The Tint

Extending boundaries, gaining knowledge...and losing attitudes...Musings on the botanical "frontier..."

I was chatting with a fellow hobbyist the other day, and we were kind of musing on the fact that, despite having very significant quantities of botanicals decaying away in our tanks, our nitrate and phosphate levels were essentially "undetectable" on aquarium hobby-level test kits. This is a phenomenon I've noticed for years and years- ever since I started playing with botanical-style, blackwater aquariums, and it always makes me curious. Hearing similar stories from many others REALLY makes me curious!

It hasn't always been this way, of course.

Over the years, I've had many aquarist friends tell me that I was in the process of creating "anaerobic death traps" and "ticking time bombs" by adding lots of leaves and botanicals to my aquariums, yet I never, ever had any issues over the long term with these types of systems. And when the first biofilms appeared, I remember a few of my fishy friends preparing their "I told you so" statements, not fully grasping what they were seeing in my tanks, and how this was not only natural, but normal and beneficial. Perception is important, too, as we'll discuss later.

Sure, you CAN create all sorts of problems for yourself by adding too many botanicals too fast to an established aquarium. We've visited that stuff before. We've had a few people who were a bit, shall we say,  "enthusiastic" about adding a lot of stuff to their tanks in a very short period of time, and created situations which left fishes gasping at the surface for oxygen while emergency water exchanges were conducted. It's probably the one constant hazard that awaits the neophyte "tinter" who goes too fast...However, you do this once and you won't make the mistake again! Closed biological systems can only handle some much input.

For that matter, there are limitations to what you can do in any closed system.

We are in a very experimental phase in the blackwater/botanical-style aquarium arena, and we will no doubt find out more potential problems as more and more aquarists push the limits further and further. I think the next big "discoveries" will come as more and more adventurous hobbyists begin working with lower pH systems. We'll no doubt find out more about the organisms known as archaea and how they function to "run" the nitrogen cycle in low pH aquariums. For purposes of our community, I describe "low pH systems" as those which operate under 6.0 pH. Yes, I know that in nature, some blackwater systems have pH readings in the mid threes or lower, but 5.2-5.5 is pretty exotic for a lot of us! 

I don't necessarily think that there is anything inherently "scary" or "dangerous" about playing in the lower pH range, if we are meticulous at testing and observation, and understand that there are different reactions and mechanisms in play when the pH levels are lower. I mean, I get that it's scary compared to what we know, and that the lower pH realm is full of many unknowns to the aquarium world- but is operating a low pH aquarium any more scary than say, running a reef tank or speciality Rift Lake cichlid tank, with their specific chemical/pH/alkalinity parameters? Or keeping Asian Arowannas, etc?

No. It's just something we don't have a lot of collective experience with. We need to learn the rules. And to me, it seems like on a macro scale, every time the hobby looks at something like this; something not previously attempted- perhaps even something a bit out of the ordinary- that we have been almost "conditioned" to turn away in fear, and some senior members of our "tribe" often slam the door on even contemplating working in such areas as "dangerous", "reckless", "foolhardy", "bound to fail", etc., etc.  I've seen people on forums get completely pounded for all sorts of "heretical" thinking by "experienced" hobbyists- many who have never been attempted the very thing that is being discussed and criticism levied against. (damn funny, IMHO)

This sucks.

Now, I'd love to call bullshit on my own theory and say that I'm exaggerating this cultural tendency to turn away from some unexplored territories, but 4 decades of seeing this mindset in this hobby gives me the confidence I need to stand by my assertion. To summarize: In my humble opinion, the hobby in general, often tends to flat out dismiss anything which is not consistent with the "tried and true" as being  "wrong."

Now, I know some will disagree, and tell me I'm dwelling on the negative, exaggerating, etc. Yet, I don't think so. I saw and heard this kind of stuff constantly when I was starting out as a reefer back in the mid-eighties, and again when I started Tannin a few years back. Pushing, proferring, and working on ideas that are a little different can be scary for some. But it's so unnecessary! We need to uplift everyone to remove the metaphorical "shackles" of groupthink and close-mindedness so that we can get all sorts of incredibly smart people working together on pushing the boundaries of modern aquaristics!

Okay, I went off on a bit of a rant there about attitude- but this is a very, very important consideration when discussing some of these ideas which seem to dwell out on the "fringes" of the aquarium world. The attitudes we apply- and face from fellow hobbyists-need to be addressed if we are to move beyond what we've known for years and years as "The Way" to do stuff in the aquarium hobby. Mindset shifts are something which our community does very well- and  I think that we'd be advised to "infect" the greater hobby community with our attitudes on this stuff.

Back to the nitrate/phosphate thing- These numbers never seem to deviate much. I hear this from many in our community- so many, in fact, that I think that we've got something here...I think this is something that is actually quite remarkable. I mean, think about it- Many of us have set up systems with really huge amounts of leaves and botanicals from day one, and see no significant levels of these compounds. 

Now, I am sure I'll receive 8 emails the minute this blog goes up, begging to differ, and citing the 50ppm nitrate in their systems or whatever, but I find it very interesting that we don't see long-term trends upwards. Okay, at least many of the people I correspond with regularly don't. The commonality is that we gradually add botanicals, conduct regular water exchanges, don't overcrowd our tanks, and replenish/replace botanicals as needed. The other interesting commonality is that most of us seem to leave the botanicals in our systems until they fully decompose. Is this a key? Not sure, but it was something I noticed that is at least worth investigating.

I think the whole point of this little jaunt today was to get us all to keep exploring how our botanical-style systems operate.To question the results we are getting (good or bad) and to try to work out more and more "best practices" or "recipes" (okay, maybe "roadmaps" is a better term) for other hobbyists to follow to replicate our success with these aquariums. By replicating, verifying, and sharing our discoveries, success, and failures, we can encourage others to experiment and help expand upon the theories and ideas we have. To contribute to the ever-growing body of knowledge about these compelling blackwater, botanical-style aquarium systems.

Stay bold. Stay resolute. Stay humble. Stay diligent. Stay disciplined. Stay enthusiastic!

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Back to our roots...literally- in the flooded forests...

I spend a tremendous amount of time focusing on specific habitats and ideas to recreate them in the aquarium, and few have proven as popular- or alluring- as the flooded forest floors of Amazonia. We've visited these habitats multiple times in our blog, and done some discussion on the fishes and animals which reside in them during the periods of inundation (which is usually around September to the end of May).

When the forests flood, the sandy soils are carpeted in aggregations of botanical detritus, root tangles, fallen logs, leaves, bark, etc. from the formerly dry forest floor. This is, of course, the stuff we as botanical-style blackwater aquarium enthusiasts are most interested in. One of the key components of this habitat, from a "structural/spatial" sense, is the presence of logs, branches, and roots from fallen trees.

We see many aquariums which feature wood and leaves, of course. However, I think we don't see a tremendous use of smaller branches, roots,  and "twig-sized" pieces, and I think that is something we would definitely like to see more of in our aquariums. There is something remarkably realistic about the presence of these smaller materials in an aquarium. The complexity and additional "microhabitats" they create are compelling and interesting. And they are very useful for shelling baby fishes, breeding Apistogramma, Poecilocharax, catfishes, Dicosssus, an other small, shy fishes which are common in these habitats. 

Now, small root bundles and twigs are not traditionally items you can find at the local fish store or online. I mean, you can, but there hasn't been a huge amount of demand for them in the aquascaping world lately...although my 'scape scene contacts tell me that twigs are becoming more and more popular with serious aquascapers for "detailed work"...so this bodes well for those of us with less artistic, more functional intentions!

And I think we are starting to see more adventurous use of different materials, such as Catappa bark and even the long-fiber peat lookalike, "Cutch Tree Bark", to more accurately simulate these habitats.

These materials are very reminiscent of the stuff we would find in flooded forest-floor habitats. In fact, as aquarists, I can't help but think that we'd be very well-served to study descriptions, pics, and videos of rain forest floors when they are not inundated, to get an idea of the composition of materials present, the "topography", and the overall aesthetics of what become an underwater habitat for up to 8 months or more.

I encourage you to study the work of herp and frog enthusiasts, and visit websites of inspirational vendors like my friend Paulie Dema's "Vivariums in The Mist"- for all sorts of ideas on how these habitats work. You're sure to find some cool ideas from our terrestrial-centric friends in the vivarium world. It's such a logical starting point that I kick myself for not doing this many years ago. These hobbyists are well known for creating functional and aesthetic displays which replicate the rain forest floor habitat. They've studied it, embraced it...loved it...and the inspiration is there for the taking! 

With our emphasis on leaf litter accumulation, seed pods, and the like- and with more and more of our community really studying the underwater photos and videos of guys like Ivan Mikolji, David Sobry, and Mike Tuccinardi, and not being as hesitant to "go deep" and utilize deeper beds and greater quantities of leaves and other botanicals in our displays, we're starting to see more realistic aesthetic and functional representations of these habitats.

think that taking a cue from the serious aquascapers and start playing more an more with those little details...those little roots, smaller botanical pieces, etc.- which really complete a scene and create that sense of scale, intricacy, and authenticity.

With our "mental shift" that embraces the use of a melange of botanical materials, breaking down and recruiting some biofilms and such- just like in nature- I think we're on the verge of seeing some truly remarkable displays emerging, with greater functional and aesthetic authenticity than has previously been seen. The "talent pool" of botanical-style blackwater aquarium enthusiasts is growing weekly, and more and more interesting ideas are being tested.

It's a very exciting time for creativity, innovation, and study of the diverse and exciting aquatic habitats of the world. And the opportunity to create work which influences, inspires, and advances the state of the art in aquarium keeping has never been greater!

Stay excited. Stay innovative. Stay daring. Stay diligent...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

A little clarity on...clarity?

As aquarists, 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 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, as pictured above in the photo by Mike Tuccinardi. This water is of course, "tinted" because of the dissolved tannins and humic substances that are present due to decaying botanical materials.  That's different from cloudy or turbid, however.  It's a distinction that neophytes to our world should make note of. The "rap" on blackwater aquariums for some time was that they look "dirty"- and this was largely based on our bias towards what we are familiar with. And, of course, in the wild, 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. It's the arena in which we play in our blackwater, botanical-style aquariums, as well.

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. A definite "clear water bias!" 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, usually fines from decomposing leaves and other botanical materials- 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 aesthetically 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.

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 and color of the water on a secondary basis (Keeping in mind, of course, that the "aesthetic" of such an aquarium may indeed mean that turbidity and tint 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 objective. Stay clear...or not!

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

The beauty of detours.

I sometimes think that we, as hobbyist, tend to overthink stuff. We worry about getting off course, or not sticking to our goal.

Yet, we do that one more rotation of the rock or piece of driftwood, add that one more pinch of food, change that light setting just a bit more, etc., etc., etc.

I can't hope but wonder how well things would do if we trust our initial instincts and simply stop after "the first round." You know, not going on and on an on and making more na more changes, to the point where they take us very far afield from the original goal we had.

Detouring.

I know that I've done this before. "Iterating" stuff to the point of obliterating my original concept. Changing things to such a great extent as to be completely different from what I originally intended to do. I remember in my early reef keeping days, this would happen a lot. Move that one rock or switch out that one coral colony for the purpose of "creating flow" or "making room for growth", or whatever, only to realize that a seemingly well-intentioned, simple change did not stand alone. Rather, it required me to move two other rocks; re-position one other coral colony...all of which resulted in completely different look and feel than I originally envisioned.

 I think such "detours" are often beautiful- often leading to new ideas, new discoveries, new aesthetics, and inspiration for others. Things happening in unexpected ways are what can propel the hobby forward.

Everything doesn't have to follow a plan. A detour can be amazing. However, if your looking for a specific result and go too far in a different direction, it's often a recipe for frustration for those of us not prepared of it. Sure, many of us can simply "go with the flow" and accept the changes we made as part of the process, but the aquarist with a very pure vision and course will work through such self-created deviations until he or she gets to the destination. Many find this completely frustrating. Others find this a compelling part of the creative process.

Open your mind.

All of it is part of the journey. Detours and "edits" or whatever you want to label them helps us perfect our craft, hone our skills, challenge our minds...and, if we're really lucky-they help create outcomes we never even imagined.

That's the beauty of detours.

Simple thought. 

Stay open-minded. Stay curious. Stay diligent. Stay prepared.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Mud, mangroves, salt, leaves...and 1,000,000 new ideas to play with...

It's no secret that we have a long-time, and continuously evolving obsession with brackish-water mangrove habitats. When we launched "Estuary by Tannin Aquatics", our foray into the "botanical-style brackish aquarium", it was driven by an obsession with the functional and aesthetic aspects of this unique ecosystem. With a heavy emphasis on substrate, decomposition, and all of the good stuff that us "Tinters" seem to love, this more "honest" interpretation of the blackwater aquarium is proving irresistible to many of you!

Mangrove communities tend to accumulate nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as some heavy metals and trace elements which become deposited into estuarine waters from terrestrial sources. These communities become sort of "nutrient sinks” for these materials. And of course, nature has a plan for this stuff: Mangrove roots, and the epiphytic algae often found on and among them, as well as bacteria, microorganisms, and a wide variety of invertebrates that reside there, take up and store the nutrients in their tissues. Mangroves also function as continuous sources of carbon, nitrogen, and other elements, as their living material (i.e.; leaves and epiphytic organisms and plants) die and are decomposed. Tidal flushing assists in distributing this material to areas where other organisms may utilize it.   

And here's the other cool thing:

Leaf litter is extremely important in a Mangrove ecosystem! Other materials, including twigs, branches, and other botanical items, is a major nutrient source to  many creatures which function as "consumers" in these ecosystems.  A study conducted in the 1970's by Pool et al, showed that the leaf litter in brackish Mangrove ecosystems is composed of "...approximately 68 – 86 % leaves, 3 – 15 % twigs, and 8 – 21 % "miscellaneous" material."

Thanks for the  leaf litter "recipe", scientist friends!

Now, Mangroves are different types of leaves than we are currently using in our blackwater tanks, but the concept is entirely familiar to us, right? (Oh, and by the way, it's totally okay to use mangrove leaves in your freshwater botanical-style blackwater aquarium!)

Once fallen, leaves and twigs decompose fairly rapidly in these habitats. As you might imagine, areas which have high tidal flushing rates, or which are flooded frequently, have faster rates of decomposition and export than other areas. Studies also found that  decomposition of red mangrove litter proceeds faster under brackish conditions than under fresh water conditions. Oh, and as the researchers so eloquently stated, some of these habitats have "brownish-colored water, resulting from organic matter leaching from the mangroves."

Algal growth, biofilms, brown water...at 1.005 specific gravity. Does it get any better?

So, let's think of this for just a minute, in terms of "that thing we do"- botanical-style aquariums. Just change up the "media" from "blackwater" to "brackish water", with a specific gravity of 1.005. We collectively have a lot of experience managing higher-nutrient blackwater botanical systems, containing large numbers of leaves and other botanicals, right? Can this experience be applied to the brackish game? Of course it can!

Now, first off- I have no illusions about using live Mangrove plants (available as "propugles") to serve as "nutrient export" mechanisms as they do in nature. They just grow too damn slow and achieve sizes far beyond anything we could ever hope to accommodate in our home aquarium displays as full-grown plants. We've played with this idea in saltwater tanks for decades and it's really more of a novelty than a legit nutrient export mechanism.

However, we could at least grow a few, for the enjoyment of it all, and utilize faster-growing, adaptable aquatic plants to provide some natural nutrient export. And of course, we could skip the live Mangroves altogether, and just utilize some driftwood (as has been done for decades) pieces to simulate the roots...However, the similarity to the aesthetically-driven "Mangrove thicket" tanks of the past ends there! We'd continue on, concentrating on building up the other "functional" aspects of the Mangrove habitat! (You know, decomposing leaves, etc.)

Utilizing very rich aquatic soils, similar to what has been used in "dirted" tanks by aquatic plant geeks, yet with a buffering component (finer, aragonite or calcareous substrates), we could create a "workable" plant environment, couldn't we? And by managing the water quality with regular, frequent water changes, and careful, automated topoff to keep specific gravity constant at a low brackish level (like-this is a fundamental thing), wouldn't we be able to simulate this environment on at least a superficially functional level? Kind of like what we're doing with blackwater, leaf-litter-bed aquariums?

Um, yeah...totally.

Now, we have to learn a bit more about the impact of high-nutrient substrates, decomposing leaf litter and such in brackish systems, but it's a totally cool experiment, IMHO!

Mangrove habitats also function as fish "nurseries" and feeding zones, assist in preventing shoreline erosion because of their ability to trap sediments in the low-energy waters of brackish estuaries and breaks up wave action within their maze of prop roots. These prop root systems are just screaming at us as fish geeks to play with. I've waded, snorkeled and scuba dived in Mangrove systems many times, and am always blown away by the myriad of tempting aquarium possibilities that they inspire!

Numerous "sublittoral/littoral" organisms utilize the prop root zone of red mangroves as their primary habitat. The "prop root zone" provides sessile filter feeding organisms, like  such barnacles, muscles, tunicates, and bryozoans with a perfect environment in which to live and reproduce.  There are sponges in brackish ecosystems, but they are highly specialized feeders, often deriving sustenance from a very specific type of dissolved organic food source, so we're unlikely to be working with them. Oh, you also have the "seldom-kept-in-aquaria-intentionally" polychaete worms and "boring" crustaceans, like isopods.

Yeah...there is so much going on in this area...so much for us to play with as hobbyists, In fact, part of me is actually a bit guilty for unleashing the "Estuary" idea so early on (2.5 years) in Tannin's existence, as we're just now starting to venture out and unlock some secrets in the blackwater/botanical game...But I think that the two can develop together and spur on new hobby advances. In fact, I think that they already have...

So, if you were contemplating playing around with this whole brackish water/botanical-style aquarium game, now that we're heading into the heart of "Aquarium Season", it's a good time to experiment! We're looking forward to seeing more an more of your experiments and ideas coming to light...in this tinted, slightly salty world!

Stay bold. Stay excited. Stay adventurous. Stay curious...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

That fine line between "impulse" and "over-analysis"

Maybe it's just me? Or do we all agonize over fish stocking decisions?

Am I the ONLY hobbyist who makes the fish selection process so onerous, that getting confirmed to work as a Special Agent for the CIA might be easier?

Like, I go though all sorts of "mental gymnastics" over many of the fishes that I'll add-or want to add- to my community aquariums. And the points that I take into consideration when making these decisions are not just, "Will this fish get too large?" or "Can the tank environment support this fish?" or "Will there be aggression issues?" Or even, "Do I have the skills to keep this fish?"

Those are all excellent point to consider when contemplating new fish additions, of course...But I think about more esoteric stuff within those broader categories. Here are some recent examples:

* "Do I really want another benthic characin in this tank? Or any characin, for that matter? Will it compete for resources and territory with the other species? Will I even see it?"

* "That fish is attractive, but only when its in a spawning mode. Otherwise, it's a great fish with brown markings. Do I want another grey fish with brown markings?"

* "Is this fish going to be timid, taking more time to settle in before it begins to feed on prepared foods? Do I have enough supplemental food sources in the tank to carry it through this adjustment phase?"

And those are just the "sub issues" related to the actual physical addition of the fish into the aquarium ecosystem. Being the weird, overly-obsessed- about-esoteric-and-obscure-stuff kind of aquarist I am, will think of even more ridiculous things to factor into the mix:

* "Will this fish make the tank look too "busy" with it's foraging habits? 

* "Is it one of those annoying fishes that is overly enamored with its own reflection and constantly follows itself up and down the glass of the aquarium?" (you know exactly what I mean...)

* "Will I need to keep larger numbers of this fish to bring out the more natural behaviors in the fish? Do I want to add 8 more grey- brown fish in this tank, just so they can be comfy? 

* "What's the point in keeping this fish?" (Which of course, literally "reboots" the process yet again...an endless data analysis loop...)

I mean, I get even weirder still, thinking through every possibility, concept, and even considering the paradoxes related to keeping a certain fish.

It's kind of one of those annoying habits some of us develop over the years...I think it's a result of growing up with fish tanks in my bedroom as a kid, and having a few small tanks, knowing that I couldn't keep even a fraction of what I wanted to keep..so I had to consider almost every possibility when contemplating any new addition to my collection. Every Neon Tetra. Every Zebra Danio...each fish was given the same consideration as if it were a rare, expensive African Rift Lake Cichlid or Asian Arowanna!

I think it was easier to secure a U.S. Supreme Court nomination or win an Oscar than it was to get a spot in my aquariums. The slightest issue could disqualify a fish from consideration...

This decision-making process did serve me pretty well- and continues to do so. But I think it also can result in my lack of a quick decision, which has cost me some opportunities to keep cool fishes of late...on multiple occasions, I might add. It got so bad, that for a while, my buddies hated going fish shopping with me (what a joke calling it "fish shopping"- they always came back with fish, I bought frozen food and carbon like 85% of the time...)

And it's cost me- this crazy "cautiousness", or whatever you want to call it...Cost me big-time.

Last year, for example, I was considering a Pleco. Not just any Pleco. It of course had to meet some of the stringent "admission requirements" for my tank! Like, it couldn't create too much disturbance on the bottom, as I have a lot of aquatic botanicals in nice positions in the aquascape, etc., etc. I also had a number of other fishes, such as my Spotted Headstanders (Chilodus punctatus) that tended to graze among these botanicals, and I didn't want there to be any conflict  for 'utilization' of this territory. I wanted to make sure that the species I chose wasn't completely algae-dependent, or required massive amounts of driftwood to chew on. And of course, it had to be a smaller one...blah, blah, blah.

I decided on the L134 "Leopard Frog" (Peckoltia compta) which seemed to tick all of the boxes. I read everything I could find on this species, surveyed my friends in the Pleco community (thanks, guys), and looked at it from every angle I could think of. And of course, this particular species is really friggin' hard to get! Thanks to one of my friends, I was able to source a nice specimen from a dealer with a great reputation right here in Southern California, no less! All I needed to do was pull the trigger and I'd have my "cat." So what did I do? I made the classic Fellman mistake of going on one more website...checking "just a few more facts" about the natural environment of the fish..did another mental "feasibility study" related to the aquascape I had for the fish to inhabit...

You know what happened, right?

Yeah, the fish sold in the couple of days I spent performing my absurd "mental gymnastics." Oh, sure, I eventually got one...after being burned by my own "cautiousness" on two other occasions! 

Arrghhh!

I wish I was one of those guys who could just look at a fish and be ready to strike when the opportunity arises...I have actually adopted a sort of "pre-analysis" strategy, whereby I go through all of this nonsense ahead of time, and just keep a mental "go list" that I can draw upon when one of my favored fishes becomes available.

And of course, this strategy can backfire, too. Once, I was literally seconds away from pulling the trigger on the acquisition of a few Crenuchus spilurus, the Sailfin Tetra- a fish that has literally been haunting my mind since childhood, when I recall seeing a pic and a charming description of it in my well-worn copy (handed down to me by my dad) William T. Innes' classic "Exotic Aquarium Fishes." 

So, here i was, ready to acquire the fish of my childhood! Closing the chapter on a lifetime obsession. A fish on my "go list" for like 30 years! And what did I do yet again? In the 11th hour, I went on Google and did...more research. Took another good hard look at this fish. And read somewhere that it's "Apistogramma-like" in its existence, environmental preferences, and behaviors. This immediately set off the "red flags" in the back of my mind, as I had a beloved pair of A. cacatuoides about to spawn in my tank...and did I really need to introduce 8 grey-brown "Apisto-ike" fish into the mix at this juncture? 

You know what happened next. A mental "hold" was placed on this acquisition until I was able to compete yet another "feasibility study" of the pros and cons related to getting the fish. And yet, deep down inside (or maybe not even THAT deep) I knew the real risk here: These fishes would be long gone by the time I came to a conclusion...and I was convinced at that point that it might be another 30 years before I had the chance to grab some again...

Fortunately, the stars aligned- and by "divine providence", excellent timing, or just plain old good luck, I was able to source them again, and I pulled the trigger...after decades, acquiring a group of these cool fishes. And of course, after having them for a while, I was like, "Why did I even hesitate?"

But my "analysis thing...?" Still there.

It's a blessing and a curse, I tell 'ya. It's kept me from some bad choices over the years. Yet, it's also prevented me from making some good ones!

It's nice to consider every aspect of the fish...but it's also a bit excessive in some cases. I know that there is a "happy medium" between impulsiveness and hyper analysis...I've just been spending the last several decades trying to hone in on it!

Until next time, don't be like me. Indulge your geekiness, but not at the expense of your long-term happiness. Be analytical, be strategic. Maybe even act a bit "impulsive" now and again. But don't be foolish.

Stay focused on what you really like. Stay excited, engaged, and...geeky.

And of course...

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

"The consistency of change..."

I've always had this thing about repetition and doing the same stuff over and over agin in my aquarium practice. It's one of the real "truisms", to me, about fish keeping: Once you've gotten in a groove, in terms of husbandry routines, it's great to just do the same thing over and over again. 

Consistency.

Now, notice that I'm not talking about doing the same thing over and over when it cones to ideas...Nope. I'm of the opinion that you should do all sorts of crazy things when it comes to concepts and experiments.

However, when it comes to maintenance, I'm all about boring. With so many other variables in play with aquariums, it simply makes sense to keep some things as stable and predictable as possible. Like, if you change "x" liters of water ever Tuesday, or whatever, and your tank is cranking along nicely, I say keep doing it.

Nature has its own rhythms. And we'd do best to consider them, right?

Let's face it, most of the habitats from which our fishes hail are fairly stable, in terms of water chemistry. Or are they? Sure, lakes and major rivers and tributaries, and of course, the oceans, are among the most stable environments on earth (at least in the short to medium term). Most of these habitats have conditions that are more or less constant and vary little. I say "most", because as we've talked about many times before, seasonally-inundated forests and floodplains go through a lot of changes as aquatic habitats during the rainy season, as water levels peak and decline.

With a lot of botanical materials (terrestrial plants, branches, logs, leaves, etc.) in the water, one would anticipate some sort of chemical changes the longer the areas are submerged, and as these materials begin to decompose. And with a more-or-less constant influx of rain during the wet season, I would bet that there is some dilution or at least, redistribution, of organics within the ecosystem.  In our aquariums, redistribution is limited by hardscape (wood and rocks) much as it is in nature. And, one could make the argument that our water changes do, indeed simulate to some extent the processes of rainfall and flooding to some extent!

And our continuous addition, removal, and replacement of botanicals is, as many of us surmised, a pretty good replication of what happens in these systems in nature, as well. Materials are continuously falling into the water and being redistributed, with ones that have been down longer decomposing and/or being acted upon by fishes and other aquatic life forms. Finding a "rhythm" that works for both us and our fishes is the key here. I mean, sure, if you want to really follow global weather patterns and do stepped-up water exchanges and botanical additions and removals to correspond with them, this would be a very cool experiment!

However, for most of us, simply establishing a routine of botanical additions and replenishment is a good idea.

Change.

And consistency. Working together in a most interesting way.

We've talked about it before, but it does bear some further review in this light: There are streams  where botanical accumulation (particularly in banks of leaf litter) has been going on more or less the same way for many years, creating semi-permanent features in the aquatic environment. For example, "meanders" (bends) in various Amazonian streams have been studied for some time, and some leaf litter beds are known to have existed for decades in the same place. The implication for this is that such leaf litter beds become habitats for generations of fishes and their offspring, and like the tropical reefs in the ocean- are an oasis of life- containing both the fishes and their prey items.

Now, although these are semi-permanent features in the habitat, they can vary throughout they year, influenced, as we discussed previously, by seasonal inundation. And then there are those floating leaf litter banks! It's been postulated by researchers that the floating litter banks supply the benthic community (which includes, of course, the fishes) with food and shelter, especially during the dry season when other habitats are unavailable.  

And interestingly, the structural changes resulting from the seasonal disintegration/decomposition of bottom litter banks and the formation of floating litter banks may also lead the fishes to move from the bottom to the surface- a sort of "migration" to offset the changes occurring in the environment at different times of the year.

Change and consistency, yet again.

Obviously, there are numerous examples of this "yin/yang" sort of thing, all of which have profound and interesting implications and possibilities for hobbyists eager to attempt to replicate the "functional aesthetics" of such systems. The more we look at nature, the more we find that trying to model our aquariums aesthetically and functionally after her processes is an amazing way to go. Perhaps the key to many previously overlooked benefits for our fishes is to simply try to emulate the processes which occur seasonally in nature..embracing change, and it's strange, yet inexorable relationship with consistency.

Our fishes have adapted to it. We should embrace it.

Something to think about, right?

Stay thoughtful. Stay curious. Stay consistent. Stay flexible...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Benefitting from the breakdown...

As we are all aware by now, a derivative of the old expression, "What goes up must come down!" sort of applies to the botanical-style, blackwater aquarium. In our case, "What goes down must BREAK down" is the tagline!

Yeah, as we know, the very essence of our "practice" is the understanding and acceptance that terrestrial botanical materials, when exposed to water, begin to soften and decompose, not only releasing their constituent tannins and other organics into the water, but physically reducing to smaller, finer particles. It's among the most accepted and well-understood processes in aquarium keeping, and of course, in nature. The breakdown of materials by the action of water, bacteria, and organisms is part of the wonderful function of aquatic environments.

From the minute we place a leaf, seed pod, other botanical, or even a piece of wood into our aquariums, various forces act upon them to begin softening and breaking them down. And of course, this process is aided by fishes and shrimp, which tend to graze upon these surfaces, either feeding on the biofilm and algae which populate them, or the tissues of the materials themselves. 

Ultimately, what you will end up with is extremely fine, detritus-like material that will accumulate either in pre filter sponges, filter pads, or in the substrate of the aquarium. Essentially, you've involuntarily created a sort of "aquatic mulch" by allowing botanicals to "do their thing" and break down in the aquarium. I can't help but wonder about the value of this material, both as a substrate for benthic life forms, and for the growth of aquatic plants as a sort of homemade "soil additive." Happily, some hobbyists, such as the ridiculously talented Cory Hopkins, are experimenting with this, and early results are proving interesting!

And, with the interesting fusion of aquatic plants and botanicals that more and more hobbyists are starting to play with, the implications could prove interesting in the long term. I admit that I'm not even close to being a competent aquatic plant specialist, but it doesn't take an expert to see that the possibilities for utilizing an "active botanical bed" in a planted tank to perhaps supplement the plants with natural, "in situ" nutrient production is compelling! Will a bed of mixed botanicals, if allowed to fully mineralize and break down over time, become a meaningful and useful source of nutrients for aquatic plants? Only time and more experimentation will tell!

As you probably know from general experience, science classes, and maybe reading my ramblings here in "The Tint", many tropical aquatic ecosystems which contain leaf litter and other botanicals are host to many, many life forms, including bacteria, fungi, insects, aquatic crustaceans, and of course, the fishes we love so much! 

Back to the flooded forests of Amazonia...again. These rich habitats are not only productive, but are some of the more "populated" feeding grounds for fishes, with significant populations of fishes known to be insectivores, that consume immature insects of the families Chironomidae (Diptera), Baetidae, and Leptophlebidae (Ephemeroptera). It's a diverse mix of life which creates the basis of a significant food chain. Now, I have no illusions of creating a full-blown food chain, complete with developing flies and mosquitoes in our aquarium. (especially for those of us in domestic relationships we value!). However, I think that it may be possible to recreate or at least develop partial food chains, supporting bacteria, fungi, and aquatic crustaceans/worms in our botanical-style systems

And of course, the literal "basis" for all of this stuff is the botanical materials themselves, breaking down in our tanks, as they've done in nature for eons.

We've already made a mental shift which accepts the transient, subtle beauty of decomposing botanical materials, tinted water, biofilms, and the like, so it goes without saying that taking it a little further and allowing these materials to completely breakdown to serve as the substrate for our aquatic ecodiverfity is simply the next iteration in the management of blackwater/brackish botanical-style aquariums.

With more and more emphasis being placed on the idea of "functional aesthetics" in our tanks, it seems only natural that we'll see an increased likelihood of stumbling upon some previously unknown benefit of allowing this complete breakdown of botanicals to occur in our aquariums. Not only will this yield some interesting, extremely natural-looking aquariums, but the implications for the fishes which reside in them are numerous!

I can envision systems created to optimize the breakdown and accumulation of botanicals, with targeted water-column flow, use of more coarse (or fine) mechanical filtration media, moderated lighting to discourage excessive algal growth, and even careful selection of hardscape materials, such as Mangrove root tangles, Manzanita wood, etc. to encourage these materials to settle in and among them, as occurs in nature. Letting our minds wander a bit, and accepting and encouraging this stuff, rather than freaking the %&*@# out every time we see a gram of detritus in our tanks will go a long way towards fostering new discoveries, "best practices", and maybe even breakthroughs! 

Yeah, it's a bit if a "mental stretch" for ourselves yet again- but as a group, we're getting pretty good at this sort of stuff, huh? Brown water, biofilms- and breakdown of botanicals have not only proven to be an exciting new area to play in- they've provided some amazing results for our  fishes as well! They have most certainly "benefitted from the breakdown!"

As always, each and every one of us has the extraordinarily unique opportunity to contribute mightily to the body of work and "state of the art" in our formerly dark, yet increasingly well-illuminated are of the aquarium hobby!

Stay curious. Stay calm. Stay unencumbered by conventionality. Stay bold. And most important...

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

No real "hacks" in this game...

I recall, not too long ago, an aquarium club event that I attended. I had a great fish geek weekend…I was speaking at a club in the Midwestern U.S. I was in "saltwater mode", talking about a reef aquarium topic... One of those, “Oh, so you think the life of a fish geek speaker is glamorous?” type weekends. The kind where you spend 14 hours traveling and 34 hours on the ground. "Fun" if you like airplanes, hotels, and airports (which I do), but not really "glamorous!" Cool stuff, a great group, but the typical in-and-out whirlwind!

I love this stuff!

The event was awesome, but it was over far too quickly! You realize the value of information sharing in the hobby at these events. I’m always reminded of both the thirst for information that exists in the hobby, as well as the culture that surrounds it. The culture of sharing and teaching. Pretty freakin' cool. And it always hits home for me when people tell me how much they enjoyed my blog about “______” a few weeks back…Causes me to realize the responsibility I have when discussing topics here.

Anyways, I shared the speaking bill with another hobbyist, who gave a great talk on the “Fundamentals of the Reef Aquarium.” At first, you’d think that the is the LAST thing you need to talk about to experienced reefers…Nothing could be further from the truth. Both of us were totally blown away by the total hunger for seemingly basic hobby information. After both of our presentations, the amount of questions we fielded on stuff that would be considered “primary” reef-keeping technique was overwhelmingly disproportionate to more advanced topics discussed in the talks. This could, of course, just as easily translate into freshwater.

We talked about this concept for a long time, and tried to get our heads around it all. Why would this be? I mean, we’re in the “Postmodern” era of aquarium keeping, where hobbyists are trying all sorts of advanced techniques and technology, and sharing via the internet. Aquatic hobbyists spend a collective fortune on the latest and greatest equipment: lighting technology, controllers, filters, pumps, etc. We are bombarded with lots of data on husbandry, animal care, setting up systems, etc. Information is everywhere. 

Well, maybe the information is everywhere, but I get this sneaking feeling that many hobbyists are not taking advantage of it. Why would reefers who have 200 gallon plus  systems, with thousands of dollars in livestock and equipment have detailed questions and even misperceptions about really basic shit like alkalinity, water quality, and stocking? Stuff that they should have acquired as fledgling hobbyists, or during their planning phases in the hobby adventure. How could this be?




If we can't grasp this....

...then we'll never grasp this!



Well, I have a couple of thoughts and theories about why (Well, of course I do, right?)

The Internet has changed everything: “Okay, Fellman, sure- go ahead and blame the ‘net. Slap Twitter again while you’re at it…” No, hear me out on this. I think that the internet and all of the information access it provides has been culture changing. However, some of the change in our hobby may not be for the better. There was a time when a beginner in the hobby went down to the LFS, had a conversation with the staff about starting a tank, and was sent home with some information and perhaps even cracked a book or two…BEFORE he or she even bought a tank. 

With the internet, this information is readily available, along with forums where a fledgling hobbyist can discuss the hobby with experienced veterans.  However, there are also hundreds of “build threads”, advertisements, and online vendors (just like mine) dangling all sorts of goodies in front of the neophyte. For just a few bucks, you can have all of this cool stuff delivered overnight right to your door! If you do it right, and if you can afford it, you’d be able to go from thinking about starting a tank to a full-fledged, high-octane system with all of the latest expensive gear and livestock by Christmas! Maybe it’s a cultural shift brought about by the era of e-commerce.

We have become accustomed to wanting something and getting it…fast. Why research it? I mean, there are products and equipment that can give you “professional results” with virtually plug and play setup. You can bypass all of that nonsense, like understanding the nitrogen cycle, or the concept of water quality management. We have live bacteria in a bottle, and electronic controllers to just set things up for us. Easy.

Perhaps even too easy? Have we simply decided, in this fast-paced era, to just bypass the “learning curve?” Are we as a culture and business so eager to get new reefers into the game that we are enabling them to bypass the “dues paying” part of the climb to hobby success? Should there be a “dues paying” time, anyways? This is really prevalent, IMHO, in the saltwater side of the hobby. Who has the right to dictate THAT? On the other hand, are we exposing hobbyists to financial ruin, and most important- hapless animals to death because the newbie wants the rare cichlid or deepwater Acro and “should” be able to keep it because of his crazy filter, skimmer, advanced calcium reactor, water pumps, and electronic controller monitoring the whole thing can help?

This dovetails nicely with my next theory:

Why try to understand what the plants and fishes need? The equipment will take care of it, right? We’ve gotten to the point where no one wants to brew a cup of coffee anymore. We have the “K-Cup” to do that. Maybe we’re too busy? Think I’m overreacting? I don’t think so. I’ve been approached as a vendor numerous times to give “remedial reef keeping” lessons to people who have obscene amounts of money invested in reefs that would put mine to shame, equipment-wise. Problem was, they hadn’t a clue about keeping the animals they built their technological shrines for. I know many fellow vendors and LFS people have had the same experiences. Have we as a hobby and industry made the process of actually understanding the life forms that we keep secondary to simply acquiring them? Makes me shudder a bit.

And I'm not trying to take the "You guys have it so easy- I had to walk to school through 6 feet of snow..." mentality. It's not about, "Newbies have to pay their dues! They don't have the RIGHT to success.." No- the point is- we owe it to our animals- and ourselves, to understand this stuff.

This is where the LFS will shine above all. Talking-to people who live, breathe, and sleep aquarium-keeping will help. Vendors online- same thing. Forums have a responsibility for perpetuating a responsible, educational culture. Too much is at stake. When the average person is in the hobby for only 18 months before throwing his/her arms up in frustration, something is wrong. Especially when we are selling millions of dollars of expensive equipment and livestock to the very people who are bailing out in droves. This isn’t just a fight to create more understanding and awareness..It’s literally a fight for survival of the hobby and art of aquarium keeping. Yup.


This is a “cultural shift”: Pure and simple…In a world where people are supposedly not able to retain more than 140 characters of information, and where there is a apparently an “algorithm” for pretty much everything, we simply have lost the ability to absorb information on things that are not considered “relevant” to our immediate goal. If the immediate goal is to have a great looking tank, apparently we don’t want to take the time to learn the groundwork that it takes to get there and to sustain a system on a long-term basis. It’s far more interesting- and apparently, immediately gratifying- to learn about what gear can get us where we want, and what fishes, corals, and plants are available. We perpetuate this by well- dumbing everything down. We feature the superficial aspects of the hobby- how cool the tanks look, etc., while failing to get people to grasp the basics. You even see this in many of the “build threads” I alluded to previously. In many of these threads, you’ll see a detailed run down of the equipment, shots of the assembly, the “solutions” to the problems encountered along the way (usually more expensive equipment purchases). You’ll see pics of the finished tanks…

All very interesting and helpful, but the “weirdness” starts when, in the middle of the threads, you’ll see the “builder” asking about why he’s experiencing a massive algae outbreak, or why all of the coral frags he just added are dying in this brand new, state-of-the-art tank. Questions and ensuing discussions that make you wonder why this ill-informed, yet apparently well-healed individual went off on a 5-figure “joyride”, building a dream tank with an apparent complete ignorance of many of the hobby fundamentals. I’m often dumbfounded at the incredible lack of hobby basics many of these people show. Just because you’re a great DIY guy, and have disposable income to buy everything you see advertised on line for your 400 gallon reef tank, it doesn’t make you a knowledgeable or experienced hobbyist. It just doesn’t.

Okay, I’m sounding very cynical. And perhaps I am. But the evidence is out there in abundance…and it’s kind of discouraging at times.

Look, I’m not trying to be the self-appointed guardian of the hobby. I’m not "calling us out." I’m asking for us to look at this stuff realistically, however. No one has a right to tell anyone that what they are doing is not the right way, but we do have to instill upon the newbie the importance of understanding the basics.

Like many other vendors, I offer  products to people and don’t educate them on every single aspect of aquatic husbandry. It’s hard to do that. I do write lots of blogs and articles, and lecture all over the world, so I know I’m doing something to reach some people…but not enough. I think that I need to do better. I probably need to write more about basic sort of stuff than I do about whatever the heck is on my mind? Don't know. I do know that we all need to tell hobbyists like it is, without sugar coating everything. . There are dozens of posts and “build threads” on forums and Facebook groups that DO provide great information to hobbyists, along with plenty of articles by experienced aquarists discussing any number of arcane and fascinating aquarium-related topics. Yet, for all of this, we see what appears to be a very "superficial"understanding of the hobby by so many hobbyists. I feel sorry for these people, as well as the animals that are exposed to potentially fatal situations out of pure ignorance.

These hobbyists also miss the joy that comes with understanding and applying something that they have learned.




We all make mistakes. Part of the hobby and the learning curve. Yet, when I see so many indications that hobbyists are just not grasping the basic information that they need to be successful, I feel a sense of disappointment. I feel like we- all of us who are experienced in this great hobby and industry- are letting down a whole generation of hobbyists. Yikes, I’m giving us a bit of a butt-kicking. Yeah. I think we need to sit down with prospective hobbyist and who them that learning about the basics is actually FUN. It’s actually really cool stuff that will make their hobby experience way more fulfilling and interesting.

How does this get solved?

Well, it starts with mentoring. It starts with getting people excited not only at the end result- owning a “slice of the bottom”- it starts with getting people excited about the journey to get there, and learning about how we can make the animals under our care thrive. It’s not just about the latest gadgets- it’s about the latest information on fundamental care of animals. 

It starts by us once and for all embracing the local fish store and the people who work there. Sure, there are the stories of ignorant personnel and such- but these are truly the exceptions rather than the rule- yet they have somehow seeped into our collective consciousness and contaminated forever our view of the local fish store. Most give invaluable, free hands-on advice. Most attempt to instill a passion that goes beyond just shilling products, as is unfairly leveled upon them. Enough is enough. Just like acknowledging that not all online coral vendors are Photoshop-abusing, money-grabbing deceptive-business-practicing sharks, or every E-Bay advertiser is not a no-service, deceptive sleazebag working out of his garage...we cannot keep pinpointing the LFS as the primary cause of hobby dissatisfaction and misinformation. The local store, as I’ve written about previously- is the first link to the wonders of the hobby, a cornerstone of hobby “culture”, and the owners and employees deserve our unwavering support. Like all of us- they deserve the occasional kick in the rear when they screw up. But that’s about it. 

It starts by continuing to emphasize basic care...Example: How many hobbyists do you know who really embrace a quarantine protocol for any fish added to their tanks? How many hobbyists do you know that would bend over backwards to buy a product that promises the benefits of quarantine without actually doing it? A lot, I'll bet...I mean, we'd all be tempted...but how many would really just jump on that because of the seemingly easier course? Human nature? I guess.

As aquarists, we need to support new hobbyists with not just the generosity that we’re famous for, but the incredible passion that we curate. We need to give them the good and the bad information. We need to impress upon them that running without learning how to walk first is a painful way to learn. Fishes, plants and corals are not just “merchandise”, and the learning curve should not include exposing them to potentially fatal situations that could have been avoided had the neophyte hobbyist been properly instructed about their requirements from the get go. We need to let beginners know that part of the joy of the hobby is learning about this stuff first hand..by doing it.

In an era of instant gratification, it just seems that the aquarium hobby is a polar opposite. The vast majority of us get it, but there is a discouragingly large portion of the aquarium keeping hobby that hasn't seemed to have grasped the concept just yet.

Let's do our best to help change that. Support your LFS. Support your fellow hobbyists. Remember, there are no real "hacks"- no shortcuts- in this game. NO need. Enjoy the journey.


Stay excited. Stay motivated. Stay helpful. Stay generous. 

And, as always...

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

The best, most exciting moments?

It's exciting to see hobbyists getting stoked on new stuff, and that never seems to get old. We actually get a vicarious thrill out of seeing everyone get all happy when they score that cool botanical pack or piece of wood that completes their tank...'cause...we get it!

It got me thinking about things that get us excited in the hobby! I posed this question to some of my saltwater friends a while back, and they had a wide range of interesting answers. The biggest and most exciting events in the hobby, based on this very un-scientific sampling thus far, seem to be when you set up a new tank, and when you acquire/receive/purchase a new coral or fish....And I'm inclined to agree...! 

I love when I help a fellow hobbyist create a selection of botanicals and stuff for his/her aquarium, and I get that email or text or call and they say, "Man I can't wait to get the package...!"

Few things in this hobby or business thrill me like hearing the sheer joy of a fellow hobbyist, stoked as heck about getting something that he or she loves so much. 

Coolness!

However, I think there are other exciting things...Like going to conferences and having your head explode from all of the fish, gadgets, and hobbyists you encounter under one roof, nailing the perfect aquascape, securing that difficult epiphytic plant to that piece of driftwood...or getting that last piece of stone just the way you wanted it...dozens and dozens of tiny little moments that provide us that little "rush" which keeps the hobby so addictive.

(Luis Navarro- pinnacle moment!)

I don't know about you, but I still get that little ping of excitement every time I enter into my LFS! "Will THIS be the time I find that crazy weird dwarf cichlid I've been looking for? Will the store have that awesome new coral food I've read about but haven't yet tried? Will I end up walking out with a new nano tank?"

All those kinds of cool things that create excitement, and keep us engaged in the hobby. Granted, we all get excited about different things: I hung with a bunch of guys at a hobby conference once who had very passionate and (to them) exciting exchanges about testing for Vanadium in aquarium water (no, I'm serious! And they weren't really that drunk, either!)! And of course, "shopping" with friends for gadgets at shows is a thrill (especially when they're the one spending money!).

So many cool things.

And you know what? It even hit me the other day- after decades in the hobby and years in this business, I still get that twinge of excitement every time I hear from a customer or talk to another hobbyist. Because there is always something new and interesting...something to keep me excited, engaged, focused. And all of these things-all of these experiences, things, and moments of enjoyment of the hobby with friends- are what excites me the most. 

I'm pretty lucky, I think. We all are, really.

So, that being said...What do you consider the most exciting things in the hobby? The best, most exciting moments in aquarium keeping? Let's hear 'em!

Stay excited. Stay engaged. Stay creative. Stay original...

And stay wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics