crushed coral to raise the pH and wait a few months. Also I'd change water less or add more Easy green. you want nitrates to always be 20ppm so the plants don't run out of food.

[lefty o]

id probably knock another hour off the lighting.

Edited June 7, 2021 by lefty o

[Sandra the fish rookie]

@Cory & @lefty o I just had to clean my HOB because it was not clearing floating debris. Prior to that my nitrates were higher (25 ppm). I have 2 Ottos in the 40 gallon and 3 more in the QT tank to add to the 40 G. I am trying to get more otto's but they are not easy to come by. With the TON of guppies in my 20G high would a Siamese algae eater get too large? I currently put 2 pumps of easy green. How much more should I add per week?

Do I add crushed coral to the substrate? How much do I add for a 20G high?

I just checked my PH again using the API test kit (for fun) see results below. 

[DaveO]

The above-mentioned advice is solid. In addition I would add ramshorn or bladder snails. Try not to over feed.