Who Gives A Fish Forums

I just spent an hour cleaning up my tank, removing dead roots and clearing loose leaves. I was wondering, does having loose roots and floating leaves actually cause problems or can they be beneficial?

I personally remove floating debris like leaves and root bits mainly for aesthetic reasons. However, it's worth noting that this organic matter will decompose over time, and while decomposition itself isn't problematic, excessive amounts can cause issues depending on factors such as your tank's stocking levels, water volume, nutrient balance, and lighting. As long as your tank's biology is stable, I wouldn't be overly concerned.