The Tint

Parallels, processes, and patience...

Have you ever noticed that the aquascaping rituals we engage in with our aquariums are remarkably analogous to the processes which occur in nature?

Yeah, think about it for a second:

A tree falls in the (dry) forest.

Wind and gravity determine it's initial resting place (you play around with positioning your wood pieces until you get 'em where you want, and in a position that holds!). Next, other materials, such as leaves and perhaps a few rocks become entrapped around the fallen tree or its branches (we set a few "anchor" pieces of hardscaping material into the tank).

Then, the rain come; streams overflow, and the once-dry forest floor becomes inundated (we fill the aquarium with water).

It starts to evolve. To come alive in a new way.

The action of water and rain help set the final position of the tree/branches, and wash more materials into the area influenced by the tree (we place more pieces of botanicals, rocks, leaves, etc. into place). The area settles a bit, with occasional influxes of new water from the initial rainfall (we make water chemistry tweaks as needed).

Fungi, bacteria, and insects begin to act upon the wood and botanicals which have collected in the water (kind of like what happens in our tanks, huh? Biofilms are beautiful...).

Gradually, the first fishes begin to follow the food and populate the area (we add our first fish selections based on our stocking plan...).

The aquatic habitat is enriched by the decomposition of leaves, wood, and botanical materials, creating new food supplies, spawning locales, and biological stability.

It continues from there. Get the picture? Sure, I could go on and on drawing parallels to every little nuance of tank startup, but I think you know where I'm going with this stuff...

Yet, when we think about our aquariums this way, the parallels are striking, aren't they?

And the thing we must deploy at all times in this process is patience. And an appreciation for each and every step in the process, and how it will influence the overall "tempo" and ultimate success of the aquarium we are creating.

When we take the view that we are not just creating an aquatic display, but a habitat for a variety of aquatic life forms, we tend to look at it as much more of an evolving process than a step-by-step "procedure" for getting somewhere.

Taking the time to consider, study, and savor each phase is such an amazing thing, and I'd like to think- that as students of this most compelling aquarium hobby niche, that we can appreciate the evolution as much as the "finished product" (if there ever is such a thing in the aquarium world).

It all starts with an idea...and a little bit of a "waiting game..." and a belief in nature; a trust in the natural processes which have guided our planet and its life forms for eons. 

The appreciation of this process is a victory, in and of itself, isn't it? The journey- the process- is every bit as enjoyable as the destination, I should think.

Simple observation on a quiet Sunday.

Stay excited. Stay enthralled. Stay observant. Stay appreciative...Stay patient...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman 

Tannin Aquatics 

The rich mix...

It's kind of funny- the ideas and thoughts we tend to latch onto in this hobby. I have a few concepts which hare never very far from my mind, and I just keep musing on them.

Muddy bottoms and leaf litter are two of the more interesting elements in the natural aquatic ecosystems of the world.

Okay, at least to a geek like ME! (The guy who loves slogging around stinky mangrove thickets in search of...well, who knows?)

And when the two elements are combined, the result is a milieu which, if applied properly in the aquarium and managed carefully, in my opinion could yield some very interesting discoveries and possible breakthroughs.

This combination of materials is found in a number of interesting habitats, including some of the West African habitats which contain a pretty deep layer of leaves over mud- home to the interesting little Parananochromis species, for example. A discussion I had with Ted Judy a couple of years back about the habitats of these fish, which he's collected and worked with for some time, spurred me to think about how to replicate these types of habitats in our aquariums.

This habitat is somewhat different from many of the Amazonian habitats we touch on a lot here (except for the inundated forest floors, of course), in which a fine layer of white sand is more common, topped off by accumulating leaves. Both seem to foster a surprising diversity of life, on both the microbial and "macro" level.

And of course, you see these areas of mud and sediment topped off with leaves in many brackish habitats, such as estuaries and mangrove swamps. As a result of mangrove leaf drop, these waters are quite productive, and often are a bit turbid and tinted from the decaying botanical materials, even though they are  alkaline and slightly salty (often anywhere from 1.003-1.010 SG). The diversity of life forms in these  ecosystems is huge.

These are remarkably biodiverse, rich, and very interesting niches to study and attempt to replicate in our aquariums- and that's the realm of our "Estuary" concept and the collection of materials we offer. Much like in our blackwater "practice", the combination of these elements can create a sort of "functional aesthetic" which has lots of implications for developing fascinating aquatic displays. 

In addition to being aesthetically interesting, these types of habitats are functionally "right up our alley", right? We operate in that interesting zone where substrate, shoreline, leaves, botanical materials, and wood all interact. And we're developing a good understanding of how to manage these systems long-term in our aquariums. 

Now, there are a lot of interesting aspects to running an aquarium with a mix of mud and botanicals. You have the challenge of trying to balance the depth of the sandbed- deep enough for denitrification to occur, but not so deep that it becomes a burden on the biological filtration of the system. I went through this with my recent brackish tank, sort of laughing at myself, because it would be months before the roots of the mangrove propagules I secured to the woodwork would even "touch down" on the substrate...It's just sort of..."there" right now...doing something.

With mud or sediment-heavy substrates, unlike in more "inert" materials like sand and gravels, you have a more rapid dissolution of trace elements and other chemicals into the aquarium environment. And when you factor in the botanical "element" provided by leaves and such, it's that much more interesting to me!

Studies have suggested that, even in very fine sediments, denitrification occurs.

This is interesting, and is a real potential  benefit for those of us who have a fascination with fine sediments and mud, because it's been established that you don't need a huge layer of it to reap the benefits it can provide! And then when you add the additional element of a layer of leaves or other botanicals, which provide tannins, humic substances, and areas for algal and fungal growth, I think you have the makings of a very "biologically rich" aquarium. 

As far as what substrate materials to use to replicate these habitats, we have several options.

For the brackish habitats, there are commercially-available "mud" products which can be used to compose a substantial amount- if not all- of the substrate in your aquarium, although they can be expensive. You could also use combinations of terrestrial soils (such as used in "dirted" planted tanks) and muds. Obviously, in the pure freshwater environment, you would have a variety of planted tank substrates and inert materials from which to choose, and putting together combinations of various materials would be well worth experimenting with (and kind of fun, if you ask me!).

Now, I think it's pretty important to have good water movement in such a rich environment, not only for the transport of oxygen and dissolution of carbon dioxide, but to keep some materials like detritus, pieces of decomposing leaves, biofilms, and uneaten food in suspension in the water column.

As aquarists, of course, we can provide this with well-placed electronic water pumps, many of which have controllable features that enable you to customize flow patterns to suspend materials, drive current into different levels of the aquarium, etc.

Now, there is a sort of "art" to creating flow without disrupting the leaf litter and blowing sediment all over the aquarium, and there is no real "instruction manual" for this process. I'm afraid that it's a matter of trial and error (and blowing stuff around more than you'd like)!

That being said, the application of water movement in a system such as this is very important, and well worth the additional time it takes to get things set up correctly. I decided to use my fave Eco Tech Marine "Vortech" pumps, set at gentle "Lagoon Random" mode, to do the trick in my brackish aquarium.

And of course, in a biologically-diverse closed system which embraces the use of mud/sediment and leaves/botanicals, you need to monitor water quality and employ good husbandry- on a regular basis. Water changes are always important, as is careful feeding, stocking, and the application of other common-sense aquarium maintenance "best practices." In a self-contained, highly biologically-diverse habitat with a significant quantity of organic materials, lax husbandry is a fatal flaw.

Oh, and plants would be very applicable in the brackish-water habitat. I think that utilizing plants like the much-discussed Cryptocroyne ciliata, which does well in brackish water and loves a rich substrate, would provide multiple benefits for your aquarium, ranging from nutrient utilization/export to aeration of the soil to oxygenation. I think that in the brackish version of a "mixed element" system, plants are very much part of the equation. Or, at the very least, mangrove propagules with their roots naturally "touching down" into the substrate.

But you kind of knew that already, right?

There is so much more to explore with aquariums utilizing mud/sediments and leaves together that this piece is little more that a very "info-lite" introduction just to get you thinking about them. I'd love to see a number of you experimenting with these types of systems as we move into the Spring and Summer once again. It's a dance to really provide some interesting insight into a slightly different aquarium dynamic. And any challenges you face would, in my opinion (and experience) be more than compensated for with the truly interesting discoveries that await.

The reality is, that just like any other specialty system, such "mixed element" systems simply require some more stepped-up or specialized maintenance practices- no more difficult or unusual than any other type of setup. There are dynamics to understand, procedures to refine.

We just have to put in the effort. 

I hope that this ridiculously cursory discussion on this concept has at least piqued your interest in learning more about them- and perhaps even thinking about how to incorporate these elements into your next aquarium! Wether it's simply adding some mud to an existing blackwater aquarium, or starting your own brackish water mangrove habitat aquarium, you'll be blazing some less-than-well-trodden trails.

As with some many of the ideas we discuss here, it's pretty much a "ground floor" opportunity to contribute to the growing body of knowledge about this stuff!

Stay intrigued. Stay curious. Stay motivated. Stay diligent...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

The greatest of expectations...

Okay, let’s be honest…Creating an aquarium is supposed to be fun, but it can be a daunting task at times, especially if your expectations are greater than your experience level - or even if you have lots of experience and are looking for specific amazing results right out of the gate.

And, with so many hobbyists trying their hand at blackwater, botanical-style aquariums for the first time, it's important to understand what to expect and how to "mentally" approach it.

We receive many questions from hobbyists who have certain expectations or preconceptions about exactly how things are supposed to be, progress, or play out in our speciality aquarium world, and when something doesn't hit their expectations exactly, they immediately think that they're doing something wrong.

I think that we as a community can help manage these expectations and help fellow hobbyists who are just joining our world manage their expectations in a way that will ensure long-term success.

There is a certain hardened mindset which you need to accept...

A common aquarium experience is to make the “jump” from a basic "community tank" system to a larger, more specialized setup  as part of a “fish career transition.” Maybe you're embarking on a new and exciting phase in your hobby journey after being "on the inside" for many years. You want something specialized and completely fascinating after years of simple, yet satisfying setups.

Totally understandable.

However, it seems to me that there are an increasing number of people who start their hobby journeys in more specialized aquariums right out of the gate- like with biotope systems, dedicated Discus or African Cichlid systems, planted tanks, etc. Wow- cool!

Lets call these people “insane”, and lets love them for it! 

Regardless of how your journey begins, the following guidelines can help you start on the right foot and avoid some of the most common "mental mistakes" with speciality aquariums  These tips do not constitute "the gospel" on specialized aquarium keeping. However, they are time tested pieces of advice from a guy who's spilled a few hundred gallons of water on the floor during his career, so they might be useful to you...

In no particular order:


1) Appreciate the advice you receive from fellow aquarists, but take a look at their aquarium! It’s not uncommon to receive many offers for help from other reefers when you’re just starting out. That guidance can come from a friend you know, a local fish store person, a hobbyist on a forum, or some kook writing a column (hmm..). It’s all part of the wonderful culture of aquarium keeping: Most hobbyists love to help! MY two cents is to just take any and all information on specialized aquarium keeping with a grain of salt, and do a little checking on your “mentor”, especially if their advice starts with the words, “You need to…” or “You should”. Worse, “I haven’t tried this, but you should do…”

Yikes.

Personally, I’d like to see “This is what I do” or “I’ve always done this…” followed with a picture of their beautiful, successful tank that’s been running for a while while utilizing the technique or product proferred. Unfortunately, the internet has created a lot of “false prophet” aquarists who can easily throw out “advice” to others with an air of undisputed authority. You see this a lot in our speciality  Lots of warnings about how this type of aquarium doesn't work, etc... Before you take their advice, just see how their results have been. People who actually do will happily share their results with you!

Fortunately, in the blackwater/botanical-style aquarium movement, we are a community that helps manage expectations by "baking in" the concepts and expectations of what exactly happens when you start a blackwater aquarium.

Stuff like:

* You need to prepare botanicals before adding them to your aquarium...

* You may or may not see the water "tint up" right away. It's often a slower process...

* Botanicals will begin to accrue biofilms and decompose when placed in the aquarium...

* Botanicals should be added to your aquarium slowly, and results studied along the way...

Etcetera.

2) Find a few LFS’s and online vendors and support them fervently if they meet your expectations for quality and service.  Stores and vendors are your partners in your speciality aquarium journey- it's an important relationship! Find a good fit! There are tons of local fish stores and online vendors for equipment, livestock, and other things related to the hobby, many of which are quite good, run by honest people who understand both the business and the needs of the hobbyist. When you're engaging in specialized aquarium journey, it helps to work with vendors and stores who have experience in the specific area of interest in which you're embarking upon.

However, there are also quite a few who are not so good, and who will not honor “guarantees” without major hassles, provide little in the way of support, and generally just sell you stuff and that's that. These are not companies that you want to do business with. Look for vendors that are consistent, have great reviews online from fellow aquarists who you are familiar with (not “fake ones”, cut and pasted from forum to forum, in the same curiously crappy grammatical style of the sketchy vendors who post on forums as themselves..It will be obvious over time. I've seen this in the reef world many times over..You'll know how to ferret this B.S. out quickly! ).

Work with people and/or companies that have good stuff, good policies, and real reputations for service and communications-and support of the hobby community. You’ll get used to their practices and offerings, and what’s more- they’ll get used to your needs and interests to help serve you better.

(I know of at least one that works with this crazy botanical stuff...)

3) Read the fine print: Like any other endeavor, specialized aquarium keeping is full of fads, trends, “new techniques”, etc. And that’s all good and fine. Technique evolves over time  However, be sure to take a good hard look at what is being proffered out there. We see it in reef aquarium keeping circles all the time: Just because dosing vodka for nutrient reduction, or using lanthanum chloride to lower phoshates, for example, is super-effective for some reefers, it won’t necessarily be the right move for you.

It's the same in freshwater aquariums  of course. Your experience level, lifestyle, ecomonics- and interest- might necessitate a more basic, but equally effective approach to nutrient control, like water changes. And if done correctly and consistently, you'll find the many of the most basic aquarium management techniques will do wonders for a speciality aquarium, just like they have for more familiar setups for generations of hobbyists.

I mean, just because “all of the cool kids are doing it” is not a valid reason for you to embrace some exotic, complicated practice. Keep things simple and do things that work for YOU and your animals. Don’t be a “joiner”…Think about why you would want to do it, and weight the benefits against the costs. See if what you are contemplating is a viable long-term solution for your aquarium, or just a “knee jerk” reaction to a short-term problem.

Sometimes, the quick reaction is not the right one, right? Yes, adding such and such to a tank will take care of your algae problem, but wouldn’t just staying the course with regular water changes do the same thing, albeit more slowly? Or simply making the necessary "mental shifts" which make you appreciate-rather than fear- some of the things that happen in your blackwater/botanical-style aquarium that you might have been freaked out about before!

Think about it…

4) Make your aquarium your own. Come to the realization that, even if you use the same technique, equipment, and animals as “Joe from Cleveland”, you’ll get a different result. Your tank will not be exactly like the other aquarist’s tank. And that’s a good thing! It’s one thing to emulate good work from others, but always remember that there are an infinite number of unknown variables in the equation that will result in your tank bing different from his or hers. I mean, why would you want a carbon copy of someone else's aquarium anyways?

Okay- well, I can see why you might- but the point is that you should always judge your results by what works for YOU- not by how closely your tank resembles that of another hobbyist.

Be yourself, and let your display reflect who YOU are and what YOU do as an aquarist. That’s the fun part! There is no “one size fits all” way to run a tank, so don’t just mimic. You may see great results in someone else's build, but until you understand why they did it that way, and how they integrated it into their life, it may not make make as much sense to you. Rather, take elements out of various successful tanks that you have seen, and incorporate them into your own. You and your animals will be much happier, trust me!

5) Don’t let emotions get the best of you- or your aquarium. I sometimes think that the number one problem most specialized hobbyists face at some point is the "panic reaction", as alluded to in tip number 3 above. Don’t tear your whole Amazon biotope tank apart because you find a snail on a Swordplant. Don't declare your tank a failure because the water isn't a crystal-clear, deep brown tone... Don't take radical, aggressive steps which take you off of your plan to quickly "fix" things. They might not be broken.

When you make bad decisions based on the “crisis of the day” instead of focusing on the bigger picture and long-term goals of your system, that’s when you get into trouble.  I've seen so many blackwater/brackish, botanical-style tanks with huge potential-essentially sabotaged- ruined-by "reacting" to a short-term circumstance without considering the long-term implications of the "corrective measures." Combat this "panic instinct" by creating a checklist of things to look at every day in your aquarium, parameters to measure, and have in place the things you need to deal with the most common emergencies, such as spare parts, filter pads, extra botanicals, backup pumps, etc.

As they say, “Be calm and carry on…!”

 Okay, so there are five of my surefire ways to avoid mistakes in specialized aquarium keeping..And you know what? You don’t have to be a "newbie" for them to apply to you. We all make mistakes…We need to learn from them, and to share our solutions with fellow hobbyists in an honest, open way that can add to the body of knowledge of this great hobby of ours.

And most of you know this stuff already...However, on occasion, it's good to think about this stuff in our context.

I’m sure that there are dozens more mistakes to avoid….expectations to manage. What are some of your thoughts? Let ‘em out, so that fellow aquarists can benefit!

Until next time…

Stay calm. Stay curious. Stay original. Stay diligent...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman
Tannin Aquatics

The joy of being a "beginner...again"

Perhaps the beginner knows something we don't.

I think I- we- that is, more "advanced" hobbyists...know too much. 

Seriously.

And I don't mean that from an arrogant perspective or anything.

I think that I, like so many hobbyists at my level of experience, tend to overthink every aspect of the aquarium hobby, particularly during the new tank startup phase, rather than just letting ourselves enjoy the moment- the wonder, and the awe that comes from doing something special, beautiful, and, let's face it- incredibly cool!

I mean, setting up a slice of nature in your own home?

This IS something amazing, huh? 

Something that nine tenths of the world will never get to experience or even comprehend.

And perhaps- just maybe...we know too much.

Yes.

We understand all of this stuff.

We experienced it many times over the years, and have watched- and even reassured- others that "All of this is normal" and to, "Just be patient and it will pass..."

You know- "aquarium stuff."

Outright beginners actually have it much easier in this regard, I think.

I mean, when just having a glass or acrylic box of  freshwater or saltwater in your home is a novelty- a cause for rejoicing! You tend to live in a bubble of gentle "ignorance" (eeehw- that's kind of harsh)- okay, let's call it "blissful lack of awareness about some things" that some of this stuff really sucks...

And that's actually a beautiful thing- because a beginner is taken by the sheer wonder- and joy of it all. They don't stress out about stuff like algal films, detritus on the substrate, micro bubbles and the occasional falling piece of wood in their aquascape. They're not worried about that yucky algae or water moment or any other of a dozen minutae like we are, because they don't KNOW that it can linger a long, long time if you don't manage the tank correctly at this phase.

They're not "handcuffed" by their past experiences and the knowledge of having set up dozens of tanks over the years. Rather, they're just stoked as all get out by the thought of Lowlight Tetras, Amano Shrimp, Glass Catfish, and ultra-common Bettas taking up residence in the new little utopian microhabitat they just set up in their New York City apartment.

I think it's entirely possible to release ourselves from the "burden" of our own experience, and to allow ourselves to enjoy every aspect of this great hobby, free from preconception or prejudices. To just make decisions based on what our research- gut, or yeah- I suppose, experience- tells us is the "right" thing to do, then letting stuff happen.

In other words, taking control of the influence that our own experience provides, rather than allowing it to taint our whole journey with doubt, dogma, second-guessing, and over-analysis of every single aspect.

And relaxing.

Embracing the sheer joy of being a beginner. Again.

Sounds like fun to me.

We should all try it some time.

Stay excited. Stay engaged. Stay blissful. Stay grateful...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

"The right stuff..."

As you might imagine, a lot of the inquiries we receive from potential customers and members of our community are questions about which botanical would be most appropriate for a specific situation. This is a lot of fun for us, of course, because we get to geek out right along with you!

All fun stuff aside, it's really cool to think about this stuff, and it brings up some re-occuring themes that we talk about here at Tannin. 

First and foremost, while there are no specific botanicals which are THE perfect item for a particular fish, we are able to make some generalizations about some which can accomplish certain things. Like, if you're interested in providing a natural "spawning cave" for your Apistos, awesome choices are botanicals like Savu Pods, Jungle Pods, Palma Abrigo, or "Ra Cama" - all of which have been utilized by these fish for shelter, breeding, and foraging.

Etcetera.

Now, rather than talking about which botanicals to use for which application (too many different options for different situations), let's just say broadly (at the risk of over-generalizing) that most any botanical can be used in our version of a blackwater, botanical-style aquarium. Now, sure- there are a lot of "sub-considerations"- like the size of the aquarium, the needs of the fishes (like, do they need them to shelter, forage upon, consume- or all of the above?), yet in general, we could utilize pretty much anything that is safe.

The absolute best way to determine which botanical would be suitable for your aquarium? I think it's to simply do some research on the fish and the habitats from which they come. You can google "Underwater Igarape" videos and photos, and come up with all sorts of inspiration for what to use. I personally love our friend Ivan Mikolji's videos and photos- but there are many others.

Sure, we may not always be able to offer the exact botanical materials that you see in the videos and pics you find, but most of the botanicals we offer are good representative of the materials you see in the wild aquatic habitats. I personally have spent many hours over the years studying photos and videos and getting a lot of inspiration for the types of things we elected to offer at Tannin.

I realize that some hobbyists ARE explicitly concerned with trying to obtain and utilize the EXACT materials found in specific geographic regions, etc.- and we try when possible to list the origin of our botanicals. And I totally get this desire- it's a very cool endeavor!

On the other hand, at the risk of being a bit presumptuous, I also am of the opinion that most hobbyists (and biotope aquarium contest judges, too!) would have a very difficult time determining a specific leaf as having come from an Amazonian forest tree versus say, an Indian Artocarpus leaf, after it's been submerged for some time, so I think we should accept the "representative" moniker for now...

Of course, we are constantly pursuing new materials, specifically those which come from some of the very habitats we love to replicate in our aquariums. However, I hope that I can encourage many of you to utilize materials which look similar to those you've seen in wild habitats. I suppose one could argue that there are very specific biochemical "signatures" that locale-specific botanicals could impart into their aquatic environments, yet that is really speculative, until we know what exactly to look for! 

So...where does this leave those of us who wonder exactly what botanicals are best for a specific setup?

The short (and perhaps unsatisfying to some) answer is that "They all work", and it leaves us open to experiment and iterate and play with all of the wonderful array of natural botanical materials which we have at our fingertips. 

When it feels right, you'll know it.

They're all the "right stuff" to some extent!

Stay bold. Stay curios. Stay experimental. Stay engaged...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Can you see clearly now?

We've had a lot of discussions over the past couple of years about the visual tint and appearance of the water in our aquariums. We've had some discussions about clarity, too. I wanted to return to the "clarity" issue again today, because there are some aspects of "clarity" that I think are sort of unique to the botanical-style blackwater/brackish aquarium. 

One of the things you might notice right from the start is that botanical-laden aquariums seem to have an initial "haze" that is slow to clear. Now, part of this is no doubt due to the breakdown of the leaves, pods, etc. that we use: Surface dirt, lignin, and other compounds, bound up in the tissues of the botanicals, released into the water upon the initial submergence of these materials. And the fact that many of us tend to not use a lot of chemical filtration media in our tanks might have some impact on that, too.

Another reason for this haziness could be a burst of microorganism/bacterial growth, which impacts the visual clarity as populations multiply rapidly in the "fertile" environment of a botanical system, with its wealth of organic materials supplied by the decomposing matter upon which these life forms feed.

And then there is the idea of "infusoria."One only need reflect on the classic "infusoria" cultures which every fish breeder can recall from his/her experiences- they're really cloudy! Remember, infusoria is a collective term for aquatic organisms like euglenoids, unicellular algae, ciliates, protozoa, etc.

Now, I have placed a few drops of tank water under a microscope early in the life of several botanical-style tanks, and I did see quite a bit of microorganisms swimming around in there. Of course, I am not a microbiologist, and for me to make any conclusive statements about "density" or "diversity" of the life forms I saw swimming around in my samples is a bit too amateurish! That being said, in most of these samples, I saw a lot of "some sort" of life forms swimming around in the water! 

Generally, I've found that the sort of "cloudiness" will typically clear after a week or two, as the "tug of war" between bacteria and "infusoria" achieves a sort of "equilibrium."

At this point, I should mention that you could intervene in this if you wanted to...Performing larger water exchanges, employing chemical/very fine mechanical filtration media, etc. Personally, I have learned over the years NOT to let this stuff phase me. I suppose I'm so deep in my own "mindset" about letting nature do its thing, that I don't do much to combat it...

Once this initial "microbial haze phase" passes, there are other aspects to the water clarity which will continue to emerge. And I think that these aspects are similar to what we observe in nature.

For example, I've noticed that in many of my aquariums, particularly those with certain types of wood (like mangrove, newer Mopani, etc.), you'll get more of this "patina" to the water. Again, I'm in the realm of speculation here, but I can't help but wonder if certain wood and botanical materials/leaves have a greater content of organic materials (or more readily release these materials into the water because of their structure), lignin, tannins, etc.

One of my friends calls this "flavor", and his moniker makes sense, when you think about it!

And I think that this is a really interesting phenomenon, which is distinctive to our botanical-stye blackwater/brackish aquariums. To accept it is a choice, and it definitely requires the adoption of a mindset shift to appreciate that this is very similar to what we see in many of the natural aquatic systems that we attempt to replicate.

We are always of the opinion that an aquarium is NOT an open, natural system, and that there are fundamental differences between the two. However, to see some of the processes, aesthetics, and what we call "functional analogies" (i.e.; the way materials break down, re-distribute within the tank, and how the aesthetics and water chemistry are affected by water exchanges, etc.) take place in our aquariums, we can't help but think that we're "on to something" here.

So, yeah, our aquariums may NOT have the "crystal-clear", colorless water which many hobbyists envision when they think of what an aquarium "should" look like. Yet, with the continued, evolving work which our community is doing, we'll continue to discuss/analyze/debate the merits of such clarity profiles in our systems.

With your observations, experiments, and ideas continuing to garner attention from our global "tint community", we're really excited to see how the body of knowledge we're accumulating will add to our understanding of this awesome niche in the aquarium hobby!

Stay bold. Stay open-minded. Stay curious. Stay creative. Stay excited...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Geeking out? Or observing the evolution?

Have you ever noticed that we love to get our aquariums "established" as quickly as possible? I mean, as a group, we aquarists seem to hate looking at a partially- completed or "emerging" aquascape....We want them "finished", right?

Well, not all of us.

Now, I say that broadly, because I think us "Tinters" are a bit different- we love that whole "evolving" thing! Something about an emerging, growing system intrigues us...

I have (for a variety of reasons) become one of those extremely patient, perhaps overly-enthusiastic lovers of the "process" of our aquariums "evolving" as they go through the various phases of their existence. Like, I'm the guy who's perfectly entertained watching leaves break down for a few weeks, or seeing snails move leaves about the tank!

Yeah, geeky.

As I've said a bunch of times before, I think that the very "premise" of the blackwater/brackish, botanical-style aquarium is that we should embrace the natural processes which occur in our aquariums, and understand what happens, why it happens, and what the benefits are as botanical materials break down in our aquariums. It is the real fundamental "mental shift" that we as botanical-style aquarium lovers have to make to really appreciate this type of approach.

It starts with the selection and preparation processes of the botanical materials we utilize in our aquaecapes. Utilizing materials of various shapes, colors, and sizes helps us create what I suppose is best called a "composition", much in the way aquatic plants are selected by planted tank enthusiasts.

And when the materials are placed in the aquarium, it's nice to let them "settle in" a bit and just sort of "appreciate" them as they begin to soften and break down. And watching the biological interactions which happen before your fishes are added is really interesting...

It's actually a very special time in an aquarium; a time in which you can really get to know the aquarium and the complex interactions which are taking place- and which will continue to evolve as your fishes are added and the aquarium continues to establish itself. The reefer in me understands this intimately.

Our simple recommendation is that we as lovers of the botanical-style aquarium should continue to elevate this practice of observation/appreciation, and really enjoy our aquariums at every phase of their existence.

The observations you make during the "establishment phase" of your blackwater/brackish, botanical-style aquarium might unlock some really interesting biological "secrets" about the way these rich and diverse aquatic systems evolve.

Observing, water testing, and taking a sort of "hands-off" approach (in terms of making changes of any sort) during this time will give us a really good set of "expectations" for how these types of aquariums "break in" and establish themselves, ultimately finding some sort of biological "equilibrium" and operating much like any other type of closed aquatic system will.

So, next time you find yourself "geeking out" in front of your week-old  fishes aquarium in the dark, peering at what to others appears to be an empty, lifeless aquascape- stay sharp! You know that those little tiny creatures you see crawling on the susbtrate, and those bits and pieces of detritus coming off those decomposing palm fronds are an important, integral part of your overall aquatic microcosm.

You're not just geeking out. 

You're observing the evolution...

Stay engaged. Stay enthralled. Stay observant. Stay patient....Stay geeky...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

The dark, deep, yet exciting side of botanical-style aquariums...Caveats, challenges..rewards!

With all of the interesting experiments and new aquariums we've seen springing up using botanicals to achieve interesting aesthetic and functional results in blackwater aquariums, it's always nice to look into things which can be challenging or of concern from time to time.

For no particular reason, I just felt like discussing a topic or two today which focuses on creating safe, beneficial habitats for our fishes. No particular event or events triggered this, other than the desire to continuously create an honest, frank dialogue among members of "Tint Nation" to objectively look at the good, the bad., and even the ugly side of our "practice." 

As always, I'm constantly "iterating", or in our language, "evolving" my aquariums to embrace new ideas, concepts, or aesthetics which I think would push the "state of the art" of blackwater/botanical-style aquarium down the road a bit. Lately, I've been thinking about an even more realistic-looking-and functioning- "flooded forest" themed aquarium, something we're seeing more and more of our community playing with. And I've been thinking through further refinements of the "deep botanical bed"/sand substrate relationship. I've been spending a lot of time researching the natural systems and contemplating how we can translate some of this stuff into our closed system aquaria.

One of the things that many hobbyists ponder when we contemplate deep botanical beds consisting of leaves, sand, and other botanical materials is the buildup of hydrogen sulfide, CO2, and other undesirable compounds within the substrate.

Well, it does make sense that if you have a large amount of decomposing material in an aquarium, that some of these compounds are going to accumulate in heavily-"active" substrates. Now, the big "bogeyman" that we all seem to zero in on in our "sum of all fears" scenarios is hydrogen sulfide, which results from bacterial breakdown of organic matter in the total absence of oxygen.

Let's think about this for a second.

In a botanical bed with materials placed on the substrate, or loosely mixed into the top layers, will it all "pack down" enough to the point where there is a complete lack of oxygen and we develop a significant amount of this reviled compound in our tanks? I think that we're more likely to see some oxygen in this layer of materials, and I can't help but speculate- and it IS just speculation- that actual de-nitirifcation (nitrate reduction), which lowers nitrates while producing free nitrogen, might actually be able to occur in a "deep botanical" bed.

And it's certainly possible to have denitrification without dangerous hydrogen sulfide levels. As long as even very small amounts of oxygen and nitrates can penetrate into the substrate this will not become an issue for most systems. I have yet to see a botanical-style aquarium where the material has become so "compacted" as to appear to have no circulation whatsoever within the botanical layer. Now, I base this on visual inspection of numerous tanks, and the basic chemical tests I've run on my systems under a variety of circumstances.

And then there's the question of nitrate.

Quite honestly, even in the most heavily-botanical-laden systems I've played with, I have personally never seen a higher nitrate reading than around 5ppm. I attribute this to good quality source water (RO/DI), careful stocking, feeding, good circulation, and consistent basic aquarium husbandry practices (water changes, filter maintenance, etc.). Now, that's just me. I'm no scientist, certainly not a chemist, but I have a basic understanding of maintaining a healthy nitrogen cycle in the aquarium. And I am habitual-perhaps even obsessive- about consistent maintenance.

I think the very few issues that we've seen with people "pushing it too far" in terms of botanical applications were caused by rapid influxes of large quantities of botanical materials, which (this is theory) overwhelmed the resident bacterial population and might have resulted in rapid oxygen depletion and a corresponding increase in CO2. The result was fishes hanging at the surface in an attempt to get oxygen. Almost every situation like this I heard of was remedied in a relatively short period of time by adding additional aeration into the tank and/or removing some of the materials.

Generally, loss of life was minimal (that's an awful term, though) or nonexistent as a result of these measures. Regardless, it's really important to be careful. Fish can die if we push it too hard.  It's not just "Boil, dump...Instant Amazon..."  Measured experimentation is required. We're adding biological materials to established aquariums, which might not be able to handle large, fast influxes.

There's obviously some "upper limit" of how much botanical material we can add to a given system in a brief period of time, and it's especially more profound in newly-established aquariums with "immature" nutrient export mechanisms in place.

Typically, botanical-"powered" systems run trouble free, especially when you understand what's going on, know what to expect (yeah, decomposing leaves, biofilms, etc.), and have mechanisms in place to accommodate them.

Now, this is not to say that you can't have some disasters if you "go too hard" or "too fast" with lots of botanicals in a closed system. It just makes sense, right? You're adding material which will decompose in the water, and if adequate nutrient export systems are not in place to deal with it, you could have some problems. This isn't some new revelation; it's something we've been talking about here for a long time. And it's common sense- "Aquarium-Keeping 101", really. However, it's important to bring up the potential "dark sides" of botanical-style aquariums now and again, as more and more hobbyists start experimenting with this stuff.

Throwing light on the dark side...

What kinds of things can we do to prevent problems like this?

Well, for one thing, we can add botanical materials gradually, at a slow, steady pace. This will give our bacteria population a chance to catch up with the influx of materials being added. Also, it will slow down the pace of any pH variations (assuming we are utilizing stuff that can lower the pH in our tanks) so that the fishes can adjust to them.

It's common sense "best practice" for us.

Another thing would be to employ good circulation within your system, which not only results in greater oxygenation and "mixing" of water "strata" - it physically suspends fine particulates in your system as well, making it easier for mechanical filtration to remove (of course, that assumes you don't like the look of "stuff" in the water, as some of us do!).

Relatively shallow sand beds seem to be optimal for identification, and many of us employ them for the aesthetics as well. Light "vacuuming" of the top layers to remove any potential "dead spots" is always a good practice, IMHO. Any debris stirred up can easily be removed mechanically by filtration, as mentioned above.

While we're on the subject of filters, some form of mechanical (ie' filter pads, etc.) and chemical (like activated carbon, PolyFilter, ReNew, or other media) is highly recommended.

Many fellow "Tinters" are surprised to know that I utilize some form of chemical filtration media on a full-time basis in all of my blackwater and brackish, botanical-style systems, and have for years. As we've discussed for a couple of years now, having these filter media in place is an "extra layer of protection", and any perceived "tint removal" that you might experience as a result of using them is far outweighed by the benefits.

Besides- have you looked at the color of the water in my tanks lately? Plenty dark.

Yeah.

Follow our instructions on the preparation of aquatic botanicals.  Yes, some of our ideas on steeping catappa leaves or whatever before use might seem ridiculously conservative. However, recommend some of these procedures because we have a responsibility to share techniques that we fill will yield the best possible outcomes for the largest number of customers. Some of you do add leaves directly to your tanks, and have experienced no issues. I have played with that too, and have never had a problem, but I still recommend at least a rinse or steep for some leaves, to remove surface pollutants and other organics possibly bound up in the dermal layer of the leaves. Plus, a "steep" of some sort helps buoyant leaves saturate and sink faster, if nothing else. 

And then there is the use of aquatic plants; something that we are seeing more and more of in botanical-oriented systems. In terms of impact on the substrate, it's a known fact that plants remove ammonia directly, and typically will prevent the anaerobic conditions that promote production of hydrogen sulfide within the substrate itself. So there are many benefits to including them in our botanical-style blackwater aquariums!

The simple practice of adding "botanical stuff" into our aquariums is not some "high concept thing." However, the impacts on the water chemistry and overall aquatic environment- not to mention, on our fishes- are profound, fascinating, and real! Being careful and taking the time to clean, prepare, and add botanicals to your aquarium in a measured manner always yields a better outcome. Going slowly also gives you the opportunity to address any issues that you might have before they become critical.

It just makes sense to be patient.

Now, some 2-plus years in, I think many of you in our customer base "get it", and understand that we need to look at the addition of botanicals to our systems as a big ongoing "experiment", with some "best practices" having emerged fairly quickly, and others having been developed as we as a community gain more experience with this stuff. Being responsible stewards of our little closed aquatic habitats just goes with the territory. And perhaps most important, everyone seems to realize that with each aquarium they set up, and with every experiment or idea they implement, the "state of the art" of this type of methodology is improved, refined, and perfected.

Everyone who participates has valuable experience that they can share. There is still plenty to do, many potential breakthroughs to be had, techniques to perfect, mistakes to be made, science to interpret, and- unfortunately- occasional tragedies to learn from. 

We as an enthusiastic and engaged global community have slowly and carefully taken the concept of a blackwater, botanical-style aquarium out of the realm of "carnival side show" into an evolving, legitimate practice to achieve significant results with our treasured fishes. We continuously see reports of dramatic fish health improvements, spawnings of delicate species, seen wonderful, realistic representations of nature, even experienced an occasional tragedy or two on very rare occasions...and realized from each- that we learn.

 And we recognize that we are all part of a greater whole, and that the world we're doing will benefit the generations of aquarists who will follow us, and apply what we're learning in ways that we probably haven't even contemplated yet.

Thanks for coming along for the ride!

Stay generous. Stay open-minded. Stay careful. Stay patient.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Questions and answers on our new brackish-water tank...The beginning...

As we've finally started working with our brackish water aquarium in the office, we've received a large number of questions on various topics associated with the aquarium.

And why not answer some of 'em right here?

Obviously, this is not a "ground-breaking" tank, and it's in its infancy, but I think it is a system that embraces our love of the whole "botanical-style" brackish tank; something we hope to see more of in the hobby! The amount of interest we've seen in it is really exciting, and encourages us to press forward with some more cool ideas for this system!

Is this tank modeled after a specific location, or just the mangrove habitat?

Great question, actually! We decided at the outset that weren't going full-on biotope aquarium, with every fish, shell, leaf, etc. coming from a specific geographic location. Rather, we wanted to replicate a "generic" brackish-water mangrove habitat, with a dark bottom, lots of mangrove roots, some leaf litter, and live mangrove propagules accenting it.

There is something really cool to me about simply sharing our idea of the "tinted" botanical-style brackish tank in operation first, and then we (and others!) could go down the biotope route down the line.

What size is this aquarium? How is it filtered?

This is an "all-in-one" style aquarium from Innovative Marine; their Fusion Mini 40, which is 40 US gallons, and has dimensions of 24x20x19 inches. The aquarium features a built-in overflow weir and multi-chamber filtration behind the tank. Other than some filter pads and a few small ratchets of activated carbon, I utilize the rear compartment more as a "sump", providing primarily biological filtration, space for a heater, pump, auto top-off, etc, as well as providing a space for settling of detritus and additional water volume. You could pack in stuff like boils, chemical filtration media, etc. if you want. The pump is a Sicce "Syncra Silent 1.5", pushing 357 GPH. we use an EcoTech Marine "Vortech" MP10 on "Lagoon Random Mode" for additional flow within the system.

What specific gravity and other parameters are you maintaining? How do you keep the specific gravity consistent?

We target a specific gravity of 1.004, and I use Instant Ocean mix to achieve this. Water temperature is 77.5 F /25.2C. The pH of the water is 7.6, and the alkalinity (KH) is 7.  

An interesting set of readings...

Oh, by the way, my fave testing equipment for specific gravity is a digital refractometer...it eliminates any "interpretation" and guesswork when you're trying to determine the low specific gravity that we play with!

We maintain the specific gravity consistent by use of a very simple automated top-off system, the "Smart ATO Micro", which consists of an optical sensor, which you place in your tank at the depth you want the water level to remain at. When the system detects that the water level has dropped, it activates a tiny but incredibly powerful DC pump, which you place in a reservoir or other container below the tank, filled with fresh water.

I had a custom acrylic reservoir made by my reefing pal/celeb, Marc Levenson, who's website, melevsreef.com is an ultimate source for the DIY reefer. And unlike some other (inexplicably) much-loved and well-known "DIY" hobby people, Marc is actually a really nice guy and will take the time to work with you!

Check his site out! 

The pump injects enough water to bring the water level back to the predetermined depth. ridiculously easy and incredibly accurate! I use this system in all of my open-top aquariums, which are subject to evaporation. It's an easy way to maintain consistent water parameters in brackish (and blackwater) aquariums, which require consistent parameters for optimal health of their inhabitants.

Best.Gadget.Ever.

What is the wood in that tank?

It's a combination of our Mangrove Root Sections and Mangrove Branches. They're PERFECT for the look we're trying to achieve, and super-easy to use in a "vertical" format. One thing about mangrove wood, however- it's kind of a "dirty" wood (particularly the root sections", and will accumulate algae an biofilm rapidly and significantly (which BTW, is entirely consistent with the habitat we're replicating!), and you need to be patient/accepting/diligent (or all of the above) to deal with it. It will ultimately become more-or-less "pristine" over time, but you need to wait..or employ some snails, like Nerites, etc.

Are those live oysters on the mangrove branches?

No, actually. They are Oyster Shell Halves, which we patiently glued to the branches with glue. We like the viscosity/"stickiness" of EcoTech Marine Coral Glue, a fave from my reefing work- but you can use any cyanoacrylate kind of glue and a little patience. Gluing multiple shell halves together on the roots takes time, but the effect is pretty cool, IMHO...I was inspired by the pic below.

I achieved exactly the effect I was looking for...If I were to do it over again, I think I might actually have used more, extending them a bit deeper below the water line. Regardless, I'm really stoked with how this turned out!

Are you incorporating live mangroves into this system?

Yes. We are utilizing some mangrove propagules that we've been sprouting in our "window garden" over the past several months in brackish water (it's important to sprout your mangroves in the same water considitons ( i.e.; specific gravity) in which they will ultimately be residing.) 

We've secured the sprouted propagules to the mangrove root sections within the tank, with the ultimate goal for them to "touch down" with their prop roots into the substrate. This is a long-term process, as the mangrove is not the fastest-growing plant out there. However, we play a "long game" and are very patient to let them do their thing and gradually let the roots work their way down into the substrate and for the branches and roots to sprout above the waterline in their own time...

What kind of substrate are you using? What are you growing?

This is one of the fun parts for me...And perhaps even a bit "controversial", in that I'm using a very "rich" substrate in a tank that I'm not really growing aquatic plants in. My rationale for utilizing such a substrate was to attempt to recreate the environment and to a lesser extent- the function, of a rich, biologically-active substrate.

I'm using a mix of a few different materials- Eco System "Miracle Mud", CaribSea "Refugium Mineral Mud", very find aragonite sand, organic compost, and some fien, brownish gravel to give the whole thing a sort of "muddy" look. 

And ultimately, when the live mangrove propagules I've sprouted in my tank "touch down" in this milieu, they'll have a very "fertile footing" to grow in! Now, in the mean time, I am seeing a bunch of small life forms (likely "hitchhikers" from my mangrove propagules) start to emerge from the substrate...very cool. And of course, with other materials (like fish waste, organic detritus, and decomposing leaves) adding to the "mix", it's only going to get better! I was originally thinking of using the adaptable Cryptocoryne ciliata as a plant in the substrate, but after seeing the look of the tank once it was filled, I felt it would simply be "too much" in the 'scape that I've developed...Maybe down the line.

Are you using leaf litter in there?

We're using a combination of Red Mangrove Leaves and Malaysian Yellow Mangrove Leaves in a combination. I'm gradually building up the amount of leaves, while not going too crazy with them. to keep a sort of open look. I'll be replenishing them as they decompose. They are helping to enrich the substrate, while providing a cool aesthetic as well.

Obviously, there is a lot more to this tank to talk about...and we'll cover your additional questions (like, how we're lighting the damn thing and oh, yeah, what FISHES we're putting in there!) in the next installment of this look! The word of Estuary is just getting started, and we're all learning some cool stuff together, just like we did in the blackwater world!

In the mean time, I hope that this admittedly brief look has at least answered a few of your questions and maybe inspired you to play with this stuff! Feel free to hit me up on social media, email, or in this blog if you have more questions! 

Stay curious. Stay engaged. Stay creative. Stay excited...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Nature's got this thing down!

I think we can all relate to this:

As a lifelong hobbyist, I've personally been through periods of time when I couldn't devote as much time  to my beloved fish tanks...Yet I always had one- fresh, salt, or otherwise. It's just not "home" unless you hear the reassuring popping of bubbles, whirring of pumps, and see the beautiful reflections caused by the interplay of light and moving water. These are some of the "joys" of being a fish geek, right? (Not to mention, the spills, frozen food, the collection of "fish stuff" in the garage, etc.)

Of course, there were a number of times over the decades that, for one reason or another, I simply let the tanks "run themselves", save an occasional water change or filter media cleaning, and of course, regular feeding (that consisted of tossing in a few flakes or pellets, or whatever was on hand at the time).

A particularly fond memory of this type of "practice" comes from my Senior year in high school, when I was seriously into breeding killies (in addition to keeping saltwater, cichlids, tetras, and of course, the usual high school pursuits of girls, sports, and socializing). As a junior AKA member, I obtained a group of killies- Epiplatys annulatus, and was determined to breed them.

Of course, they have always had a reputation for being a bit of a challenge, requiring careful care, feeding, and a fair measure of patience. As a busy kid, I had little patience (although more than the average high school guy- after all, I was a fish geek!), and less time-so I was delighted to learn that some hobbyists found that these fishes were able to do okay in "permanent" and "natural" setups (fish geek code for "set and forget", IMHO)- granted with a smaller production of fry... So of course, this was a perfect fish for my busy lifestyle at the time!

I set up 1 pair and a few extra females in a 5- gallon tank, planted with Water Sprite, Hygrophila, and Rotala. Given moderate light from a small fixture, and a sponge filter providing filtration/circulation, this tank looked good and ran just fine with little intervention on my part. In fact, I'm embarrassed to admit that I would sometimes go a week or more without so much as looking at the tank long enough to toss some food in there!

One day (I think it was during Spring Break), I took the time to really stare into the tank, to see what was going on...Sure enough, upon close examination, I saw several tiny fry and juveniles flitting in and among the Rotala! I was elated! Rather than panic and start hatching brine shrimp, I made the very "mature and level-headed" decision to simply...leave them alone, as I had been doing for months. I resisted the temptation to net them out, power feed them, and otherwise intervene. I reasoned that I could hardly do better than what they were apparently being provided by nature, as they have done successfully for...well, eons! I ultimately ended up with a pretty stable population of around 12-15 individuals, in a tank I "maintained" for around 3-4 years. Ironically, the difficulties started when I had the time to really get into "taking care" of the fishes, and took more initiative and control of the breeding. I ultimately slowly lost the entire colony.

Sad.

But a valuable lesson. Sometimes, what we would classify as "benign neglect" is actually the best thing we could do..the closest imitation to nature that we can offer fishes in captive environments! 

Now, I'm not suggesting that you abandon all care of your fishes, but I am suggesting that you reconsider the way that you might care for some of the more demanding varieties (from a breeding aspect, anyways). Sometimes it's best to simply "monitor" and not intervene so much. Hard to do for us 'hands on" fish geeks- particularly for a hardcore reefer like myself- but it often times works far better than our efforts to take "control" of the situation, IMHO.

I was reminded this years later when I went into the office of my former business partner at Unique Corals, to feed his fishes while was out of town for the month. He and I both had freshwater tanks at UC, because they represented a nice change from the 16,000 gallons of saltwater we had in our facility...And, they were a bit more forgiving with our healthy travel schedules. I had a plant-less blackwater "hardscape", and he opted for a planted tank, CO2 and all that stuff. 

Of course, with the craziness of schedules and running businesses, sometimes we couldn't maintain our tanks as "steadfastly" as we'd have liked. This was certainly the case with Joe's tank. When I popped my head in one day, the tank was just packed with plants...And the fishes were healthy, active, and solid. His Angelfish had paired off, and at least one young pair had a small clutch of eggs!

It was just another reminder to me that there is more than one way to keep an aquarium and have fishes reproduce. I saw this again more recently on in my friend Dave's "Jungle Tank" in his home. Now, he's a rock-solid, ultra-DIY, high-tech-loving, super-talented reefer (and he has a coral propagation facility in his backyard!)- but he keeps this freshwater tank packed full of plants and assorted livebearers...just does water changes and the occasional (I mean occasional) thinning of plants- and that's it! 

And it's an amazing tank! I could stare at it for hours...

There's something to be said for this sort of "style" of tank...It's a more modern, slightly more equipped, slightly differently-executed homage to the "Leden Style" planted tanks of the early 20th century; a way to create a densely-planted, intricate underwater world which leaves the system largely to it's own devices, with minimal human intervention. Although the true  earliest "Leden Style" tanks didn't have pumps and filters and such...

The "common element" in the tanks I referred to in this piece was a reasonably manageable fish population, fertile substrate, adequate lighting- and an outrageous amount and variety of plants!  Set up for success. Plants- of course, were the common denominator among these tanks.

And in these days of intricately-planned, tightly-executed "high-tech/high concept" planted aquariums, it's fun to see what happens when they're left largely to their own devices...Yes, most serious "competition" aquascapers would have a mental breakdown upon seeing this ind of thing, yet, there is something oddly refreshing about this idea: Plants not in perfectly-manicured form, with occasional bits of algae and awkward, untended growth...

Kind of like what happens in nature, actually. 

I think you could perhaps even envision viewing such an aquarium much like the abandoned lot down the street, which is filled with patches of weeds. Perhaps unattractive and disorderly upon first glance (at least to the uninitiated!), yet oddly compelling and even beautiful in its own way upon, closer examination. And there is an odd sort of "aesthetic" going on there...

I'm not suggesting to abandon husbandry and care protocols in favor of neglect. I'm not suggesting that we look at our aquariums as patches of weeds and accept Entirely mediocre aesthetics as "natural." What I AM suggesting is that sometimes, closed systems regulate themselves a bit with minimal intervention on our part. Plants and animals whose needs are being met will thrive and come to dominate the closed ecosystem, for better or worse, just like in nature. We could allow the plants to grow in a manner that they "want" to. We could allow some biofilm; some decomposition...Some more accurate representation of what occurs in nature...

In fact, one could probably make the argument that- at least on a superficial level- the "benignly neglected" aquarium- or more precisely- the "judiciously-manicured" aquarium- may be the closest imitation of nature that we can present!

With botanical-style, blackwater aquariums, the emphasis has been much more on the overall "scene" than on a specific component. And long-term functionality, in terms of creating a stable, biologically active and diverse system, has been the next big step we've taken after merely creating workable blackwater, botanical-style aquariums.

Plants, "active substrates", "cryptic zones", refugia, and deep leaf litter beds are becoming more and more a part of our scene, and it would be interesting to see how a "benignly-neglected" BWB-Style system fares over time! Something akin to what we see in nature.

Although I certainly wouldn't advocate running a botanical-style, blackwater aquarium, devoid of plants, in this fashion, there are aspects of it that I find intriguing. The main thing I find is that the concept of creating our own "flooded forest"- including a rich, perhaps "dirted" substrate and a mix of leaves, botanicals, and terrestrial/marginal/aquatic plants is another logical step to embrace as we continue to push the boundaries to create truly "natural style" aquariums!

Yeah, nature's got this thing down!

Stay open-minded. Stay focused. Stay determined.Stay on top of things...or not!

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics