Lighting During Initial Cycle

[wsboyette]

I've run into conflicting instructions regarding lighting during the initial tank cycle; some say run the lights, some say do not run lights - which is correct ? I started out with lights on and golden brown algae began to grow on the rock & sand, so I've shut down lighting for the remainder of the cycle to see if that will inhibit the algae growth. I assume that the algae that began to establish itself is an undesirable kind ?

 

[ErinCahir]

The algae that you are seeing is diatoms. It will go away on it's own once all the silicates in the water have been used up.

It doesn't matter one way or the other if you run your lights or not.

 

[Smitty]

+1 Erin...it's personal preference really.

 

[wsboyette]

Now that I think of it, many many years ago, this happened during the previous setup of this aquarium, under a measly 40 watts of light. Now I have 175 watts MH + 80 watts Actinic.....