I know for most people it isn't a big deal but I don't like algae
in my tank and for me...

It's not just you. Most people hate algae in the tank.

That way I can run the lights more than 8 hours a day
and I don't have to spend an hour scraping the sides of the tank every other
week.

Most people don't have UV sterilizers and don't have to spend an hour scraping
the tank, either. If your tank is in balance, your algae problems should be
minimal.

And you should have your lights on more than eight hours a day. Aquarium
plants generally need a 12 hour day. You should not go below 10 hours. Too
short a photo period can actually help algae, since the plants won't be growing
as well as they should.



Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/