The Tint

Just can't stay away...Well, maybe I can, for now.

Welcome to my mind...

Today's little tale is something which many of you may relate to. Perhaps some of you can't relate to it. Others might simply gain value by remaining comfortably at a distance and watching how this unfolds.

It's all good.

I'm now in the final weeks before setting up some new tanks in my home office in my newly remodeled home for the first time in 18 MONTHS! I'm brimming over with new and old ideas, and at least two or three tanks will be going up in a fairly short period of time...

(Yeah, I'm charging my MacBook from the power strip inside that stand...I mean, I'm not running the tank yet, so why waste the outlet? 😆)

It's really exciting for me.

In fact, it's probably the most excited I've been in the hobby in years. Doing without my usual tanks has been agonizing. Like with many of you, aquariums are a huge part of my life and my sanity! I'm stoked to be getting underway again! 

Among other things, the intention is to create a new variation of my brackish water mangrove habitat... A long awaited, smaller, shallow version of the highly successful botanical-style brackish tank I created a few years ago. 

And of course, whenever there is salt in the equation, my mind begins to wander...

Even though I'm set up to do a full-blown, high-end coral tank early next year, for some reason I simply can't hold back against the idea of just "going all the way" and creating a mangrove-centric marine tank instead of brackish...

I mean, I've been steadily nudging up the specific gravity to 1.010 in my temporary mangrove tank from 1.005.. It IS getting closer all the time to 1.025...full strength marine water...And I never did a "mangrove-first" saltwater tank before...It's something I've been craving to do for years, rather than having them sort of hanging in the background as "supporting players" to the corals...

Of course, the idea was that this time, I'd make them the stars, with perhaps a few sand-dwelling corals like Goniopora, or maybe Catalaphyllia or Cynarina. Or-maybe a small Sarcophyon or some other soft corals... Fishes would likely be some Pajama Cardinal Fish and/or captive-bred Mandarin Dragonets or something small, like gobies...And some seagrasses! Not just a "reef tank with a mangrove in it", which has been done-  or at least, contemplated by pretty much every reefer who's ever lived, lol.

Nope, this is a true mangrove-focused marine aquarium. 

Urghhh..!

It's too tempting to not do this. Right?

So, it would be an incredibly biologically rich, diverse, nitrate-loving saltwater tank...a bit different than the way I'll do my coral focused tank, so there is some fun freedom here!

I've got a great little all-in-one tank to play with- an Innovative Marine "Fusion Lagoon 25", with integrated overflow, a wide foot print, and a DC pump ready to go. And I can swap out my Kessil A80 "Tuna Sun" for that cool Kessil A80 "Tuna Blue" with a spectral controller that has just been staring at me from the box for over a year...Yeah, gear... That thing that reefers love...playing with cool gear...I mean, just having a simple, coral-growth-capable little light for this idea is motivation enough for the hardcore reefer in me.

Can't...resist... I just can't stay away...Must execute...

Or, can I?

I mean, I should do another brackish tank.Yeah, I should, right? Or, maybe not... I dunno...

It would be so easy to ease back into my saltwater roots a bit with a significantly different approach to saltwater than I've done in a decade. Bring the whole Tannin philosophy in. Hell, I've been imagining doing a muddy, mangrove and coral estuary-type tank for years, but my coral-focused mindset wouldn't allow it. I never took the time to execute on this idea, being so busy with them as co-owner of a successful coral propagation/import business.

 

But, that was then.

And now, with this empty tank, what seems like the right situation, and the idea bubbling up once again, it's becoming irresistible. Time to "scratch the itch", right? And yeah, my reefing friends are teasing me a bit with that "peer pressure" sort of thing to do it that only friends can do.

So the idea I had is ridiculously simple:

A deep substrate of NatureBase "Mangal", perhaps topped or mixed with some fine aragonite sand...Modest water flow, perhaps not even supplementing the return flow from the system pump. Modest LED lighting in the 10,000K range for the corals. The aquarium is situated in a locale which receives more than enough ambient natural light to grow the mangroves...in fact, all they've received for almost 3 years is natural room-filtered sunlight and they have grown from small propagules to beautiful seedlings!

 

I think the biggest challenge in this tank would be restraint...because it's small (only 25 US gallons- squarely in the "nano" category for a "reef" tank), I simply can't keep a whole bunch of coral and fishes in it. And the bioload in a modest sized tank would reflect that. The ecological diversity, however, is where I'm focusing with this one. 

Coral-wise, I think I'd be focusing on one two  that I really love- Goniopora or Catalaphyllia.

Wow, the familiar alluring glow of "Windex blue" LED light and that "reef smell" are seared into my psyche - it would be so nice to experience them again, right?

Ahh, then there is the thing that gets me. Stops the whole fantasy in it's tracks. Brings me back from my warm, ignorant bliss into the cold light of reality.

I mean, a small aquarium with relatively aggressive corals like the two mentioned above is basically a self-limiting system. OR should I say, it requires the hobbyist to "cool his or her jets", as the expression goes. Unless I want to go "monospecific", the tank runs the risk of turning into a chemical warfare zone, with the super-aggressive Catalaphyllia or Goniopora essentially chemically beating the living shit out of anything else I'd put in there into submission. 

That means, little in the way of coral diversity if I want to be responsible. And I do, of course. And really, when you take into account the displacement for substrate, this "25 gallons" really becomes like, I dunno- maybe 18-19 gallons. Squarely in the "nano"marine  tank zone- the idea of which has always turned me off. Why?

Not because they're bad. They're not. 

It's because I'd be too limited to execute the plan the way I want to. The way it should be executed in an aquarium.

And dealing with a heavy set of ecological factors in a tiny, well-illuminated, not fully-equipped "reef" tank is a recipe for algal blooms and all of the stuff which takes away from the fun of having a unique system, in my mind. I mean, sure, I can handle that stuff- I have many times. Yet, what I can't handle is being soooo limited and size-restricted. Going in knowingly limited in both scope and equipment is a bad handicap for an enjoyable reef experience, IMHO. Yeah, it's against my mindset with reefs to go this route. I suppose that it can be argued that it shouldn't be- tons of successful hobbyists run gorgeous "nano reefs" and derive great pleasure from them.

But they're not me. I'm not them. And I don't feel like outfitting the crap out of a 25-gallon tank to get the system the way I want it.

Ahh, a "champagne problem" for this little aquarium brat, huh? 😂

There is a lesson here:

The enormous power and value which self-awareness brings to us as hobbyists.

I simply couldn't enjoy this tank in that format because it goes against everything that I've previously believed in. I couldn't take this "vanity detour" simply because I didn't want to wait until Spring, as I've planned, to "get my reefing on."

I mean, that's totally against my "patience first" philosophy, isn't' it?

Yeah, seriously. Just super-lame, IMHO. Lowkey STUPID. A surefire recipe for not having fun. And a deviation from patience. Hell, I waited a year and half to have "real" tanks again- what's another few months to have the "crown jewel" of my home aquarium collection properly in place?

I'm going to have my full-blown coral tank soon enough.

And the "Mangrove-centric" marine tank? Maybe some other time. It'd still a really good idea. Every one of my reefing friends wanted me to do it. And me, Scott Fellman- the "Once and Future Reefer"- 7-time MACNA speaker, coral vendor, reef world "A-lister"... What do I want? That's what really matters. And all of that other nonsense..Will I ever get back to that?

Of course.

Well, at least, the practicing "reefer" part. Who the fuck cares about the "celebrity" bit? It was fun, but never the motivation. "Check the ego part, Fellman."

Just being a "practicing reefer" is a lot of fun...

But this isn't the time for it. I have a different journey to take. Back to the mangal for me.

The brackish execution is something that is super important to me...and, according to feedback I've received from our community- to many of YOU as well. More hobbyists want to learn about this. Brackish is one of those hobby segments that has simply not gotten the attention it has deserved for many years, and to NOT proceed with my "V2.0" brackish tank would be doing the hobby a bit of a...disservice. Yeah, I need to show others how cool and fun this niche segment of the hobby can be when executed a bit differently.

Really!

That's how I think!

I mean, it sounds a bit arrogant, I suppose- but the reality is that most brackish tanks I've seen for decades are, well- shitty. And boring.  And as you know- we don't do "shitty and boring" around here. 

(Not that I haven't ever done "shitty and boring", mind you- but I have no intentions of ever doing that again- if I can avoid it!).

Tannin was founded on the very idea of doing stuff a bit differently than it has been in the past. About pushing boundaries, poking the metaphorical beehive, and just generally approaching things in unique ways. To not do this is a violation of my own ethos, and the founding principles of our company!

Our mission statement in our business plan is, literally, "Do cool shit."

I'm totally serious. 

And we WILL do cool shit.

And  what about the "mental detour" I took- multiple days of scheming, researching, even talking to my fellow reef geeks...? It was a good exercise. A great exercise, really. One which pushed me to do that "imagineering" as Disney used to call it- to think about ways to execute ideas that formerly were just..ideas. It wasn't a waste of time at all.

I enjoyed all of it.

 

And I came really, really close to doing it...

I mean, sure, I know that I could have pulled it off.

But in the end, it wasn't right.

It would be abandoning my ideals and principles while engaging in what at best would be a journey into an area that wouldn't have really fulfilled me. Now, there is a lot to be said about the occasional "mental detour"...I mean, always indulge yourself, scheme, think through, research, talk about it with friends...But in the end, you HAVE to listen to yourself; to do what makes your heart really sing. 

To do anything less is to deny yourself- and maybe even others- the beauty, joy, and inspiration that can only come when intention, ideas, philosophy, and execution synch up.

Sure, sometimes you actually will have to take the detour. You may and up loving it and creating something brilliant. Or you may be disheartened by it. You never know until you push right to the edge- or further sometimes. Ask anyone who's been there before.

Yet, in this instance, for the reasons we just talked about, and many more that I haven't even begun to articulate here, I'm staying "on plan." I know that this is where I really want to go with this tank at this time. I know that's where I need- and want- to be.

I hope that this little journey into my personal mindset has touched you somehow. I hope that it brought you value. Maybe, perhaps- it gave you the courage to move forward on that little detour, Or, perhaps it made you rethink- and yanked you back from the ledge. Perhaps it simply made you laugh and be thankful that you're not me! 😆

Regardless of how this little discussion touched you today- I hope that it taught you the value of listening to yourself in the hobby. Always.

Yeah, it's time for the cliched Steve Jobs quote- 'cause it's damn applicable in this instance, isn't it?

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice."

So, yeah. Stay on task. Stay brave. Stay thoughtful. Stay diligent. Stay creative. Stay patient...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

The breakthrough...

It's happening. Finally.

A breakthrough of sorts.

A big mental shift. A perception change among the "mainstream" aquarium world about natural, botanical-style aquariums! The idea that you can have a functional, ecologically sound aquarium which looks fundamentally different than the ones we've been accustomed to for generations. 

Now, look, we've been talking about "functional aesthetics" for more than 6 years. At times, it's seemed like perhaps the concept was a bit too esoteric to catch on; let alone achieve mainstream aquarium hobby recognition. It's a radical departure from other approaches and methods which have been preferred for decades.

It had to happen eventually. And it did. A pure botanical-style aquarium, entered in a major aquascaping competition placed extremely high! Our friend Alex Franqui ('aquascape_af" on Instagram) entered his magnificent tank and placed 3rd in the "Biotope" category! 

This is a BIG deal.

Huge.

Why?

Well, think about it...we have an aquarium which was set up and run "botanical-style" (ie; utilizing botanicals to create the ecology of the aquarium in a "function first" approach) by a hobbyist who was fully mentally invested in the philosophy behind the approach. This tank was not created to just capture a "look" to win a contest.

It was conceived and created from the ground up to embrace natural processes as the "operating system" of the aquarium. Yes, great thought was put into the layout, fish population, and the materials chosen. However, the biggest consideration was to recreate, on a functional level, the "igapo" habitat from which Alex's chosen fishes come.

And recreate, he did!

This is an aquarium that makes absolutely no apologies about the biofilms, fungal growth, decomposition, that are found in the system. In fact, those things are practically the whole point of the tank. They are what makes it so incredible. To his great credit, Alex didn't shy away from this at all in his contest entry description. In fact, he did what all botanical-style aquarium lovers do- he celebrated them as fantastic creations of Nature; vital components of a remarkable aquarium.

And somehow, it touched the judges.

It moved them to evaluate the aquarium based on what it does and is, rather than strictly on some rigid aquascaping philosophy. Now, a third place finish is remarkable, given such a stiff competition. However, I personally feel that Alex's tank deserved to win the whole thing. Not JUST because I like the dude and think his tank is epic- but because it represents a profound departure from the typical contest entries. It literally is conceived and operated in a philosophically different manner than any other tank that was entered.

THAT deserves tremendous adulation, IMHO! As does the courage of the judges to score this tank so highly.

Full disclosure: I was actually asked to be a judge in this contest category last year, and I famously declined, my reasons outlined in this blog from last October. I would have made a shitty judge. I suppose I have been sour on contests all along because I feel that the idea of setting up a tank just to enter some contest feels somehow "impure" and "artificial", and that the typical evaluation criteria are either too rigid, or just emphasizing the wrong things.

And I still sort of feel that way, although I admit to feeling a lot better about contests after Alex's high placing. Yeah, it's not about ME, though. The point is, it's neat to see that there might even be a bit of mental shifting going on in the judges' heads! Perhaps, maybe, the work of the botanical-style community is trickling into the general consciousness of the aquarium hobby. A contest entry which places high like this- even if evaluated on what I'd consider some of the "wrong" criteria- is a profound reflection of this.

Shit, I'll call it what it is: A breakthrough. 

 

A lot of neat "buzz" has ensued about this tank on social and in hobby discussions. No doubt, it will be picked apart, analyzed, and otherwise studied by all sorts of contest-aspiring hobbyists for months to come. Perhaps it will inspire others who are "all in" on botanical-style tanks to make the leap and enter their tanks in a future competition.

Perhaps it will be the start of something significant. Maybe one day there will be a "Botanical-Style Aquairum" sub-category in contests. One which evaluates these systems by relevant criteria, much the way planted tanks are evaluated. Perhaps one which looks at natural aquatic habitats- not other peoples' tanks- as the foundation for a set of judging criteria.

 

We'll see, right? 

I mean, I shouldn't get too excited about this. 

Well, maybe I should.

I mean, it's a big deal to see the mental shifts and philosophical transformations which we've talked about for years here starting to seep into the consciousness of the aquarium hobby. It's bigger than just one tank, one entry, or one contest. It's bigger even than the idea of a contest. It's about finally accepting Nature in Her unedited form. Seeing the beauty in ALL of it.

And, perhaps, applying it to our aquarium work.

Yeah, contest are probably the hobby's biggest and most visible platform for inspirational work. I think I have been railing on them for the right reasons; however, I have to also accept the good that they can do for the hobby and our movement. This "contest thing" has been dogging me for years. Sure, we've been talking about doing our own dedicated contest since 2017- we called it the "Igapo Challenge" at the time- and I still haven't gotten my head around the idea! Here's an excerpt from a 2019 blog in which I give some of the reasons for my conundrum:

"…I want to foster an aquarium movement. The brand is already doing its thing, and if people want to continue to support us- well, I'm honored. We promote it through lots of other means, as you're aware (I mean- I HOPE that you are, lol)

I think now, thanks in a large part to our rapidly growing global community, this type of approach to aquascpaing/aquarium keeping is now achieving a "scale" that is well beyond just Tannin Aquatics (at least, I hope it is). However, I think  that the the most important thing we can do in this contest is inspire people to learn more about the wild habitats we seek to replicate-in form and function- and to give the concept a shot in their own aquarium. That's also why I don't intend to have this be judged based on some adherence to a specific "style" or "look."

As we've said many times- Nature doesn't adhere to our expectations of style, nor should we place expectations on her. Rather, I believe the criteria should be largely based upon how closely the aquarium represents a natural habitat in look AND function. Any talented 'scaper can, if he/she tries, recreate the "look" of a natural aquatic system...but to couple it with a functioning aquarium is a different game entirely. Again, it's about what we call "functional aesthetics..." It looks like Nature because, well- it functions like Nature to some extent. That's why those "diorama" scapes will simple not even be considered for entry.

I'd happily select a winner from a half dozen muddy-bottom-turbid water- decomposing-leaf-littered flooded forest representations over any "world class" "high concept" perfectly manicured ultra-stylish "fantasy forest" setup any day of the week. Not even close."

 

Oh, the attitude, huh?

Yeah, the idea of a contest is challenging to me. But the idea of sharing, inspiring, and educating is awesome. And, hell, if it takes a contest to get the message across; well, so be it, right?

Maybe we WILL do that contest soon? Maybe the time is right for a botanical-style aquarium contest? Let me know.

Anyways, back to Alex and his remarkable, transformational finish.

There's more to it than just the cool tank he did. Really!

It's about the guy and his orientation. His background. His hobby philosophy.

Alex is an aquascaper with a sort of "pedigree", if you will. A "classical" planted tank 'scaper -a designer- who's style and philosophy has evolved over the years. And that's huge. I remember when he was starting this tank, and he was experiencing the usual trials and tribulations of a new botanical-style aquarium...and these things never phased Alex. He knew what he was getting into. He realized that this aquarium would be unlike any other he had ever created- both in terms of its aesthetics and function.

And not only did he persevere- he embraced it all. The biofilms, the decomposition...All of it. He understood that these are natural occurrences and that they arise as a result of a confluence of factors...and that they are NOT harmful in the context of the overall aquatic ecosystem. Alex educated himself about the ecological ramifications and benefits of what he was seeing, and the way the aquarium functioned and looked much like the natural ecological niche it was modeled after.

He gets it.

Now, sure-the idea of turning to Nature for inspiration is as old as aquarium keeping itself; however, in recent years, we seem to have moved a bit away from that, drawing more inspiration from other aquarist's work. Again, this is wonderful, and a great thing- symbolic of the interconnected global hobby we're in. However, with so much emphasis on replicating the fine work of other hobbyists, it's nice to gain a fresh perspective from Nature once in a while, incorporating it into our "toolbox" of ideas- in our own way, to create something that we enjoy-something that is truly unique, and which gives us a real "slice of the bottom" as well.

This made Alex's high placement in the contest even more satisfying!

The ideas are there- waiting for us to figure out how to turn into reality in our tanks. We just need to let go of the preconceptions and constraints which have held us back for so long.

The hobby is old. The natural world is older. And far more vast. And filled with inspiration for those who simply look for it. Your ideas for your next tank are as close as the world outside your door.

Take a step through it...open your eyes. And breath it in.

Nature IS the best designer.

But hobbyists like Alex- and I'm sure a lot of YOU- are getting pretty damn close.

Congrats, Alex. Well done. You wanted to create a cool tank- and you may have just changed the aquarium world in the process.

And to all of us in this hobby specialty of "twigs/nuts/leaves"- a hearty pat on the dorsal side. Keep doing what you do- blurring the lines between Nature and the aquarium...and yeah, making these mental shifts.

Stay bold. Stay proud. Stay thoughtful. Stay patient. Stay diligent. Stay creative...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

You deserve it.

 

 

Throwing some light on blackwater...

It goes without saying that the single most important component of our aquariums is also the most obvious...water! As the literal bearer of life and the environment in which our fishes, plants, and other organisms thrive, it's fundamental. it's the reason we're drawn to fishes, not gerbils, Tarantula, or Mice- or whatever other pets people keep!

Yeah, we're into water!

And I dear say that we take it for granted a bit.

Now, sure, some hobbyist rightfully place the importance of good quality, properly-conditioned water at the very top of their "want list" of "Stuff" required for successful aquariums. These are often fish breeders and very serious hobbyists, who understand the fundamental importance of good water for their work.

Some of the most common questions we receive lately are "How much _______ do I need to get my water to look like________?" or "How much_______ is needed to lower the pH in my tank?" Or, "How much do I need to get a good amount of humic substances and tannins into my aquarium?"

I usually respond with a simple, "I don't know."

These are all really good questions. Logical. Important.  I kind of feel like many hobbyists are looking for a plug-and-play "formula" or "recipe" for how to accomplish certain water-conditioning tasks.

I totally get that. But the reality is...there IS no "recipe" for how to do this stuff.

And it sucks, I know.

"Why, Scott? I read that you can just add some of this blackwater extract that you can buy online, and maybe add some catappa leaves, and..."

Stop. STOP. Please, we're just making this painful.

Simply adding leaves or bottled extracts to your tap water isn't going to result in "Instant Amazon" or whatever. There are numerous complexities and nuances which contribute to these habitats that to simply recommend adding "X" to your water isn't the whole story.

There are so many variables in the equation that it's almost impossible to give a definitive answer. And yeah, us guys in the botanical biz haven't really helped the situation. Over the years, vendors who sold catappa leaves, for example, would recommend starting amounts ("three leaves per 15 liters of water" or whatever...) of botanical materials to use in aquariums.

I mean, we've sort of done it, too...And, although our recommended "dosage" of leaves was given for different reasons (to avoid adding too much material to your tank too quickly), the idea of a "recipe" in general is kind of delusional, IMHO.

Now, this was all well and good, but it's based on....what? I mean, is this based on how many leaves of _______ size that a typical hobbyist with a 10-gallon aquarium needs to get the water "looking brown?" Or to lower tap water with a starting pH of 7.4 and a KH of ___ to pH of 6.9? Or to impart "x" ppm of tannins or humic substances into this given quantity of water?

See? Add to this story the fact that you really can't soften water and make it more "malleable" by using botanicals or extracts alone, and you've got a good case for confusion! It's just not that simple.

Maybe we can gain a bit of understanding- or at least, an appreciation for the dynamics of this process, by looking once again to Nature.

Have you very thought about how water reaches all of the wild aquatic systems of the world? I mean, it's got to get there some way, right? So, how does it reach the ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers and forest floors of the world?

Well, some simply falls into the body of water directly from the sky, and that's that. Some is a result of other overflowing streams and rivers (like, ya' know- those flooded Igapo forests we talk about!). Inputs of precipitation falling over the area of an aquatic habitat are transferred to the habitat via a number of different pathways.

It's surprisingly complicated.

There's like a whole field of science devoted to studying this process! It's called Hydrology, and it's incredibly interesting...As fish geeks, we're probably already acquainted with this field of study, at least tangentially! 

So, water comes from a variety of sources, reaching a myriad of ecological niches. However, not all of the water has such an easy journey on its way into our favorite aquatic habitat!

Even in the case of rainwater, some of it simply lands on tree leaves in the surrounding area and evaporates. This is a process scientists call "interception", and accounts for the fact that not all water makes it to the ground. Water that does reach the ground enters the soil through a process called infiltration. slowly percolating down to soil areas known as the "saturated zone"- and as you'd imagine, this is where the fun really begins! (to a soil geologist, at least!)

The soil properties control the infiltration capacity; these include things like soil permeability, the presence of vegetation and plant roots, and how much water is already in the soil. Through what is known as "ground water flow", ultimately, the water finds it way into our favorite aquatic habitats. It's important to note that soil texture ( the relative proportion of sand, silt and clay particles within the mix) affects infiltration rates. 

Sandy soils like the "podzols", common to forested areas of South America that we've talked about have higher permeability than some clay-based soils. In some really arid areas a "crust" can form on the soil surface, decreasing the permeability. And of course, the thickness of the soil directly affects how much water the soil can actually absorb.

And, in many cases, the substrate composition and its relationship with water has direct impact on the life forms which inhabit these aquatic systems. In the case of some habitats, like vernal pools, which are filled with water seasonally, the substrate is of critical importance to the aquatic life forms which reside there.

Yeah, soils and geology are perhaps the primary driver of water composition in Nature. 

Let's talk more about "blackwater."

In a blackwater environment, the color is a visual indicator of an influx of dissolved materials that contribute to the "richness" of the environment. Indeed, a blackwater environment is typically described as an aquatic system in which vegetation decays, creating  tannins that leach into the water, making a transparent, acidic water that is darkly stained, resembling tea.

But, that's not the whole story, really.

It’s important to really try to understand the most simple of questions- like, what exactly is “blackwater”, anyways?

A scientist or ecologist will tell you that blackwater is created by draining from older rocks and soils (in Amazonia, look up the “Guyana Shield”), which result in dissolved fulvic and humic substances, present small amounts of suspended sediment, and characterized by lower pH (4.0 to 6.0) and dissolved elements, yet higher SiO₂ contents. Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, and Calcium concentrations are typically very low in blackwater. Electrical conductivity (ORP) is also lower than in so-called "whitewater" habitats.

Tannins are also imparted into the water by leaves and other botanical materials which accumulate in these habitats.

 

The action of water upon fallen leaves and other botanical-derived materials leaches various compounds out of them, creating the deep tint that many of us are so familiar with. Indeed, this "leaching" process is analogous to boiling leaves for tea. The leached compounds are both organic and inorganic, and include things like tannin, carbohydrates, organic acids, pectic compounds, minerals, growth hormones, alkaloids, and phenolic compounds.

Most of the of the extractable substances in the surface litter layer are humic acids, typically coming from decaying plant material. Scientists have concluded that greater input of plant litter leads to greater input of humic substances into ground water.

In other words, those leaves that accumulate on the substrate are putting out significant amounts of humic acids, as we've talked about previously! And although humic substances, like fulvic acid, are found in both blackwater and clear water habitats, the organic detritus (you know, from leaves and such) in blackwater contains more extractable fulvic acid than in clearwater  habitats, as one might suspect!

The Rio Negro, for example, contains mostly humic acids, indicating that suspended sediment selectively adsorbs humic acids from black water.  The low concentration of suspended sediments in rivers like the Rio Negro is one of the main reasons why high concentrations of humic acids are maintained. With little to no suspended sediment, there is no "adsorbent surface" (other than the substrate of the river, upon which these acids can be taken hold of (adsorb).

When you think about it, all of this this kind of contributes to why blackwater has the color that it does, too. Blackwater in the Amazon basin is colored reddish-brown. Why? Well, it has  those organic compounds dissolved in it, of course. And most light absorbtion is in the blue region of the spectrum, and the water is almost transparent to red light, which explains the red coloration of the water!

And many of those organic compounds come from the surrounding land, as touched on above...

In summary, natural "blackwaters" typically arise from highly leached (tropical) environments where most of the soluble elements in the surrounding rocks and soils are rapidly removed by heavy rainfall. Materials such as soils are the primary influence on the composition of blackwater.

Leaves and other materials contribute to the process and appearance in Nature, but are NOT the primary “drivers” of its creation and composition.

 

So, right from the start, it’s evident that natural blackwater is “all about the soils…” Yeah, I'll repeat it again: It’s more a product of geology than just about anything else. 

More confusing, recent studies have found that most of the acidity in black waters can be attributed to dissolved organic substances, and not to dissolved carbonic acid. In other words, organic acids from compounds found in soil and decomposing plant material, as opposed to inorganic sources. Blackwaters are almost always characterized by high percentages of organic acids.

Despite the appearance, as a general rule, blackwater rivers are lower in nutrients than clear rivers. Wouldn't it be interesting, when contemplating more natural biotope/biotype aquariums, to study and take into consideration the surrounding geology and physical characteristics of the habitat?  Too recreate the habitat based on the soil or geological composition of the surrounding terrestrial environment?

As we know now, the influence of factors like soil, and the presence of terrestrial materials like seed pods, leaves, and branches play a huge role in the chemical composition and appearance-of the water. It's really no different in the aquarium, right?

Like so many things in nature, the complexity of blackwater habitats is more than what meets the eye. Chemically, biologically, and ecologically, blackwater habitats are a weave of interdependencies- with soil, water, and surrounding forest all functioning together to influence the lives of the fishes which reside within them. No single factor could provide all of the necessary components for fish populations to thrive.

To damage or destroy any one of them could spell disaster for the fishes- and the ecosystem which supports them. It is therefore incumbent upon us to understand, protect, and cherish these precious habitats, for the benefit of future generations. 

And with regards to our aquarium work?

Although there may even be breakthroughs in terms of blackwater extracts and additives coming to market, there are still a lot of questions that would have to be answered before we could simply state that "X" drops per gallon of such an such a formula would yield a specific outcome. This reminds me of the reef aquarium world more an more, lol.

So, if I've made any "argument" here, it's that this stuff is every bit as much of an "art"- in terms of aquarium keeping- as it is a "science." We will, at least for the foreseeable future, have to use the data we have available and formulate a best guess as to how much of what can give us some of the impacts we are interested in for our aquariums.

We simply can't authoritatively make blanket statements like, "You need to use "X" catappa leaves per gallon in order to recreate Rio Negro-like conditions in your aquarium!" We can't simply state that you can throw in some podzolic soil and achieve blackwater, either. There are many factors in play, as we've discussed here, right?

Marketing hyperbole aside, we really are sort of...guessing.

And that's certainly nothing to be discouraged about!

We, as a community, are getting deeper into the functional aspects of blackwater, botanical-style aquariums than ever before. More light is being shed on what's going on in both our aquariums and in the natural habitats we desire to replicate. We are learning more every day about how the presence of tannins and humic substances in our aquariums is affecting the health, longevity, and spawning behaviors of our blackwater fishes.

We're learning about the challenges and realities of managing blackwater systems over the long term- understanding the good, the bad, and the dangerous possibilities that are present when we experiment with these ideas.

There is much, much more work to be done..And a lot of talented hobbyists like yourself are out there on the front lines every day, contributing to the body of knowledge that will benefit the hobby for generations!

Stay persistent. Stay bold. Stay open-minded. Stay curious. Stay disciplined...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

 

The "nutritional" dynamic of botanical-style aquariums...

The world of botanical-style aquariums is filled with new ideas, theories, and some occasional breakthroughs. Interestingly, one of the biggest "developments" in the botanical-style aquarium world is something which has been with us- literally staring us in the face- for many decades; only recently gaining a bit more "traction" in our world as more and more hobbyists embark on this path:

The idea of the aquarium producing food sources for its inhabitants.

We've talked about this idea a lot over the past several years, and it's something that is getting more and more difficult to ignore. 

If you've followed us for any length of time, you're well aware that we are not just pushing you to play with natural, botanical-style aquariums only for the pretty aesthetics. I mean, yeah, they look awesome, but there is so much more to it than that. We are almost as obsessed with the function of these aquariums and the wild habitats which they attempt to represent!

And one of the most important functions of many botanically-influenced wild habitats is the support of food webs. As we've discussed before in this blog, the leaf litter zones in tropical waters are home to a remarkable diversity of life, ranging from microbial to fungal, as well as crustaceans and insects...oh, and fishes, too!  These life forms are the basis of complex and dynamic food webs, which are one key to the productivity of these habitats.

As a hardcore enthusiast of the botanical-style aquarium, you're more than well-attuned to the nuances involved in managing a system filled with decomposing leaves, seed pods, wood, etc. And you're keenly aware of many of the physiological/ecological benefits that have been attributed to the use of these materials in the aquarium.

However, I am willing to bet that many in the hobby have not really considered the "nutritional" aspects of both botanicals and the life forms they foster as an important part of the "functional/aesthetic" dynamic we've touched on before.

 

Like so many things we discuss here, it's important to look at the wild habitats from which our fishes come, and consider some of the types of food sources that our fishes might utilize in the wild habitats that we try so hard to replicate in our aquariums. We should have a greater appreciation for them when they appear in our tanks, IMHO. Perhaps we will even attempt to foster and utilize them to our fishes' benefits in unique ways? 

 

MACROPHYTES: One of the important food resources in natural aquatic systems are what are known as macrophytes- aquatic plants which grow in and around the water, emerged, submerged, floating, etc. Not only do macrophytes contribute to the physical structure and spatial organization of the water bodies they inhabit, they are primary contributors to the overall biological stability of the habitat, conditioning the physical parameters of the water. Of course, anyone who keeps a planted aquarium could attest to that, right? 

One of the interesting things about macrophytes is that, although there are a lot of fishes which feed directly upon them, the plants themselves are perhaps most valuable as a microhabitat for algae, zooplankton, and other organisms which fishes feed on. Small aquatic crustaceans seek out the shelter of plants for both the food resources they provide (i.e.; zooplankton, diatoms) and for protection from predators (yeah, the fishes!).

So, plants in the aquarium have been valued by aquarists "since the beginning" for all sorts of benefits- that's not really groundbreaking. And some fishes directly consume plants. I personally think that one of the more interesting functions of plants in the aquarium is to serve as this sort of "feeding ground" for fishes in all stages of their existence. Oh, yeah, they do look cool, too! So, perhaps just setting up an aquarium for the purpose of growing plants to feed fishes-in multiple "formats" is a good one.

Of course, this POV will pretty much get me trashed by most of my aquatic plant-loving friends: "WTF, Fellman- you're a savage! Are you suggesting to set up a planted aquarium to feed my fishes? Really?

Well yeah. sort of. Why not? Just think about it...

Onwards...

EPIPHYTES: Perhaps most interesting to us botanical-style aquarium people (and perhaps far more acceptable to our planted aquarium friends!) are epiphytes. These are organisms which grow on the surface of plants or other substrates and derive their nutrients from the surrounding environment. They are important in the nutrient cycling and uptake in both Nature and the aquarium, adding to the biodiversity, and serving as an important food source for many species of fishes.

In the case of the aquatic habitats we geek out over, like streams, ponds, and inundated forests, epiphytes are abundant, and many fishes will spend large amounts of time foraging the "biocover" on tree trunks, branches, leaves, and other botanical materials. Although most fishes use leaves and tree branches for shelter and not directly as a "food item", grazing on this epiphytic growth is very important.  

 

And many other creatures make use of these materials as well. Some organisms, such as nematodes and chironomids ("Bloodworms!") will dig into the leaf structures and feed on the tissues...and ultimately become food sources themselves for our fishes!

"Cycle of life" and all that, huh?

FUNGI: And, what discussion of epiphytes would be complete without mentioning our buddies, the aquatic hyphomycytes- or fungi as  they're better known! 

The “aquatic hyphomycetes” are specialists at breaking down stuff like leaf litter. Another group of specialists, "aero-aquatic hyphomycetes," colonize submerged plant detritus in stagnant and slow- flowing waters, like shallow ponds, puddles, and flooded forest areas. Fungal communities differ between various environments, such as streams, shallow lakes and wetlands, deep lakes, and other habitats such as salt lakes and estuaries. But they're pervasive in aquatic habitats. 

And we see them in our own tanks all the time, don't we?

Fungi tend to colonize wood because it offers them a lot of surface area to thrive and live out their life cycle. And cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin- the major components of wood and botanical materials- are degraded by fungi which posses enzymes that can digest these materials! Fungi are regarded by biologists to be the dominant organisms associated with decaying leaves in streams, so this gives you some idea as to why we see them in our aquariums, right?

And of course, fishes and invertebrates which live amongst and feed directly upon the fungi and decomposing leaves and botanicals contribute to the breakdown of these materials as well! Aquatic fungi can break down the leaf matrix and make the energy available to feeding animals in these habitats.

And look at this little gem I found in my research:

"There is evidence that detritivores selectively feed on conditioned leaves, i.e. those previously colonized by fungi (Suberkropp, 1992; Graca, 1993). Fungi can alter the food quality and palatability of leaf detritus, aecting shredder growth rates. Animals that feed on a diet rich in fungi have higher growth rates and fecundity than those fed on poorly colonized leaves. Some shredders prefer to feed on leaves that are colonized by fungi, whereas others consume fungal mycelium selectively..."

"Conditioned" leaves, in this context, are those which have been previously colonized by fungi! They make the energy within the leaves and botanicals more available to higher organisms like fishes and invertebrates! 

It's easy to get scared shitless by this stuff-cause it looks pretty "contrary" to what we've been told is good to see in our aquariums...Yet surprisingly, it's even easier to exploit it as a food source for your animals! This is a HUGE point that we can't emphasize enough.

DETRITUS: The resulting detritus produced by the "processed" and decomposing plant matter is considered by many aquatic ecologists to be an extremely significant food source for many fishes, especially in areas such as Amazonia and Southeast Asia, where the detritus is considered an essential factor in the food webs of these habitats.

And of course, if you observe the behavior of many of your fishes in the aquarium, such as characins, cyprinids, Loricarids, and others, you'll see that in between feedings, they'll spend an awful lot of time picking at "stuff" on the bottom of the tank. In a botanical style aquarium, this is a pretty common occurrence, and I believe an important benefit of this type of system. 

I am of the opinion that a botanical-style aquarium, complete with its decomposing leaves and seed pods, can serve as a sort of "buffet" for many fishes- even those who's primary food sources are known to be things like insects and worms and such. Detritus- and the organisms within- it can provide an excellent supplemental food source for our fishes!

It's well known that in many habitats, like inundated forests, etc., fishes will adjust their feeding strategies to utilize the available food sources at different times of the year, such as the "dry season", etc. And it's also known that many fish fry feed actively on bacteria and fungi in these habitats...so I suggest one again that a blackwater/botanical-style aquarium could be an excellent sort of "nursery" for many fish species! 

PERIPHYTON: You'll often hear the term "periphyton" mentioned in a similar context, and I think that, for our purposes, we can essentially consider it in the same manner as we do "epiphytic matter." Periphyton is essentially a "catch all" term for a mixture of cyanobacteria, algae, various microbes, and of course- detritus, which is found attached or in extremely close proximity to various submerged surfaces. Again, fishes will graze on this stuff constantly.

And then, of course, there's the "allochthonous input" that we've talked about so much here: Foods from the surrounding environment, such as flowers, fruits, terrestrial insects, etc. These are extremely important foods for many fish species that live in these habitats. We mimic this process when we feed our fishes prepared foods, as stuff literally "rains from the sky!" Now, I think that what we feed to our fishes directly in this fashion is equally as important as how it's fed.

I'd like to see much more experimentation with cultivation of foods like ants, fruit flies, and other winged insects. Of course, I can hear the protests already: "Not in MY house, Fellman!" I get it. I mean, who wants a plague of winged insects getting loose in their suburban home because of some aquarium feeding experiment gone awry, right? This idea is the realm of bachelors/bachelorettes, anti-social types, and people with very understanding significant others!

That being said, I would encourage some experimentation with ants and the already fairly common wingless fruit flies. Can you imagine one day recommending an "Ant Farm" as a piece of essential aquarium food culturing equipment? Why not right? Sales of ant farms would spike and manufacturers would have no reason why. Yeah, executives at these companies would think that kids everywhere were falling in love with ants again, like they did in the 60's-when the reality is that us fish geeks would be using them as the terrestrial version of a brine shrimp hatchery...Oh, the horror!

"So, all this talk is great, but how do we start "in tank culturing" of these supplemental food sources, Fellman?"

Easy.

Just start a botanical-style aquarium. Nature will do the rest. Really. Especially if you don't try to "edit" the process...

As many of you may recall, I've sadistically enjoyed the desperate calls for help which many harder aquascaping enthusiasts express on forums when a new piece of driftwood is submerged in the aquarium, resulting in a big burst of fungi, algal growth and biofilm! Yeah, I realize this stuff looks pretty shitty to a lot of hobbyists, and I should be less gleeful about their plight...But some of these people are the same bastards who go on to become "high end aquascapers" who continually and unflinchingly trash our philosophies and methodology online, so... all's fair in love and war, right?

If they only knew the "gift" that these things are...

Yup. I think we need to let ourselves embrace this. I think that those of us who maintain blackwater. botanical-style aquariums have already made the "mental shift" to understand, accept, and even appreciate the appearance of this stuff. Perhaps other aquarists will eventually come around on this?

When you start seeing your fishes "graze" casually on the materials that pop up on your driftwood and botanicals, you start realizing that, although it might not look like the aesthetics that contest judges have in mind, it is a beautiful thing to our fishes!

And my ultimate guilt and sympathy towards the hapless aquascaping crowd makes me think that an "evolved" preparation technique for driftwood might be to "age" it in a large aquarium that also serves as an acclimation system for certain fishes. For example, fishes like Headstanders (Chilodus punctatus), Leporonus, Pencilfishes, and various loaches, catfishes, and barbs, would be excellent additions to this "driftwood prep tank." You could get the benefit of having the gunky stuff accumulate on the wood outside of your main display (if it bothers you, of course), while helping acclimate some cool fishes to captivity!

Just throwing the idea out there.

And of course, we've talked before about the "botanical nursery" concept- creating an aquarium for fish fry that has a large quantity of decomposing botanicals and leaves to foster the production of these materials, which serve as supplemental food for your fish fry. I have done this before myself and can attest to its viability. You fishes will have a constant supply of "natural" foods to supplement what you are feeding them in the early phases of their life. Learn to make peace with your detritus! 

And, for like the 20th time in "The Tint", I need to call your attention to my highly successful "leaf-litter-only" aquarium attempts. These simple to configure, yet ecologically complex tanks may be the ultimate expression of this "self generating food" concept. 

This little discussion has probably not created any earth-shattering "new" developments, but I believe that it has at least looked at a few of the terms you see bandied about now and again in hobby literature, perhaps clarifying their significance to us. And I think it's really about us understanding what happens in Nature and how we can work with it instead of against it, taking advantage of the food sources that She provides to our fishes when we don't rush off for the algae scraper and siphon hose before considering the upside!

These life forms are real gifts from Nature...And you can benefit from them simply by "working the web" of life which arises without our intervention as soon as leaves, wood, botanicals, and water mix-as they've done in Nature for eons.

Another "mental shift", I know...Yet, one which many of you have already made, no doubt, and many more will benefit from by making! I certainly look forward to seeing many examples of us utilizing "what we've got" to the advantage of our fishes! 

Stay thoughtful. Stay resourceful. Stay observant. Stay creative. Stay engaged.

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

 

 

 

 

The hobby is easy, right?

Today. I'm sort of taking a contrary stance to what you might typically see in aquarium blogs. Okay, what else is new, right?

My position is this: The aquarium hobby, while not "difficult", is not super easy, either. And quite honest, it shouldn't be super easy. And we shouldn't be 'dumbing it down' so much.

Uh-ohh. Controversy time.

Well, before you go and label me a jackass and pelt me with "Hakkai Stones", think about it: We are creating and managing the entire environment for specialized living creatures. Unlike a dog or cat, which (at the risk of over simplifying things) just needs food and a place to sleep to survive, fishes require a place to live, the proper aquatic environment, including heat, nutrient export, food, oxygenation, and light. We also are responsible for creating a compatible community of animals, understanding the dynamics of the nitrogen cycle, quarantine, acclimation, disease identification and treatment, and a lot more.

Sure, having to master all of these that I things listed out makes it sound like we're freaking genius-level people to be successful. We don't have to be, of course (I mean, look at some of the clowns who are YouTube “influencers” and the drivel they generate...😂)- but we do have to understand and be able to execute successfully on a number of fronts in order not to kill our fishes immediately, don't we?

Now, a little bit of props to the fishes themselves! I mean, they're subjected to a lot of shit before they get to us, right? Wild fishes, especially, undergo a real trial just to get to us: Collection, sorting by the fishers, a few days at a exporter's facility, a flight from their home country, a stint at a wholesaler, then on to the LFS, and finally to you. All the while, adapting to varying conditions, crowding, and little, if any food. When you think about it, it's hard to believe that they survive at all!

 

Back to our gig.

As hobbyists, we're morally obligated to have at least a rudimentary understanding of the requirements which our fishes need to survive and thrive. And, unfortunately, in today's "Insta-fast"  "Everyone can go from zero to hero in three days" social-media-driven hobby, many hobbyists simply don't have that. In fact, if you asked 10 hobbyists some of the most basic aquarium-related questions, such as how the nitrogen cycle works, or what pH means, I'll wager that you'd likely get 3-4 hobbyists who couldn't articulate anything about these topics.

However, if you ask them about the best aquascaping rock, trendy approach, or stupidly-named wood type, I'll bet they'll be able to tell you everything you'd care to know.

That's indicative of a problem. When we accept this level of mediocrity, we're making ignorance of the art and science of aquarium keeping cool.

That's crazy.

We're better than this.

We as hobbyists need to educate ourselves before we leap. Now, at this point, there are likely a few readers/listeners who will be like, "Damn, Captain Buzzkill, you're making it like you have to be a freaking marine biologist to be able to keep tropical fish! WTF?"

My response?

No, I'm not. And pointing out reality doesn't make me a complete asshole. Well, sort of an asshole- but not a complete one! 😆

Seriously, though, there is something really wrong when we have hobbyists trying all sorts of crazy expensive and exotic hobby ideas and equipment, when their fundamental understanding of the aquarium hobby is essentially inadequate.

Like, we've created a generation of hobbyists who want to run before they can walk. They're always looking for "hacks" and shortcuts for "making things easier." And when they fail- they have no way to understand why. And they often quit the hobby as a result. I've seen this dozens of times during my hobby "career." And we- the industry, creators, and communicators of the aquariums hobby- are responsible for this.

Now look, I'm all for making things easier, but NOT for dumbing down stuff. It shouldn't be like having to take board examinations in order to keep a fish tank, and setting up and caring for a tank shouldn't always be onerous- but you should at least try to have a working knowledge of a bunch of fundamental topics before you plunk down your cash and put fishes' lives on the line, right? And you should want to. And we as hobbyists should be interested in learning and acquiring the basic skills necessary to assure a good start in the hobby. We don't need to make this a task; we just need to do a little basic research first. 

This is where the local fish store can excel.

The "mentoring" you can receive from a quality fish store is one of the best first exposures you can have to the art and science of aquairum keeping. As long as they don't take a purely sales-oriented approach to things (and most don't, despite the popular, persistent hobby mythology of the buffoonish, ignorant, and predatory LFS personnel that have been the stuff of online lore for decades now). Most LFS staff are uber hobbyists, obsessed with aquariums and fishes, and have a vested interest in seeing their customers succeed.

For those who need to get their "education" online, there are a lot of good resources. I don't need to rehash that. However, despite its popularity and search ability, YouTube isn't always the best source. There ARE a lot of great channels out there, but there is also a disproportionately high number of outright garbage, too. Channels in which the "creator" seems to have absolutely no clue about the topic he/she is authoritatively spewing. In our own sector alone, I've seen this several times. It's vomit inducing. 

And a lot of the stuff out there- even "sponsored content"- is about drivel...doing a certain scape with this cool rock, or how to arrange wood so that your tank looks like everyone else's', or something equally as vapid. There is proportionately little produced about fundamental hobby stuff.

We can't run from some of the science stuff...I mean, we are ALL at the mercy of the nitrogen cycle, for example, and we need to have at least a basic understanding of how it works and what the implications are for our aquarium work. It's actually really important!

When I co-owned a coral propagation/import business, a scarily high percentage of the questions from customers were frighteningly basic- like stuff you should know before you ever even buy any aquarium, let alone set up a reef tank.

Fundamentals.

Back in those days, I literally received calls from hobbyists who didn't have the most rudimentary understanding of the needs of corals, let alone, the nitrogen cycle- yet they spent tens of thousands of dollars outfitting their reef tank with the latest gear, and buying the latest "designer frags."

it was head-scratching, to say the least. It was downright discouraging on some days.

It's not just limited to the reef world, of course. It’s all over the hobby. 

And, it's our fault as an industry, too.

We seem to sell prepackaged "solutions" for everything. Another piece of gear, another additive..."That'll solve your problems!" We seem to be happier just selling people a product that we hope will solve their problems. Laughably, I've seen soem vendors/manufacturers trot out the pathetic line about their product making things easier so you could "enjoy the hobby more!" Like, WTF? Isn't feeding your fishes, doing water exchanges, and just managing the tank part of what makes it enjoyable, too? Or is the only enjoyable part of the hobby humble-bragging on The 'Gram about our latest aquascape?

How about we educate people on the basics and beyond? The good, the bad, and the shitty? That will make the use of your product a lot more logical. Yet, I know- it takes time. It's more difficult to educate people on the underlying problem...the reason why people would need your product in the first place. It's much easier to just tell them what to buy and that's that. It sells stuff faster. But it doesn't build a long-term hobbyist. That's why we at Tannin have article after article on the most basic, and even arcane aspects of playing with blackwater/botanical-style aquariums on our site.

Because I believe that hobbyists have to be armed with the most fundamental knowledge of our craft in order to succeed. I'm not going to just show pretty pics of cool 'scapes and sell seed pods and leaves that way. That's how I'm going to do my part to address the hobby dropout thing. My friends James of Blackwater UK and Ben of Betta Botanicals, two vendors as geeked out as I am about this stuff, are on the same page as me. We're determined to show hobbyists that the process- the whole thing- is as much fun as just looking at the number of likes your tank pics get on your fave social media channel.

It's a wider hobby "cultural problem", too. We're lazy. A lot of us want instant gratification and simply don't want to take the time to dig through information- even if it's out there in abundance. They want it easier. Faster. More concise.

And yes-I know. Everyone is "busy", etc. Yet, why have a hobby in the first place if you don't want to spend time playing with it and educating yourself about it? People can't be lazy. They have to learn the underlying, fundamental stuff. They need to read, watch, discuss, observe. A personal example again? I get numerous emails asking me how to prepare botanicals- even after we spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars on producing a customized infographic card that goes in every order, and years writing dozens of articles on this very topic.

Some people seem so unwilling to do the most basic research! What a shame.  I mean, Google is one of the greatest inventions in the history of humanity, making information about virtually any topic imaginable available anywhere, any time, to anyone. Easily.

Yet, many figure the "hack" is just to ask someone and expect them to give concise answers on how to do everything, instead of taking the extra time to educate themselves a bit before just mailing it in and prodding someone else for the answer. Yeah, we've somehow decided that a DM to someone for a “quick answer” is a better way to acquire knowledge than typing in the keywords, like "what is the nitrogen cycle?" and learning it once and for all. 

Obviously, as an industry guy and writer- I'm always going to help those with questions when I can...But I also need to encourage self-research, too. I still need to do better at disseminating information. We all do.

There's blame enough to go around. And to newbies and others in the hobby-my plea to you:

Don't be freaking lazy. The resources are there.

We just have to keep directing people towards them. And people need to use them. And we have to emphasize the fundamentals of the hobby. Not just the cool creative stuff. Sure, not everyone is great at conveying technical concepts to people in an easy-to-understand manner. However, we can try, Because, when no one is doing that, we end up with 14,000 channels on how to "scape a blackwater aquairum" and not a single one explaining what the hell blackwater is, and how to manage the ecology of a blackwater system.

That's a problem, IMHO.

Everyone wants to do the "fun" stuff, hype their sponsors' products, and get all of that recognition. Yet, without discussing the less sexy fundamentals, the "fun stuff" just becomes a waste of precious animal lives and lots of money. People get frustrated and quit the hobby. When I see the words "paid partnership" under an Instagram post lately, I almost reflexively (and often correctly, I'm afraid) assume that it's usually drivel. Because most of the creators- and the brands who sponsor them- have accepted a level of superficiality as the norm. And that's really sad. These people are too talented to waste their followers' precious attention- and their sponsor's money- by producing such mindless fluff.

The "creative" and "trendy" is valued over the substance, even by brands. And the irony is that doing a little more substance in a creative manner is what will sell more product and build a stronger brand in the long run. Yet, it's easier to just pay some "creator" do a fun little video with a bit of hip-hop music, the appropriate sponsor hashtags, and consider it a job well done.

I call bullshit on that.

Brands need to stop paying these "creators" for this garbage.

You can still be creative and edgy and cool while conveying complex or arcane topics... Hell, we do it all the time here (so modest, right?).

Yes, even in the social media "Insta-hype" world we're in, there is room for improvement. I've hit this hard before...we all show too much "finished product" with killer aquascapes and such, and not enough of the less sexy, although way more important process...

There is an easy fix for that one. Just share the process. 

Discuss the fundamentals of what you do.

When hobbyists realize it's not just "1-2-3 AWESOME!"- and that there is a little work, and occasional setbacks and struggle involved, expectations are set which assure people go in with their eyes wide open...and stay in. Expectation management via education. And there is a certain responsibility that we as hobbyists take on when keeping live fishes; this needs to be emphasized.  And guess what, fellow aquarium brands? They'll still buy your product. In fact, they'll probably be more likely to, because they will have a fundamental understanding for why they need it.

No. The aquarium hobby isn't that easy.

But it's not ridiculously hard, either. 

We have a responsibility as hobbyists to keep these precious creatures alive and happy. And we as hobby and industry people have an obligation to tell it like it is. To touch on fundamentals. To explain things. To convey that, while not overly complex, some the underlying information that you need to know to be successful in the hobby is vital. Even if it requires a bit of reading and discussion in order to grasp it. And that it's every bit as interesting as selecting the right stones for your next fantasy 'scape.

In our world, there is a reason why we talk so much about ecology and arcane things, like the idea of allochthonous input into wild aquatic habitats. There is a reason why we devote hundreds of thousands of words to subjects like fungi, biofilms, and detritus. It's because an understanding of these topics is foundational to the work we do as botanical-style aquarium enthusiasts. When you understand these things, you're better equipped to understand what's happening in your aquairums. 

It would have been much easier for me if I spent the last 6 years writing articles and doing podcasts on how to get the sexy look of a botanical-style aquarium. Yet, it would have left us simply another hollow, vapid purveyor of leaves and seed pods, passing the buck to someone else to cover these ideas, develop the operating fundamentals and philosophies which are applicable to the botanical-style aquarium methodology.

Not on my watch.

I'm going to continue discussing some of these seemingly arcane topics. Why? Well, for several reasons. First, because someone has to do it. Might as well be me; I play with this stuff every day of my life. Second, because it's so important to convey these fundamentals. It builds a movement and reinforces the methodology we all embrace. Third, because I feel that I have a responsibility to the hobby, and to the fishes we love. And finally, because it's hard. It's not easy to distill these complex ideas into digestible information. And that very fact makes it a worthwhile endeavour.

We all need to learn, understand, and share these types of topics.

Success in the aquarium hobby isn't that difficult- after you have a grasp of the fundamentals; an understanding of why we do what we do. However, the hobby isn't "easy" in the sense that you just toss your fishes into the water and call it a day. It takes some work. It should take some work. Because taking care of live animals, some of which are threatened in the wild, is a huge responsibility which should not be taken lightly.

So, maybe the tone of this piece is a little bit dark to some. It shouldn't be interpreted that way. Rather, it's a brutally honest call for us to make a better effort to understand and appreciate just how amazing what we as aquarists do every dingle day, and what responsibility goes along with these achievements. It's a call to wake up- look ourselves in the mirror as hobbyists, content creators,  and industry types- and do better.

We can. There is enormous talent out there- and there has never been a time in history when its easier to disseminate useful information to a larger number of interested persons. 

We just have to DO it. To not shirk this responsibility- and this gift.

It's not as hard as you think, and the benefits of the effort are remarkable.

Stay honest. Stay reflective. Stay creative. Stay observant. Stay inspired...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

 

 

Accumulating botanical materials...and mental toughness!

They say that Nature abhors a vacuum...

Nature also seems to like to accumulate stuff, doesn't it? 

Natural watercourses are really good at accumulating terrestrial materials, creating inviting habitats for fishes. They serve not only as physical locales for fishes to forage an hide amongst, they provide a huge habitat for a variety of other organisms which support the fishes.

And of course, these are compelling aquatic features for us fish geeks to replicate in our aquariums, aren't they? They are, and perhaps provide the basic "role model" for the botanical-style aquairum.

These aggregations of materials occur all the time in Nature, and they're caused by a variety of things; typically, weather events, which drive materials off of the trees overhead, or from the surrounding terrestrial habitats into the water. Currents caused by rising water levels move the materials along, until they might be caught up among various benthic features, like fallen trees, branches, rocks, etc.

Yeah, as you'd imagine, stream and river bottom composition is completely affected by things like weather, current, geology, the surrounding terrestrial habitat, and a host of other factors- all of which could make planning your next aquarium even more interesting if you take them into consideration! 

According to one study I read, eventually, most of the organic debris is deposited on the stream bottom or drifts downstream until it becomes trapped by a variety of natural obstacles.

If we focus on streams, it's important to note that the volume of water entering the stream, and the depth of the channels it carves out, helps in part determine the amount and size of materials which accumulate, as well as the sediment particles that can be carried along, and thus comprise the substrate of this habitat. .

And of course, the composition of bottom materials and the depth of the channel are always changing in response to the flow in a given stream, affecting the composition and ecology in many ways.

Some leaf litter beds form in what stream ecologists call "meanders", which are stream structures that form when moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its "valley", and the inner part of the river has less energy and deposits silt- or in our instance, leaves.

There is a whole, fascinating science to river and stream structure, and with so many implications for understanding how these structures and mechanisms affect fish population, occurrence, behavior, and ecology, it's well worth studying for aquarium interpretation!  Did you get that part where I mentioned that the lower-energy parts of the water courses tend to accumulate leaves and sediments and stuff?

Likely you did!

Permanent streams will often have different volume and material composition (usually finely-packed sands and gravels, with lots of smooth stones) than more intermittent streams, which are the result of inundation caused by rain, etc.

So-called "ephemeral" streams, typically occur only immediately after rain events (which means they usually don't have fish in them unless they are washed into them from more permanent watercourses). The latter two stream types are typically more affected by leaves, botanical debris, branches, and other materials.

In the Amazon region (you knew I was sort of headed back that way, right?), it sort of works both ways, with the rivers influencing the surrounding land...and then the land "giving" some of the materials back to the rivers...the extensive lowland areas bordering the river and its tributaries, known as varzeas (“floodplains”), are subject to annual flooding, which helps foster enrichment of the aquatic environment.

Land and water, working together, provide and amazing resource for the adventurous and interested hobbyist to explore in greater detail.

The important, and overriding Thieme of many aquatic habitats which we try to replicate in the hobby is that they accumulate quantities of terrestrial materials. These materials don't just impact the physical characteristics of these habitats, they influence the ecology as well. As we know by now, terrestrial materials, when submerged in water, leach soluble compounds into the water, impacting the chemistry.

They also tend to recruit fungal growths and biofilms, which in turn serve to not only decompose the terrestrial materials- they tend to attract fishes to graze upon them! Terrestrial materials form the basis of a rich, surprisingly complex aquatic ecology. A food web arises.

So, what exactly is a food web?

 

A food web is defined by aquatic ecologists as a series of "trophic connections" (ie; feeding and nutritional resources in a given habitat) among various species in an aquatic community. 

All food chains and webs have at least two or three of these trophic levels. Generally, there are a maximum of four trophic levels. Many consumers feed at more than one trophic level.

So, a trophic level in our case would go something like this: Leaf litter, bacteria/fungal growth, crustaceans...

In the wild aquatic habitats we love so much, food webs are vital to the organisms which live in them. They are an absolute model for ecological interdependencies and processes which encompass the relationship between the terrestrial and aquatic environments.

Interestingly, in streams, the primary producers of the food webs that attract our fishes are...algae and diatoms, which are typically found on rocks and wood wherever light and nutrients create optimum conditions for their growth. Organic material that enters streams via leaf fall is acted upon by small organisms, which help break it down.

It is probably no surprise, then, that bacteria (especially in biofilms!) and fungi are the initial consumers of the organic materials that accumulate on the bottom. Like, the stuff many of us loathe. These, in turn, are extremely vital to fishes as a food source. Hence, one of the things I love so much about utilizing a leaf litter bed as a big part of your substrate composition in an aquarium!

We are able to establish rudimentary food webs in our aquariums. It's pretty easy, if we don't try to clean the crap out of our tanks and remove every bit of organic matter which we deem offensive to our aesthetic sensibilities! Remember, all of that material which we freak out about is someone's next meal, isn't it? It's consumed. The various organisms which arise when we allow leaves, branches, seed pods and other materials to accumulate and decompose in our tanks help see to that.

Yes, aquariums are different than wild aquatic habitats, but they have many characteristics which are analogous to them. And, sure, we typically don't maintain completely "open" systems, but I wonder just how much of the ecology of these fascinating habitats we can replicate in our tanks-and what potential benefits may be realized?

I'm willing to bet that it's a lot more than we think. However, we have to start somewhere, right?

It all starts with adding and accumulating terrestrial materials in our tanks, and allowing an ecology to grow up around them. It's that simple- and that complex, right? It falls on us- the hobbyists- NOT to go crazy and try to intervene too much. We need to exercise restraint- to let the natural processes which power our aquariums arise, assemble, and thrive.

Hands off! 

That's my continuing challenge to our community..

Yeah, we have to let stuff go a bit. It's really hard for a lot of hobbyists to do this. We're essentially trained from the beginnings of our aquarium experience to scrub, polish, and siphon out everything which doesn't meet some definition of "acceptable."

We've been told that algae growth or fungal growths on our wood or substrate are bad, and must be removed. We've been encouraged to siphon out any decomposing materials, and that stuff like detritus is the source of untold disaster if we let it accumulate in our tanks.

It's hard to make this mental shift. I know. I've been trying to convince people to take this path for the better part of the past decade, and it's finally catching on. Skeptics and haters abound- more than ever, now, as these ideas have gained traction in the aquarium hobby.

It's 100% counterintuitive to everything we've been indoctrinated to believe. And worse, we're asking you to have faith that "stuff will work out" in your tank when you see all of this biofilm and fungal growth, turbid water, decomposition, and perhaps even algae. Stuff that the so-called "Nature Aquairum" crowd would absolutely shit their pants over. 

Well, this IS Nature, boys and girls. 

This is Planet Earth.

And yeah, you're actually not 100% in control. It's not the sanitized, organized, highly stylized "Nature" of your fantasies. It's the "Nature" that's perfectly imperfect, filled with non-ratioed, seemingly disorganized aggregations of materials, and life forms covering everything. You have to cede some of the work in your tank to Nature. You'll "go through some things." Some of the stuff you'll see will be "ugly" to you.

Or, will it be?

Will you perhaps study some of the wild aquatic habitats of the world where our fishes come from, see what makes them function the way that they do- and draw a parallel between what you're seeing in your tank, and what you're seeing in Nature?

 

Will you hang on?

Will you "wait out" what appears to be an endless explosion of gooey stringy stuff coming out of your leaves, wood, and  and botanicals, and allow your tank to achieve it's own form of equilibrium? Or, will you reach for the siphon hose and pull it all out, disrupting some of Natures's most elegant, valuable, and efficient processes in order to "re-set" and achieve some sort of "instant gratification" that you were told that a spotless, sterile-looking tank will provide?

Yeah. Re-setting the whole thing.

Doing things the way we've done them in then hobby for decades because they give you the predictable results in a short amount of time...

Or, will you see the real beauty of unedited Nature in your very own tank? And the amazing way Nature works it out...If you let Her.

 

That's the adventure- the challenge of the botanical-style aquarium. A methodology filled with inexact, unconventional, yet well-known natural processes. A methodology which asks you to make some leaps of faith, some educated guesses, and to play some hunches. An evolving, not entirely predictable path to a dynamic, truly remarkable aquarium.

You can do this. You might fail, but you'll likely succeed, especially if you put your faith in Nature.

Be strong. Be patient. Be experimental.

Hang on through the weird, uncomfortable, uncertain, unknown stuff. It's worth it. 

Stay bold. Stay open minded. Stay curious. Stay the course...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gearing up. Or not. Equipping" the Botanical-Style Aquarium.

Today, I thought I'd switch things up a bit snd discuss the idea of...gear for your botanical-style aquariums. Specifically, the gear that I use and recommend to you. This will not be an authoritative review on every piece of equipment that you can use in the botanical-style aquarium, or a concise how to. Rather, it will be a simple discussion on the stuff that we use here for the many aquariums that we've played with over the years, why we selected the gear we use, and our thoughts on the various ones that we use.

First off, let's talk about aquariums.

I've used all sorts of tanks to create botanical-style aquariums over the years. You can use all sorts of tank shapes and sizes for botanical-style aquariums. I tend to favor wider, more shallow tanks for the aesthetics and for their surface area; however, you can use deeper, narrow tanks just as easily.

The biggie for me, however, is the so-called "all-in-one" (AIO) tank. These are simply aquariums which have a separate filter chamber located in the rear of the tank, which severs as a sort of sump- a location where the return pump. heater, and other gear (if you have it) can be placed. It's a real game changer, in MHO.

Most "all-in-one" tanks, like my Innovative Marine "Fusion Lagoon" system, or my Ultum Nature Systems AIOs, offer a great "hybrid" of a "sump" (in this case, a rear-mounted external filter compartment) and an external filter, making an affordable, simple, aesthetically clean, easy-to-maintain-and-operate system.

Now, I realize that not everyone wants the expense, logistics, challenges, and additional considerations (return pumps, space under the tank, etc.) which go along with the use of sumps. I also realize that the majority of freshwater hobbyists utilize glass aquariums without overflows and such, so there are numerous other options.

The other question that we receive all the time in regards to equipment is about filtration. Specifically, what filter to use.

of course you can employ those ubiquitous, ever-popular canister filters!

 

Shit, canister filters necessitate the need for...glassware, right? Arrghhhh.... 

IMHO, you should direct the return from canister filters near the surface, to create agitation and to facilitate gas exchange. Unlike pure planted aquariums, where there is a definite benefit from using those damn "Lily Pipes" and such to return water well below the surface to preserve CO2, I personally believe that heavily-stocked botanical-style aquariums benefit from this surface agitation.

Oh, did I mention that I hate those pipes? Just wanted to make sure on more time...

To be clear- I hate them...😆

And yeah, I've broken a bunch over the years...

You can return some of the water towards the lower levels of the tank to keep things "stirred up" just a bit, without blowing shit all over the tank. (that's a technical term, by the way).

And of course, outside power filters do the same thing- keep everything relatively neat and tidy, and potentially outside of the tank if you like.

Oh, and sponge filters are great- and those so-called "Matten Filters", too- because they are primarily biological filters and are relatively easy to hide in displays...

Now, I have spent a fair amount of time alleviating the fears of you weirdos who don't want to see leaves and pods and such in your tank physically by explaining that you can just toss these things into your filter or sump! And of course, it goes without saying that you can utilize all of these filters with the botanicals present in the display, as well, of course.

Like, duh.

Can you use chemical filtration media in a botanical-style tank?

Well, sure.

The real "issue", if you want to call it that- with filtration in regards to our botanical-style aquariums is what media you utilize. Again, I call on my reef-keeping experience to tell you that I am a huge fan of activated carbon. I use it on every tank I set up- even the ones with the gnarliest (yes, it's a word- I'm from L.A.-we talk that way. It's a word. Deal with it.), darkest "tint"  imaginable. 

I love activated carbon.

 

"Carbon? WTF Fellman?"

Yes, carbon can remove some of the tint and probably even some of the valued humic substances and other beneficial compounds exuded by botanicals. It's not selective. That being said, it also can remove impurities, like volatile dissolved organic compounds, urea, some metals, etc. It's valuable stuff.

The key is to just not overdo it.

Of course, if you want leaves and such in your tank, but not the tint- as we've discussed many times- just use the 'recommendedl" dose of carbon and you have the best of both worlds- at least, aesthetically.

Better as chemical filtration media would be stuff like specialized ion-exchnage or "organic scavenger resins" and zeolites- stuff which requires more research, trial and error, and testing. But it is possible, at least in theory, to incorporate filtration media which removes the undesirable pollutants and retains the desired humic substances and tannins. Oh, and proper biological function in low pH systems, fostering the "biome" of these tanks.

I like the"Poly Filter" pad, by Poly BioMarine, as it removes organics and can remove stuff like ammonia even in low pH systems. In my years of working with this stuff, I have not seen it remove substantial amounts of the "tint" in the water caused by tannins from botanicals. This is hardly a scientific assessment of the stuff, but I believe in it. I've used it for decades in pretty much every type of aquarium- fresh, brackish, reef- that I've maintained with excellent results. 

And back to those "specialized resins" and such...

These things are are all something we will see more of in the future...trust me. There are numerous materials out there, used in other water purification work , that will definitely work with our aquariums.

In the mean time, you can continue use materials like carbon, Purigen, etc. to do the trick; just be aware of the way they work and what they will do. If you go "full power" (ie; the typical manufacturers' recommended "dose"), you'll have a really clear tank- if that's what you want.

Nonetheless, I adore Seachem Purigen.

It's a "macro-porous synthetic polymer" (aka "organic scavenging resin") that removes soluble and insoluble impurities from water by adsorption. In other words, it cleans up stuff.

Like, really well.

More filtration ideas for botanical-style aquariums? 

Well, you could actually use the tank itself, and the botanical environment as the "biological filter", and simply use aeration/surface skimming and/or circulation pumps to facilitate the gas exchange. Not revolutionary, of course- but an idea that's often overlooked today.

Yeah.

The botanical materials present in our systems provide enormous surface area upon which beneficial bacterial biofilms and fungal growths can colonize. These life forms utilize the organic compounds present in the water as a nutritional source.

Oh, the part about the biofilms and fungal growths sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Let's talk about our buddies, the biofilms, just a bit more. One more time. Because nothing seems as contrary to many hobbyists than to sing the praises of these gooey-looking strands of bacterial goodness!

Structurally, biofilms are surprisingly strong structures, which offer their colonial members "on-board" nutritional sources, exchange of metabolites, protection, and cellular communication. They form extremely rapidly on just about any hard surface that is submerged in water.

When I see aquarium work in which biofilms are considered a "nuisance", and suggestions that it can be eliminated by "reducing nutrients" in the aquarium, I usually cringe. Mainly, because no matter what you do, biofilms are ubiquitous, and always present in our aquariums. We may not see the famous long, stringy "snot" of our nightmares, but the reality is that they're present in our tanks regardless.

The other reality is that biofilms are something that we as aquarists typically fear because of the way they look. In and of themselves, biofilms are not harmful to our fishes. They function not only as a means to sequester and process nutrients ( a natural "filter" of sorts?), they also represent a beneficial food source for fishes.

Now, look, I can see rare scenarios where massive amounts of biofilms (relative to the water volume of the aquarium) can consume significant quantities of oxygen and be problematic for the fishes which reside in your tank. These explosions in biofilm growth are usually the result of adding too much botanical material too quickly to the aquarium. They're excaserbated by insufficient oxygenation/circulation within the aquarium.

These are very unusual circumstances, resulting from a combination of missteps by the aquarist.

Typically, however, biofilms are far more beneficial that they are even remotely detrimental to our aquariums.

Yeah, they're really quite useful as a form of biological filtration.

Nutrients in the water column, even when in low concentrations, are delivered to the biofilm through the complex system of water channels, where they are adsorbed into the biofilm matrix, where they become available to the individual cells.  Some biologists feel that this efficient method of gathering energy might be a major evolutionary advantage for biofilms which live in particularly in turbulent ecosystems, like streams, (or aquariums, right?) with significant flow, where nutrient concentrations are typically lower and quite widely dispersed.

Biofilms have been used successfully in water/wastewater treatment for well over 100 years! In such filtration systems the filter medium (typically, sand) offers a tremendous amount of surface area for the microbes to attach to, and to feed upon the organic material in the water being treated. The formation of biofilms upon the "media" consume the undesirable organics in the water, effectively "filtering" it!

Biofilm acts as an adsorbent layer, in which organic materials and other nutrients are concentrated from the water column. As you might suspect, higher nutrient concentrations tend to produce biofilms that are thicker and denser than those grown in low nutrient concentrations.

Those biofilms which grow in higher flow environments, like streams, rivers, or areas exposed to wave action, tend to be denser in their morphology. These biofilms tend to form long, stringy filaments or "streamers",which point in the direction of the flow. These biofilms are characterized by characteristic known as  "viscoelasticity."This means that they are flexible, and stretch out significantly in higher flow rate environments, and contract once again when the velocity of the flow is reduced.

Okay, that's probably way more than you want to know about the physiology of biofilms! Regardless, it's important for us as botanical-style aquarists to have at least a rudimentary understanding of these often misunderstood, incredibly useful, and entirely under-appreciated life forms.

And the whole idea of facilitating a microbiome in our aquariums is predicated upon supplying a quantity of botanical materials- specifically, leaf litter, for the beneficial organisms to colonize and begin the decomposition process. An interesting study I found by Mehering, et. al (2014) on the nutrient sequestration caused by leaf litter yielded this interesting little passage:

"During leaf litter decomposition, microbial biomass and accumulated inorganic materials immobilize and retain nutrients, and therefore, both biotic and abiotic drivers may influence detrital nutrient content."

The study determined that leaves such as oak "immobilized" nitrogen. Generally thinking, it is thought that leaf litter acts as a "sink" for nutrients over time in aquatic ecosystems.

Oh, and one more thing about leaves and their resulting detritus in tropical streams: Ecologists strongly believe that microbial colonized detritus is a more palatable and nutritious food source for detritivores than uncolonized dead leaves. The microbial growth which occurs on the leaves and their resulting detritus increases the nutritional quality of leaf detritus, because the microbial biomass on the leaves is more digestible than the leaves themselves (because of lignin, etc.).

Oh, I'm going on and on about this stuff- but the idea of the aquarium, or more precisely, the microbiome of the aquarium- acting as a "filter"- is worth considering. You could successfully run a botanical-style aquarium without a "filter" of any kind, other than the materials contained within the tank itself. 

I mean, this isn't really an earth-shattering concept. Every tank in the 19th century, and many in the early 20th century, ran this way, right? Yeah. Now, I get it- these were plants which were often dominated by aquatic plants, which processed the nutrients and realized oxygen via photosynthesis, but the idea here is essentially the same- creating a biological system which assimilates and processes nutrients.Our "Urban Igapo" tanks use terrestrial or riparian plants...they uptake nutrients from the soils...

Yet, there are other organisms besides plants to accomplish nutrient export, right? Now, what about our old nemesis, cyanobacteria- that stringy stuff we've been taught to loathe over the years? Well, they're photosynthetic. They convert sunlight into energy and produce oxygen as a waste product. Maybe cultivating them in our "filterless" tanks could be a cool idea, huh?

Perhaps?😆

Well, I'm getting sidetracked a bit, but it's interesting stuff, right? 

The point is, botanical-style aquariums can be managed in a great variety of ways.  You can go with high-tech filtration, simple old-fashioned filters, just an airstone, or, no filter at all.  (which is to say, no additional mechanical equipment...).

There are so many possibilities here, huh? 

Stay open-minded. Stay thoughtful. Stay creative. Stay curious...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

 

 

The Benefits of Disruption?

Throughout my tropical fish hobby "career", I've praised the concept of stability in my aquarium work. I have long valued the idea of stable environmental conditions, long-term management, and minimal disruption of my aquariums. Indeed, it has served me- and my fishes-well.

However, in the past couple of years, as I relocated to my new home and had to create temporary aquariums for some of my fishes while renovating the new home, I began to notice how easily my fishes seemed to take all this disruption. In fact, far better than I have!

 

And in studying many of the natural habitats which I find so compelling, it turns out that fishes have to deal with a significant amount of disruption as part of their life cycle. In fact, in some instances, it's not just something that the fishes have to "deal with"- it's something that they have evolved to work with!

In Nature, fishes will frequently migrate into and out of areas as the seasons change. Often, this is because they are following food sources, shelter, and stability. Instinctive urges to feed, reproduce, and flee predation compel fishes to move from environment to environment. Other fishes, like annual killifishes, essentially require these "disruptions" in order to complete their life cycle.

Their reproductive strategy involves laying their eggs in the substrate, which provides the correct conditions to incubate as the pools they live in dry out. The eggs develop in the dry ground, awaiting the next rainy season to hatch and continue the cycle of life.

This ability of fishes to deal with environmental disruption is a profound adaptation, and one which we as aquarists, with few exceptions (like breeding annual killies, for example)  have likely not intentionally leveraged to our advantage over the decades of the modern aquarium hobby.

I think that while my "stability obsession" over the years has been good for my fishes, I believe that this may not be the very best way to keep many fishes in all instances. I think that there are options which we can employ to do things better. I think we can manage our aquariums more "realistically."

I believe that our fishes can benefit from us offering some "disruption" or changes to their environment from time to time. I believe that many of them are genetically or instinctively "programmed" to endure- and even to benefit from -such environmental changes as part of their life cycles. I base this on the many well-known adaptations that fishes have had to make to cope with the changes that regularly occur in their environments.

I realize that this is somewhat contrarian to the long-accepted aquarium standard of stability in every way, and it's something I've had to re-visit myself over the years...I mean, I've traditionally been the type of aquarist who adopts a sort of "hands-off" stance when it comes to "messing" with my tanks once they're up and running. I still tend not to "mess with" my systems all that much once they're up and running. Yet when managing systems like the "Urban Igapo" tanks I love, I've noticed interesting positives in the health of my fishes. 

However, when we consider the way Nature functions when She impacts aquatic ecosystems, there is something there, I think. In the wild, many fishes are subjected to such environmental fluctuations and disruptions to their physical environment on an almost semi-regular basis.  

They seem to do just fine. I think that any stress which fishes may accrue as a result of temporary disruption is far, far different- and less deleterious- than continuous stresses (environmental, etc.) endured by our fishes.

In fact, we've embraced some aspects of this type of environmental manipulation with fish breeding techniques for many years: Lowering water temperatures to mimic rainstorms for Corydoras, or exhaling into a test tube of water containing annual killifish eggs to add CO2 to the water to stimulate hatching, etc. Practices which represent environmental changes- disruptions- brought about by rapid, short-term meteorological conditions.

 

Think about that for a minute.

I would imagine that there are a lot of benefits to be realized by "deconstructing" and replicating the processes of disruption and change which Nature imparts to our fishes environments.  We could gain a lot as hobbyists from simply studying and considering how fishes react to the environmental disruptions and changes that they face in Nature.

Think about the way fishes adapt their behaviors and strategies to feed in the wild...It might give us some interesting insights that we can apply to aquarium work.

For example, as we all know, in Nature, fishes spend a significant amount of time and energy searching for food.

On the Amazonian floodplains, for example, the flood cycle of the rivers into the igapo are the dominant seasonal factor, and fish communities are found to fluctuate greatly over the year. During inundation, fishes migrate into floodplain forests to feed on insects, fruits and seeds, among other things.

Studies of blackwater communities showed that, during these cycles, a greater diversity of fishes exists there. Many species were found to be specialized feeders. Fish, detritus and insects were the most important food resources supporting the fish community in both high and low water seasons, but the proportions of fruits, invertebrates and fish were reduced during the low water season.

In other words, they adapt to the availability of different food sources at different times of the year by adjusting their dietary preferences.

Are there some "takeaways" here for us fish geeks?

Sure. 

Perhaps we could simply alter the stuff we feed our fishes at different times of the year! In other words, feed a correspondingly more frequent, more intensive diet of say, worms, fruit flies, or Daphnia in a period of time that corresponds with the wet season?

And then, perhaps reducing frequency, quantity, and variety of foods at other times- perhaps even doing a several week-long "hiatus" or two, to encourage them to forage on the biocover and natural foods you have encouraged to accumulate within the aquarium?

That's one change-or-"disruption" that we could relatively easily recreate in the aquarium. I've done this a number of times over the years with tremendous success. It all revolves around how we set up our systems for this sort of operation.

My extensive experiments with leaf-litter-only systems and the natural detritus, fungal growths, and biofilms that they accumulate have demonstrated that some fish can not only adjust their feeding preferences in aquariums, but that they can thrive on various natural foods.

Simply adjusting foods on a seasonal basis to mimic the changes which fishes encounter in the wild could possibly trigger some sort of physiological responses within their bodies which may create greater vigor, better colors, and perhaps even foster spawning behaviors.

And then there is the "Urban Igapo" idea which we've been discussing a lot lately. The concept of recreating the seasonal wet/dry cycle of some tropical environments in our aquariums is fundamentally different than anything we've played with before. Yes, it's a rather extreme, very dynamic process, but it's already given us some interesting insights into the wild habitats of our fishes and how they change over time.

Disruption, in our case, isn't always about disrupting the aquarium and it's function. It's also about the disruption of a prevailing hobby mindset which suggests that Nature is a pristine, orderly place, and that our aquariums should reflect this. Sometimes, shaking the status quo of aquarium "religion" is a good thing...it forces us to think, and to not continuously mis-appropriate terms like "Natural" in the hobby.

The botanical-style aquarium itself is an example of this "disruption."

Or, "counter-disruption!" 

Huh?

Think about this: We spend a lot of time trying to "polish" out things which we don't feel (for largely aesthetic or philosophical reasons) belong in our aquariums. In the interest of "management" of the aquarium, we end up disrupting biological processes and systems by excessively removing stuff like detritus, biofilms, and fungal growths. Things which are not only essential parts of the ecosystem- they are food for a myriad of life forms throughout the "biome" of the aquarium.

Accepting that the aquarium habitat evolves over time if we - transformed by unstoppable, constant natural processes is hugely important and transformative. These processes often result in aquarium habitats which look-and function just like they do in Nature.

And I understand that not everyone can handle that.

I admit, I feel a bit sorry for these people who can't make the "mental shift" to accept the fact that Nature does her own thing, and will lay down a "patina" on our botanicals, gradually transforming them into something a bit different than when we started. When we don't accept this process, we sadly get to miss out on Nature guiding our tank towards its ultimate beauty- perhaps better than we even envisioned.

For some, it's really hard to accept this process. To let go of everything they've known before in the hobby. To NOT disrupt what is occurring in their tanks. To wait while Nature goes through her growing pains, decomposing, transforming and yeah- evolving our aquascapes from carefully-planned "art installations" to living, breathing, functioning microcosms.

But, what about all of that decay? That "patina" of biofilm?

It's okay.

It's normal.

Their presence "waxes and wanes" to a certain extent- the product of a botanical bioload. Yet they're always there, as they are in natural habitats. And making the effort to understand and even appreciate their appearance as a sign that your aquarium is functioning as Nature intended is the biggest step in achieving what can only be called a form of "aquatic enlightenment." 

The accumulation of materials- dissolved substrate constituents, decomposing leaves and botanicals, bits of biofilms and fungal threads- is fundamental to the ecology of our aquariums.

It's part of this type of approach. It's present in all natural aquatic systems. We just work with it instead of against it. To NOT disrupt it. Instead of trying to sanitize, edit, or otherwise "redirect" Nature, we understand that it will follow its own path, sometimes going through phases that we may not appreciate.

And guess what? It never stops.

You wouldn't want it to.

The ebb and flow of life in a natural, botanical-style aquarium is much like a garden. You can and should perform regular maintenance, conducting water exchanges, filter media replacement, etc.- like you do in any other tank. However, you need to conduct these maintenance sessions not with the idea of "THIS will take care of those biofilms", but an attitude of, "This will continue to facilitate change over time..."

Yeah, it requires a certain attitude.

And a willingness to look at Nature as she actually is- and to appreciate the beauty in the details of her processes. Letting decomposing materials remain in the system to fuel the ecology.

So, on a practical, functional level, is there an issue in allowing these materials to accumulate?

Of course not.

We know this, because our aquariums are essentially configured to use decomposing botanical materials as the "operating system." Those who try botanical-style aquariums simply for the unique aesthetics will, sadly, never fully realize the benefits of creating an ecology around the botanicals. That's why it's so important to have an open mind and a desire to learn about developing an ecosystem, not just a cool aesthetic.

I think that, in general, we get a bit too obsessed about avoiding any type of disruption in our aquairums.

I'm also convinced that sometimes, as hobbyists, we tend to get a bit- well, "overly concerned" about stuff that non-hobbyists don't understand? Or, perhaps they do-more than we can comprehend- and will occasionally come up with some "pearls of wisdom" that blow us away!

Huh?

Case in point:

Not long ago, I recall walking into my office early one morning, and I immediately was taken aback. Someone had apparently left one of the computers in the office on all night, and the room was fairly brightly illuminated. No biggie, except for the fact that one of my office aquariums, the South-igarape-inspired leaf litter tank that you've see so much on these pages, resided there, too, and I recently added some cool wild fishes to the tank, acclimated and carefully quarantined...and then- THIS had to happen, and....you know where I'm going with this?

This was going through my mind:

"Omigod, the fishes didn't get any dark period...they've been seriously stressed..."

You will say that this wouldn't bother you- but you're totally lying! It would bother the shit out of you, too! I know it would, 'cause you're a fish geek. It's part of what we do.

Of course, I relayed this concern to my wife later in the day, when we touched base and asked each other how are days were progressing.

To which my wife, who is not a fish geek, yet ever the pragmatist, noted, "You know, it's not that big a deal. Sometimes, unexpected things happen in the Amazon."

Woah.

She was on to something there! Yeah, That was right.

And it's not just me who freaks out about stuff like this. I know for a fact...

It's a fish-geek thing.

I think, that as hobbyists, we tend to get caught up in every little minute detail of the little worlds we've created for our fishes- so much so that we often forget the one underlying truth about them: They're living creatures, which have evolved over eons to adapt to and deal with changes in their environment-big and small...or even insignificant, like an excessive amount of light one evening. 

They CAN handle disruption.

I mean, there must have been some natural precedent for this, right? Some atmospheric phenomenon- or combination of phenomenon-which rendered the night sky inordinately bright one evening at some point in the long history of the world?

And, all of the fishes lived, right?

Yeah. Exactly.

Disruption can be upsetting...but likely more upsetting to us than to the fishes. They do what they've always done- they find a way to adapt. To thrive. And even spawn. Again, one need only think of the temperature drop and large water-exchanges which hobbyists execute to breed fishes like Cories and others. It triggers something in the fishes, doesn't it? These "disruptions" don't harm them, right?

Now sure, constant disruption is a recipe for stress...which is a condition that allows for disease to arise. I get that. And a major environmental fluctiation- like a sudden decrease in dissolved oxygen or a huge drop in pH- can be fatal. However, the occasional disruptive event, like tearing up the hardscape, removing plants, adding substrate, sending detritus into suspension, etc. is, in my humble opinion, probably rather more beneficial for the fishes in the grand scheme of things than it is detrimental.

It's surprisingly natural, actually.

I kind of feel that it keeps them reacting to stimuli the way that they have for untold millennia, right? 

I think so.

So, the next time you're a bit concerned because you felt that your 50% water exchange was a bit too aggressive, just consider what happens in the wild streams, ponds, and forests in Nature where fishes have lived- and thrived- for eons. And realize that, in many cases, the fishes will cope with this change just like they would any other challenge in Nature. 

Your intentions are good. Your ideas are sound. 

Stay brave. Stay thoughtful. Stay curious. Stay calm. Stay diligent...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

 

Pushing through.

As a lifelong aquarist, I’ve had a lot of good, bad, and awful experiences playing with aquariums. Like many of you, I’ve experienced and endured stuff that pushed the limits of what I thought I could tolerate. Adapting the botanical-style aquarium approach (or the ideas behind it) about 18 years ago was a radical departure from what was know, comfortable, and "easy." It involved adopting a new mindset, creating new comfort levels, and a different approach.

For many years, I was a form believer in the “remove ____________ when it shows up in your tank.” philosophy of aquarium management. Everything had to be scrupulously clean. It makes sense that I'd have this mindset. I was raised in the hobby during the era of "technology and water quality", wherein the doctrine was to essentially scrub out or remove anything which went against the goal of crystal clear water and spotless substrate.

As you know, my mindset has shifted over the years to the point where I'm almost the diametric opposite of that mindset. And, being a philosopher of all things aquatic, I have expended a lot of mental energy over the years trying to figure out why this "doctrine of spotlessness" arose in the first place, and has stuck in the hobby for so long. I mean, I think I figured out why it started: In the mid 20th century, we finally figured out the way to "control" natural processes via a combination of technique and technology...You know, like accumulations of detritus, turbid water, algae, etc.

Think about the late 1950's and 1960's in the aquarium hobby. Filtration technology, pumps, filter media, lighting, etc. all began to evolve and reach prominence. The possibilities were endless for hobbyists. The desire to control Nature and bring a piece of it into our suburban living rooms was irresistible. The "we can do anything!" mindset, which arose out of the space age trickled down into virtually every human endeavor, including aquarium keeping! Why would you want want algae, turbid water, and detritus when this filter will provide you with crystal clear, algae-and-detritus-free water by just plugging the thing in?

And I think that began the desire to control all sorts of parameters in our aquariums; to wrangle control from Nature. The idea of crystal-clear water and spotlessness was a sort of "over-compensation" for almost a century of "being at the mercy of Nature" and not understanding what was occurring in our tanks, and why technology gave us the ability to circumvent the things which represented our  lack of control of Nature.

And this mindset has been pervasive for decades in the hobby. And I think that's evident in many different approaches to aquarium keeping right now. It's pervasive and has impacted the popular perception of what aquariums should be like and look like...

Okay, big lead up there.

My point is this: 

The botanical-method aquarium approach is fundamentally different than what is currently espoused in the hobby. It functions and looks different than virtually any type of aquarium that you'll typically see. There is a completely different set of expectations that goes along with this approach.

And yeah, it can even be seen as a bit of a spiritual journey, too- leading to some form of enlightenment and education about Nature, from a totally unique perspective. This is important to grasp.

The energy, attitude, and creativity that you bring with you on the journey tends to become amplified during the experience. As you work with botanicals in your aquariums, your mind takes you to different places; you let go of old preconceptions about the hobby and embrace new ideas for how your aquarium's microcosm can evolve. Every tank- like every hobbyist- is different- and different inspirations arise. We don’t want everyone walking away feeling the same thing, quite the opposite actually. 

That uniqueness is a large part of the experience.

The experience is largely about discovery. 

Our aquariums evolve, as do the materials within them. We've discussed this concept many times, and it may seem a bit trivial to some, or overly prosaic to others. We keep coming back to this idea because it's a huge part of why our aquariums look and function so differently in the first place.

If we think of an aquarium as we do a natural aquatic ecosystem, it's certainly realistic to assume that some of the materials in the ecosystem will change, re-distribute, or completely decompose over time.

There are many times during the establishment of your aquariums (it applies to a lot of aquarium types, but I'm specifically focusing on the botanical-method aquarium here) when you might be challenged to persevere by what you see happening in your tank. You might have been expecting a perfectly orderly, "Insta-ready" tank from day one. 

Nature had other plans.

Often times, you'll see turbid, tinted water, stringy biofilms, and detritus building up in your tanks.

Your aquarium water may appear turbid at various times. We are pretty comfortable with this idea; however, some of you may not be. As bacteria act to break down botanical materials, they may impart a bit of "cloudiness" into the the water. Also, materials such as lignin and good old terrestrial soils/silt find their way into our tanks at times.

It's...different. 

Some of these inputs, such as soils- are intentional! Others are the (unintended) "by-products" of the materials we use. The look is definitely different than what we as aquarists have been indoctrinated to accept as "normal." It gives the water in botanical-method aquariums a certain "texture" or opacity that's hard to describe. One of my good friends, and a botanical-method aquarium freak, calls this phenomenon  "flavor"- and we see it as an ultimate expression of a truly natural-looking aquarium. 

Yeah, the water itself becomes part of the attraction. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, the color, the "texture", and the clarity of the water are as engrossing and fascinating as the materials which affect it. It's something that you either love or simply hate...everyone who ventures into this method of aquarium keeping needs to make their own determination of wether or not they like it. 

Need a bit more convincing to embrace the charm of the water itself in botanical-method aquariums?

Simply look at a natural underwater habitat, such as an igapo or flooded varzea grassland, and see for yourself the allure of these dynamic habitats, and how they're ripe for replication in the aquarium. You'll understand how the terrestrial materials impact the (now) aquatic environment- the function AND the aesthetic-fundamental to the philosophy of the botanical-method aquarium.

Speaking of the impact of terrestrial materials on the aquatic habitat- remember, too, that just like in Nature, if new botanicals are added into the aquarium as others break down, you'll have more-or-less continuous influx of materials to help provide environmental continuity- or "enrichment"- to the aquarium environment. This type of "renewal" creates a very dynamic, ever-changing physical environment, while helping keep water chemistry fluctuations to a minimum.

The addition of new materials into the aquarium  is the perfect analog to the concept of "allochthonous input" which occurs in wild aquatic habitats- materials from outside the aquatic environment- such as the surrounding forest- entering and influencing the aquatic environment.

Take these discoveries into the aquarium, and you have something very different than what we've embraced as a hobby for generations.

For many years, playing with this idea was considered a"problem." We had well-founded fears about the process, the look, and the management of these types of aquariums, based on generations of established ideas and techniques that told us this was contrary to proper aquarium practice.

A "problem."

I think that the "problem" of botanical-method/blackwater tanks for years was that we saw them as "dirty", dangerous", "non-sustainable" etc. We didn't look at the blackwater environment as one that required that we meet a specific set of parameters.

We didn't look at keeping botanical-method/blackwater aquariums as an endeavor that required an understanding of the processes involved, and developing technique and practices to accomplish our goals. Rather, we as hobbyists saw a foreboding, dark environment which had low pH, decomposing leaves, detritus,  and all sorts of seemingly contrarian, scary processes.

WE made it a "problem!"

As a hobby, I think we make lot of stuff "problems." 

When you think about it  many concepts in aquarium keeping started out as "problems", or were considered “impossible” until someone made them work.

Now, sure, I get the fact that Nature imposes "rules" on what we can do. There are consequences- often dire- to trying to break or circumvent natural processes. For example, trying to avoid the nitrogen cycle, or attempting to keep incompatible fishes together. Much of this stuff is common sense. However, it doesn't keep a lot of people from trying to "beat the system."

No look- I'm all for trying new ideas-pushing the limits of what's possible, and questioning the "status quo" in the hobby. However, trying to "game"eons of natural processes in order to create some sort of a "hack" doesn't only not work- it's stupid.

THAT is a problem that WE create.

You can, however, push the limits and break new ground by working within the boundaries of natural processes. That's advancement. That's progress. Innovation.

Many of us are working every day to progress in the hobby.

It took doing things that we hadn't previously done before- researching exactly what it was, what is required to create an aquarium ecology- and doing some things which were perceived by the majority of hobbyists as unconventional to get there.

But we did.

And now, we approach keeping botanical-method/blackwater aquariums not as a "problem" to overcome, but an approach which requires us to do specific things in order to do so successfully.

Among the most important things we can do is to push through mentally when we see how natural processes play out in our aquarium; how they impact its aesthetics...and how we view ourselves in the broader aquarium community. We do stuff differently around here. It is deemed "unconventional" by the vast majority of hobbyists. It's a different mindset than 90% of the aquarium world embraces. It opens you up to questions and criticisms in some quarters, particularly where other hobbyists have not grasped the idea and freed themselves from the pervasive hobby mindset which dictates what an aquarium is supposed to be like.

Yeah, we're different. Our process is different, our mindset and expectations are different, and the results that we see are different. 

The simple fact of the matter is, when we add botanical materials to an aquarium and accept what occurs as a "result"-regardless of wether our intent is just to create a different aesthetic, or perhaps something more- we are to a very real extent replicating the processes and influences that occur in wild aquatic habitats in Nature.

The presence of botanical materials such as leaves in these aquatic habitats is foundational to their existence, as it is in our aquarium approach.

And the fact that they recruit biofilms and fungal growths, and break down over time in our tanks is simply part of the natural process. We can consider this a "problem" which needs to be 'mitigated" somehow, or we can make the effort to understand how these processes and occurrences can benefit the little microcosms which we have created in our aquariums. 

It's about understanding, education, and acceptance.

As aquarium hobbyists, those of us who take this route are in a unique position to learn about and recreate many of the functions of Nature in our aquariums. We have the opportunity to go beyond long-held suppositions about what is "healthy" for an aquarium.

We have the opportunity to innovate.

When you're challenged after embracing on your first botanical-sale aquarium journey; when you're seeing stuff which "they" tell you is unwelcome, unattractive, and even "dangerous", ask yourselves how this conclusion was reached. Question why it is considered undesirable. Look at how your fishes are doing, and study the processes which are occurring in your tank, and how similar processes arise in the wild habitats which we seek to replicate.

Which is why the reality of a botanical-style aquarium is that it's perhaps one of the best ways to bring Nature into our home. To blur the lines between Nature and aquarium. Sure, planted aquariums give us a similar challenge...but the botanical-style aquarium challenges us in different ways. It tasks us to accept Nature in all of its beauty. And yeah, it makes us accept that there IS beauty in things like decomposition, biofilm, detritus, and algal growth. Things which we as aquarists might have been "indoctrinated" to loathe over the years..

We just have let go sometimes, and trust in Nature to move stuff along the correct path.

Nature finds a way. Nature knows how to do this. 

Don't let the hobby's preconceived notions of what things are "supposed to be like" deter you.

Push though.

Stay focused. Stay observant. Stay bold. Stay diligent. Stay with it...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

 

 

Behind the dynamics of the "Urban Igapo"

I've always been fascinated by environments which transform from dry, terrestrial ones to lush aquatic ones during the course of the year. I remember as a kid visiting a little depression in a field near my home , which, every spring, with the rains would turn into a little pond, complete with frogs, Fairy Shrimp, and other life forms. I used to love exploring it, and was utterly transfixed by the unique and dynamic seasonal transition.

The thrill and fascination of seeing that little depression in the ground, which I later learned was called a "vernal" or "temporal" pool by ecologists, never quite left me. As a fish geek, I knew that one day I'd be able to incorporate what I had seen into my fish keeping hobby...somehow.

About 5 years ago, I got a real "bug up my ass", as they say, about the flooded forests of South America. There is something alluring to me about the way these habitats transition between terrestrial and aquatic at certain times of the year. The migration of fishes and the emergence of aquatic life forms in a formerly terrestrial environment fascinates me- as does the tenacity of the terrestrial organisms which hang on during these periods of inundation. 

So, I began playing with aquariums configured to replicate the function and form of these unique habitats. I spent a lot of time studying the components of the Igapo and Varzea environments- the soils, plants, fauna, etc., and learning the influences which lead to their creation and function.  

Once I had a grasp of the way these dynamic ecologies work, the task of attempting to recreate them in the aquarium became more realistic and achievable. I realized that, although hobbyists have created what they call "Igapo" simulations in biotope contests for years, for example, it was always a representation of the "wet" season.  Essentially a living "diorama" of sorts. Not really a true simulation of the seasonal dynamics which create these habitats.

They were cool, but something was somehow missing to me. With those representations, you throw in some leaves, twigs, and seed pods, maybe a few plants, and call your tank a "flooded forest."  I mean, essentially a botanical-style aquairum, although the emphasis was on appearance, not function. That wasn't really that difficult to do, nor much of a advancement in the current state of the art of aquarium keeping. I could do that already. Rather, I wanted to recreate the process- all of it- or as much as possible- in my aquariums.

Thus, the idea of the "Urban Igapo"- a functional representation of a transitional aquatic habitat was born. 

The concept behind the "Urban Igapo" is pretty straightforward:

The idea is to replicate to a certain extent, the seasonal inundation of the forests and grasslands of of Amazonia by starting the tank in a 'terrestrial phase", then slowly inundating it with water over a period of weeks or more; then, running the system in an "aquatic phase" for the duration of the 'wet season", then repeating the process again and again.  

 

Because you can do this in the comfort of your own home, we called the concept the "Urban Igapo." About 2 years ago, we went more in depth with some of the procedures and techniques that you'd want to incorporate into your own executions of the idea.

 

As with so many things in the modern aquarium hobby, there is occasionally some confusion and even misunderstandings about why the hell we do this in the first place! 

Well, that's a good question! I mean, the whole idea of this particular approach is to replicate as faithfully as possible the seasonal wet/dry cycles which occur in these habitats. It starts with a dry or terrestrial environment, managed as such for an extended period of time, which is gradually flooded to simulate inundation which occurs when the rainy season commences and swollen rivers and streams overflow into the forest or grassland.

Sure, you can replicate the "wet season" only- absolutely. I've seen tons of tanks created by hobbyists to do this. However, if you want to replicate the seasonal cycle- the real magic of this approach- you'll find as I did that it's more fun to do the "dry season!"

Think of it in the context of what the aquatic environment is- a forest floor or grassland which has been flooded. If you develop the "hardscape" (gulp) for your tank with that it mind, it starts making more sense. What do you find on a forest floor or grassland habitat? Soil, leaf litter, twigs, seed pods, branches, grasses, and plants.

 Just add water, right?

Well, sort of.

Now, recently, one of my friends who was presenting his experiences with this approach was just getting pounded on a forum by some, well- let's nicely call them "skeptics"- you know, the typical internet-brave "armchair expert" types- about why you'd do this and how it can't lead to a stable aquarium and how it's "not a blackwater aquarium" (okay, it wasn't presented as such, but it could be...) and that it's just a "dry start" (Well, sort of, but you have to understand the concept behind it, dude), and that you don't need to do it this way and...well- that kind of stuff.

I mean, the full compliment of negative, ignorant, questions by people clearly frightened about someone trying to do something a little differently. In a typical display of online-warrior hypocrisy, one particularly nasty hack did not even bother to research the idea or think about what it was really trying to do before laying into my friend.

Apparently, for these people, there was a lot to unpack.

I mean, first of all, the idea was not intended to be a "dry start" planted tank. It just wasn't. I mean, it starts out "dry", but that's where the similarity ends. This ignorant comment is a classic example of the way some hobbyists make assumptions based on a superficial understanding of something.

We aren't trying to grow aquatic plants here. It's about creating a habitat of terrestrial plants snd grasses, allowing them to establish, snd then inundating the display. Most of the terrestrial grasses will simply not survive extended periods of time submerged. Now, you COULD add adaptable aquatic plants- there are no "rules"- but the intention was to replicate a seasonal dynamic. 

The other point, which is utterly lost on some people, is that establishing a "transitional" environment in an aquarium takes time and patience. One dummy literally called the process "complete nonsense" and a "waste of time." This is exactly the kind of self-righteous, ignorant hobbyist who will never get it. In fact, I'm surprised guys like that actually have any success at anything in the hobby.

Such a dismissive and judgmental attitude. 

To replicate this process is really not difficult. The challenging part is to separate what we are trying to do here from our preconceptions about how an aquarium should work. To understand that the resulting aquatic display won't initially look or function like anything that we're already familiar with.

While it superficially resembles the "dry start" method that many aquatic plant enthusiasts play with, it's important to remember that our goal isn't to start plants for a traditional aquarium. It's to establish terrestrial growth and to facilitate a microbiome of organisms which help create this habitat. It's to replicate, on some levels, the year-round dynamic of the Amazonian forests. We favor terrestrial plants- and grasses-grown from seed, to start the "cycle."

So, those of you who are ready to downplay the significance of experimenting with this stuff because "people have done 'dry start' planted tanks for years", take comfort in the fact that I recognize that, and acknowledge that we're taking a slightly different approach here, okay?

 

You'll need to create a technical means or set of procedures to gradually flood your "rainforest floor" in your tank, which could be accomplished manually, by simply pouring water into the vivarium over a series of days; or automatically, with solenoids controlling valves from a reservoir beneath the setup, or perhaps employing the "rain heads" that frog and herp people use in their systems. This is all very achievable, even for hobbyists like me with limited "DIY" skills.

You just have to innovate, and be willing to do a little busy work. You can keep it incredibly simple, and just utilize a small tank.

You must be patient.

And of course, there are questions. Here are some of the major/common ones we receive about this concept:

Does the grass and plants that you've grown in the "dry season" survive the inundation?

A great question. Some do, some don't. (How's that for concise info!). I've played with grasses which are immersion tolerant, such as Paspalum. This stuff will "hang around" for a while while submerged for about a month and a half to two months, in my experience, before ultimately succumbing. Sometimes it comes back when the "dry season" returns. However, when it doesn't survive, it decomposes in the now aquatic substrate, and adds to the biological diversity by cultivating fungi and bacteria.

You can use many plants which are riparian in nature or capable of growing emmersed, such as my fave, Acorus, as well as all sorts of plants, even aquatics, like Hydrocotyle, Cryptocoryne, and others. These can, of course, survive the transition between aquatic and "terrestrial" environments.

How long does the "dry season" have to last?

Well, if you want to mimic one of these habitats in the most realistic manner possible, follow the exact wet and dry seasons as you'd encounter in the locale you're inspired by. Alternatively, I'd at least go 2 months "dry" to encourage a nice growth of grasses and plants prior to inundation.

And of course, you cans do this over and over again! If you're trying to keep fishes like annual killifishes, the "dry season" could be used on the incubation period of their eggs.

When you flood the tank, doesn't  it make a cloudy mess? Does the water quality decline rapidly? 

Sure, when you add water to what is essentially a terrestrial "planter box", you're going to get cloudiness, from the sediments and other materials present in the substrate. You will have clumps of grasses or other botanical materials likely floating around for a while.

Surprisingly, in my experience, the water quality stays remarkably good for aquatic life. Now, I'm not saying that it's all pristine and crystal clear; however, if you let things settle out a bit before adding fishes, the water clears up and a surprising amount of life (various microorganisms like Paramecium, bacteria, etc.) emerges.

Curiously, I personally have NOT recorded ammonia or nitrite spikes following the inundation. That being said, you can and should test your water before adding fishes. You can also dose bacterial inoculants, like our own "Culture" or others, into the water to help. The Purple Non-Sulphur bacteria in "Culture" are extremophiles, particularly well adapted to the dynamics of the wet/dry environment.

Should I use a filter in the "wet season?"

You certainly can. I've gone both ways, using a small internal filter or sponge filter  in some instances. I've also played with simply using an air stone. Most of the time, I don't use any filtration. I just conduct partial water exchanges like I would with any other tank- although I take care not to disturb the substrate too much if I can. When I scaled up my "Urban Igapo" experiments to larger tanks (greater than 10 gallons), Il incorporated a filters with no issues. 

A lot of what we do is simply letting Nature "take Her course." 

Ceding a lot of the control to Nature is hard for some to quantify as a "technique" or "method", so I get it. At various phases in the process, our "best practice" might be to simply observe...

And with plant growth slowing down, or even going completely dormant while submerged, the utilization of nutrients via their growth diminishes, and aquatic life forms (biofilms, algae, aquatic plants, and various bacteria, microorganisms, and microcrustaceans) take over. There is obviously an initial "lag time" when this transitional phase occurs- a time when there is the greatest opportunity for one life form or another (algae, bacterial biofilms, etc.) to become the dominant "player" in the microcosm.

It's exactly what happens in Nature during this period, right?

And there are parallels in the management of aquariums.

In our aquarium practice, it's the time when you think about the impact of technique-such as water exchanges, addition of aquatic plants, adding fishes, reducing light intensity and photoperiod, etc. and (again) observation to keep things in balance- at least as much as possible. You'll question yourself...and wonder if you should intervene- and how..

It's about a number of measured moves, any of which could have significant impact- even "take over" the system- if allowed to do so. This is part of the reason why we don't currently recommend playing with the Urban Igapo idea on a large-tank scale just yet. (that, and the fact that we're not going to be geared up to produce thousands of pounds of the various substrates just yet! 😆)

Until you make those mental shifts to accept all of this stuff in one of these small tanks, the idea of replicating this in 40-50, or 100 gallons is something that you may want to hold off on for just a bit.

Or not.

I mean, if you understand and accept the processes, functions, and aesthetics of this stuff, maybe you wouldwant to "go big" on your first attempt. However, I think you need to try it on a "nano scale" first, to really "acclimate" to the idea.

The idea of accepting Nature as it is makes you extremely humble, because there is a realization at some point that you're more of an "interested observer" than an "active participant." It's a dance. One which we may only have so much control- or even understanding of! That's part of the charm, IMHO.

These habitats are a remarkable "mix" of terrestrial and aquatic elements, processes, and cycles. There is a lot going on. It's not just, "Okay, the water is here- now it's a stream!"

Nope. There is a lot of stuff to consider.

In fact, one of the arguments one could make about these "Urban Igapo" systems is that you may not want to aggressively intervene during the transition, because there is so much going on! Rather, you may simply want toobserve and study the processes and results which occur during this phase. Personally, I've noticed that the "wet season" changes in my UI tanks generally happen slowly, but you will definitely notice them as they occur. 

After you've run through two or three complete "seasonal transition cycles" in your "Urban Igapo", you'll either hate the shit out of the idea- or you'll fall completely in love with it, and want to do more and more work in this alluring little sub-sector of the botanical-style aquarium world.

The opportunity to learn more about the unique nuances which occur during the transition from a terrestrial to an aquatic habitat is irresistible to me. Of course, I'm willing to accept all of the stuff with a very open mind. Typically, it results in a fascinating, utterly beautiful, and surprisingly realistic representation of what happens in Nature.

It's also entirely possible to have your "Urban Igapo" turn into an "Urban Algae Farm" if things get out of balance. Yet, it can "recover" from this. Again, even the fact that a system is "out of balance" doesn't mean that it's a failure. After all, the algae is thriving, right? That's a success. Life forms have adapted. A cause to celebrate.

It happens in Nature, too!

So, that's a brief rundown on the dynamics and challenges of the "Urban Igapo" concept. It will be exciting to see how each of us evolves the idea further!

Stay creative. Stay thoughtful. Stay bold. Stay curious...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics