Plants turning brown

[namllots]

Should I replace these plants or is this normal?

 

[Rivercats]

Is the tank newly set up? If you rub the leaf between your fingers does the brown just rub off. If so you have diatoms. Diatoms are self limiting and once the excess silicates in the water are used up they will die out. I've found running lighting only 6 hours during the diatom phase keep growth down. Also you can add some nerite snails, which can't reproduce in fresh water, and they will help keep diatoms cleaned up.

 

[namllots]

Thanks! I've had the tank set up for about 3 months. I will shorten the light span. Would plecos help? Or just the snails?

 

[Rivercats]

Many pleco's don't eat algae and diatoms and make more waste than they help IMO. I've found nerites to be the best answer to diatom issues along with hardly adding anything to your tanks bio-load.