algae isnt bad in small amounts but if your not growing organic and you want to be sterile , you cant beat the wonderous powers of h2o2 50% @ 1ml/l or 35% @ 1.7 ml/l every 2 to 3 days......pathogens dont stand a chance, and will never get hold in your garden. and yes you can cover the top of the rw with panda fil or whatever you have. hygrozyme is wonderfull stuff also.