Freshwater plants bring a natural and beautiful appearance to your aquarium. They act as natural filters and provide needed support to your aquarium. However, sometimes things don’t go well with the plants, and problems occur. Have you ever purchased an aquarium plant, and days later, it started to turn brown? You would ask yourself, why is my aquarium plant turning brown? The brown coating on your plant makes your aquarium look dirty and unhealthy. This may be a cause of numerous factors for your aquarium. Some answers may include nitrogen, oxygen, and other health issues with the freshwater aquarium.
We will take a glance at some potential causes and solutions to those aquarium plants turning brown!
Why are my Aquarium Plants Turning Brown?
You wake up one day and notice your aquarium plants turning brown. At first, the worst thoughts come to mind as to why this is occurring. However, the key is to stay calm and conduct research on freshwater aquariums. There are several reasons as to why the brown is occurring in the plant. However, there are a ton of solutions. As a hobbyist, you must conduct digging and find the solution! Keep reading for the parameters and factors to measure!
Magnesium in Aquarium
Magnesium is the element that gives plants that green pigment color to keep it nice and green. If magnesium is deficient, the plant’s leaves would turn yellow and brown color. Make sure to test the magnesium levels often if you want to ensure healthy plants in your aquarium. If you are low on magnesium, you could shop at your local fish store for a magnesium enhancer!
Nitrogen in Aquarium
At the beginning of a new aquarium, a lack of increase of nitrogen may be present for a small period. However, if you have an established tank with brown leaves, it’s crucial to check the nitrogen levels. Talk to your local fish store for possible products and solutions they make for you regarding this issue!
Phosphorus in Aquarium
Most water testing kits include measuring the section called phosphate, which is the same thing as phosphorus! If you see your aquarium plants turning brown, it is a good idea to test your water for phosphates ASAP! If you have an excessive amount of phosphates, this increases the brown marks on your aquarium plants. However, if your phosphate levels are low, improper growth may be present.
Light in Aquarium
If your aquarium plants are turning brown, you may want to monitor how long your lights are on. However, excessive light in an aquarium can cause multiple issues in your aquarium, an example of excessive algae in your aquarium! Aquarium plants are like house plants, which means that light can kill your aquarium plant too! When looking up plants to add to your aquarium, make sure to research the rate and intensity of light that is needed for them to survive. If you don’t, you will be haunted by your aquarium plants turning brown!
Lighting is the factor that brings your aquarium to life. You may have a current cycle that consists of you turning it on when the day starts. However, if you forget to turn it off, there may be an excessive amount! Always measure the rate of the light is on. If you tend to forget, invest your money in an aquarium timer. A timer will keep the lighting in check, even if you forget on a busy day!
Livestock in Aquarium
When purchasing fish, make sure to do research on which fish don’t match well with live plants. Fish such as freshwater puffers and goldfish tend to eat plants and cause harm to them. As fish eat plants, this stresses the plants out, which turns them brown. The brown is a result of the damage being too extreme for the plant. Too much damage to the aquarium plant can even cause it to die. Always do your research before making a decision!
New Plants
Adding new plants to an aquarium can be a shock wave for everything else in the aquarium. Adding something new changes the whole environment in your freshwater aquarium. This change of environment can be too much for your current aquarium plants. Therefore, turning everything in your system brown! A lot of aquarium plants are in poor conditions at your local fish store. The plants are not buried most of the time, and some are even just floating at the top. This change can make your aquarium plants turn brown.
Substrate
If you purchase a substrate that lacks nutrients, this can cause your plants to grow in an undesired area in your home aquarium. Many substrates, such as sand and gravel carry nutrients that can help aquarium plants grow and become huge. However, with the improper substrate, the plants will lack proper nutrients and develop a brown coating.
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide is crucial for an aquarium plant when it comes to photosynthesis. The right amount of carbon dioxide is needed for a plant to thrive. The same principle applies to oxygen and the growth of plants. If you have a freshwater aquarium with a ton of plants and no fish, this can cause problems. However, fish release carbon dioxide, which is needed for these plants. With no fish present, there is no carbon dioxide present. If there is a ton of brown on your aquarium plant, make sure to take a look at the quantity of fish in your aquarium!
In Conclusion
In conclusion, there may be several factors that lead to your freshwater plants acting funny. To start, you may notice your freshwater plants turning brown. After the plants turn brown, they tend to start a slow death. After spending all of that money on new substrate and plants, it is all gone. However, there is a solution! Go down this list and check out each factor as to why the plants are turning brown. However, the most crucial factor is testing your water to see if there is an underlying problem. Poor water parameters are the leading cause of any issue in your home aquarium. For both freshwater and saltwater aquariums, you must do the work yourself. Play the doctor role and diagnose the issues. We hope you enjoyed this read, and hopefully, your brown freshwater plants will turn crisp and green!
