December 28, 2019

Botanically thinking...

I know. I know. If I say the words "mental shift" one more time...

However, after 5 years of running Tannin and pushing this evolution in the aquarium world, it's pretty obvious that's what has propelled the "botanical-style" aquarium movement has been hobbyists making those mental shifts.

It is fascinating to watch the evolution of botanical-style aquariums in the hobby. For decades, hobbyists have been talking about "Nature" and mimicking various components of it in our tanks. Nothing particularly new there. And for many years, I think we have been collectively a bit timid to get (literally) "down and dirty" with our aquariums.

"Dirty", as in, not sanitized and polished. Our perspective as a hobby is starting to shift. We're accepting aesthetics and embracing function as never before.

This is changing, and will continue to do so.

Time to remove some mental "blocks" we have carried around for the better part of a century in the aquarium hobby.

And the list of our "aesthetically acceptable" features continues to expand!

Leaves scattered on the substrate of an aquarium is not exactly a super high concept to apply to Aquascaping...Or, is it?

I think it actually is.

It looks pretty cool in Nature, huh?

Sometimes, the seemingly most simple moves are the most complex, dynamic ones. With leaves, it's a bit different than other aquascaping practices, such as using specific rocks, wood, or aquatic plants. It's different because leaves are far, far more "ephemeral" than just about anything else we use.

There is now "new growth of leaves" on the bottom of an aquarium. Only the dynamics of decomposition, biofilm growth, and the influence on the aesthetics and chemistry of the water.

This is another one of those foundational aspects of the natural style of aquarium that we espouse. The understanding that processes like decomposition and physical transformation of the materials that we utilize our tanks are normal, expected, and beautiful things requires us to make mental shifts.

We need to get over the "block" which has espoused a sanitized version of Nature. I hit on this theme again and again and again, because I feel like globally, our community is like 75% "there"- almost entirely "bought in" to the idea of really naturally-appearing and functioning aquarium systems.

Understanding that stuff like the aforementioned decomposition of materials, and the appearance of biofilms- comprise both a natural and functional part of the microcosms we create in our tanks.

Employing natural materials which tend to recruit these life forms during their time in our tanks is actually one of the joys of our hobby pursuits, IMHO.

I'd like to continue to see more and more use of less common materials, like soils and various bark types, to simulate more unusual aquatic environmental niches in a more realistic pattern. I think that, in the very near future, we'll see more realistic simulations of vernal killifish pools, muddles, rice paddies, and other fascinating, yet underrepresented habitats!

I think that getting over the 'block" and thinking outside the box in aquarium habitat design and execution will be a leading force in propelling the hobby forward in coming years.

"Botanically thinking", we're en route to some pretty exciting times!