Hi all,

I figured I'd ask this question here since I took some advice from a thread here while preparing my substrate. Monday afternoon I setup my 10 gallon tank, and did a fancy setup with my substrate. Per another thread here, I used 1/2" of boiled soil, flourite and layed out some sandy areas that will not be planted. I treated my water with the chlorine stuff and filled 'er up to get the filter going and get the water temp stable.

Today I stopped home for lunch (I'm waiting for gobs of plants to arrive throughout this week), and I notice the water color is turning yellowish green. I turn the light on, and sure enough, it's looking yellow. I have nothing in the tank except for my substrate concoction and lights are off for now. I won't have fish for at least 8 weeks or better, until I have my tank heavily planted, and the plants get established.

Am I getting some kind of nasty algae going already because of the nutrients in the soil?

I know I can do a water change, and I do have an unused charcoal pad for my filter (eheim ecco 2232), but what SHOULD I be doing otherwise? I imagine it will be a another day at LEAST, until I get some plants in there (that's if they survive shipping in the cold) and get the co2 on. With any other situation, I would tear it apart, rinse everything and start over, but I have ALOT of work into my tank layout so far, and doing that would be heartbreaking, and I wouldn't have a place for plants when they arrive.

Have I started my algae battle early?

Any advice would be appreciated! I never expected this, since the tank is in the basement, no lights, blah blah blah. I thought I was doing the right thing by getting things stable before the plants come.