The Tint

What's wrong with words, anyways?

Well, it had to happen eventually…

I'd get up on a soapbox and bitch about why I like words and writing long-winded product descriptions...

I received an email newsletter by some "content marketing people" that pontificated that consumers on websites apparently are more interested in just looking at pictures to make their purchasing decisions than they are in reading descriptions about what they are purchasing. It’s kind of sad, actually…

And these "experts"- well, are they fish geeks? 

Okay, good and bad. But being told that consumers don’t want to read descriptions of products made me kind of…I dunno…nostalgic? Or maybe just grumpy.

Yup. Grumpy.

Wow, the “twitterization” of e-commerce appears to be complete. Apparently, in a mere decade, our culture has evolved to the point where we are only capable of absorbing a maximum of 140 characters about anything, complete with absurd "hash tags." (says the guy who loves them now...)

Somehow, the human race has gotten so busy that we are no longer able to carve out a niche of time, even for stuff that we love, like our hobbies, to be able to take the time to read descriptions of something that we want to buy. 

Really? Is this true? I mean, a picture really IS worth 1,000 words, but...

We’re so busy, and time is so limited, that we can’t even listen to voice mail. Ever had this scenario?: You call someone on their cell phone number. You get their voicemail and leave a brief message about what it was you needed to convey to them. Seconds later, you receive a phone call from the person you just left a message for…And you ask them if they received your message…the answer is “No- I saw the number and redialed…”

Really? We can’t even listen to voicemail messages?

Wow.

Somehow, we’ve all gotten ourselves into a big damn hurry and have apparently added so much to our daily lives that even basic, time-honored communications functions are just... too time consuming.

Some things are pretty cool, I will give you that. In years past, we had catalogues. Now we have websites. We used to have Yellow Pages ads, and then we had QR codes. Social media has allowed anyone with a web-enabled device to let their opinion and presence be known to anyone who will listen. We can all pontificate about stuff like which colored M & M is better, or wether a "Wabi Kusa" style approach to aquascaping is more logical than a “natural” approach, or any number of a myriad of topics. It’s an age of empowerment. Attention. It's great! Consumers can let marketers know instantly if their product is a piece of garbage, or how it’s changed their life forever.

Awesome.

But the sad thing is that, despite active hobby discussion boards worldwide, with threads about every arcane aquarium keeping topic imaginable, “new marketing” experts tell us that providing information about a product you offer on your website in any form other than brief bullet points constitutes “clutter”, and is viewed as “fluff.” 

Woah, that sorta sucks. Or does it?





I’ll give you that some of our product descriptions for stuff like Catappa leaves can be, well, superfluous. I mean, if you see a leaf in the picture, you don’t need us to tell you it’s a leaf, or that it’s pretty cool. Maybe you DO like to see the “bullet points” about its use. I mean, restating the obvious IS a waste of time. I get it. My problem- I like words. I like enthusiasm and emotion that can be generated by reading words. Somehow, bullet points or other dryly expository stuff doesn’t do it for me. Well, far be it from me to stand in the way of progress. If copy is superfluous, I’ll evolve with the times. I’ll whine a bit, though. 

Wait a minute. Nope. I won't. I like language.

And I just read in another blog that micro content is big again. So I'm back in business! 

And again, I’ve read some of our descriptions of botanicals and such off the website. Some of them are awesome, if I say so myself, delivered in the best “Trader Joe's” style. Others are just, well- admittedly…dopey. But endearing, I think. We have phrases like “...a featherweight pod" or “will be an anchor in your leaf litter zone.” Arrgh.

Remind me of “Gets your teeth their whitest!” or “Saves you time and money!”

Ughhh.

Okay, so I get it.  Some stuff is..geeky...However, I've decided that I'm not going to stop "romanticizing" our merchandise. I mean, yeah- it is kind of hard to find new ways to describe the virtues of a mesh filter sock or a sponge filter....but I'm not gonna stop trying! I guess the problem for me is that I love the power of words, the interest or richness or enthusiasm you can convey. If you called me up and asked me about how cool that $16.00 variety pack is, I’d still probably give you a 3,000 word dissertation on why it would be perfect for your aquascape, and how amazing the texture of the pods is.

Far be it from me to resist change for the better!

So I guess the point is- if you want to hear just how nicely that Savu Pod you see on our website would fit into your aquascape, and how it’s one of the coolest botanicals around, you'll still be able to read about it on our site. Or, you can just call me. Of course, if you miss me and I call you back and you don’t pick up, I won't leave a message, or should I?

I actually should rejoice, right? Because today’s consumer is better, smarter, more educated about what they purchase, having taken the time to research BEFORE they make a buying decision. Or so they say.

But I’ll give you that today’s empowered consumer is really smart. Absolutely. And that is a good thing!

I just have a problem with the fact that, according to “some marketing experts”, today’s consumers no longer like the romance of product descriptions. They see it as “fluff” or “smoke and mirrors”, being too sophisticated to be charmed by the virtues of say, a description of a Cholla branch. They just like pics. And maybe, just maybe, a bullet point or two.

Ok, sure.

Why am I being grumpy about this? I dunno…I’m waxing philosophical about stuff like marketing and communications with customers, and I obviously want to create an environment that creates the best possible experience. And apparently, the best possible experience is created by providing as little to digest as possible. In the decades since I earned my marketing degree, it seems as though much of what I learned back in those days was proven to be not only wrong, but actually counter-productive in today’s society. 

I get it…sort of. I mean, now days, it makes more sense to talk WITH consumers than AT them, as we were taught for generations in business school. A conversation is a two-way deal, not the marketer simply delivering a message…The forging of relationships is a more solid way to create lasting customers. I have no problem with that, and I think I personally have gotten quite good at it. 



Of course, I will take heat from readers now and then about me “getting up on my soapbox” and “preaching” about stuff in my blogs, and come across as arrogant, small-minded, or OMIGOD- occasionally biased about MY OWN company, talking about some of the good things we do. Yikes- mustn't do THAT in MY OWN forum which I pay for, right?

Well, you can’t teach an old dog EVERY new trick, right? 

So, seriously, we’re going to continue to give you the information you need to make an educated purchase decision. I'm resigned to accept THIS as my idea of progress: The fact that many of you might enjoy reading about stuff you're into. And judging by the average time a visitor spends on our site, I think I just might be on to something!

Man, I just felt like vomiting while reading about the urgent need to change with the times for some stuff. But hey, I’m over it now. I even understand how our website back-end works. 

Craziness.

But I do use some hashtags and stuff...

Oh man, I’ve just validated Instagram…”Tweet” that! #fellmansoldouttothefuture.

Is this the "death of words" in marketing? Or the beginning of empowerment?

I could philosophize on that, but it would take more than 140 characters. Just give me a call. 

But don’t leave a voicemail, because I won’t listen to it before I redial.

That’s 1,400+ words to tell you that we’re going to continue to use lots of words in our product descriptions. 

Super efficient.

Tweet THAT!

Yeah. Nothing's wrong with words, IMHO.

Until next time,

Embrace change, think objectively…

And stay wet.


Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

P.S.- So I just read an article in an online business magazine that Google and other search engines "reward you" with better search placement if you use "original, longer descriptions or product..."

I LOVE change...Almost as much as I love being historically right! For NOW.

Radical moves?

As you probably are painfully aware of by now, I've always been a huge proponent of patience, discipline, and not "messing with your tank." 

Yeah, the last one is something I wrote about quite recently...You know, my admonition to NOT incessantly re-arrange, change up, and break down your aquarium on a regular basis. I think it's because I have always favored allowing aquariums to sort of "evolve" on their own, with "guidance" from the hobbyist in the form of regular maintenance, minor adjustments, and occasional "tweaks" over big moves which, although might "solve" a problem initially, are more stressful to your animals and their environment.

That being said, IS there anything inherently wrong with changing things up, breaking a tank down to try something new, or "re-setting" if something isn't working for you?

I don't think so. 

I mean, look at competition 'scapers...these guys (and girls) set up a tank, manage it and allow it to reach a peak appearance, and then break the damn thing down when the entry period for their show is over. That would literally kill me to do that...but I understand. The good part of this is that they tend to view each tank as a sort of "progression", and they're happily on to the next one as soon as the glass dries in their former masterpiece.

So, we could take a cue from some of these talented people and make "pivots" out of a sudden breakdown of a display. Why would you do this to an otherwise thriving tank? Well, I can think of several reasons, some of which you might not agree with. For example, let's say you have a tank that, for whatever reason, you simply don't enjoy. You thought it would turn out a certain way, but you never quite pulled it off. And, despite repeated attempts to modify it, it still didn't catch your fancy. So, why stay in a miserable situation? Life's too short. Give yourself permission to break it down and start over if you want.

Another situation where you might do a breakdown/reset is if you simply HAVE to have that certain fish that is not compatible with your current aquarium. And let's say you don't have the space/time/money for another tank. Look, this is the only way you're going to experience that dream fish, right? So you find good homes for your current residents, break down the tank and re-configure for your new love.

And there is that most simple reason: You're just ready to try something new. Again, maybe your space/time/financial resources make it impossible to get another aquarium. While one could make all sorts of moral arguments about disruption and stuff- in the end, you have to live with- and enjoy- your hobby. As long as you're finding homes for your fishes and not euthanizing or destroying them simply because you're "bored" with them, or some other horrible "justification" for a heinous act like that, I can see how this makes sense.

With our botanical-style, blackwater systems, time and patience are the things that sort of go with the territory, and this style of aquarium simply can't reach it's peak functionality and appearance without the passage of time. Sure, you can make cool temporary displays with botanicals, but to create a true closed ecosystem, you just need to let things "evolve", and go through the biofilms, decomposition, and water tinting.

These "rights of passage" are things we've touched on many times before, and they not only are part of the 'experience", but they function as an interesting sort of "bonding experience" between you and your aquarium.

Make subtle moves when you can, tweaks and changes as needed, and radical moves when absolutely necessary.

Easy.

Simple thoughts, yet I think they are profound ones for creating enjoyable, sustainable hobby experiences.

Stay thoughtful. Stay patient. Stay kind. Stay creative...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Bottoms Up...Again.

There are topics you bring up because they're relevant, interesting, and very integral to your aquatic "practice"- stuff like proper water conditions to induce spawning in specific fishes, system design for optimum environmental management and efficiency, or reviews of the dietary requirements of that fun killifish species. Important, highly pivotal topics which are, in a way "foundational."

Today's topic is not one of them. :)

Have you noticed that the vast majority of the botanical-style, blackwater aquariums that our community has created involve light-colored sand substrates, versus the darker, more earthy-looking ones that are available for planted tanks?

Told you this was groundbreaking (hey, it's Sunday morning at like 6:00AM...it's what's on my mind!)...

Seriously, though, I'm curious what types of substrates we use and why. Now, if you go to my favorite source of inspiration- Mother Nature- it's pretty obvious that the majority of blackwater stream substrates are a fine white sand, or a clay like material called "podzol", which comprises a lot of the geology in Amazonia and other parts of the South American biosphere. It influences the chemical composition of the water in a significant way. And, yeah, if we're trying to mimic many of the habitats of this region, a light-colored sand substrate is a great place to start, huh?

In previous blogs, we've touched on the idea of utilizing different botanical-derived materials, like leaves, coconut coir-based products, peat, bark, leaves, and botanicals as a "top-dressing" over a very thin layer of substrate, or a mix of materials comprising the entire substrate. I know a few of you who are really working this concept! This is, of course, one of the basic things we do in the botanical style aquarium. However, it's almost always over the whitish sand. 

So, I guess where I'm at (as a guy who's about to set up another new, strictly decorative blackwater tank!) is wether or not any of you have utilize darker substrates or those planted aquariums soils within the context of a blackwater, botanical style system, as opposed to a strictly planted tank? I agree that these substrates offer some interesting "functional" possibilities, even for non-planted tanks- such as influencing pH, etc. I'm curious how they would function when "inundated" with a mix of botanical materials.

With an almost complete lack of buffering capacity, I'm curious what kinds of low pH levels could be achieved by utilizing them, and how easy it would be to maintain significantly lower levels without having to "fight off" the inherent buffering capacity of many commercial sand-type substrates.

Obscure thoughts, but oh, how my active mind wanders in those rare periods of "down time", like in the car, on airplanes, or when trying to fall asleep (I can't tell you how many systems I've "built" under those circumstances! I think I even "bred" a Red version of the Black Ghost Knifefish in one of these "fantasy achievement" sessions! It was cool.)

Anyhow, I think these substrates could effectively mimic many natural habitats, particularly African and Asian ones, where peat and other darker materials, including those of volcanic origin may comprise much of the composition. I mean, one could do exclusively peat or "Cutch Bark" or "Substrate Fino"/"Fundo Tropical" substrates (after significant preparation), and this would have the basis of an interesting experiment!  Or like, mud...

However, I'm curious about your experience with darker-colored or planted tank-intended substrates as respects to our botanical aquarium "practices."

Feedback, please! 

As always, keep an open, active mind.

Stay innovative. Stay creative. Stay motivated. Stay experimental...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Botanicals vs. Peat- the discussion continues...

One of the questions we receive a lot about botanicals is just how effective they are at reducing the pH of your water. Now, I know we've had the discussion earlier in the week regarding the influence of Catappa, and how your source water's pH and hardness will affect their effectiveness at reducing it.

A lot of you want to know how botanicals do at lowering the pH of your water versus, for example, peat moss.

It's a good question about the botanicals. Many of them do impart some similar effects as peat, with materials like Catappa leaves, Catappa bark, Cutch Tree Bark, Coco Curls, etc. being most similar in how they do this. You know, putting tannins and humic substances into the water...that stuff! I'd say that most of the pods will add some visible tint to the water, but their pH-reducing effect is far more limited.

As we've discussed repeatedly, the starting pH and hardness of your source water is probably the biggest single factor influencing how much any botanical materials will be able to reduce it. And of course, exactly how much humic substances, humic acids, tannins, and other compounds that can do the job varies from botanical to botanical. I have heard one capability attributed to peat- and that is it's alleged ability to function as an "ion exchange" media, sort of like what happens in an RO/DI unit. I can honestly state that I don't know if this is true or even possible, but it has very, very interesting implications if it is!

Now, to be perfectly honest, I don't know if any serious, scientific study has ever been done on how much of these substances leaves, pods and other botanicals can actually impart to the water...and I'm not even 100% certain if such a study has been done specifically on peat moss, either! It would be pretty cool. Perhaps it has been done on peat, because it's been used in aquariums for many decades...I may have to dig further to see if there is such as study!

In years past, I played around with peat in aquariums quite a bit for various applications, and I'm a big fan of it...conditionally. That is, much of it has been harvested from nature in a non-sustainable way, and that makes it kind of unpopular to use! It's why I haven't offered it on our site, quite frankly. 

Now, there are some North American suppliers of peat in Canada and the US which have developed sustainable harvesting techniques for peat, and it certainly would feel better using there stuff. I've held back from offering it on the site simply because I don't want to have to "defend" the use of peat (even if its from a certified sustainable source) to the casual site visitor who may not read the "Hey, this is sustainably sourced!" stuff! However, more and more hobbyists are asking, so it's something we may eventually offer at some point.

And of course, there's that decorative aspect. I mean, peat looks cool, right? But botanicals- well, they add a totally different aesthetic touch! And that's the cool thing...you have lots of options and choices. And, with proper water preparation, the impacts of all types botanicals can be "managed."

Where am I going with this? Short answer- I like the effects of peat in the aquarium. I even like the looks of it. If you can obtain it from a good source which uses sustainable practices, and the product is free from additives or fertilizers- I'd utilize as desired. It really can affect the pH of water better than most botanical items can (of course, to what extent depends upon your starting dKH and pH.)

We do have an interesting sort of alternative in the form of Cutch Tree bark", which looks and performs an awful lot like the long-fiber peat moss I grew up playing with in my killie tanks "back in the day."

And our coconut-coir based "Substrate Fino" is a super-fine variant that could also be a substitute for peat...

And catappa bark fills a similar role, although it's equally adept as am aesthetic/hardscape component.

That being said, as they say- there's no substitute for the real thing, right? I have not been in the habit (maybe I should be!) of asking you-our community- if  we should or shouldn't do stuff; however, this is a rather polarizing and important topic, so I want you involved!

Do you want us to offer peat moss as a botanical product, if it's from a sustainable source?

Let us know here, or on Facebook.

Stay involved. Stay practical. Stay open-minded. Stay curious...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics  

Blackwater basics, and a late week "*&^%$-slap to fellow catappa vendors!

Oh, it's time for more Tint Hacks!" Well...sort of...er...

Seriously, as the blackwater/botanical movement evolves, we're getting a lot more questions about some of the functional and practical aspects of maintaining one of these cool tanks, and it's a good time to review a few things! Like, really, really basic things. And that is SO COOL!

I can't tell you how many "Thank You!" and "That was awesome!" responses I received from readers of yesterday's blog- so I now realize that, as our world is so rapidly evolving, with many newcomers entering into the fray daily- it makes just sense to keep revisiting some of the seemingly "basic stuff" as our experience and knowledge of the art and science of botanical-style/blackwater aquariums evolves.

One question that we receive a lot is how "capable" botanicals (particularly the beloved Catappa leaves) are at reducing pH. Regrettably, there has been much misconception about their capabilities, for which I place the blame...squarely on the shoulders of the "bulk Catappa" vendors on places like E-bay and such (yeah, there are a number of good ones, but many are simply slinging leaves) and provide little in the way of detailed (and accurate) information for hobbyists to work with. Calling their asses out. Yes, I'm being mean spirited and a bit boorish, because it's not all of them...yet it's a lot of them, judging by the number of questions we receive that start with, "I bought some Catappa from this guy on E-bay, and..."

We need to do better as an industry in educating.

Oh, and it's 4:54 AM here in Los Angeles as I write this blog, and I haven't had my first cup of coffee yet. :)

(Excuse registered.)

The ability of the tannins and humic substances in the Catappa leaves to influence the pH is largely predicated upon the starting pH and general hardness of your water. It's one of the things I have written about before, because a lot of the aforementioned  (what I call..) "low end" catappa vendors just sort of say fluffy generic stuff like, "Lowers ph and makes fish breed..." which only perpetuates the myth that these leaves can do it all in every situation, IMHO.

They can't.

The reality is that, if your water is hard and alkaline to begin with, the use of catappa will likely only lower the pH a very, very small amount...if at all. Of course, the water will visually tint and the beneficial (for fish health) humic substances will be imparted into the water (as long as you're not using activated carbon or other chemical filtration media, which will take out this stuff).

That being said, you can get a great visual tint even in hard, alkaline water. However, tint is not an indication of pH level. It simply is indicative of the amount of tannins in the water. One dip of your electronic pH meter into your blackwater tank will tell all . (Yes, an electronic pH meter is like "essential equipment" for us "Tinters", IMHO).

Personally, I start with straight RO/DI water, and then the leaves and other botanicals will have far more influence on the pH.  I know that there are water chemistry freaks and others that will rain hell-fire upon me for suggesting straight-up RO/DO water, for fear of the dreaded "pH crash" or whatever, but the reality is that, in my personal experience with blackwater tanks (a couple of decades now) I've never, ever had this happen.  What prevents this in my tanks? Typically, it's the use of sand and rock, which I personally (and yeah, it's all anecdotal) believe provide some slight buffering.

Oh, and common sense stocking, feeding, and maintenance. I've never really gotten my tanks lower than pH 6.2 with substrates present, so that's where I kind of got my theory. Now, those of you using the low pH planted tank substrates and such, with little or no mineral content, would be far, far more likely to see much lower pH levels. Even then, in the experiments I conducted, I couldn't get my water below 5.8...like, ever.

And it just sat there.

Now, I'm not telling you to just do what I do and dump stuff in and use straight-up RO/DI and walk away and "Instant Rio Negro" happens in your suburban living room. That would be as ignorant and stupid as the claims some of those "low end" guys make.  Damn, that sounds so freaking nasty of me, huh? (Hey, it's how I feel...let them write a daily blog, blah, blah..."Shut up Fellman" lol). You need to monitor pH and general hardness. You need to understand your source water's ph and hardness. This is part of the game. It's not hard, but you need to do it. You can't take my word, or the guy on the "Acid Water Forum" (oh, that would be a cool one, huh?) as the world's foremost authority on this stuff.

People have had weird shit happen in lower pH tanks. Part of the game is knowing that you're working in a world that has been lightly traveled over the years, and there is still a lot of scary mystery stuff in people's heads.You just have to DO and STUDY and TEST YOUR WATER. Like, weekly. Get a "baseline" for your tank's "operating parameters" and such. Don't make assumptions. It's easy to simply observe, record, and analyze. and it's kind of fun...and you just might make great contributions to our tinted and murky blackwater world, so why not do it?

As far as how long the "visual tint" produced by leaves, botanicals, etc. will last, there is no real firm answer I can give, as there are so many variables involved...And I don't think that the rate and amount of tannin-release from leaves and botanical materials in water has ever been scientifically studied to determine this (hmm.....if I had the resources, how cool a study would THAT be to fund? Hello, Kickstarter? ). 

I look at my early product descriptions for our website and actually cringe when I realize I wrote "starting recommendations" for how many leaves to add to a tank...I fully intend to edit those parts of the descriptions, because they were based solely on extrapolating the numbers from various successful tanks I have run over the years, and are probably of little real help to most people. I mean, it's like that "low-end-vendor" crap I just railed on. (I think I just &^*%$-slapped myself!) Again, it perhaps gives a starting basis to think about, but the reality is that every aquarium is different, and you need to determine what works for YOU.

As much as we'd love it- there is no "recipe" or "plug-and-play" steps to achieving perfect blackwater parameters in YOUR aquarium. We have general guidelines, tempered with the need for YOU to test and kind of figure out what works for your system. I'd be a complete (insert favorite expletive here) if I gave you some kind of recipe. We have "best practices" (constantly evolving) and our own power of observation. That' what makes this realm so exciting and fun to play with. We're all still evolving this hobby specialty together!

In my experience, typically leaves will last on the order of 3-4 weeks, during which time they will release whatever tannins and other compounds are present in their tissues. Likely the most "useful" period is the first 2-3 weeks. Again, it's more of an "art" than a science, but this has been my personal experience with them. How often you need to add or replace leaves to keep the parameters and visual tint of your water going consistently is really something that you will need to determine for yourself.

"Oh, for @#$%^&* sake, Fellman...is that all you've got to say about this?"

Yep.

Okay, a "hack" (gulp) as promised:

One "hack" to keep the tint going consistently in your tank is to "pre-tint" and "condition" (another aquarium-hobby "hijacked" term that makes me vomit, BTW) your source water for water exchanges ahead of time. Simply steep a few leaves in your water storage containers, so it has a sort of "visual tint" that you like and pH that you're targeting...helping things stay more consistent at every change... Again, monitor the pH, and you will know that if you use the same water to prep for your tank in the same sized container that 4 medium sized catappa leaves gives you the color and pH you like, you've sort of got that "recipe" for YOUR specific needs...

This is all very much a dance. Every tank- every user- has different needs and expects different outcomes. Every aquarium has its own "cadence" by which it operates and evolves. Learn yours. Assist it, if necessary. But, by all means, study it. And know that you CAN "customize" your experience by putting in the work to figure it out. Totally worth it. 

Stay experimental. Stay engaged. Stay observant. Stay cautious.Stay out of trouble!

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Building up with botanicals...a refresher on "the process"

As more of us explore the botanical-style aquarium concept, we learn more and more little subtleties about how these aquariums operate over time; the "eccentricities", if you will, that you'd need to expect when working with this type of tank.

It's one thing to utilize botanical materials to replicate the aesthetics and, to a certain degree, the function of a natural system...Quite another to actually operate, manage, and maintain the aquarium, as many of us already know!

Now, a botanical-style aquarium typically contains a variety of materials, each of which has a sort of "operational life span" (or "half-life", as one of my friends jokingly refers to it), during which it a)looks good, b)recruits biofilms and fungi, c)imparts tannins and humic substances into the water, and d)remains "structurally intact."

As we all know by now, materials such as leaves tend to be the least 'durable" of the botanicals, with some, of course, being more durable than others. Although we've touched on it before, here is my list of "durability" of the leaves we offer, ranging from least durable to most "durable":

1) Catappa

2) Guava

3) Loquat

4) Magnolia

5) Jackfruit

6) Teak

Now, as they say, your mileage may vary, but for the most part, this has been the results based on my experiences with each. Catappa, especially, followed by Guava, tend to be the ones that most botanical enthusiasts mention as being the ones that make the most "mess" in their tanks, i.e.; they tend to physically break up more quickly than the others, and bits and pieces can get sucked into filter intakes, snag on plant leaves, etc. I find this "natural" and "charming"- YOU may simply find it "shitty" and "nasty!" :)

As far as biofilms and such- we pretty much all know by now that the more durable leaves- particularly Magnolia and Jackfruit- tend to "recruit" them better than the more "ephemeral" Catappa and Guava do. By virtue of the fact that they have a "cutin" layer that is pretty impermeable, I'd say that Magnolia are by far the best "biofilm and fungi recruiters" out there.

(Clap it UP!)

If we shift our focus to the more "mainstream" botanicals, there are surprising levels of durability throughout the range we offer. Now, I'm not going to review each and every one here (I think we have pretty solid product descriptions for each that accomplish that), I can speak in generalities.

The obvious "durables" are botanicals such as "Monkey Pots", Sapucaio Pods, "Ra Cama", "Jungle Pods", "Savu Pods", "Ceu Fruta", "Lampada Pods", and a few others. A bit farther down on the scale are "intermediate" pieces like "Coco Curls, Banana Stems, "Capsula Pods", "Estalo Pods", "and "Concha Pods." Then you have stuff like "Terra Sorrindo", "Rio Passaro", "Teardrop" and "Manta" Pods, "Capsula", etc- which, although they tend to remain structurally intact for extended periods, recruit significant biofilms and fungal growth the longer they're "down" in your aquarium...exactly like they do in nature.

Now, we can go on and on and on, but you get the idea. Sure, you can absolutely keep your botanicals looking as pristine as possible by brushing off any biofilms, fungi, and algae as they appear, if that's your thing. Our good friends at Aquarium Design Group love botanicals, but like the more pristine look", ad have had great success in creating amazing displays by remaining vigilant about cleaning their botanicals. 

Through the preparation process (which largely consists of boiling, steeping, or soaking for extended periods, as you already know), many of these materials will already start to soften up before they are even added to your tank. And, as we've stated numerous times, we're pretty adamant about preparation of anything we add to our tanks, despite the (slight) sacrifice in long term durability you might experience as a result. Since many of these items come from trees, bushes, or the forest floor itself, they will have surface dirt, dust, and atmospheric pollutants bound up in their surface tissues, so a good steep, boil, and/or soak is simply the right precaution, IMHO.

Apart from, "What pods should I use for a _____________ style setup?" the most common question we receive is ""Do I leave them in or let them break down in my tank?"

And of course, our simple answer is..."It's your call!"

It's as much about your aesthetic preferences as it is long-term health of the aquarium. It's a decision that each of us makes based on our tastes, management "style", and how much of a "mental shift" we've made into excepting the transient nature of a blackwater, botanical-style aquarium and its function. There really is no "right" or "wrong" answer here. It's all about how much you enjoy what happens in nature versus what you can control in your tank.

I tend to favor nature. But that's just me.

And of course, we can't ever lose sight of the fact that we're creating and adding to a closed aquatic ecosystem, and that our actions in how we manage our tanks must map to our ambitions, tastes, and the "regulations" that nature imposes upon us.

Yes, anything that you add into your aquarium that begins to break down is bioload.

Everything that imparts proteins, organics, etc. into the water is something that you need to consider. However, it's always been my personal experience and opinion that, in an otherwise well-maintained aquarium, with regular attention to husbandry, stocking, and maintenance, the "burden" of botanicals in your water is surprisingly insignificant. Even in test systems where I intentionally "neglected" them by conducting sporadic water exchanges, once I hit my preferred "population" of botanicals (by buying them up gradually), I have never noticed significant phosphate or nitrate increases that could be attributed to their presence.

And while we're talking about adding botanicals, it's important to note that the very few "disasters" we've been told about typically happened under a few situations or combinations of them:

1) The aquarist did not prepare anything as instructed

2) A significant amount of botanicals was added all at once to a long-established aquarium

3) A significant amount of botanicals was added to an established tank in a very short period of time (like within a week)

4) Too many botanicals are added in a short period of time to an established aquarium of small volume

Now, again, there are always anomalies, but these situations are almost "set ups" for some types of issues. Typically, what happens is you'd see fishes gasping at the surface for oxygen, which becomes rapidly depleted by the addition of a large influx of materials breaking down, which can also overwhelm the biological filtration capacity of a tank. 

Usually, the "rescue" consists of increased vigorous aeration and a succession of water changes, use of activated carbon, etc...the typical "emergency fixes" for problems of this nature.

The reality is, adding botanicals to your tank and using them, replacing them regularly, etc, is no more "dangerous" than anything else we do as aquarists. You simply need to go slowly, apply common sense, follow our prep instructions, and observe your tank carefully.

Look, stuff can still occasionally go wrong, even when you follow instructions and employ common sense. Aquariums are closed natural ecosystems, and changing the delicate balance within them always risks disrupting established biological processes. It's the reality of nature, and a reminder that, although we can control some things, Mother Nature calls the shots...

In a future blog, we'll "deep dive" into the longer-term maintenance and husbandry of a blackwater, botanical-style aquarium. I hope this piece at least touched on some of the more commonly-contemplated concerns and questions many hobbyists face when thinking about and operating this type of aquarium, and perhaps spurs some thought and further discussion on the topic.

It's as much about attitude and mind set as it is about practice and performance. Enjoy your aquarium at every stage as it evolves...

Stay captivated. Stay motivated. Stay challenged. Stay creative...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

The course that lays ahead!

We talk a lot about simulating many aspects of nature here at Tannin Aquatics. We love to share  the cool pics of natural habitats taken by our friends like Ivan Mikolji, Mike Tuccinardi, Chris Englezou, David Sobry, and Sumer Toward, among others- and we all become more inspired. It's really amazing to research the natural habitats of our fishes, and to really do a "deep dive" into understanding exactly what makes these habitats so unique- and so compelling to replicate in our aquariums!

As a company, Tannin was conceived and has been guided to create an experience for a variety of different hobby interests. And of course, we embrace all sorts of hobby interests. However, the reality is that our goal was never to be "all things to all people", and you've probably already surmised by now that we tend to focus on a few tight segments of the hobby- mainly, the support of hobbyists who are interested in and inspired by the natural habitats from which our fishes come. Largely encompassing- but not limited exclusively to- blackwater and brackish habitats.  This focus has enabled our community to sort of "find us", and collectively, we've evolved. While I hate stereotypes and such, as a marketing person, it's always important to think about who our customers are and what they need. 

I was looking at some old notes from when I first formed the company; kind of reflecting on our target market and how we've done to serve it. And I think we've pretty much stayed on our course! And we can do even better. 

And we will!

Tannin will continue to refine our offerings, share more ideas, and support clubs and hobbyists to the greatest extent possible. We've dropped some products along the way that didn't fit the direction- and more will be dropped- and new ones added- as we continue the journey. More and more content and inspiration will be coming your way from "Estuary", and in the next several weeks, we'll be adding some new segments to our catalog, and make it easier and more interesting to find materials for more specific aquatic purposes. You're going to see some extremely exciting and exclusive collaborations with some of the best-known people in the aquarium hobby, as we bring together unique talents, skills, and  excitement! 

We'll start with an exciting collaboration with renowned explorer/artist/photogrpaher/author, Ivan Mikolji in just a few days! It's a marriage of art, hobby, and science. And we're honored and excited to work with Ivan on what we hope will be the first of many successful collaborations with him!

And we'll continue the collaborations with the launch of a new line of biotope specific botanicals  ("Biotope by Tannin Aquatics") anchored by botanical variety packs selected and curated by noted aquarist/explorer/photographer/biotope expert, Chris Englezou, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Freshwater Life Project! This is a truly unique and exciting project that will evolve into what we feel will be one of the most special parts of Tannin Aquatics!

We will see the launch of Tannin Live!- our foray into offering high-quality, carefully sourced, uniquely curated tropical fishes intended to compliment the types of aquariums and conditions that the majority of our customers work with!  

Our fishes will be carefully handled and acclimated by one of the talented people in the industry (we'll reveal who it is really soon!). We'll feature short supply chains, conscientious, responsible sourcing, and diligent care. We won't be a colossal, discount-price vendor of every type of fish under the sun. We're not trying to take over the aquarium livestock world. Rather, we'll focus on offering the livestock which we feel will be of interest to you- our devoted "Tint Fans", who will appreciate and enjoy them the most. And we'll provide you with a level of information and transparency about the sourcing, handling, and care of these fishes that's consistent with what you have come to expect from Tannin Aquatics.

Like everything we do, we'll back up our offerings with a robust guarantee, excellent service, and thoughtful support. We will never be the least expensive vendor out there...rather, we intend to excel at what we do, and bring high quality and great value to our customers. Our pricing will be fair, our shipping fast and reliable, and the amount of content and useful information about our fishes will be significant! We will take the time to hone our offerings, give value, and refine our policies and procedures. This will be a U.S.-only launch initially, although we hope to eventually offer these fishes worldwide...First things first. We'll need to perfect our craft at home before we consider taking it abroad!

Oh, and the "Igapo Challenge" in support of Project Piaba- which I've been teasing and taunting you with for so long? Well, I promise- PROMISE we will launch it soon. (Yeah, you've been hearing that all year, huh?) With some major customer-focused initiatives in the works for some time, and all coming to a head soon as you can see, we need to get them up and running well before we can give the contest the attention it deserves. However, it IS an integral part of our 2018 plans, and we intend to begin the contest period in January. We have lined up some world-class judges and some great prizes. It will be very exciting! We'll begin updating regularly on this in late November/Early December.

Yeah, it's been a rather busy year for us!

As you can surmise, all of these seemingly diverse projects are actually very closely aligned, and tie in perfectly with our overall mission and goals to strengthen our commitment to the natural aquarium/biotope community. As we launch these new projects, each one will enhance the "whole" that is Tannin Aquatics!

Now that I've pretty much given you a vague tease of part of where we're heading in 2018, we're looking forward to growing with you, refining our customer experience, and maintaining focus on what's most important- YOU, and the animals we keep, and the precious natural habitats from which they come.

We will never lose sight of the fact that it's all a hobby. A wonderful, engrossing, enjoyable one. And that the people which make up this crazy, diverse community are the foundation of it all. 

Here's to you- "Tint Nation"- and the support, love, and inspiration you provide every day!

Stay devoted. Stay excited. Stay curious. Stay obsessed!

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

From the trees...

In our tinted, botanical-influenced world, it's little surprise that we talk so much about leaves and other botanical materials being added to our aquariums to simulate the materials which accumulate in various natural aquatic habitats.

I mean, when you embark on a botanical-style blackwater aquarium, you have a sense of why exactly the water in the natural habitats you're trying to replicate is tinted...From soils, leaves, wood, and, most profoundly, from botanical materials which fall from...the trees.

Yes, stuff from trees falls into the waters, and is swept by currents downstream, where it influcenss the aquatic ecology. Or, materials from trees fall to the dry forest floor, where they become part of the aquatic environment when the rainy season overflows surrounding streams and inundates what was once a rich, terrestrial habitat.

The understanding and embracing of this information has influenced not only our understanding of the ecology of such systems and their implications for aquarium husbandry, it's provided us with an aesthetic model, for those who wish to replicate their appearance as well. It's a profound and important part of what we do.

Think about it. We don't simply toss leaves, seed pods, etc. into our tanks just to tint the water. We have learned that these materials provide many other "functional benefits", such as fostering biofilms, fungi, crustacean growth, fish hiding  and spawning sites, etc.

The one "criticism" I've heard from the occasional (and I mean, occasional) detractor of our practice is that the tank take on a sort of "sloppy" look....or they all look like a collection of leaves and bits of "stuff" accumulating on the bottom. To which we appropriately respond, "Exactly. That's what the natural habitat we are attempting to emulate looks like."

Now, our accepting and embracing of this seemingly disordered, "wabi-sabi"-style aquatic aesthetic is not an excuse to create "sloppiness." Rather, it's an understanding of the aquatic habitat, it's relationship with the terrestrial ecology, and the ephemeral nature of these materials as they inerrant with water. 

And of course, as we've shown repeatedly over the past couple of years, there are numerous examples of how talented aquascapers have interpreted this aesthetic to create amazing-looking tanks that are every bit as alluring and engrossing as any "traditional" planted aquarium. 

Thinking about how stuff accumulates on the rain forest floor or falls directly into the water from trees is a key component to grasping this concept and aesthetic. Now, it's truly not "rocket science" to think about stuff falling from the trees, but when you contemplate the idea, you begin to think about the "randomness" of the process. Botanical materials like leaves, seed pods and the like fall off trees seasonally, or as a result of wind and weather events, so there is no specific "pattern" of accumulation, except, perhaps that more materials tend to fall off trees during weather events.

Mixing of various materials as a result of being blown around or moved about by current is a simple fact that is inescapable. Although it's been documented that some leaf litter banks have been in place for decades, they are not considered "permanent" features by ecologists. They are subject to the whims of nature- be it from rain, current, or wind, and may vary from season to season, year to year. This is both the charm and magic of these habitats. They are ever- changing, ever-evolving.

And as aquarists, we've made the "mental leap" and have adjusted to the fact that the aesthetics of blackwater, botanical-style aquariums are not permanent", and that this same "evolution" happens in the confines of our tanks. Leaves decompose, botanicals soften and accumulate biofilms and fungal growth, and a small patina of algae may accumulate on our wood. Not to everyone's liking, of course- but understanding this is a key to unlocking many secrets...

It's a sort of recognition that nature "does what it does", and that there is an elegance to this process that we have learned to love, rather than loathe. We understand that this is the real beauty of the natural world.

We've learned that, in order to replicate nature, we need to embrace nature.

And the result has been some real magic so far. Work, like the aquarium above by world-class aquascaper Cory Hopkins, who has absolutely made this "mental shift", is as inspiring as it is beautiful...and pushes the "state of the art" in real natural aquarium design and function to a whole different level!

We're looking forward to seeing a continued progression of the body of work in our blackwater, botanical niche. New approaches, ideas, materials, and knowledge continue to "percolate", evolve, and grow as more and more hobbyists study, scheme and replicate the natural habitats that we have come to love, in their own aquariums.

And it starts with materials which fall...from the trees.

Stay curious. Stay adventurous. Stay open-minded. Stay creative. Stay passionate...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Unspoken advice from "experts..."

I've been doing a lot more "fish travel" over the past couple of months- visiting and speaking at local aquarium clubs...getting valuable feedback and interaction with all sorts of hobbyists, business owners, and well-known aquarists. The inspiration for today's little piece comes from talking to a bunch of fellow fish geeks whom I've been chatting with in my travels and have brought up the subject of "experts" and the pursuit of knowledge in the hobby. It caused me to reflect on my personal views of this topic based on my experiences.  

("Scott Fellman, aquarium expert" YIKES)

As I've probably mentioned, in the “reef” end of the hobby, my name is pretty well known, as a hobbyist, author, and business owner. I’ve authored a ton of articles and lectured at clubs and events internationally, and at the major hobby conferences (MACNA, etc.) for years. The company I formerly co-owned, Unique Corals, is extremely well regarded in the “reef” world. Often, when I've given talks around the country, I've been occasionally referred to as "EXPERT aquarist Scott Fellman"- YIKES! I kinda feel gross every time I hear that term bandied about. More recently, I hear "blackwater aquarium expert" added to my "title"- and I kind of laugh...It's a pretty serious term.

These recent conversations made me think about what a real "expert" is in the aquarium hobby...and the traits they possess which they won't just tell you about.

As a hardcore aquarium hobbyist, you’re not easily impressed, are you? I mean, there are a lot of “armchair experts” in this hobby. I’ve encountered more than a few in my time. The real “experts” in our hobby are far fewer and far less commonly encountered.

Yet, you do read a lot of wisdom from fish-keeping “experts” that can make a lot of sense; really cutting through the clutter of rehashed “ideas” so prevalent everywhere nowadays. In fact, a real “expert” will not call attention to himself by calling himself an expert. 

“Truly “expert” aquarium people seem to lead by actions, not by words.

On the other hand, truly “expert” hobbyists are generally not out to impress anyone.

In fact, there is a good chance that the customer standing next to you at the local fish store, gazing into the mixed cichlid tank, is uber-experienced, with a setup and livestock that could blow you away- but you won’t really even recognize him/her, because he or she does little overtly to call attention to himself/herself. 

He has no desire to. 

The revelation becomes obvious, however, when he/she asks a question, or comments on something hobby-related, and is glaringly obvious when you see his/her aquarium!. He won’t be out there, loudly espousing the latest theories and regurgitating what you’ve read on every forum in existence. Rather, the truly “expert” hobbyists do things a certain way because it works for them. They often utilize methods or embrace techniques and philosophies that may leave you scratching your head- until you see the success they’ve achieved. 

A truly “expert” hobbyists know a little about a lot of things, and maybe a lot about one or two things. As an old college professor of mine once said, “An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less…”

So-called “experts” in our field seem to display an array of surprisingly distinguishable traits that are pretty obvious, once you think about it.

One of the first things, you’ll notice when talking to a real “expert” hobbyist is that they have one underlying personality trait: Patience. Yup, they realize that successful aquariums aren’t built in days, weeks, or even months…They take years, and even then, these successful tanks are still considered a “work in progress” by their owners. The true “expert” hobbyist knows that there are no shortcuts to success.

When you check out the “expert” hobbyist’s tank, odd are that you won’t see it equipped with the very latest gadgetry that you read about on line. Rather, it will generally be equipped with high-quality, high performance gear from reputable manufacturers…and many times, it won’t even be the latest model. That’s because a lot of expert hobbyists understand one truth: Get the best equipment you can afford, maintain it well, and utilize it to its full potential before you swap it out for the next brand-spanking-new gadget. That’s not to say that the “expert” only uses last year’s gear and never upgrades or doesn’t have “gear head” tendencies. What it does mean is that the expert hobbyist understands that the equipment he/she selects can do certain things for his/her aquarium, and sees no reason to change up just because this year’s model has an additional novel feature…Unless the feature solves some issue that the expert has been grappling with.

Most “expert” hobbyists stick to the basics- and stick to them well…We’re talking water changes, careful stocking, environmental control, etc. They are generally not running off on tangents just because they read that "...someone in France is using _______ to make their Plecos grow better." They’ll study the problem, and make gradual changes as necessary to achieve the desired result. You just won’t see them rush off, headless, in a frantic attempt to solve some problem by looking for the instant miracle.

You’ll find that almost every “expert” hobbyist will avoid shopping for the “trendy named” fishes like the plague. You’ll rarely see him/her namedropping and bragging about the pint-sized fry of that hot Mbuna  or Rainbowfish species. Rather, you’ll hear them go on and on about the fish that he or she likes, and find out that the reason it’s in his/her tank is because he or she loves the fish! It’s the way things should be in the reef side of the hobby, too- keep certain corals  because you like them- not because everyone will think that you’re cool because you paid $600 for a 1/2” specimen of some “trendy” new species (that, in reality, is probably available from multiple vendors that just haven't identified the darned thing yet and don't realize that they have this month’s “flavor of the month.”).  No one is really that impressed. Well, know one who understands the hobby, anyways. Expert hobbyists just know that money doesn’t buy happiness, success, or “street creed” in the aquarium scene. It just buys…stuff.

The real “expert” hobbyist makes it a point to understand the needs of each fish or plant before it ends up in his or her tank. Sure, they will make mistake along the way, but most “expert” hobbyists will seldom make the same mistake twice- especially if it cost the lives of some treasured livestock. A simple, short, sweet lesson that is always appreciated.

The real “expert” realizes that “stuff” just happens in aquarium keeping…Egg clutches develop fungus, or Plants have “anomalous” growth-arresting conditions…Equipment fails, accidents happen with additives, et., etc., etc.- He or she knows that you need to insure yourself against loss with backup parts, redundancies in your system design, and with fry of prized specimens “vetted out” to other hobbyist- just in case the unthinkable happens. 

In a similar vein, the real power of “paying it forward” becomes obvious in situations like that, believe me. Ever noticed that when something disastrous happens to a generous “expert” hobbyist that fellow reefers come out of the woodwork to help? It’s not just because the hobbyist is well known- it’s because he or she has taken the time to cultivate relationships and friendships with other hobbyists- to nurture them and assist with their developing hobby. The realization that we don’t exist in a vacuum has helped more than one hobbyist move from rank beginner to “expert”, believe me.

The “expert” hobbyist also knows that just being consistent and steadfast in maintenance and husbandry can make up for a lot of mistakes- and that you will make a lot of mistakes in aquarium keeping. It’s inevitable. The “expert” learns from mistakes, rather than quits because of them.

In the end, the “expert” hobbyist has an array of skills honed from years of experience in the aquarium keeping game- the product of numerous successes, jarring failures, and lessons learned by getting his or her hands wet. In short, an “expert” hobbyist is a hobbyist who has done far more than he or she has talked about, and who continues to push forward the boundaries of modern aquarium keeping.

Today's very brief, and hopefully, very useful-to-remember lesson.

Until next time...

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Getting out of our own way...

We all work pretty hard to make our aquariums look like the ones in our dreams, don't we?

You know- with amazing fish, a killer hardscape, and that special “something” that makes it look like a real “slice of the bottom” in our own home! We pour our hearts and souls into these things...We invest small fortunes (or in some cases, LARGE ones!), and tons of time, in the hope that our tanks meet our lofty ambitions.

Then, why do we still do stuff that totally sabotages our dream tank?

Huh? "You being negative again, Fellman? Stirring up another hornet’s nest, aren’t ya’?"

Well, probably.

But I can’t tell you how many potentially amazing tanks that I’ve seen literally stymied by some bad habits that can easily be broken once the fish geek identifies, owns, and changes them. So, really- this calling out of our bad habits is actually a positive... Let's make this constructive!

Here are just a few of the most obvious examples of this kind of stuff, in no particular order:

Moving stuff around needlessly-

“The Madagascar Lace Plant is just did not ‘look right’, so I moved it from the middle of the main rock structure to the top of the driftwood area on the other side. It still looked a bit off, so a few days later, I relocated it to the area on the other side of the tank where there is more flow. It still wasn’t looking good, so I decided it would be best to place it closer to the front to get more light. Yesterday, the plant started losing tissue. I knew there was something wrong with it…”

Sound familiar?

This happens so often you can’t believe it. I’ve seen hobbyists with even the best intentions kill plants, corals, and even fishes despite making every effort to attempt to make them "happy…" The sad reality is that most plants, corals, and fishes will do better if you don’t mess with them once they’re situated in their new home. We all know this. Obviously, there are situations (like a "bullied" fish) where a move is imperative...However, for the most part, sometimes the best thing is to do...nothing. I mean, think about the last time YOU moved? It pretty much totally sucks, right? And your plants, corals, and fishes don't have much say in the matter in this case, do they?

Now, I’m all for placing a plant or coral or sessile invertebrate in the most optimum location, perhaps a bit hidden or partially shaded, and then moving it gradually to acclimate to light- but wholesale moving of a plant on a semi-regular basis is just not a happy thing. For one thing, handling a plant, coral, or invert- no matter how careful we are- always increases the risk of damaging it, or stressing it out to the point where it is left vulnerable to diseases, etc. And, of course, every time you move a plant, coral, or invertebrate- no matter how subtle- you are forcing it to adapt to a slightly different environmental situation. Remember, corals- and to a great extent, plants- come from reefs, streams and lakes- some of the more stable environments on earth- and aren’t super evolved to deal with frequent change all that well. Sure, they’re not fragile flowers, but, when you consider what they go through from the dealer’s tank (or propagation facility) to home aquarium, It’s a miracle that they even survive, let alone thrive and grow. So why add to the stress that they endure by constantly messing with them? Let's vow to leave them alone...at least for a while!

“Tweaking” just because 'everyone' is doing it- “XYZ is dosing __________, and his tank looks awesome, so I’m going to start dosing it, too.”

 Don't be a joiner...this is a killer, IMHO. Sure, on the surface, this seems innocuous enough- you see a hobbyist who you admire, and who’s tank looks great. You hear that he uses __________, so it makes sense, at least at first glance-that you’d want to use it , too. The problem is, you don’t know the circumstances under which he’s dosing the stuff, the parameters before and after he started dosing it, and dozens of other factors that contributed to his success with the product. In fact, you don’t really know for sure if the stuff in question was a contributing factor to his success! The important thing is to not add anything that you don’t have a demonstrated need for. As the great aquatic author John Tullock wrote, “Test- then tweak.”

Here’s one we see in the reef side of the hobby all the time- I am sure that there is a freshwater analog here: Constantly switching salt brands because one is on sale- “Salt is salt, more or less…And this one is 20% off this week!”

Another one of those seemingly innocent moves that every reefer makes from time to time. I get it. The hobby is expensive, and we need to look for ways to save. In my opinion, “saving” money by constantly switching the brand of salt that you use for your reef is not one of them. The reality is, every salt is NOT the same. Many are based on natural sea water, but have proprietary “enhancements” and such to give them an extra edge of their competitors. The reality is that there is no generally accepted “industry standard” for synthetic sea salt mixes. Many actually vary in formulation from batch to batch. Some don’t even have the very trace elements that they claim to contain! (Another story for another time...)

High quality synthetic sea salt is really difficult to make in general, and making it absolutely the same on a consistent basis is incredibly difficult! When you switch from brand to brand, you're exposing your corals and fishes to variations (some subtle, some not so subtle) in the chemical composition of their water every time you use the stuff. Variations require the corals and fishes to adapt to them. Adaptable as they may be, forcing corals to accept this on a regular basis is really subjecting them to undue stress, IMHO. And I suspect that the same may hold true for freshwater plant foods, etc...Do yourself, your tank, and the manufacturers a favor- show some “brand loyalty!” 

Adding new fishes and plants to your tank without quarantining them- “My LFS holds his livestock for two weeks before he sells it. I’m good…etc., etc., etc."

Along with the time-honored tradition of water changes, this practice seems to encounter tremendous resistance from many hobbyists. Man, I know I sound like the proverbial “broken record”, but if I had a dollar (or even a Euro!) for every time I heard about a hobbyist wiping out his entire tank because he or she introduced a disease to an otherwise healthy aquarium, I wouldn’t be slinging botanicals for a living, for sure! It’s pretty much a fact that hobbyists are, by and large, good natured, trusting people. It’s also a sad truth that this trust, coupled with typical human laziness, can get us into big trouble. In this day and age, you simply can’t expect everyone else to do your quarantine for you. The LFS or online vendor deals with hundreds of specimens a month, maybe even thousands- and despite the desire to do so- generally cannot possibly provide an effective quarantine for every animal that comes out of his or her tanks, even with the best of intentions. It’s just not economically feasible.

It’s a process that is best done by the hobbyist, in his/her own home, under conditions that can be monitored. It goes with the territory of being a fish geek. And this is not a difficult process, as outlined here and elsewhere dozens of times before. However, inspection and quarantine of every animal that goes into your aquarium is not only your responsibility- it’s your obligation. Really. So if you get nothing else out of this piece, just embrace some form of quarantine for your newly-acquired animals. You won’t regret it.

Pandering to the masses- “I’m gonna do a 300 gal, with the full on “Hyperdose 2000” CO2 system, “UltraPar 4000” lights, “Astrotek 1000” controller, and I’m only gonna stock my tank with L264’s from insanelyhotplecos.net.”

Okay, I get it. You want to build a tank with the best of the best. One for the ages. A system that will be the envy of everyone on the forums. You want to impress everyone with your skill, budget, and financial savvy. Look, there is nothing wrong with building the very best tank that you can afford. Nothing. The problem is that you need to ask yourself if you’re building this mega tank for yourself- for the love of the hobby- or to impress everyone on the forums. Really, this sounds like I’m being kind of a jerk, but think about it for a minute. We spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars/euro on this hobby, right? So we need to be very sure at all times that we are approaching it from a healthy mental perspective. 

Build that dream tank because it makes you happy- gives you the best possible experience…Not because it will make a great “build thread” and gain you accolades from the hobby masses. Trust me, I’ve seen dozens of really well-intentioned hobbyists buy into the “groupthink” mentality and build expensive mega-tanks just to “buy into” some perceived “cool” group on the forums- only to have their tank fail, and to mentally “flame out” ultimately, because they really didn’t have the skill, experience, and let’s be honest- desire- to see the mega-tank to completion. Some of the best tanks I’ve ever seen were small, simple projects, conceived and run with passion, love, and commitment to the craft- not for the purpose of gaining acceptance form the cool kids. Please- be you!

Well, there you have a rundown of some of the most common pitfalls that I’ve seen fellow hobbyists put themselves into. Remember, running an aquarium is a difficult enough endeavor without us making things harder on ourselves. We are all quite capable of creating and managing fantastic aquariums. Although caring for animals is a very serious responsibility, we need to stay focused on the fact that this is a hobby- and to not take the whole thing it too seriously. Do what’s right for the animals and plants that you keep, and go with your instincts, and don’t fall for the easy way, or the way that "everyone else is doing it."

Be yourself, share with others, and stay engaged in the art and science of the aquarium hobby. And be sure to "get out of your own way" if you need to! 

Today’s cautionary tale of bad habits, dangerous thinking, and unsustainable practices- and how to break them. I know you have some more examples to discuss...let's here them, so everyone may benefit!

Stay bold. Stay thoughtful. Stay cautious. Stay fiercely independent...

And Stay Wet

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics