Why are your aquarium plants dying from the bottom up?
Aquarium plants will die from the bottom when the roots haven’t settled, the pH levels are too high, and/or the base isn’t ideal for the plant’s health.
Each situation is going to vary and it becomes your responsibility to figure out what’s going on.
The signs can become obvious after a while and by the time you realize things are off, the plants will have died. This is why it’s important to act as soon as possible!
The signs can include:
- Wilting
- Brown Spots
- Reduced Growth
Most people look for aquarium plants to die from the top, but that doesn’t always happen. It’s possible for the aquarium plant to not stay rooted in the fertilizer, which causes it to break down and eventually die.
With aquarium plants dying from the bottom up, you have to focus on the base.
This guide is going to teach you more on what to do with aquarium plants dying from the bottom up, what to think about, and how to avoid this problem over the long-run.
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Best Aquarium Substrate for Aquatic Plants (EDITOR’S CHOICE)
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Tips on Treating Aquarium Plants Dying From The Bottom Up
Tip #1: Change the Aquarium Substrate
What type of aquarium substrate are you using right now?
The aquarium substrate needs to be efficient, well-rated, and perfect for your type of ecosystem. If not, it’s quite likely the aquatic plants will begin to die out from the bottom up.
A lot of aquarium owners mentioned plants dying from the roots because the substrate isn’t conducive for consistent growth.
Keeping this in mind, there are major advantages to changing the aquarium substrate that you are using in the fish tank.
The benefits include:
- Added Protection
- Improved Growth
- Allows the Roots an Opportunity to Stabilize
With aquarium plants dying from the bottom up, you will have to think about changing the base. This can be done in a number of ways with some people replacing the entire aquarium!
However, we don’t recommend making such dramatic changes at Born for Pets.
Instead, what you have to do is take the aquarium substrate and use it along the bottom of your fish tank. This will help refresh the plants and help them recover over the coming weeks.
Tip #2: Use Aquarium Plant Treatment
Let’s assume you have taken the time to use a brand-new aquarium substrate that’s well-reviewed and is going to be a serious difference-maker.
What’s the next plan of action in a situation such as this?
You will have to think about using aquarium plant treatments because that will make a difference. The idea is to use a treatment solution that’s effective, easy-going, and perfect for your type of fish tank.
We recommend going with something like the API CO2 BOOSTER PLANT TREATMENT.
This will help keep the plants safe and put them on the road to recovery as soon as possible.
With plant treatments, you want to use them as directed.
This will keep the plants safe and won’t ruin the water quality in your aquarium. Otherwise, you are going to have to deal with serious damages that are not ideal over the long-term.
Tip #3: Spread Out the Aquarium Plants
How close together are the aquarium plants?
With aquarium plants dying from the bottom up, your issue may revolve around placement. Too many people will bunch up the plants and assume that’s good enough!
This is a mistake because the roots need enough space to breathe, eat, and stay healthy. If you are not allowing them enough space to grow and stabilize, they are going to start dying.
This happens a lot with small-sized aquariums where you are restricted for space.
In this case, you should take out some of the aquarium plants to save the others. If you don’t spread them out, they are going to all die out and it won’t be a pretty sight!
Tip #4: Check the Water Quality and Temperature
When it comes to aquarium plants dying from the bottom up, you need to focus on the water quality.
These plants are fully submerged in water and are reliant on the aquarium’s conditions year-round. This means the temperature shouldn’t be too cold and/or the pH level shouldn’t fluctuate aggressively.
These are two details that can be quite bothersome and are the last thing you want to deal with as an aquarium owner.
If you take the time to check the water quality and temperature, you are going to see far better results over the long haul.
To do this, you can use a simple thermostat and pH testing kit.
Final Thoughts
Are your aquarium plants dying from the bottom up?
If that is the case, it might be time to change the aquarium substrate and start spreading out your plants. These are two simple changes that are going to help your aquatic plants recover.
If you let things stay as they are, the plants will like continue to wilt and rot.
Take action as soon as possible and make sure your aquarium plants remain healthy!
Here are more articles on taking care of your plants in a fish tank – how to save aquarium plants from dying, advice for quickly growing plants on top of aquarium, best aquarium substrate to save plants in a fish tank, and tips for growing algae in an aquarium.