Freshwater

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Part III: Water, Chemicals, and Plants
cannot find this solution in your local pet store, clean the plants under roomtemperature
water by gently brushing them with a soft toothbrush as mentioned
previously. Trim all cuttings to the correct height for your tank and
remove any dead or wilted leaves with a sharp pair of scissors.
Never pinch off or tear dead plant pieces with your fingers — you may
damage the delicate tissues!
Plants need time to acclimate to their new home. Don’t expect them to flourish
in a day. Some plants may lose leaves and struggle before taking a firm
hold in their new environment, so give them a month or so to make themselves
at home.
Plant Problems
Even the best hobbyist’s green thumb turns black once in a while. Hey, no
one is perfect! Fortunately, plant diseases in aquariums are really rare, so
don’t get too worked up at the thought of all your beautiful sword plants kicking
the bucket at the same time. If your plants are growing at a normal pace
and are developing new shoots and buds, they’re probably in good health.
Signs of poor plant health
Knowing how to recognize and cure foliage problems before they become too
severe can help you avoid losing your new aquatic plants. Here are some
warning signs to look for when carrying out your daily aquarium maintenance
routine:
Your plants have holes in them. This problem is often caused by fish
nibbling on the leaves. If your fish are vegetarians, and you provided the
plants as a food source, get used to losing plants. If your plants begin to
fall apart after the holes appear, they may be suffering from rot, which is
usually caused by excess nitrates in the aquarium. Water changes help
correct this problem.
Your plants’ leaves are turning yellow. They may be suffering from an
iron deficiency. Aquatic plant fertilizer with iron (such as Hagen Nutrafin
Plant Gro Iron Enriched Aquatic Plant Fertilizer) solves this problem.
The leaves have turned brown or black. This indicates decay, probably
caused by too much iron. Water changes help this problem.