I know everyone's been saying that it doesn't make a difference if you cut back the light cycle, but I disagree to some extent. The algae that comes with new tanks (i.e. diatoms or slime algae) is ugly, and whatever you can do to enjoy your tank a little more helps... I think if you have some nice looking macro algae growing in the tank or better yet in a refugeum then you'll have a "less ugly" tank.

I just finished cycling my tank with #1 of two rock shipments, and there was a very minimal diatom bloom. I only had the lights in the tank for 5 hours/day. Now I've got some chaeto growing in the refugium (lights on 24 hours/day) and the diatom bloom is already over (at least it has been disappearing due to hermits and snails; sometimes you can't always tell with a new tank!)

I guess my point is: you will get algae with a new tank, but how you choose to use/deal with it is up to you! I prefer to have a clean look as much as possible.

Matt