Aquarium Plants Turning Brown? (Causes and Fixes)

It’s very frustrating when you see your aquarium plants turning brown.

Worse, you don’t even know what causes this problem.

No worries.

In this blog post, I will tell you the common reasons that cause the leaves of the aquarium plant to turn brown.

I will also give you solutions to fix the problem.

The most common cause of aquarium plants turning brown is that the plant is not getting all the essential micro and macronutrients. Other common causes include improper lighting, improper placement of the plants, and poor water quality. Providing fertilizers, proper lighting, and keeping up with the regular maintenance of the tank can help the plants return to their original color.

This was the short answer. Now let’s see in detail why aquarium plants turn brown and how you can fix it.

Table of Contents

Why do aquarium plants turn brown?

There are several reasons aquarium plants can turn brown. We are going to talk about each of the reasons below.

Phosphate deficiency

Live aquarium plants need micronutrients and macronutrients for their proper growth and development.

When the plants don’t get all the essential nutrients, you will start to see issues with them.

Particularly if you are noticing that the leaves of your aquarium plants are turning brown, then it is likely that your aquarium plants are not getting sufficient phosphate.

Phosphate is a macronutrient that live aquarium plants need in large quantities.

Usually, phosphate deficiency is not very common because plants can get phosphate from flake food that you feed to your fish.

However, if you are not feeding flake food or if you are using a phosphate absorbing pad then your fish tank will not have sufficient phosphate for the plants, and this can result in phosphate deficiency in your live aquarium plants.

Potassium deficiency

Potassium deficiency also results in brown circular patches around pinholes in the leaves of live aquarium plants.

The potassium requirements for live aquarium plants differ.

For example, live aquarium plants such as Java fern and Anubias need more potassium, so potassium deficiency is more common in such plants.

If you are particularly seeing that the leaves of your aquarium plants have pinholes on them and there is a brown rim around the pinholes, then it is a clear sign that your aquarium plants are suffering from potassium deficiency.

And in this case, you will need to add potassium-specific fertilizers in your aquarium.

Carbon deficiency

Plants need a lot of carbon to grow properly.

And when there is a carbon deficiency, you will start to see issues with your plant, such as your plant starting to turn yellow or brown and your plant growing very slowly.

That’s why supplementing your plans with fertilizers that are rich in CO2 is essential.

If you are injecting CO2 into your aquarium, then you should always monitor the CO2 levels in your aquarium.

If you have a heavily planted tank, then the CO2 levels in your aquarium should be between 20 to 30 mg/l.

And you should continuously monitor the CO2 levels in your aquarium using a drop checker. You should regularly change the fluid in the drop checker to make sure that it is working properly and giving you the correct reading.

Ideally, you should change the indicator fluid every 4 to 6 weeks.

Plants are not getting sufficient light

Live aquarium plants need light for the process of photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis is basically the process by which live aquarium plants create their own food.

That’s why proper lighting is essential for the proper growth and development of your live aquarium plants.

When the plants are not getting sufficient light, they will start to turn brown.

On the other hand, when the plants get more lighting than is necessary, they will start turning brown.

Now you will also need to make sure that you are providing the ideal lighting conditions for the live aquarium plants in your tank.

Because each species of live aquarium plant has its own lighting requirement.

That’s why it is very important to do research about the live aquarium plants that you already have in your aquarium and make sure to provide the ideal lighting conditions.

Generally speaking, live aquarium plants are divided into three categories

Easy
Medium
High

Easy live aquarium plants

The live aquarium plants that come under the easy category usually require low lighting conditions of 10 to 20 lumens per liter of water.

Medium live aquarium plants

The live aquarium plants that come under the medium category need moderate lighting conditions of anywhere between 20-40 lumens per liter of water.

High live aquarium plants

The plants that fall under the high difficulty category usually need more than 40 lumens per liter of water.

I recommend this aquarium light because you can adjust the intensity of the light in it.

Not planting the plants properly

There are different types of aquarium plants, such as stem plants and rhizome plants.

And depending on the plant, it needs to be planted a little differently.

Planting stem plants

To plant stem plants, you will need to simply bury the roots of the plant into the substrate.

Planting rhizome plants

When planting rhizome plants, you will need to be cautious not to bury the rhizome beneath the substrate. And you just need to bury the roots of the plants into the substrate.

This is important because if you bury the rhizome of the plant, it will rot into the substrate, which can lead to the browning of your aquarium plants.

Putting the live plants in the wrong place

There are several different types of live aquarium plants that can grow to different sizes.

And generally, you will need to plant the live aquarium plants according to their size and lighting requirements.

To avoid having any large aquarium plants obscure them, you should place the live aquarium plants that grow short, like anubias, in the foreground of your aquarium.

On the other hand, you should plant tall-growing aquarium plants at the back of your tank so that they won’t hide any smaller plants and so that the shorter plants can get sufficient light.

And as we discussed earlier, it is essential for live aquarium plants to get sufficient light, or else they will start to turn brown.

Furthermore, if you have heavy root feeder aquarium plants in your tank, you should leave some space between them when planting so that they do not compete for nutrients from the substrate.

Not planting the plant in the ideal substrate

There are a lot of plants that don’t have any specific requirements, and you can plant them in any substrate, whether that is sand or gravel.

However, there are some demanding plants that need specific substrates. For example, there are some plants that only do well in sand and others in a nutrient-rich substrate.

Usually, the plants that need a lot of nutrients to grow in an aquarium should be planted in a nutrient-rich substrate.

So you should do research about the plants in your aquarium, and you should make sure to provide them with the ideal substrate that they need to grow in an aquarium.

Your fish tank water is not ideal for the plant

Each live aquarium plant has specific water parameters requirements for proper growth and development.

When these specific water parameter requirements are not properly met, the live aquarium plants will start to show issues, such as starting to turn brown.

Each plant needs a specific water temperature and pH for proper growth and development.

So you should do some research about the live aquarium plants you have in your aquarium, and you should make sure to provide the plants with the ideal water temperature and pH.

Though live aquarium plants absorb ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate as fertilizers, when your aquarium water contains a lot of these toxins, it can actually harm your live aquarium plants.

Furthermore, high levels of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are poisonous to the fish in your aquarium. That is why it is critical that your aquarium has no ammonia or nitrites and that the nitrates are less than 40 PPM.

To make sure that your aquarium doesn’t contain any ammonia or nitrite, you should cycle your aquarium.

And to keep the nitrate level low, you should do a partial water change on a weekly basis.

Live aquarium plants need some time to adjust to the aquarium water

If you have planted some new live aquarium plants in your tank and notice that they are turning brown, it is possible that the plants simply need more time to adjust to their new environment.

The problem is that new live aquarium plants were previously grown in a different environment.

When you put such plants in your aquarium, they need time to adjust to their new surroundings.

And in this process, the new live aquarium plants’ leaves will start to melt, and they may die.

This is completely normal!

Because here what is happening is that the plant is getting rid of the old leaves that are used to the old environment or water, and the new leaves that will come out once the old leaves are melted or died will be compatible with your aquarium water and will do just fine.

So, if you recently planted some new live aquarium plants in your tank and they are turning brown, all you need to do is be patient and remove the old melted leaves; as new leaves grow, they will be healthy, green, and lush.

Your fish tank is new

If you have recently set up your aquarium with live aquarium plants and are seeing brown stuff on your live aquarium plants, then this brown stuff could be brown algae or diatom algae.

It is very common to see brown algae or diatom algae in a newly set up fish tank.

And in this case, you don’t need to do anything because, usually, the brown goes on its own as your fish tank matures.

However, if you are cleaning your fish tank, you can remove some of the brown algae from your aquarium plants by gently wiping the brown algae with your hands while doing your weekly water change.

Inhabitants in your tank consuming your plants and harming

There are several aquarium fish, such as goldfish, danio, barbs, mollies, and silver dollars, that like to munch on live aquarium plants.

Now, a little munching here and there will not cause any issues to your live aquarium plants.

But if the fish are consuming a larger portion of the plants, your plants can suffer.

So if you are not seeing your aquarium plants turning brown because the inhabitants in your fish tank are consuming a lot of live aquarium plants, then in that case, providing them with sufficient commercially produced foods like flake food or pellet food may stop them from consuming the live aquarium plants.

Aquarium plant diseases and pests

Aquarium plant diseases such as bacterial infections and fin rot can cause the browning of your aquarium plants.

So you should check to see if your plants are suffering from any sort of disease.

Besides that, pests like snails and shrimp can also harm your aquarium plants, which can result in browning.

Over-pruning the live plants

Pruning your live aquarium plants regularly is essential to maintaining their ideal shape and health.

However, if you over-prune your live aquarium plants, then the plants will not have sufficient leaves to prepare their own food through the process of photosynthesis and sustain themselves.

That’s why when you are pruning your live aquarium plants, you should not overdo it and only prune your live aquarium plants to maintain their shape.

Your fish tank has not cycled

If you have just set up your aquarium and added live aquarium plants, and if the fish tank is not already cycled, this can cause some of the delicate live aquarium plants to turn brown.

The reason behind this is that when a fish tank is not cycled, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels fluctuate drastically.

And some delicate live aquarium plants may not be able to handle such fluctuations and turn brown.

How to revive brown aquarium plants to their original color

In this section, I will tell you how to restore your brown aquarium plants to their original shape after you have identified the underlying cause of their browning.

Plant the live aquarium plants properly

If the live aquarium plants in your tank turned brown due to improper planting, replanting them properly will help them return to their original color.

Basically, there are different types of live aquarium plants that need to be planted differently.

Planting rhizome plant

Rhizome plants are plants that have rhizomes. Anubias is an example of a rhizome plant.

When you want to plant a rhizome plant, you need to make sure to only bury the roots of the plant into the substrate of your aquarium.

Besides that, you can also attach a rhizome plant to any ornament in your tank, like driftwood or rock, using aquarium-safe glue or thread.

Planting stem plant

If the live aquarium stem plant you have grows roots, then you should just bury the roots of the plant into the substrate of your aquarium.

If you are planting a stem plant that doesn’t actually grow roots, for example, Java fern, then you can simply bury about one and a half inches of its lower stem into the substrate to plant it in your aquarium.

Planting rosette plants

There are several popular rosette plants, such as Amazon sword, that you can keep in your fish tank.

When planting a rosette plant, you just need to bury the roots of the plant into the substrate.

Provide the ideal lighting to the live plants

Each species of live aquarium plant has some lighting requirements.

Some species of live aquarium plants are more strict when it comes to lighting than others.

That’s why you need to do some research about the live aquarium plants in your tank and make sure to provide them with the ideal lighting conditions.

If you don’t already have it, you should get an aquarium light that has an adjustable brightness level so you can adjust the brightness according to your plants’ needs.

Add fertilizers and/or CO2 to provide the essential nutrients to the plants

Aquarium plants need various nutrients for their proper growth and development.

And if the plants are not getting all the essential nutrients, they may start turning brown.

That’s why it is essential to provide all the essential nutrients to your live aquarium plants.

Live aquarium plants need macronutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium.

And they need these nutrients in larger quantities.

Also, plants need micronutrients such as manganese, iron, and boron in small amounts.

To provide all these nutrients to your live aquarium plants, you will need to use a fertilizer that contains all of these nutrients.

You can use a fertilizer like this that contains all the essential micronutrients and macronutrients that plants need for their proper growth and development.

And you should add the liquid fertilizer after doing a water change.

Now, most live aquarium plants can absorb nutrients through their leaves, so supplementing them with liquid fertilizers is generally sufficient.

However, if you have some heavy root feeder aquarium plants that take most of their nutrients from their roots, such as Amazon sword, then, in that case, to provide them with all the nutrients, you will need to provide them with nutrients using root tabs.

Besides, if you can, you should plant the heavy root feeder aquarium plants in a nutrient-rich substrate so that they can get a lot of nutrients through their roots.

There are some live aquarium plants that are more demanding and may need additional CO2 injection in your aquarium for them to do well.

So if you have such plans in your tank, then you should add additional CO2 in your aquarium.

Keep up with the regular maintenance of your fish tank

Though plants can absorb ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates and use them as food, if your fish tank contains a lot of them, your aquarium plants will be unable to keep up, and it may even harm your aquarium plants.

That’s why you will always need to make sure that your fish tank doesn’t contain any ammonia or nitrite. And the nitrate level in your fish tank is below 40 PPM.

If you are seeing ammonia and nitrite in your fish tank, then this is a sign that your tank is not properly cycled.

And to get rid of the ammonia and nitrite, you will need to cycle your fish tank properly.

Here are different ways to cycle your fish tank.

Nitrate levels in your fish tank should ideally not exceed 40 PPM because nitrates at that level are not only lethal to the aquarium fish in your tank, but they are also harmful to the live aquarium plants.

That’s why you should check the nitrate level in your fish tank on a weekly basis and see how much nitrate generally builds up over time in your fish tank within a week.

And to get rid of the nitrates, you should do a partial water change.

There are several things that can contribute to the high nitrates in your fish tank, like decaying plant matter, uneaten fish food, fish poop, etc.

That’s why, while you are doing your weekly water change, you should also clean your fish tank and remove such materials from it.

You can easily remove the uneaten food and fish poop from your fish tank using a gravel vacuum.

Besides that, you should regularly trim your aquarium plants to remove dead or melting leaves.

Get the water parameters in your tank within the ideal range

Most live aquarium plants can do well in a wide range of water parameters.

Still, Each live aquarium plant has a specific ideal water parameter range.

When the water parameters, such as temperature and pH, in your fish tank are above or below the ideal range, the plants will suffer and may turn brown.

That’s why it is very important to do research about the ideal water parameters that the live aquarium plants in your tank need. And keep the water parameters within the ideal range.

Temperature

To maintain the temperature in your fish tank, you should install an aquarium heater that has built-in thermostat.

pH

You should check the pH of your aquarium water using an aquarium water test kit.

If you noticed that the pH of your aquarium water is lower or higher than the ideal range that the plants can do well in, then here are some ways to increase or lower the pH of your aquarium water.

Check your aquarium equipment to make sure they are working or not

You need aquarium equipment like a heater, filter, and light to create an ideal environment for the live aquarium plants in your tank.

And if any of these equipment are not working properly, then you will not be able to create the ideal environment for the plants, and they will suffer, melt, and turn brown.

That’s why you should regularly check all your aquarium equipment to make sure that they are working properly.

What are the reasons that cause the leaves of the aquarium plant to turn brown?

There are several reasons that can cause this problem

The most common reason, there’s a high phosphate level in your aquarium.
If you have kept aquatic plants in a newly setup aquarium then it is very common that leaves of the aquarium plant turn brown. It is because the Diatoms grow on the leaves of the plant in new newly setup aquariums. And in this case, you don’t really need to do anything it will go away after some time.
Another reason is that the plants are not getting sufficient lighting. Or it is not getting a full spectrum lighting that a plant requires for its proper growth.

Checkout our lighting recommendation

Now that we know the reasons may be causing the leaves of your aquarium plant to turn brown, let’s dive into what you can do to fix the problem.

As mentioned earlier, if you have kept the aquatic plants in a newly setup aquarium then you don’t need to worry about the browning of the leaves.

Because it is a very common thing in newly setup aquariums.

The plants will turn brown because of the Diatoms and it will go away after some time.

So it is just a waiting game. You should wait for a week or so.

Increased levels of Phosphates can also cause leaves of your aquarium plants to turn brown.

You can easily check the Phosphate levels in your aquarium using a test kit.

We recommend API freshwater master test kit because it is a very accurate and it comes with a very easy to read and follow manual. You can check its price and other information at Amazon.com here and Amazon.co.uk here.

The ideal Phosphate levels are 0.5 PPM or less. If the Phosphate levels are more than 0.5 PPM then lowering the phosphate level is the solution to fix the problem.

To do that you should perform weekly water change regularly.

The leaves of the aquarium plant turn brown if it doesn’t get sufficient light or it is not getting proper spectrum light.

In this case, to fix the problem, you should replace the exiting light with high-quality light that is specially made for plants.

And most likely, it will solve the problem.

6 Tips to Take Care of Live Plants in Aquarium

What precautions you can take to avoid this problem in the future?

First of all, you should introduce your plant once your aquarium is well established i.e. after the nitrogen cycle is completed.

You should regularly perform the weekly water change so that the phosphate level in your aquarium will stay in control.

Performing weekly water change is a good practice for the overall water quality of your aquarium.

Before introducing any plant in your aquarium, you should first know what kind of lighting it requires.

And then you should provide it with proper lighting so that it can thrive in your aquarium.

20 Tips to Maintain a Healthy Aquarium

Aquarium plant deficiencies and supplements to fix the deficiency

Nutrient deficiency is one of the most common causes of aquarium plants turning brown.

Here’s a helpful infographic showing different aquarium plant deficiencies and the supplement you should provide to fix the deficiency.

Aquarium plant deficiencies and supplements to provide infographic

FAQ

Why is my aquarium plants dying?

There could be a few reasons that your aquarium plants are dying.

The thing is plants require some nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, iron for their proper growth.

If it doesn’t get these nutrients then its growth will be affected and if it doesn’t get these nutrients for a long time then it will eventually die.

So, to cope with this problem., you should supplement your plants with regular doses of fertilizers.

On the other hand, when aquarium plants get nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium in a very high quantity, it can also affect their health.

For example, if the aquarium plant is getting a lot of phosphate or nitrogen then its leaves will start turning brown or black and eventually, it will die.

So, to cope with this problem, you should regularly perform a weekly water change.

How to know if my aquarium plants are dying?

Plants show various signs well before it dies.

There are various deficiencies that cause the death of aquarium plants.

The yellowing of the leaves of the aquarium plant is an early sign of nitrogen deficiency.
When you noticed your plant is producing tiny leaves it is a sign of severe nitrogen deficiency.
When you notice, the newly growing leaves of your plants are twisted then it is a sign of calcium deficiency.
Overdose of magnesium or potassium also causes twisted leaves.
Yellowing or whitening of new leaves suggests iron deficiency.
When you notice the veins of the leaves of your aquarium plant are of a dark color and the leaf color is light green then it is a sign of magnesium deficiency.
If you notice small pinholes on the leaves of your aquarium plants, it is a sign of potassium deficiency.
When you notice brown spots on the leaves of your aquarium, it is a sign of phosphate deficiency.

So these are all the deficiencies and signs of these deficiencies.

As soon as you notice any sign of the deficiencies, you should take proper action to fix the problem.

Most of the time it is usually performing a regular weekly water change or supplementing the aquarium plants with fertilizers is the solution.

Can dead plants kill fish?

Yes, dead plants can kill fish.

When the plants are dead, it later decomposes in the aquarium which causes low oxygen levels in the aquarium.

This can potentially cause the death of the fish in the aquarium.

Why are my aquarium plants turning brown and transparent?

There can be several reasons why your aquarium plants are turning brown and transparent.

Some of the common reasons include:

Providing too much or too little light to the live aquarium plants.
The plants are not getting all the essential nutrients that they need for their proper growth and development.
The plants are not planted properly in the tank.

Why are my aquarium plants getting brown around the edges?

Aquarium plants get brown around the edges when they are put in a new tank.

This is because they are trying to adjust to the new environment.

So if this is the case with you, then you should give the plant a couple of weeks to get used to the new environment, and hopefully, your plant will regain its original color.

If, after two weeks, you are still seeing that your aquarium plants are getting brown around the edges, then in that case, the plant is not getting the nutrients that it needs for proper growth and development.

So in this case, you should supplement the plant with fertilizers so that it can get the nutrients and regain its original color.

Why are my live aquarium plant leaves getting yellow pinholes in them?

If you are not seeing that the leaves of the live aquarium plants are getting pinholes with a rim of yellow or brown color, then it is a sign that your plant is suffering from potassium deficiency.

So in this case, you should provide or add fertilizers that are rich in potassium to your fish tank to fix the problem.

Some plants need more potassium than others; for example, Java fern and Anubias need more potassium for them to do well in a fish tank.

Why are my aquarium plants’ leaves turning pale or yellow?

If your live aquarium plant’s leaves are turning pale or yellow, then it is a sign of magnesium deficiency.

So in this case, to fix the problem, you will need to supplement your plant with fertilizer that contains a good amount of magnesium.

Why are my aquarium plants melting?

If your live aquarium plants are melting, then it is a sign that they have not had the sufficient nutrients that they need for proper growth and development for a long time.

So in this case, to fix the problem, you should supplement your live aquarium plants with fertilizers that contain all the essential nutrients.

Can dying aquarium plants kill fish in the tank?

Dying or dead aquarium plants rot in the fish tank. And when the aquarium plants rot in the fish tank, they produce ammonia, which eventually gets converted into nitrates. And as high nitrates in a fish tank are deadly for your fish, your fish may get killed due to the dead or dying aquarium plants.

Why are the leaves of my live aquarium plants turning white?

If the leaves of your live aquarium plants are turning white, then it is a sign that your plant is suffering from an iron deficiency.

So in this case, to fix the problem, you will need to add fertilizer that is rich in iron in your fish tank.

Why is my live aquarium plant disintegrating?

If your live aquarium plant is disintegrating, then it is a sign that your plant has not been getting the essential nutrients for a long period of time.

In this case, to fix the problem, you will need to supplement your plant with fertilizers that contain all the essential nutrients.

Should I cut the brown leaves of aquarium plants?

Yes, you should cut the brown leaves of the aquarium plants. Brown leaves are essentially dying or deadly leaves, so removing them allows the plant to focus its energy on healthy growth.

How do I keep my aquarium plants green?

To keep your aquarium plants lush and green, you will need to provide them with the ideal environment.

This means that you will need to do some research about the lighting requirements, nutrient and substrate requirements, and water parameter requirements for the plant. And provide the ideal lighting substrate, nutrients, and water parameters for the plants.

How do I know if my aquarium plants are dying?

Your live aquarium plants will show signs like stunted growth and the leaves turning yellow, brown, or black, which suggests that your aquarium plants are dying.

Usually, these are the reasons that your aquarium plants are not getting all the essential nutrients and proper lighting for their growth and development.

So you should do some research about the lighting requirements, nutrient requirements, and water parameter requirements for the plant and provide it to them.

Why do my aquarium plants look rusty?

If there is brown algae growth on the aquarium plants, it causes them to look rusty.

Brown algae is basically a type of diatom that appears in aquariums if the aquarium water contains excess silicates.

Usually, brown algae appear in a newly set up tank that is going through a cycling phase.

Besides, low light in the aquarium, high nitrates, and poor water quality can also cause brown algae in the aquarium.

Will aquarium plants recover?

If your aquarium plant looks like it is dying or has some dead leaves, then it is generally a sign that the plant is not getting sufficient nutrients or lighting.

So if you provide the plant with sufficient nutrients and light, it can recover.

However, the dead leaves will not recover, so you should cut them off and remove them from your fish tank.

Why are the tips of my aquarium plant’s leaves turning brown?

There can be a few reasons why the tips of your aquarium plant’s leaves are turning brown, and they are as follows:

The plant is not getting sufficient light for its growth.

Your aquarium contains a lot of ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate.

Your aquarium water is lacking nutrients like phosphorus and/or nitrogen, which plants need for their growth.

What does iron deficiency look like in aquarium plants?

If your aquarium plant is suffering from iron deficiency, then the new leaves of your aquarium plant will be pale, light green, yellow, or even white in color.

However, the veins of the leaves will remain green.

Your older leaves will not be affected by the iron deficiency.

Do algae eaters eat brown algae?

Yes, algae eaters like amano shrimp, nerite snails, and otocinclus catfish will eat brown algae in your aquarium.

Can too much light melt aquarium plants?

Too much light will not melt your aquarium plant. However, it will cause algae growth in your aquarium.

Your aquarium plants will melt if they are not getting enough light.

How do I know if my aquarium plants need more light?

A common sign that you are not providing enough light to your aquarium plant is that it is growing very slowly.

If you have some live aquarium plants that need a lot of light to do well, if they are not getting sufficient light, the leaves of the plants will turn pale to white.

Besides, if you are seeing brown algae growth in your aquarium, this could also be a sign that your fish tank doesn’t have enough light.

What does potassium deficiency look like in aquarium plants?

If your live aquarium plants are suffering from potassium deficiency, the plant’s leaves will develop pinholes in them which will have a yellowish or brownish rim around them.

To fix potassium deficiency, you should add aquarium plant fertilizers that are particularly rich in potassium.

Why is my moss turning brown in my fish tank?

Moss plants such as Java moss and Christmas moss need carbon dioxide for the process of photosynthesis.

If the plant is not getting sufficient carbon dioxide in the tank, it will not be able to create its own food through the process of photosynthesis, which can result in the plant turning brown.

Is brown algae bad for fish tanks?

Brown algae is not harmful to fish tanks However, it doesn’t look good in a fish tank.

If you have recently set up your aquarium and are noticing brown algae in your tank, then usually the brown algae will go away on its own. However, you can also remove the brown algae by cleaning your aquarium glass walls and equipment.

Why are my red aquarium plants turning brown?

Red aquarium plants are generally very demanding when it comes to light and nutrients.

So if you are not providing sufficient light and nutrients to your red aquarium plants, then they may turn brown.

Specifically, red aquarium plants turn brown when your aquarium water doesn’t contain sufficient potassium and/or nitrogen.

So in this case, you should supplement your red aquarium plants with fertilizers that are rich in potassium and nitrogen.

Why are my aquarium plants turning brown from the bottom up?

There can be a few reasons why your aquarium plants are turning brown from the bottom up.

When the plant is not getting sufficient light, it will start to turn brown.
Usually, potassium and nitrogen deficiency can cause the plants to turn brown.
If your aquarium water contains a lot of nitrates, it can also result in your aquarium plants turning brown.

How do you remove brown algae from aquarium plants?

Brown algae can be easily removed from your aquarium plant by gently wiping the leaves with your hands.

Why is my aquarium banana plant turning brown?

Usually, banana plants turn brown when they are not getting all the essential nutrients that they need for proper growth and development from the substrate of your aquarium.

So in this case, you should insert root tabs that contain all the essential nutrients that aquarium plants need for their growth in the substrate near the roots of your banana plant to provide it with all the nutrients.

Why are my fake aquarium plants turning brown?

Basically, brown algae, also known as diatoms, grows on fake aquarium plants, which makes them look like they are turning brown.

So in this case, to remove the brown algae, you can clean your fake aquarium plants with water.

Why are my new aquarium plants turning brown?

A common reason for new aquarium plants turning brown is that they are not accustomed to the new tank environment, which causes older leaves to turn brown and eventually die.

This is normal because once you cut off the old dead leaves, the new leaves will be acclimated to your tank water, and they will grow just fine as long as they are getting all the nutrients and sufficient light in the tank.

Why are my aquarium plant stems turning brown?

There are a couple of reasons why the stems of your live aquarium plants are turning brown.

When the plant is not getting sufficient light, the stem turns brown.
When the plant is not getting all the essential nutrients that it needs for its proper growth and development, its stem will turn brown.

Why are my silk aquarium plants turning brown?

If you are seeing that your silk aquarium plants are turning brown, then basically there is brown algae growth on the plants, which makes them look like they are turning brown.

So in this case, you can simply wipe off the brown algae from the plants with your hands.

Why are my aquarium plants getting brown spots?

There can be several reasons why your aquarium plants have brown spots.

If your aquarium plant is not getting all the essential nutrients that it needs for its proper growth and development, then it will get brown spots on it.

Improper lighting also causes brown spots on the aquarium plant.

Besides, brown algae growth on the plant may also make it look like it is getting brown spots on it.

To fix the problem in cases of improper lighting and nutrient deficiency, you should do some research about the plants you have in the tank and provide them with proper lighting and all the nutrients they need using liquid fertilizers or root tabs.

In the case of brown algae, simply gently wash the algae from the plant with your hands.

Why are the leaves of my aquarium plants turning brown and the plants dying eventually?

If the live aquarium plant doesn’t get the proper lighting and all the nutrients for a long time, then the leaves will start to turn brown, and eventually, the plant will die.

That’s why it is very important to do some research about the live aquarium plants in your tank and provide them with proper lighting and all the nutrients they need.

Why is my water spangles turning brown?

Your water spangles will turn brown if it is not getting proper lighting and all the essential nutrients and if your fish tank water contains a lot of nitrates for a long period of time.

Why is my salvinia minima turning brown?

If Salvinia minima is not getting proper lighting and all the essential nutrients, then it will start to turn brown.

Why are my anubias plant leaves turning brown?

There can be several reasons why your Anubias plant’s leaves are turning brown.

The most common reason is that the plant is not getting all the essential nutrients that it needs for its proper growth and development. Particularly, in the case of anubias, you will need to make sure that you are providing sufficient carbon to the plant.

Improper lighting conditions can also result in the anubia’s plant leaves turning brown.

Besides, brown algae growth on the leaves of the plant may also make them look like they are turning brown.

Why is my aquarium glass turning brown?

Your aquarium glass is turning brown because there is brown algae growth or diatom growth on it.

You can easily remove the brown algae from your aquarium class using an aquarium glass scraper.

Why is my guppy grass turning brown?

Your guppy grass may turn brown if it is not getting sufficient lighting, not getting all the essential nutrients, or if your fish tank contains a lot of nitrates.

Why is my aquarium gravel turning brown?

Your aquarium gravel is turning brown because there is brown algae growth or diatom growth on the surface of your gravel.

Usually, the brown algae will go away on its own after some time.

Besides, to get rid of brown algae quickly, you can put a silicate pad in your filter.

Why is my Monte Carlo turning brown?

If the Monte Carlo is not getting ideal condition in your fish tank, then it will start to turn brown.

To fix the problem, you should provide the ideal water temperature and pH to Monte Carlo.

Besides, you should also provide it with all the essential nutrients that it needs for proper growth.

Why are my aquarium decorations turning brown?

Your aquarium decorations will turn brown if there is brown algae growth on them.

To remove the brown algae, you can simply wipe it off with a brush or your hands from your aquarium decorations.

Why are my floating aquarium plants turning brown?

If your floating aquarium plants are not getting sufficient nutrients, they will start to turn brown.

Usually, most of the floating aquarium plants will do just fine in any lighting condition as long as they are getting light. So generally, light is not the issue if your floating aquarium plants are turning brown.

Why is my Hornwort turning brown?

Hornwort will start turning brown if it is not getting ideal lighting conditions and sufficient nutrients or if your fish tank contains a lot of waste, particularly ammonia, nitrite, or nitrates.

Why is my Java fern turning brown?

Java fern usually turns brown if it is not getting all the essential nutrients that it needs for its proper growth.

In this case, to fix the problem, you can add liquid fertilizer that contains all the essential nutrients for the plants.

Why is my bacopa turning brown?

Your bacopa plant may be turning brown in your aquarium because it is not getting sufficient nutrients in the tank.

Bacopa absorbs nutrients from its leaves as well as from its roots. So you should supplement this plant with liquid fertilizers as well as root tabs to provide the essential nutrients.

Besides, you should also make sure to provide it with sufficient light.

Why is my aquarium sand turning brown?

If you are noticing that your aquarium sand is turning brown, then there is basically brown algae growth on it.

Usually, brown algae go on its own as the tank matures. So, in this case, you just need to wait it out.

Do dying plants cause ammonia?

Yes, dying plants eventually decompose in the aquarium and leach ammonia into the tank.

That’s why it is necessary to remove the dying or dead plants from the fish tank as soon as possible.

Why are my bacopa leaves turning brown?

If your bacopa plant leaves are turning brown, then it is a sign that your aquarium lacks the essential nutrients, especially iron, that bacopa needs for its growth. Besides, low light or very intense light can also cause the plant to turn brown.

Why are my pond plants turning yellow?

There can be several reasons why your pond plants may be turning yellow. They are as follows:

Insufficient sunlight
A lot of algae growth
The plants are not suitable for the climate
Planting the plants at the wrong depth

Why are my aquarium plants turning black?

The most common reason aquarium plants turn black is the presence of a lot of phosphate in the tank.

Other uncommon reasons include insufficient light, unideal water conditions for the plant, and lack of essential micronutrients and macronutrients.

Why are there black spots on my aquarium plants?

There can be several reasons why there are black spots on your aquarium plants. And they are as follows:

There are a lot of nitrates or phosphates in the tank
Lack of sufficient lighting for the plant
Improper water conditions, especially the temperature
Presence of black beard algae

Why is my Amazon sword turning brown?

Lack of nutrients, especially iron deficiency causes the Amazon sword to turn brown. To fix the problem, you can add iron fertilizer or all-in-one fertilizer to your tank.

Conclusion

So as you can see there are a few reasons that can cause the leaves of your aquarium plants to turn brown.
To fix the issue, the first step is to identify the cause and then apply the solution accordingly.