The Tint

The salty garden...

As more and more interest grows in the brackish water world of “Estuary”, we’re seeing more and more questions about putting together aquariums. Our community really gets the idea that a brackish water aquarium is as dynamaic, biologically rich, and aesthetically unique as any type of aquarium we play with. We see little fear of our vision of tinted, brackish water, epiphytic biofilms and algae on mangrove branches, mangrove leaf litter- and an abundance of life.

Beyond the initial questions of “What fishes can we keep”, and “Do I have to use a hydrometer or refractometer?” (quick answer: Yes. No guessing at specific gravity! ) the most common question is, “Can you grow plants in a brackish aquarium? Which ones?”

 

Of course, we have talked before, and will talk much more- about growing mangroves in our brackish-water systems. They're the definite "go-to" for brackish water systems, and display surprising adaptability and tenacity...oh, and they look cool, too!

And you kind of knew that already, huh?

Today, however, we’re just going to focus on two of my favorite favorite brackish water-tolerant aquatic plants. Now, the consensus for many years was that there aren’t too many plants that can adapt to brackish conditions. Although it is true that there are a limited number of plants which are found in these habitats which make it into the trade, there are also a few “old faves” that are surprisingly adaptable to the lower specific gravities (1.003-1.005) that we are targeting, like Bacopa, Hygrophila (specifically, H. corymbosa), Anacharis, Cabomba, Hornwort, and even some Sagittaria and Echinodorus (the “Pygmy Chain Sword”)…

Lots of possibilities.

I’ve played with all of these over the years in brackish environments, and they do work…if you acclimate them slowly. Oh, and a number of my friends tell me that Vallisneria works, too, although I must say I have NOT personally used them in a brackish tank before.

Vallisneria (Photo by Fredlyfish4, used under CC BY-SA 4.0)

Before we get into our extremely quick-and-dirty rundown, let me make a general suggestion: You need to gradually acclimate any plants that you’ll be keeping in your brackish tank to these conditions over the course of a week or two. You can’t just plunge plants (even ones that are known to be adaptable) from pure freshwater at the LFS right into your 1.005 brackish water aquarium and expect them to kick ass.

Acclimate them. They key is to keep them in a separate small aquarium during this time, and “dial up the salt” gradually (like adding some every other day and checking the impact on your specific gravity to bring it up by a point or two…I’d recommend a refractometer (even a digital refractometer, if you can afford one!) instead of a hydrometer, because it’s easier to resolve the smaller increments that you’ll want to track during this process, especially if your eyesight sucks, like mine does! Once your at your target specific gravity of 1.003-1.005, let the plants stay in the tank a couple more days in order to allow them fully acclimate. The key here, like in every aspect of aquarium keeping…is patience.

You can’t rush this; there is no reason to.

 

Also, as another generality, most of the plants that we consider for this habitat will benefit from nutrient-rich substrates, incorporating muds or even terrestrial soils- the exact kinds of substrates that we’re advocating for your brackish water aquarium! Think more "pond" or "dirted planted aquarium" than clean, white sand" kind of thing here. And of course, if you’re contemplating growing a live mangrove or two (or more) in your tank, the rich substrate is really important, IMHO. Part of our whole approach to brackish systems is that we need to replicate, to the extent possible, the entire habitat, specifically, the substrate.

Now, real anaerobic mud, as encountered in many intertidal mangrove estuaries and other habitats, is pretty impractical to incorporate in the aquarium, but we can do a pretty reasonable facsimile with the right materials, which will provide benefits beyond just giving your plants a place to grow (such as fostering microbial  life and macro crustaceans and other beneficial life forms which make up these systems). In future installments of "The Tint", we'll discuss "recipes"  and ideas for mud substrates in brackish tanks.

 

As you all probably know, I am absolutely not a plant expert, or even a huge planted aquarium lover.

I appreciate them for their utility, and admire the amazing aquascapes created by many of you talented people, but they never quite “grabbed me” like fish did. I mean, I am in love with blackwater habitats in which plants are a minor component, if present at all- can you blame me?

However, like so many things we do in the hobby, I learned what I needed to know to do what I do, and little more. However, I did spend a fair amount of time over the past decade trying to research and test which plants work in the low-salinity brackish environment we’re targeting, and I can offer a few suggestions solely based on my experience, and that of a few friends. This is a scant few; there are no doubt many others, but you might need to do some digging around online or elsewhere to get more information.

 

SInce I’m about not wasting your time, let’s just cut right to the plant that I feel is the “target specimen” for your tinted brackish system…a plant which is actually often found inhabiting brackish water habitats, right along side mangroves and Nypa Palms  Cryptocoryne ciliata. Native to Indonesia, India, and the Philippines, this is one of the larger Crypts, reaching up to 20 inches tall ( 50.8 cm) and will often “break the waterline” with it’s leaves…kind of perfect for some of the effects we’re after in our brackish tanks! When planted in a taller aquarium with a “thicket” of mangrove roots, this plant can form the basis of a stunning functional and aesthetic display that will really look alive! 

 

 

Like all “Crypts”, this one benefits from a rich substrate, so incorporating the aforementioned muds, clays, and soils into your aquarium makes perfect sense. And of course, like others in its genus, it often goes through that nasty “Cryptocoryne melt” as it settles into its new environment. The key, again, is patience. Let it happen. I’m no authority on dealing with planted aquarium problems, but I’m patient as ________, and, like you- I’ve found that providing the proper conditions and just waiting it out works the majority of the time with these plants.

Panicking, uprooting, moving them about, and creating general disruption typically provides no benefit for the plants, and will only give you some sort of mental comfort that you did “something” to your tank…If you’re patient, you’ll find that the roots tend to survive the “melt”, and new leaves may appear within a few days or weeks- or over the course of a few months sometimes.

(This is similar to what happens with seagrasses, just so you know. Remember that next year…) Seriously, there is no real need to panic..just wait it out. Let the rich substrate, decomposing mangrove leaf litter, and fish waste work their magic...

The other plant I implore you to consider would be the old standby, Java Fern! Yup, good ‘ol Microsorium pterous, which I think is Latin for “Even Fellman can’t kill this thing”- look it up!

It’s pretty much an indestructible plant, and as we have probably read forever, is easy to grow epiphytically, attached to mangrove roots or even well-placed rocks. The key to keeping this plant happy, in my opinion, is to place it in water. Seriously. That’s like about it…Okay, far be it from me to disrespect this old fave, but it really is absurdly adaptable to a wide range of conditions, and brackish happens to be one of them. 

Javas love aquariums with adequate “fertilizers”, in the form of fish waste and organics, so our version of a brackish aquarium, with decomposing leaves, botanicals, and muddy substrate- not to mention, a good number of fishes- is perfect for these guys! At the risk of re-hashing the details on a plant that is covered in like every aquarium website on planet earth, let’s just say that it’s adaptable, undemanding, and will do very well in brackish once adapted.

 

So yeah, we could go on an on and talk about each and every plant I’ve tried in brackish, and the notes would basically be the same…acclimate slowly, provide the proper “rooting environment”, lighting, and keep their leaf surfaces free of algae. If you’re really into CO2 or that other planted tank gadgetry, go for it, but quite honestly, I’ve never used a CO2 system in a brackish display, particularly our version of a “botanical-style/tinted” brackish tank, and my plants have historically grown really well once acclimated…

Again, the key is ACCLIMATION, OBSERVATION...and PATIENCE.

 

The idea of planted brackish tanks has been around as long as hobbyists have played with brackish tanks! It’s not something we’re inventing here. However, we are approaching it “institutionally” differently than most have before. That is, we’re embracing the idea of really rich substrate, mangrove leaf litter, and slightly tinted water.

This is, in our opinion, a more functional and uniquely alluring aesthetic than most have tried, and we think that this slightly unorthodox approach might yield some interesting discoveries as more and more hobbyists “dip their toes” in this fascinating aquatic niche.

 

(Okay, so a Spotted Scat is not the best choice for a planted tank...but it's a classic brackish water fish...)

And guess what?

Just like in our interpretation of the botanical-style, blackwater aquarium, which you have elevated, iterated, and evovled- YOU are an active participant in the evolution, discovery process, and development of this new tinted brackish-water aquarium movement, too.

Each and every hobbyist  who works with this type of system has the opportunity to contribute richly to the “state of the art” of this niche, and to the larger aquarium hobby. It’s an exciting “ground-floor” opportunity, and we’re happy to have you along for the ride!

 

There are so many things to learn. SO much to share, experience, screw up, and perfect.

Stay excited. Stay bold. Stay patent. Stay fearless!

And Stay Wet. (and slightly salty!)

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Blabbering on about bark...

If you've been following the goings-on here at Tannin Aquatics over the last few years, you've seen us consistently offer a variety of bark and bark-related products. Part of the reason, besides the desire to offer you the widest selection of natural materials for botanical-style, blackwater aquariums, is because we feel that bark is an excellent vehicle for imparting tint-producing tannins (and their associated humic substances) into your aquarium water.

 

Bark not only is functional, but it provides a very cool aesthetic touch that really represents nature in a realistic way. As we've talked about endlessly here over the years, branches, logs, and (by extension) tree bark and such combine with leaves and seed pods in natural waterways of the world, providing shelter, supplemental food, and environmental enrichment for fishes...and they do the same in the aquarium!

As a source of tannins, bark is significant. Tannins are naturally occurring plant polyphenols, and are ubiquitous in trees worldwide, in the leaves, roots, branches, and of course, the bark. Bark functions as a protective barrier for trees, and it provides a thick, waterproof covering to the living inner tissue. It protects the trunk against the elements, disease, animal attack and fire.

Tannin is typically concentrated in the inner bark (known as the "cambium layer") of trees. According to botanists, older trees have bark which contains  more tannins than a younger tree, and, consequently, the lower parts of a tree contain a higher concentration than the top parts.

And of course, some trees are more significant sources of tannins than others, among them The Cutch tree (Senegalia sp.), the Indain Almond Tree (Terminalia sp.), and members of the family Rhizophoraceae  (Mangroves!), all of which we "tinters" play with!

 Let's check 'em all out briefly.

Cutch Tree bark is interesting. It's used in it's native range of India and Southeast Asia variously as a food additive, astringent, tannin producer, and dye. The tannins within the bark are extracted by boiling the wood with water and utilizing the resulting "brew"- hmm...sounds just like a "blackwater extract" to me!  And of course, it has a unique aesthetic component which can really be utilized in interesting ways in the blackwater, botanical-style aquarium.

While I always discard the "brew" from boiling, I've used this bark for some time now as a means to impart that tint we love she much into the water, as well as for a unique aesthetic touch. And, most recently, as a substrate to breed bottom-spawning killifish- a perfect replacement for long fiber peat moss!

 

The Indian Almond Tree is almost legendary in our geeky little sector of the fish world, as it's leaves are sort of the "default" tannin-imparting vehicle for virtually everyone who plays with the blackwater aquarium. And the bark is equally as useful, but perhaps lesser utilized in the hobby. We're so obsessed with the stuff that we offer it from both India and Borneo- and each is slightly different in "format."  

The leaves (and the bark) are used in different herbal medicines in the tree's native range, and, as we've investigated before, the bark and leaves are known to contain agents which have been found to control and eliminate chloroquine (CQ)-resistant and CQ-sensitive strains of bacteria.

Anecdotally, the hobby has attached to this "feature" of Catappa, and all sorts of miraculous claims seem to be ascribed to the stuff! Indeed, research has shown that there are definite anti-fungal and anti-bacterial benefits for ornamental fishes when utilizing concentrated extracts of the compounds found in the leaves and bark; however, it's hard to determine the efficacy of the actual leaves themselves as a "tonic" of sorts. I prefer to think of them as a nice source of color-producing tannins and of humic substances, which have been known by science for some time to be highly beneficial for fishes.

And then we come to mangroves.

Now, while Mangrove bark is not something that has been available in the hobby, to our knowledge, we've been fortunate enough to find a source for legally-collected mangrove branches and roots from Hawaii. 

And with some experimentation, we've seen these branches (and leaves- but that's another story for another time!) impart a definite "tint" to the water of both freshwater and brackish aquariums.  Something worth experimenting with more, for sure! I've been using in in my latest blackwater aquarium, and I feel it has significant "tinting" properties, for sure!

So, bark in general is very interesting stuff, with a wide variety of functional and aesthetic benefits for aquaria. We can't vouch for the aquarium suitability of all sorts of bark, but we can certainly advocate the use of Catappa and Cutch Tree bark! Now, I have a hunch, but no specific data to back it up, other than superficial observations-yet it's a "hunch" that bark may have a greater concentration of tannins than leaves. I say this because, at least from a visual perspective, I've found that it takes far less in the way of bark to impart a similar visual tint to the water as it does leaves. Definitely something worth experimenting with over time!

Preparation of bark for aquarium use is pretty straightforward. You need to either soak it in freshwater for an extended period of time (several days) in order for it to saturate and perhaps release any surface contaminants (dirt, dust, etc.) that may be present, or boil the stuff in a pot for around 40 minutes or so, followed perhaps by an overnight soak in room temperature water. No worries- this stuff has enough of a "wallop" that this preparation won't "deplete" it of it's valuable tannins! If kept dry, it can be stored indefinitely without losing its effectiveness. This is verifiable if you talk to anyone in the tanning trade who utilizes bark for creating stains.

As a food source, well bark is interesting! I've seen some fishes (the usual suspects like Plecos) rasping at it, as well as some shrimp.

More interestingly, I've seen fishes such as characins (Pencilfishes, in particular) picking at the bark quite often! Now, it's hard to tell if they are picking at the bark itself (perhaps unlikely, as gut content analysis of the wild fishes mentions nothing about bark!), or more likely, at algal, fungal or other growth on the faceted surfaces of the bark. Nonetheless, bark can at least foster some of the natural food sources of a variety of fishes and shrimp, and is worth considering as a "functional" component of your blackwater aquarium.

And of course, you could simply use bark as you would leaves or cones- in a filter sock or perhaps (I have not personally tried this) i na reactor. And of course, you could throw a piece or two (you'll have to determine how much for yourself) into your water preparation/storage containers to "pre-tint" your tank water a bit.

And of course...the stuff just looks pretty cool!

In the end, we think that once you try bark, you'll end up as obsessed with it as we are, and consider it a vital functional and aesthetic opponent of your blackwater/botanical-style aquarium. Likely, over time, you'll come up with other uses for bark in your aquarium (perhaps as a substrate, spawning surface, or shelter for various fishes), and we'd love to hear about it!

Until next time...

Stay curious. Stay innovative. Stay experimental. Stay engaged. Stay tinted! 

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Adrift in the current...

On Friday, we talked about water clarity, which proved a lot of interesting discussion. And of course, it got me thinking about what we see in our tanks on an everyday basis.

Not long ago, I was amusingly distracted watching my office aquarium, observing a little piece of leaf floating about in the current. I don't really know why, but it somehow made me ponder how different I have approached virtually everything in my botanical aquarium than I do in any other one I keep.

One of the things you get used to in a botanical-themed aquarium is, of course, decomposing leaves, softening botanicals, and the occasional strand of biofilm. And with these things, occasionally, a piece will break off and float around in the current...I remember in years past, in my reef tanks, or "clearwater" FW tanks, I'd be incredibly aggravated by little bits of "stuff" floating in the water column, and would pretty much drop whatever I was doing and reach for the net to remove the offensive material, whatever it was.

However, when I started playing with the blackwater, botanical-themed tanks, I realized that seeing the occasional bit of debris (typically leaves or "shells" of botanicals) didn't aggravate me in the least. In fact, I found that I kind of like it. I've watched enough of Ivan Mikolji's videos and seen enough of Mike Tuccinardi's pics of natural blackwater habitats to accept that the dynamic in nature is that, well- occasionally, there is "stuff" floating in the water.

And you just have to accept this in an aquarium that utilizes these natural materials.

Now, it doesn't mean that it's cool to have uneaten food, or huge pieces of leaves, dead fishes and such floating about in your tank. However, it does mean that little bits of stuff  sort of "goes with the territory" of what we do, and that this is nature. This is what happens in the wild, and there is no particular reason why it isn't acceptable to see it in our aquariums from time to time.

Again, it's one of those "mental; shifts" we have to make, understanding and appreciating the fact that the "aesthetic" of a blackwater/botanical aquarium is far different from the "nature aquarium" that has been presented to us in the aquatic press for so long. 

It's not an excuse for sloppy husbandry, or neglecting the removal of offensive materials. However, it IS a sort of acceptance of the fact that "stuff happens" in nature- and in aquariums- and that many of these things are simply not worth getting upset about. I mean, if you have an aquarium with brown water, and substrate dominated by decomposing leaves and softening botanicals, it shouldn't come as any surprise that an occasional piece might break off and float around before settling somewhere else in the aquarium. 

I find it strongly relaxing; oddly amusing, actually. Perhaps..maybe, these transient, ephemeral moments are the exact embodiment of the idea of "wabi-sabi" that Takashi Amano wrote about so often?

Just another nuance; another little transient thing- another mental shift we have to make when keeping one of these amazing aquariums.

Going with the flow...literally. Not stressing..just accepting. And appreciating.  Think about THAT the next time you see a little pice of leaf in the current...

Stay relaxed. Stay engaged. Stay appreciative. Stay obsessed..

And Stay Wet

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Eyes open..hands wet...

As I've been inching painfully towards finally getting my office brackish water aquarium wet, I reflected briefly on some of the options for equipping the tank, and how I was going to approach managing it. There was a very tiny part of me who was actually thinking of "gadget-ing up" this tank...And of course, I decided instead to be sensible about it and mix "old school"/"new school" tech.

And since this think has been inching along more slowly than NASA's Space Launch System, I think it makes more sense to go with this combination!

Technology is important. It's super beneficial for our hobby. However, it also  carries with it some additional considerations that you need to contend with...It's never simply "set and forget"- no matter how good your equipment is.

Case in point:

I had a friend call me a while back regarding some issues that she was having with her fabulously-equipped, obscenely expensive 200 US-gallon "mixed reef" aquarium. She’s got the usual littany of high-tech reef toys- high-end German-engineered protein skimmer, kalkmixer, calcium reactor, electronically controlled water pumps, and a sophisticated electronic controller that would make NASA jealous!

Seemed like all was good, and that she should have been at the top of her game with her $10,000-plus USD investment, right? Yet, for some reason, her system just didn’t look right. We've all been there, huh? In her case, her corals seemed off-color, fish were sort of listless, and the system just didn’t look “right”. You know, after you've been in the aquarium game for a while, you can just "tell" when things don't seem right!

Of course, we went through the usual questions: “Any new fishes added recently?” , “Dose any additives?”, "Changed your maintenance procedures lately? “When was the last time you did a water change?”….As it turned out, she felt that her super high-tech system made her exempt from basic husbandry practices…Not an uncommon malady in the splashy reef aquarium world.

Not only had it been literally months since she did a water change, it had been an equal number of months since she checked the probes on her controller!  You know, the expensive, useful, and obscenely high-tech device that she charged with "managing" her whole system, with lots of numbers and lights and stuff.

Upon inspection, it turned out that one of her controller’s probes cracked, and the redox probe was not even submersed in the water!  Her super system was operating with incorrect information, and environmental adjustments that were not necessary (i.e.; ozone injection and adjustments to buffering) were being made. Fortunately, we stumbled on this before things got out of hand and fishes and corals started dying. It was surprisingly easy "fix" from a technology standpoint- just replace it...

However, it was a more difficult one, philosophy-wise.

For all of her "techno-props", my friend overlooked some basic tenants of "postmodern" aquarium-keeping, freshwater, reef, or anything in between:

1) You can’t blindly rely on gadgets to control your system without glancing at them occasionally to ascertain if they are working correctly.

2) You need to adhere to some very basic husbandry practices- such as water changes, to dilute metabolic waste products, regardless of the technology you employ.

3) Know what "normal" is for your aquarium and its inhabitants. That involves more than just looking at numbers. It involves engaging all of your senses- sight, sound, smell. That..."feeling."

Basic stuff, yes- but vital if we are to enjoy long-term success with captive animals. We can't lose that "touch" we've developed as hobbyists over the past century or so of aquarium keeping, just because we have some high-tech gadgets to take away some of the "onerous" manual practices we engage in to keep an aquarium. 

I’m frequently blown away how seemingly "advanced" hobbyists tend to overlook the most basic aspects of aquariology- observation of their systems and attention to regular husbandry.  It's like a technological "dependency disorder" or something! I literally know hobbyists how have spent enough on their aquarium to purchase a small car yet cannot figure out anything about what's going on in their tanks beyond the numbers reported on their wi-fi-enabled controller readout.

And even then, they don't really know what to make of them!

This is a scary practice that has to stop! I know at least two people who have experienced outright disasters which could have been easily prevented had they simply "gotten their hands wet" from time to time. Having technology is great, but it shouldn't become a substitute for the "art" of aquarium technique.

Otherwise, we're "aquarium monitoring technicians" instead of aquarists! That sounds more like a job than a hobby to me. Technology out of control! Or is that, in TOTAL control! Er, whatever, you know what I mean.

For those of you who are heading this way and know this- or if you know someone that is-and I think you might, a plea: If you know you or your fellow hobbyist is a little deficient in the actual "practice" of aquaristics- less time should be spent shopping for that “limited edition” coral or crazy-rare cichlid,  and more time just looking at the aquarium!

Get you or your fellow hobbyist back in touch. A beautiful return to the basic “core” experience of keeping an aquarium, and get involved with the system on a more intimate level.

Our fishes, your investment- and the hobby itself- need you and your full attention.

Get your hands wet!

Stay focused on the right stuff. Stay in touch. Stay engaged.

And please...Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

What exactly does "clear" mean, anyways?

As aquarium people, we were pretty much "indoctrinated" from the start that our tanks should have "crystal clear, blue-white water", and that this is one of the benchmarks of a healthy aquarium.

And of course, I won't disagree that clear water is nice.

I like it, too...However, I would make the case that "crystal clear" water is: a) not always solely indicative of "healthy" or "optimum" , and b) not always what fishes encounter in nature.

 

Of course, in the aquarium, "cloudy" water is often seen as indicative of some sort of trouble- typically, bacterial blooms, algal blooms, incompletely washed substrate, etc, so we correctly make the initial assessment that something might be amiss when water suddenly becomes cloudy or 'murky", or just shows turbidity.

On the other hand, "turbidity", as it's typically defined, leaves open the possibility that it's not a negative thing:

 "...the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by large numbers of individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air..."  

What am I getting at?

 

Well, think about a body of water like the Rio Negro. This water is of course, "tinted" because of the dissolved tannins and humic substances that are present due to decaying botanical materials.  We know all about that, right?

Yet, that's different from being cloudy or turbid, however.

And, of course, there might be some turbidity because of the runoff of soils from the surrounding forests, incompletely decomposed leaves, current, rain, etc. etc.

None of the possible causes of turbidity mentioned above in these natural watercourses represent a threat to the "quality", per se. Rather, they are the visual sign of an influx of dissolved materials that contribute to the "richness" of the environment.

It's what's "normal" for this habitat. 

 Obviously, in the closed environment that is an aquarium, "stuff" dissolving into the water may have significant impact on the overall quality. Even though it may be "normal" in a blackwater environment to have all of those dissolved leaves and botanicals, this could be problematic in the aquarium if nitrate, phosphate, and other DOC's contribute to a higher bioload, bacteria count, etc.

Again, though,  I think we need to contemplate the difference between water "quality" as expressed by the measure of compounds like nitrate and phosphate, and  visual clarity.

Our aesthetic "upbringing" in the hobby seems to push us towards crystal clear water, regardless of whether or not it's "tinted" or not. And think about it: You can have absolutely horrifically toxic levels of ammonia, dissolved heavy metals, etc. in water that is "invisible", and have perfectly beautiful parameters in water that is heavily tinted and even a bit turbid.

That's why the aquarium "mythology" which suggested that blackwater tanks were somehow "dirtier" than "blue water" tanks used to drive me crazy.

Color alone is not indicative of water quality for aquarium purposes, nor is "turbidity." Sure, by municipal drinking water standards, color and clarity are important, and can indicate a number of potential issues...But we're not talking about drinking water here, are we?

I've seen plenty of botanical-influenced blackwater aquariums which have a visual "thickness" to them-you know, a sort of look- with small amounts of particulate present in the water column- yet still have spot-on water conditions from a chemical perspective, with undetectable nitrate, phosphate, and of course, no ammonia or nitrite present.

It's important, when passing judgement on, or evaluating the concept of botanicals and blackwater in aquariums, to remember this. Look, crystal clear water is absolutely desirable for 98% of all aquariums out there- but not always "realistic", in terms of how closely the tank replicates the natural environment.

And of course, by the same token, a healthy botanical- influenced tank may typically not be turbid, but that doesn't mean that it's not "functioning properly." Again, this realization and willingness to understand and embrace the aesthetic for what it is becomes a large part of that "mental shift" that we talk about so often here on these pages.

And the beauty of an aquarium is that you can either remove or contribute to the color and clarity characteristics of your water if you don't like 'em, by simply utilizing technique- ie; mechanical and chemical filtration, water changes, etc.

It's that simple.

In summary, I submit that the key takeaway here is that we should evaluate the "health" or normalcy of a blackwater, botanical-influenced aquarium-or ANY aquarium, for that matter- based on it's chemical water quality first and foremost, AND the clarity of the water on a secondary basis (Keeping in mind, of course, that the "aesthetic" of such an aquarium may indeed mean that turbidity is perfectly normal).

A lot to think about on a relatively mundane subject- one which for many years was very "cut and dry."

Stay open-minded. Stay curious. Stay observant...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Avoiding the dreaded algae "freak out"- looking at the "bigger picture."

Have you ever completed an aquascape and stepped back and looked at it in its most "embryonic" phases, and thought to yourself, "This looks good?" The pristine glass, perfect deal wood, sparkling gravel...The scent of a brand new aquarium...

Well, of course you have! It's part of the game.

It's a total sensory experience, isn't it?

To me, the real "magic" in an aquarium happens not when it's new and pristine, but after a few weeks or months, when it develops that "patina" of micro algae, the "matte" sheen of biofilm on the substrate...when it develops that earthy, clean, alive smell.

That, to me, is when an aquarium really feels "alive" and evolving.

When it comes to maintenance of aquariums, I'm a big believer in removing algae from the front glass and "excessive" films from the driftwood or other materials...But I don't go crazy about it like I used to. Like many of you, I let some of those natural processes evolve, just like the tank itself...

I think I tend to spend less time and energy removing "offensive" algae growth manually, and spend far more time and energy controlling and eliminating the root causes of its appearance: Excess nutrients, too much light, lax maintenance practices, etc. It's not that I don't think I should be scraping algae- it's just that it seems to make more sense to "nip it in the bud" and attack the underlying causes of it's growth.

Although I love my soft-bristled toothbrush-cum-alagal-film-scraper!

Understanding the dynamic in a closed aquarium system is really important.

There is another aspect to appreciating it: Letting a system "evolve" and find its way, with a little bit of guidance (or botanicals, as the case may be) from time to time, is beautiful to me...Watching the "bigger picture" and realizing that all of these "components" are part of a bigger "whole."

This was a definite of mental shift for me, right along with accepting the biofilms, blackwater, and decomposing leaves. Like most of you, I've spent much of my fishy "career" doing "reaction" style aquarium maintenance, breaking out the algae scraper at the first sign of the "dreaded" stuff.

And I've come to realize that taking a more proactive, understanding, and yeah- relaxed approach to "algae management" has created a much more enjoyable hobby experience for me. And being a bit more accepting about seeing "some" algae growth and such has created far more aesthetically pleasing, naturally-appearing aquariums.

There is nothing wrong with creating a more "clinically sterile-looking" aquarium. Perfectly manicured, impeccably groomed task are beautiful. It's just that there is something about the way nature tends to do things that seems a bit more satisfying to me. 

And apparently, for many of you, too!

The beauty is that, like so many things in this hobby- there is no "right" or "wrong" way to approach something as mundane as algae growth and tank "grooming." It's about what works for YOU..what makes you feel comfortable, and what keeps your aquarium healthy.

Regardless of what approach we take, natural processes that have evolved over the eons will continue to occur in your aquarium. You can fight them, attempt to stave them off with elaborate "countermeasures" and labor...or you can embrace them and learn how to moderate and live with them via understanding the processes.

And the algae?

It'll always be there. It's just a matter of how "prominent" we allow it to be.

Simple. And, actually- sort of under our control, isn't it?

Stay engaged. Stay focused. Stay calm. Stay open-minded.

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

To blur the lines...

#blurthelines

It's a sexy hashtag that we've embraced over the years for Tannin- it sounds cool. Yet, it's one which, in my opinion, captures the ultimate "essence" of our philosophy.  A way of capturing aspects of nature in our aquarium in a manner that accepts it as it is, rather than how we want it to be.

Simplicity. Complexity. Creativity. Transience. "Randomness."

We receive so many PM's, emails, phone calls, and other inquiries from hobbyists when we run pieces featuring pics and discussions about natural environments as topics for modeling our aquaria, excited about the details and how they can be replicated in an aquarium, that it's not even funny!

And every aquarium pic that is shared  by our community, which utilizes elements of nature in a similar matter is studied, elevated...even adored- as a representation of the genius of nature.

It makes sense.

In my own rebellious way, I can't help but think that part of this enthusiasm our community has for this stuff is that most hobbyists in general have a bit of a rebellious streak, too, and that maybe, just maybe- we're a bit well, "over" the idea of the "rule-centric", mono-stylistic, dogmatic thinking that has dominated the aquascaping world for the better part of a decade.

Maybe it's time to look at nature as an inspiration again- but to look at nature as it exists- not trying to sanitize it; clean it up to meet our expectations of what an aquarium is "supposed to look like." And by the same token, not going to the other extreme-trying to validate every twig, rock, and plant in a given habitat, as if we're being "scored" by some higher power- a universal "quality assurance team"- which must certify that each and every rock and branch is, indeed from the Rio Manacapuru, for example, or your work is just some sort of travesty.

Not that there is anything wrong with this pursuit, or that I take any issue with talented hobbyists who enjoy that route. I identify with them more than the "high concept" aquascape crowd for sure! I'm just curious if there is a "middle ground" of sorts where nature is the primary influence, and accepting it and attempting to replicate it "as-is" becomes the goal.

I think that there is.

It's time to take inspiration from the reality of nature, not just its "essence."

Maybe it's time for us to once and for all accept that things are not aesthetically "perfect" in nature, in the sense of being neat and orderly from a "design" aspect. Understanding that, yeah, in nature, you have branches, rocks and botanicals materials scattered about on the bottom of streams in a seemingly random, disorderly pattern. Or are they? Could it be that current, weather events, and wind distribute materials the way they do for a reason? Could we benefit from replicating this dynamic in our aquariums?

And, is there not incredible beauty in that apparent "randomness?"

Now, I realize that a glass box is NOT a flooded Amazonian forest, mangrove estuary, or Asian peat bog. I realize that we're constrained by size and water volume. However, it can look and function like one to some degree, right? The same processes which occur on a grander scale in nature also occur on a micro-scale in our aquariums. And we can understand and embrace these processes as an essential part of the aquatic environment.

Accepting the appearance of biofilms, murky water, algae, decomposing botanical materials, and that these things occur in our aquariums, too, and can be managed to take advantage of their benefits. You know, as supplemental food sources, "nurseries" for fry, and as interesting little ways to impart beneficial humic substances and dissolved organics into the water.

Please don't misunderstand me here.

I'm not attacking "the establishment" and saying that every perfectly manicured competition aquascape sucks. I'm not saying that if a tank doesn't have blackwater, biofilms, and brown leaves that it's "uninspired." I'm merely questioning the high level of esteem which the broader aquascaping world seems to attach to conforming to some rigid style, replicating the work of others, and being rather close-minded to the work of hobbyists who try truly different things.

Some of the most amazing comments we receive after sharing underwater pics of the wild habitats of Amazonia and elsewhere are from hobbyists who, at first, thought that some of these pics were from someones' aquarium! In a few instances, some of the close ups of botanical-themed aquaria are virtually indistinguishable from wild scenes!

That says a lot. 

What an incredible dynamic!

Blurring the lines between nature and the aquarium, at the very least, from an aesthetic sense- and in many aspects, from a "functional" sense, proves just how far today's hobbyists have come...how good you are at what you do. And how much more you can do when you turn to nature as an inspiration, and embrace it for what it is.

I'm not telling you to turn your back on the modern popular aquascaping scene; to disregard or dismiss the brilliant wolf being done by aquascapers around the world, to develop a sense of superiority or snobbery, and conclude that everyone who loves this stuff is a sheep...

Noooooo.

Not at all.

I'm simply the guy who's passing along the gentle reminder from nature that we have this great source of inspiration that really works! Rejoice in the fact that nature offers an endless variety of beauty, abundance, and challenge- and that it's all there, free for us to interpret it as we like. It's not all perfect "rule of thirds" or flawless layouts and such.

Some of us just happen to like things bit more "natural" than others...

Blur the lines.

Continue to take pride in what you do.

Don't let dogma and the prevailing mindset of  "what's cool" distract you from doing what you love and believe in. Embrace, enjoy, and accept the thoughts, attitudes, and works of others, while constantly questioning and striving to do what moves you.

Find what makes your heart sing, and do it. You'll never be "wrong."

#blurthelines

Stay on course. Stay bold. Stay inspired. Stay humble. Stay fascinated.

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

With fronds like these...

One of the best parts about playing with blackwater, botanical-style aquariums is that we've tried all sorts of interesting materials in our hardscapes. It's no longer a mindset of, "Throwing _____ in your tank is weird!" Now, it's more like, "Has anyone tried________ before?"

How can I not love this stuff? 

I know we've talked about food webs" in our botanical-influenced aquariums, and some of us are starting to experiment with incorporating items like small aquatic crustaceans and worms (e.g., Daphnia and "Black Worms", etc.) into our "pre-stocking" regimens, and this is creating some interesting results!

What interests me of late is the long-term "functionality" of our botanical aquariums, not just from an "environmental" perspective, but from the standpoint of supplemental food production.

We read a lot in scientific papers about fungal and microbial growth of organisms in wild leaf litter beds, and I am pretty confident that some of the same processes occur in the leaf and botanical beds we create in our aquariums.

Obviously, some fishes utilize these materials as part of their diets at some points in their lives.

We've postulated that fry will certainly make use of many appropriately-sized organisms which occur naturally. We may, at some future point, even get a feel for which botanical materials can do the best job at fostering these sorts of populations...perhaps, a different way entirely to look at the way we select and employ botanicals in our systems!

Like, selecting certain botanicals specifically for "cultivating" microorganisms and small crustaceans to use as supplemental food sources for our fishes! 

I can't help but wonder if our botanical tanks, simply by virtue of the fact that they have accumulations of decomposing plant materials, foster a significant enough of a population of "edible" microorganisms for fry to consume.

In theory, I'd think so. However, the aquarist in me can't help but think that we should also consider "inoculating" our aquariums with pure cultures of organisms like Paramecium and various "infusoria" at various times during the "startup" phase of our aquarium to sort of "kickstart" the populations, if reproduction of fishes is our goal. 

And of course, part of me wonders if having a larger and more diverse population of microorganisms as "consumers" would make a more diverse and efficient botanical-style aquarium.

I think that it would.

And one of the botanicals I think about a lot lately in this context is the palm frond.

Now, with many of us playing with palm fronds of late, I can't help but wonder if, both by virtue of their surface area AND their composition, that these support larger populations of both "food" microorganisms and maybe even beneficial bacteria for denitrification.

In addition to looking good, do these materials actually help make for a more stable system from a biological standpoint? I mean, they do break down over time, but...

I would imagine that palm fronds provide interesting areas for fry to both shelter and graze upon, so it might not be a bad idea to include them in many aquariums intended to rear fry.

Other than taking up physical space, I'm not seeing a huge downside to this...that is, if you're trying to rear fry in a more "natural-type" setup, as opposed to a more sterile, functional breeding setup.

And the aesthetic they bring is nothing short of amazing!

Palm fronds are interesting from a "functional aquascaping" perspective, not only because they serve to foster beneficial life forms (and that thought of surface area for biological filtration), but from a standpoint of demarkation of territory, and serving as natural "flow deflectors", and of course, blocking out some light for fishes that prefer dim conditions (I don't know why Boraras species keep coming to mind here). I think they remind me very much of a piece of driftwood, in terms of the possibilities to support a population of fishes. 

I could envision, because of their large size, yet flexible nature, an entire community" of small fishes, ranging from Angelfish to Bettas to cichlids, to loaches, Badis, and catfishes, living out a large portion of their lives in and among submerged palm fronds. The sense of protection and the easy availability of food could really lead to some interesting, natural behaviors in our fishes...particularly the really small fishes that certain individuals among us favor... 

So, a palm frond as a habitat area is most intriguing to me,almost a sort of "freshwater reef", really.

And I can visualize various behaviors and other aspects of our fishes being influenced by these items in their environment. No doubt palm fronds have some ecological role in nature that benefits fishes.

Those of you that have also begun experimentation with palm fronds are telling me not only are you intrigued by these ideas as well, you're also loving the aesthetics they bring!

I suppose it would be easy for some negative types to simply call our recent infatuation with Palm fronds as a sort of "trend", but the reality is- it's more of an evolution of what we've been doing with botanical aquariums: Incorporating different materials in different ways; evolving both technique and aesthetic as we go.

Much groundwork has been laid by hobbyists like Rene Claus and Tai Strietman, who have played with palm fronds for some time, and much credit should be given to them for leading the way!

Like so many things in our evolving world of botanical, blackwater aquariums, embracing natural processes and behaviors is best amplified by embracing natural materials, utilized in different ways.

With form, function, utility- and all sorts of possibilities in between, Palm fronds are here to stay, in my opinion, as a "tool" in our botanical toolkit...

And if our fishes (and microbial populations) could talk, I imagine they'd be inclined to agree!

That's a "win-win" in my book!

Stay excited. Stay creative. Stay experimental. Stay engaged.

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Offense/defense and the art of proactive aquarium keeping...

Today, I wanted to talk about practices which create great long-term outcomes for our aquariums. Proactive stuff.

It involves looking at our aquariums from multiple perspectives.

You've heard the time-worn sports cliches and how they apply to other areas of life...and they apply to aquarium-keeping for sure:

"The best offense is a good defense."

"Offense scores points. Defense wins games."

Well, they do. Which one is most applicable?

Both. Applied in the proper measure. At least, that's my take on it.

We need to play "defense" in our fish-keeping as much as we play offense.

"Defense", in our world, is the day-to-day things that we need to do to keep our tanks running well: Feeding fishes, observing, adjusting parameters to make sure that the system is running optimally, or reacting to a disease or other health issue of the fishes and plants, or repairing equipment, etc. "Defense", in this context, is what almost every aquarist on the planet practices on a daily basis.

Would we be better served buy investing more energy in offense?

You know, "attacking" problems proactively from the outset?

Before they become problems? I think so. It's one thing I can say was a positive gain from reef keeping: Setting up a system from the start to address the potential "what-ifs?" Reefers are really good at this sort of stuff (just look at the gadgetry and plumbing in some of those forum "tank-build threads!"), and it translates well to freshwater.

Although I've typically been a "Don't f - - - with- the- tank- once- it's- up- and- running"- kind of aquarist for many years, my philosophy has evolved a bit since I began working heavily with botanical-influenced systems. The offense-defense dynamic is more important that ever.

An example of "offense", in this context, would be setting up a new system to create an optimal environment to breed your fish. Things that are big-picture, growth activities are also "offensive." You know, selecting the proper sized aquarium, appropriate filter, heater, and other components falls into this category. In a botanical-style aquarium, much like any other, it's important to create the optimum situation to assure that the system can function properly as it evolves over time.

A mix of "defense", with a healthy dose of "offense." 

"Offense" also includes things like stocking the tank with a mix of appropriate fishes, which are compatible and capable of serving in the environment which you've created.

Making logical decisions is an essential part of the development of any aquarium, although in a blackwater/botanical-style aquarium, you need to take into account the other variables in the equation: Lower pH, the bioload of decomposing botanical materials, and the long-term maintenance of stable pH and organic levels.

We've talked repeatedly about not obsessing over target numbers, yet the importance of maintaining a tight range for most parameters cannot be understated.

What other "offensive" things can you do to assure long-term success in a blackwater, botanical-style aquarium?

We've mentioned many of them repeatedly here over the past couple of years; most are sort of automatic" to many of us now. Yet, in my opinion, there is one practice that stands out above all others in the context of our approach:

The continuous replacement and supplementation of leaves and botanicals as they start to break down. This not only creates a continuously evolving aesthetic, it helps maintain the biological diversity and environmental parameters are held in the cherished "tight range".

I know a few "tinters" who make significant replacements of leaf and botanical items and replace them with fresh materials simultaneously, and this is conducted on a regular basis. This is similar to the Japanese aquascaping practice of "sozo haishoku" espoused by Takashi Amano, which is the processs of removing of as much old substrate material as possible along with the plants it contains in an aquarium, and replacing them with new materials. It preserves the overall "composition" of the layout, but the "softscape" (botanicals and leaves, in our case) could change dramatically.

This process is very interesting to us as botanical-style aquarium fans, because, as we talked about before, it does sort of mimic what happens in many streams and rivers on a seasonal basis: Older materials are swept downstream as the watercourses swell, and are replaced by new ones that arrive to replace them. And of course, in the aquarium, performing a "sozo haishoku"-type replacement of materials can significantly change the aesthetic of the aquascape because the botanicals are replaced with different ones after the previous ones are removed.

Now, personally- I'm a fan of less "radical" moves, and in the interest of a good "offense", I favor regular additions to the botanical "set" in my aquariums. I tend not to remove any decomposing botanical material, unless it becomes an aesthetic detraction because it's blowing all over the place or something like that.

Having studied many images of Amazonian igarapes, it is very obvious that, although some materials are swept away, many remain in place until they fully decompose, adding to the richness and complexity of the habitat, and that we can mimic this process in our aquariums to some advantage.

Offense.

And defense.

Working together for long term success. It's a beautiful dynamic. A beautiful game.

Massage it. Evolve it. Tweak it. Perfect it, if you can.

Stay on top of stuff. Stay observant. Stay vigilant. Stay cautious. Stay bold. Stay balanced.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

Pools, ponds, riffles, rain, and current...

Those of you who regularly read this column know that I like to reflect frequently on the "process" of evolving and changing aquariums over time. I view every interaction with our tanks as an opportunity to reflect, observe, and manage the long-term evolution of them. And if you're like me- there are LOTS of interactions with your tanks!

 

Thursdays are  water exchange days for my aquariums. And, rather than look at it as some task on a checklist of stuff to do, some necessary evil" chore- we regard them as... opportunities.

 

Yup, opportuntiies!

 

 

A water exchange represents an opportunity to refresh, reinvigorate, and interact with the aquarium on a much more detailed, intimate level. We've pointed out many times before that, in a blackwater/botanical-style aquarium, the regular water exchanges we conduct on our aquariums are, in many ways, very much a mimicry of what happens in the wild streams and rivers of the tropical world during the rainy season: New water is added to the environment, old botanical materials and leaves are swept away from their current locations, and a new set of materials are deposited in their place.

 

More so than perhaps other types of aquariums- the practice of replacing botanicals and leaves along with new water is a significant "weekly evolution" of the environment in this style of system.

 

 

Beyond a simple "editing ritual" or an aesthetic "refresh", this is a very dynamic process, yet one which also provides longer-term benefits for the ecosystem. Why? Because, as these newer materials are deposited, they not only help "reinforce" the matrix of botanicals already in place, they provide new physical "structure", new foraging areas, new chemical inputs (like tannins and other organics), and provide fresh material for the continued development of food webs.

 

Yeah, food webs- starting with microbial life and fungi, to algae, and on up to insects and crustaceans, which form the "backbone" of the diet of many of our fishes which hail from these habitats.

 

 

In nature, the rain also effects the depth and flow rates of many of the waters in this region, with the associated impacts mentioned above, as well as their influence on stream structures, like submerged logs, sandbars, rocks, etc. Much in the way we might move a few things around now and again during maintenance! 

 

 

Ever think about it like that? Yeah, it's truly amazing how we can sort of replicate these processes, simply by doing the stuff we do to maintain our aquariums! 

 

 

And stuff certainly gets moved around, re-distributed, and otherwise affected in the wild as a result of rain!

 

Like, a LOT!

 

 

For example, seasonal water levels can rise up to 20 meters (65 feet) in the middle Amazon region! That's a lot of water! Towards the mouth of the Amazon, the yearly change becomes less and less, but even near  the Rio Xingu, it can still be as much as 4 meters (12 feet).

 

This seasonal deluge has huge impact on not only the physical structure of the associated rivers, streams, and their surrounding forest terrain, but on the fishes and other creatures which reside in them.