Problems with my new freshwater tank

[Gregpetro]

I'll start by saying I have had a successful 13.5 gallon reef and fish tank for about 2 hand a half years now. My wife wanted a beta fish so I figured hell I can keep a reef tank how hard can it be. It's a 2.5 gallon tank up for 3 months and its planted. Plants are growing great and the beta is doing great but the brown hair algae is going crazy. See attached picture. I'll suck it out with a water change and 2 days later back to looking like the picture. Any ideas how to fix this or what I'm doing wrong.

 

[Robertellis30]

Had the issue before. I changed my lighting and also thew some Chinese algae eaters in my 10gal planted tanked. Took care of it.

 

[fermentedhiker]

Either reduce your light intensity or shorten how long they are on. Without adding CO2 higher plants run out of steam in terms of nutrient uptake but algae can keep going as it's requirements are less stringent.

 

[Gregpetro]

Had the issue before. I changed my lighting and also thew some Chinese algae eaters in my 10gal planted tanked. Took care of it.

What was the issue with your old lighting.

 

[Robertellis30]

It was an old ecoexotic saltwater spec light I had years ago. I ended up switching to this