The Tint

"That which doesn't kill us..."

Okay, an ominous title, I suppose, but oddly fitting for today's blog, I think.

It's no secret that Tannin Aquatics offers all sorts of botanical items to add to your aquariums to help create more natural-looking blackwater aquariums. NEWS FLASH: We don't have the world market cornered on stuff you can add to tanks. And we didn't invent the concept. (Just in case you were wondering...). 

Now, we have done a lot of "vetting" over the years (like, with hundreds of botanical items) to determine for ourselves what materials work in aquariums populated by fishes (hint- there are a LOT of items you can use). Oh sure, we've tried a few things over the years that killed fish...Experimenting with anything you put in your aquarium water can have all sorts of results...and some can be tragic. Some were from suppliers we had doubts about- others were stuff we collected ourselves from nature. Most of our tragedies from additions of personally collected botanicals were caused by these main things:

1) We added a ton of stuff at once to an aquarium that wasn't equipped to handle a large quantity of biological material. (either not biologically "mature", under-filtered, or in quantities which overwhelmed the biological filtration capacity.

2) We added items that apparently had some sap or other materials which seemed to have toxic affects on aquatic animals.

3) We added material that may have been collected in an area that had pesiticides or other manmade pollutants.

4) We threw something in our test tanks from sources which intended them for use for other purposes, and they had materials like varnish, colorants, or other nasty stuff on them. (i.e.; the "why-you-can't-just-try-anything-that-looks-cool" syndrome)

There are a lot of items you can experiment with; gather for your self, and experiment with in your aquariums. You just need to accept that some items won't work. 

Some don't work for less fatal, more practical reasons:

-They simply fall apart in water and make a mess.

-They won't saturate and sink.

-They last a few days before breaking down completely.

-They give off "stuff" which makes the water cloudy or smelly.

-They go from "zero to stinky" and simply rot in days.

Now, in all fairness, even the stuff you get from us can have adverse affects on aquatic organisms. If you misjudge, misapply, overdo, etc., you can have bad outcomes, as we've discussed many, many time over the last couple of years, both here and in our "preparation" section.

Regardless of what you use and where you obtain it from, the fact is, when you add botanical material that was/is(?) alive into a closed aquatic environment, it will have some sort of impact. In our case, we are looking for a few possible positives from the stuff we add:

-It looks cool; representative of materials found in natural waters.

-It can be prepared to soften/sink/"clean up" a bit.

-It will impart some tannins to the water, creating a visible "tint."

-It can be utilized by fishes or other aquatic organisms for shelter, grazing surfaces, or substrate (i.e.; some degree of utility)

-Did I mention, it should look sort of like stuff found in natural waters?  Oh, I did.

So look, it's not rocket science, but it does require time, effort, and common sense...not to mention, patience. Every item that we offer is something we've used in our own aquatic displays. We know the guys who are collecting them for us, and we understand that they're not known to be toxic, coming from polluted areas, or otherwise unsuitable for what we do.

And we constantly experiment with new stuff. That's all a part of being fish geeks/aquatic entrepreneurs. As one of my friends concluded recently, "You don't just sell botanicals- you sell time! You save people time by doing all of the vetting of sources and testing for them." Exactly.

If you want to collect some of your own materials and experiment- you should. Absolutely! But we do recommend using the "framework" of "practices" (i.e.; preparation, proceeding slowly, etc.) that we as a community have developed. Who knows? Perhaps one day you might become a "trusted supplier" for Tannin Aquatics!

Oh, and one more thing...

When we advise you to prepare stuff before using it in your tanks, it's not just to "cover our asses" (although that IS a good idea, lol) - It's because we've worked with the items we offer for a long time, and we have learned over the years that your far, far better off at being conservative, taking the time to prepare them (boiling or steeping or both) to not only remove "dirt" and maybe "crack off" some organics and an initial layer of cutting or lignin or whatever contained in the botanicals- but also to sort of create a "forced slow down" and make us all remember that you need to go slowly when adding these items to your aquarium. You'll need to judge their affect on the water chemistry and on your fishes. No need to rush. 

Patience is super important here.

The other thing to remember, as we've talked about numerous times, is that organic materials added to an aquarium constitute "bioload", and will have some impact on your aquarium. Add too much too fast, and you could have a big CO2 issue as your beneficial bacteria struggle to keep up with all of the stuff. Add too much pH-affecting material (like catappa leaves) at one time, and you could drop the pH rather rapidly, which many fishes don't like (For example, Apistos).

And there are biofilms. Yes, we all know about these, and it's part of the game of playing with botanical materials in our tanks. We've talked about this ad nauseam...Botanical materials with texture surfaces always attract bacterials films. They are typically harmless, and actually are utilized by food by number of fishes and shrimp.

But to the neophyte "tinter", they look like...shit.

Yup. 

There is no other nicer way to say it. We talk much about a "mental shift" that you have to make when you start a botanical-style, blackwater aquarium, and this is part of it. It should be no secret after two years of us talking about this stuff here that biofilms may form, the water will darken, and materials will decompose...exactly like in nature. 

It's a natural process- one which has been going on in nature for eons, and is something we in our community have all have learned to not only accept- but find beautiful. Sure, some aquarists have a different definition of "beautiful", and you'll have to reconcile your newfound botanical interest with the type of aesthetic you like. You may want to remove stuff as it breaks down, scrub the larger pieces to remove biofilms, or run heavy doses of activated carbon to remove the "tint." It's all about what you like. However, it's also all about understanding what goes on when we add this stuff to our tanks.

And that's not any different from adding a plant, rock, piece of wood, fish, etc. to an aquarium. Everything has an impact. How we view the impact will affect how we feel about our aquariums. Simple as that. An obvious concept.

However, every once in a while it's nice to cart out this discussion to remind our ever-growing global community what the botanical-style blackwater aquarium is all about. 

And guess what? You still might make mistakes, have some scary outcomes. Overdo something. You might lose a fish or two. It's simply reality. There are many, many variables in an aquarium that make trying new things potentially challenging. To "sugar coat" it and tell you that all you need to do is add "two of these and three of those" and you'll have an "instant Amazonian display" is not only unrealistic, it's completely irresponsible on our part. To say that you won't have to monitor, manage, and adjust as you go is foolish. And to assume that you won't have a setback or two along the way as you learn is kind of foolish.

And as they say, "...That which doesn't kill us truly makes us stronger..." Not always fun- but true many times, nonetheless. 

You need to use common sense, apply some creativity, and embrace a sense of adventure. Your traveling along a path that, only a few years ago was considered incredibly "out there" and generally only taken by the most experimental of hobbyists. Now, thanks in a large part to you and your bold experimentation, efforts, and most important- sharing of experiences and ideas- we've develop what can truly be described as a "movement" of sorts within the hobby, with some fairly clearly-understood techniques, guidelines, and even "best practices" of sorts. 

And it's still fun and exciting. And it always feels new! There is more to learn and share, each and every day. We're glad to have you on the journey!

So, if you see that interesting seed pod on your next hike, and think about how cool it might look in your tank....

Well, you know the drill here.

Stay bol;d. Stay creative. Stay careful. Stay patient.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

When to say "When." (Thoughts on leaf and botanical replacement)

One of the most common questions we get here at Tannin is "How often do you change out leaves and other botanicals in your aquarium?"

That's actually a tough one to answer, because there is no set timeline or "rule of thumb" to follow for botanical replacement. Leaves tend to decompose much, much more quickly than all but the most delicate botanicals, so if you're up to replacing stuff, it's going to be the leaves typically.

As we've discussed many times here, leaves decompose at different rates, based on numerous factors. There really is no harm in leaving them in the tank to disintegrate completely, in our experience. Indeed, the argument could easily be made that, other than maybe a bit aesthetically displeasing to some, there is no negative to leaving them in. 

In our experience, the longest-lasting leaves tend to be Magnolia, followed by Jackfruit, Mangrove (in the brackish aquarium), Guava, Loquat, and Catappa. Keep in mind that the longer-lasting leaves also tend to "recruit" more biofilms over time than the more "ephemeral" catappa leaves.

Regardless of what leaves you favor, they'll eventually start to break down after being submerged for some period of time. That being said, I tend to siphon out the debris when they start "getting in the way" of stuff- you know, blowing into plants or wood or what not, providing more of a distraction than anything else. With the deepl leaf litter beds that some of you are experimenting with, this is again something you'll just have to make the call on for yourself...

I am alos a fan of regularly replacing, or at least adding- new leaves on a continuing basis, as it provides a constant aesthetic "boost", and from a functional standpoint, and sort of mimics what happens in nature, where new leaves are deposited into the water and others are dispersed by currents. Yeah, I can make that case, but the main reason I replace them is because it looks cool and provides a constant "aesthetic refresh!"

As far as pods and other botanicals  are concerned, the same philosophy applies. You can leave them in until they disintegrate to little bits, which could literally take years in some instances. Most will break down significantly after a few months. Again, it's more of an aesthetic thing than anything else, IMHO. When they don't look the way you want them to, or don't provide the effect or functionality you want- remove them, or add new ones, at the very least.

The main takeaway here from this brief look at "replacement" is to remember that the most important thing in the maintenance of a closed system aquarium is to minimize environmental fluctuations as much as possible.

By employing regular evaluations and routine "nutrient export" sessions (ie' water changes), you'll create a very stable, surprisingly easy to manage, and undeniably attractive system for your blackwater-loving fishes, blurring the lines between nature and the aquarium.

And, as we have more and more hobbyists playing with these types of systems, more and more refined techniques and ideas will emerge...and we hope that everyone shares their tricks, tips, and discoveries with the ever-growing global community of "tint fans!"

Stay observant. Stay alert. Stay creative.

And stay wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Staying wet...and healthy.

I woke up in a philosophical mode today, which, as you know, is often dangerous, as it means I'll either write about something insanely esoteric ("How the health of your Cryptocoryne collection  can impact your wife's clothes-buying decisions") or rather direct ("How to prepare leaves for aquarium use."), or downright incendiary  ("Why every other botanical vendor besides Tannin Aquatics is stupid and unprofessional...")... I mean, no one else in the aquarium world writes about some of the  nonsense I do, huh?

Weird.

Fortunately, I did get a decent night's sleep, and I'm sitting on my Yoga mat, laptop in place, ready to proffer my two cents worth on your life as a fish geek...

Cue relaxing New Age sitar music...

This morning, young Grasshopper, we're going to talk about how your aquarium experience can teach you about life...



Ok, that sounds kind of insane, actually.

Yet when you think about it, an  aquarium CAN teach you a lot about life. Those little pearls of wisdom that we acquire as we play with our tanks can have real and profound impact on the rest of our life. Really.

Let's look at these "lessons" a bit closer, and if you don't agree- then you can tell me that I'm crazy! (Wouldn't be the first time I've heard that!)

Lesson One - Stay Focused - When building and managing your aquarium, you'll come to the realization that it's hard to balance what you need to be doing with what you have the time, energy, and resources to actually do. Sure, you should be changing water every week, but you have that little distraction called life that may get in the way. And that's okay. Your family and relationships are more important than your aquariums. Yup. I just said it. Don't lose focus on what's really important. You'd be shocked to know how many people in this hobby don't grasp that.

Oh, and focus on quality, not quantity in your aquarium management. Better to do a few things great than many things poorly. Seriously. Prioritize what needs attention more at certain times. Filtration? Algae scraping. plant trimming? Things will ebb and flow and you can tackle every single one of your aquarium dreams and ambitions. You just don't need to do them all at the same time!




Lesson Two- Practice Patience- I know that in my personal life, I'd hardly be given the moniker of "patient", but in my aquarium keeping- and my aquatic business, it's my mantra! It can take me months to go from having a tank in my home to having a tank in my home with equipment, and months more to having a tank in my home with equipment and water. Sure, like everyone else, I want a lush, healthy aquarium as quickly as possible. However, I found out the hard way through many years of aquarium keeping that the old cliche about not rushing things holds true. An aquarium is a biological system, and it follows eons-old natural patterns of function and process. A botanical-style blackwater aquarium is even more aligned with these natural functions.

You can't rush it. Oh, sure, you can "seed" your aquarium with biological material to speed up the cycling process, add "blackwater extract", and you can grow your fry a bit faster with frequent water changes, feeding, and vitamin supplementation...But stuff can only go so fast. Why not follow those good practices, but expect- and enjoy- a slower, more measured pace of growth in your aquarium? Patience is about understanding what steps it's going to take to get you where you want to be, and measuring and evaluating your progress along the way. "Editing" is a beautiful thing (although, by the way I write, you'd never know that, huh?). Eventually, you'll get there. And you'll probably find the journey every bit as enjoyable as the destination. Trust me. This "evolution" we talk about in botanical-style/blackwater aquariums is very perceptible and very enthralling for those who observe...

Lesson Three- Be an "Authentic" Aquarist - Huh? What I'm getting at here is that you should love being who you are as an aquarist! Sounds like "psychobabble", but it's true! Your greatest reefkeeping successes will come when you practice being the type of hobbyist you are. Just because everyone is infatuated with African Cichlids and you love Swordtails does not mean that you're not a "cool" aquarist. There are so many angles to this hobby it isn't even funny. Love what you specialize in, and share what you know with fellow aquarists. You might just start a "movement" if you're not careful...

 

If you have no interest- or worse yet- no clue- about aquatic plant nutrition, for example- then don't get on the message boards and start preaching the gospel of fertilization to fellow aquarists. What I call "regurgitation"- the act of ranting authoritatively about stuff you may have heard of but have not personally practiced- is really unhelpful to the rest of the aquarium world. It stops people in their tracks from trying new stuff or acting upon ideas outside of the accepted "norms" of our "culture." We have seen this all the time...It's how the mindset of "blackwater aquariums are dirty and chemically unstable" got started, for goodness sake! I had people telling me that this was "how it was" even after Tannin started, and dozens of aquarists all over the world were sharing their successful blackwater tanks all over social media. What a waste of energy! Entrenched "closed-mindedness" takes a long time to dispose of...

And above all- proud of your aquarium, your experience, and the type of aquarist you are. Share selflessly, and play to your strengths. Push yourself, evolve, adapt, flow. But above all, be yourself.

Lesson Four- Count on Your Friends - It's crucial to have other aquarists to turn to when things get tough. Sure, you can be a free thinking hobbyist, but don't go it alone. You're not an island.(A leaf litter bed, maybe. But not an island. Err..nevermind.) Reach out on the forums and consult other hobbyists. Share your experiences and ideas- wins and losses. Not only will you learn more and have a good time with your hobby- you might just end up making lifelong friends!  And you might just end up helping another hobbyist who's working on something similar and perhaps experiencing the same issues you are...Build relationships, and seek out friends, experts and even "cheerleaders" when you need them. It's a smarter, more effective way to succeed in the hobby. And, I must admit, it's kind of fun.


Join the local aquarium club, or start one if there isn't one in your area. Hang out at your local fish store. It's the literal "watering hole" for your local hobby experience. Not only will you be supporting a good cause (your local brick and mortar store), you'll be making valuable aquarium-keeping connections that will provide you with great pleasure and camaraderie. Of course, you can join one of the many friendly fishkeeping communities on line, and connect with fellow aquarium geeks all over the planet. Cultivating friendships is a great little investment in your reef-and your life- that will pay huge dividends down the line.


Everyone needs a "cheerleader" (or a dozen of 'em) from time to time!


Lesson Five- Learn to Stop - Apparently, Im not alone: Many aquarists just never learned how to say "no" gracefully! This is evidenced by the many homes with aquariums in every nook and cranny in the house, or by the many 40-gallon aquariums stuffed every conceivable type of fish and plant known to the hobby! "Just one more.." This is a real problem, as it can lead to an overcrowded, biologically mismatched population at best, and total disaster at the worst! For that matter, more than one domestic relationship has been impacted by what my reef-keeping friend Tony Vargas aptly calls "The Spouse Factor." You know-your 150-tank fish room is consuming almost all of your free time- and a lot of your finances...The solution is to excercise restraint. Just say "NO" sometimes!

It works with developing an aquarium in your home, and it works with stocking the aquarium, too...You can always get another aquarium at some point (the whole "Multiple Tank Syndrome" experience) if you want to try keeping widely divergent animals together without bloodshed. You need to get the blessings of your spouse and your finances, of course! And the final thought on fish-hoarding"- You just don't want to go down this path, adding every conceivable fish to your aquariums. If you're so busy saying "yes" to all of the "wrong" fishes, when are you going to have the space for the right ones when they come along?





Lesson Six- Face Your Fears - Good heavens, get out of your comfort zone once in a while! I'm not saying to try to set up a 400-gallon biotope aquarium for "Soda Cichlids" just to prove that you're a badass..What I am saying is that you should try something different from the tried-and true sometimes. Keep that slightly-less-than-super-hardy Pleco or Apisto if you have the hunch that you can do it. Great things can happen when you push through the fear. Put your experience, intuition, and observational powers to the test. You might be the first person to breed that weird little Loach or Goby that you have a secret fetish about. You may be the one person that figured out how to keep that uber-delicate Killie alive and thriving. You don't know until you try, right?

I'm not advising you to gamble with the life of a helpless animal in order to vanquish your fears. What I am suggesting is that you should play the occasional hunch and push yourself a bit. If it weren't for the brave folks who try these things, we would probably just now be realizing a viable market for commercially-propagated fishes- and corals, for that matter. If someone like ROasrio La Corte didn't take a chance trying to breed dozens of varieties of fish back in the day, we might be stuck with guppies and Zebra Danios as our only captive-bred fish options. When you feel you are capable - take a chance. The benefits to you- and to the hobby- might be incalculable.


Breeding fishes always involves leaving your comfort zone...

Lesson Seven- Lighten Up! - You heard me! Have some fun! This hobby is not supposed to be a peer-pressure-ridden pressure cooker with impossible-to-meet challenges and goals. You aren't required to have a perfect "Nature Aquairum" that some self appointed aquascaping demigods must approve of. You don't need to be doing all of the same things that the guy in Holland with a 29,000 liter river aquarium is doing. You don't, and you probably can't - so why sweat it? "Jumping on the bandwagon" just because "all of the cool kids are doing it" isn't really that cool, anyways. Trust me. Enjoy your aquarium, no matter what size, what type of animals you keep, and how it looks. Laugh at the fact that you get all worked up about little snails on your sand, or that you use your spouse's expensive cookware to prep botanicals when/heshe isn't around...or that you keep stinky frozen foods in your freezer, right next to the Haagen-Dazs. Take pride in the fact that you are one of a select group of people that keep some of nature's most amazing creatures alive outside of their natural habitat. Not only alive- but thriving!

Oh- and once again- you boil botanicals in your spouses' cookware...

Craziness.

When you screw up- and you will - accept the consequences with grace and humor. Laugh about it. Share the mistakes and foibles with fellow fish geeks. You're probably not the only one who nuked his or her aquarium with phosphate remover, or placed an expensive Asian moss two inches from your large and aggressive stand of H.C., or who used the wrong-sized tubing and flooded his/her carpet.. so smile...That which doesn't kill our enthusiasm for the hobby makes us a better aquarist. Perhaps less financially solvent- but better for the journey!

My hope here is that you realize that an aquarium is not just a pleasant diversion; a fun hobby- it can be a lifelong passion, a teaching tool for the entire family. And perhaps, most underrated of all - an aquarium can serve as a beautiful classroom for some of the larger "mysteries of life." It sounds almost bizzare, but I believe it to be true when I say that "everything I needed to know about life, I learned from my aquarium." Ok, almost everything. I still haven't figured out exactly how to take good pics. And how to do those Sodoku puzzles, or how to flip pizza dough, or...

So, until next time. Stay focused. Stay bold. Stay original. Stay involved.

Lighten up...

And Stay Wet.


Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

"Impulsiveness": Blessing or curse?

Are you an "impulsive aquarist?"

I ask that not to get some secret marketing data I can use to exploit your psychological weaknesses for my own nefarious purposes (hmm..but that does sound like an interesting idea..). Rather, I'm curious because I think that most aquarists are not.

Usually. Okay, maybe sometimes...

As fish geeks, we're taught that "nothing good ever happens quickly in an aquarium", and I'd tend to agree with that. However, as consumers, I think we aquarists sometimes make things happen quickly with last-minute purchasing decisions! 


("I can make room for him if I move the Boesmanii Rainbows two tanks over, and the Altum Angels to the tank above the Kribs on the left side of my fish room. Yup. No problem")

For that matter, "impulsiveness" is what some venerable hobby institutions, such as the "club auction"- are all about! You've seen this before. The Breeder's Award Program-winning aquarist who has bred seemingly every fish imaginable, isn't easily impressed, doesn't want to get any more fishes...is just there to "support the club"- yet always drives home with at least two bags of fish, often shockingly "pedestrian" stuff like "Pineapple Swords" or  long-finned White Clouds...You understand their mindset- no doubt, you've also told yourself at one of these affairs, "Nope. I'm not getting ANYTHING! No more room..." And yet, that group of Checkerboard Cichlid fry is just too good a deal to pass up, right?

So you place the winning bid. I mean, you may not find another deal like this again (well, at least until next month's meeting...)

You'll make space...somewhere. 

Here at Tannin Aquatics, I deal with lots of hobbyists every day, and I am occasionally surprised at the additional purchases that people make to "fill out" their orders- you know, to hit free shipping, get an extra pack of botanicals to share with a friend, or just to "scratch that itch" to try a new botanical. Some of these "add-ons" have nothing to do with the stuff they started the order with, and it makes me smile a bit, because I understand...And, it happens just often enough to make me think that most of us fish geeks are not necessarily "impulsive", in the traditional sense; rather, we are strategic. In other words, the purchase may not be something we would start our order with, but it justifies purchasing at the end in order to hit that free shipping number, etc.

I kind of think many hobbyists really wanted that extra botanical in the first place. A lot of times, they'll mention, in passing, at the end of a Facebook PM, email exchange, or other conversation, "So, are those Rio Passaro Pods really long-lasting when they're submerged?" I get a sneaking feeling that they intended buy the botanical anyways, and maybe just needed some assurance that it's a cool one, or would look good with the other stuff they have, or something like that. The" impulse buy" by is almost always something seemingly unrelated to their primary order (for example, the customer will purchase Magnolia Leaves, Guava Leaves, Nano Catappa Leaves and then some Babylonia shells added at the last second)!

So very like us fish geeks, isn't it?

Yep!

And then, of course, there are those of us who are simply the polar opposite of this:

I recall driving my LFS employees crazy when I was younger, because I'd spend literally hours in the store, scrutinizing every aspect of a fish before I'd "pull the trigger" and purchase- or not (that must be why I drove 'em crazy!). I would look at every fin ray, every gill movement; I'd note every twitch and scratch, and correlate it with known disease symptoms versus regular behaviors for the said species...I would sometimes bring my reference material (like Axelreod's books and maybe the early Albert Thiel stuff after the dawn of the "reef age", notes from Bob Fenner's and Sprung and Delbeek's books in my hand later on), and would just geek out. Of course, I would "second-guess" everything the LFS employees said because "the books" said otherwise, even though these employees worked with these animals every single day of their lives. That endeared me to them for sure, I'll bet. And it was my first brush with aquarium-keeping "dogma",  I suppose.

My how things change! (Well, the "dogma" part, anyways...) I still spend hours making fish decisions; it's just that now I have the option to stare at The Wet Spot's or Live Aquaria's websites for hours while on the couch, instead of blocking the aisles at the LFS! (although I still do that, too... Like, watch me select 15 Neon Tetras some time... The LFS employees usually just give up and hand me the net and tell me "Just bring 'em to the bagging station when you're done.")

I knew at an early age that I'd never be an "impulsive aquarist".

I think it might have come about because, when you're a kid, you have a 10-gallon tank and $5.67 that you've painstakingly saved for months to spend. You need to be absolutely sure of your purchases. I was very thorough! Even as an adult, with a 225 gallon reef  tank, and much more to spend, I still found myself doing the same thing (okay, maybe with my iPhone in tow, instead of some well-worn reference book). You should see me when I go to the wholesalers here in L.A. It could take me half a day to pick like 5 fish. My friends hate going with me, lol. 


Our "aquatic personality" is forged at an early age, I think.


Equipment choices are even more subject to analysis and absurd scrutiny, because hey- I mean, how often do you purchase a system pump, protein skimmer or a high-end LED lighting system?  (OK, wait- don't answer that). But seriously, when you're sending big money on a critical piece of life-support equipment, like a heater or a filter- you want to get it right! One of the things I love most about my serious fish geek friends is that they will analyze the heck out of almost anything, from an algae magnet to a new aquarium controller. Useful stuff for many of us- essential for anal-retentive fish geeks like myself. And a time saver, because once these guys have "vetted" a product, I can safely list it as a "buy" in my head!




Of course, impulsiveness can permeate every aspect of being a fish geek, including setup and configuration of your tank. I may not be overly impulsive in terms of additions and purchases, but I CAN be spur of the moment on tank decisions. What exactly do I mean by "tank decisions?" For example, I'll be scraping algae or some other mundane maintenance chore in one of my tanks one morning, and suddenly, I'll notice a piece of wood that seems "not right" or otherwise "askew"somehow...And you know where it goes from there: "Hmm, what if I move this guy over here...just a bit?" Of course, this almost always leads to a spontaneous "refreshing" of the aquascape, often taking hours to complete. And oddly enough, after several hours and dozens of re-configurations, I'll arrive at a 'scape which looks- pretty much the same as it was before I started... And yet, somehow, I find this relaxing. Weird. So it's entirely possible to be analytical and calculating on some aspects of aquarium  keeping, and annoyingly spontaneous on others. I believe that this applies to many of us.



"If I just reposition that one piece of wood and that palm frond...should just take a sec..."

And of course, there are some hobbyists- often reefers-who are entirely impulsive, which is why you see entire 200-gallon tanks full of every type of coral frag imaginable, with plugs sticking out from every conceivable angle. Of course, I cannot, in all honesty, say anything negative about them, because the reality is that some of these "impulsive" reefer-types made myself and other coral vendors a lot of money over the years, lol!

What's wrong with a few more coral frags?

So, I suppose there are positives and negatives to every aquarium-related behavior, right? 

Not that this is some hard-hitting, super-important topic, but hey- it's Thursday- almost the weekend-and those of you who follow my rants all the time know that I love to postulate on- well, everything aquarium-hobby-culture related, and this is a perfect day for just such pondering... 

So it begs the question: Are YOU an "impulsive" aquarist? DO you find this a blessing or a "curse?"

I'm curious.

As always, share your thoughts...speak your mind...

Stay geeky. Stay bold. Stay...impulsive- or NOT...

...and Stay Wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Giving you "The Business" on "The business."

As if I am some sort of mystic sage, and as if Tannin Aquatics is the "bee's knees", as they say- fellow hobbyists seem to love to approach me about my thoughts of them starting an online aquatic-based business of late..I get questions on this almost daily! Really. Crazy, right? Like I'm some great repository of knowledge? And, didn't I put up a blog post not all that long ago warning you about "experts?"

Well, I've received enough requests lately asking me to write a piece on this topic that I figured I'd give it a go...

I'll be clear about one thing: My company, as good as WE feel it is, hasn't even come close to all of our intended goals yet. Mistakes happen, perfection is elusive. It's nowhere near the colossal success we intend it to ultimately be. We're still on the steep upward climb, IMHO. Happily, thanks in a large part to you guys and girls, we've gained a significant foothold in the market, seem to have occupied a nice little niche, and are blessed with loyal following of fans and customers, and we've moved towards our goals with great rapidity. Things are awesome. It's been pretty satisfying, but there is so much more to do. We'd like to think that our initial success is the result of doing stuff right. The result of honesty, integrity, some failure, and plain old hard work.

And I think it's pretty cool, because we're only 2 years old in August, and, according to some pundits, are in that rare air of "successful" online aquatic vendors. Okay, whatever...We don't let this go to our heads. We can't. Besides, some people despise us, and me in particular because I won't shut up about...well, everything. Oh well. However, when I'm asked about how we got "here" (Wherever "here" is), I don't mind sharing my ideas. It helps ground me, and if it helps someone with ambition and the right attitude, cool. Mind you, there are many owners of businesses in the aquatics sector with long-duration track records, who are probably way more qualified than I to speak of how to create a successful aquarium-related business. Nonetheless, they don't seem to feel compelled to share their thoughts right now, and I don't speak for them. I can't.



We are...here.

I guess people approach me about their business ideas 'cause they know that I'll give you total honesty on this stuff. I'm not a grizzled old industry veteran, but I am a lifelong hobbyist, hold a marketing degree, and come with at least a fair share of industry experience. At the very least, I'll give you my two cents worth about the gig. It will be based on my experiences and ideas. I warn you in advance that I may refer to things we've done here at Tannin- NOT to beat our chests or brag that we're the shining example, but to illustrate the points I'm trying to make with "real-world" examples from my experiences. I can only speak of my own experience. As you expect, it will be filled with MY feelings on the subject...Some of it will confuse you. Some of it will be in line with your expectations. Some will probably tick you off.

Hey, you asked, right?

Here's the deal: Lots of fish geeks entertain the idea of starting an online  business with dreams of making "a few bucks" to help offset hobby cost, and with hope against hope that they can parlay it into a full-time career. And you know what I say to that? YES! Go for it! You CAN do it!

However, you need to be realistic about some stuff.

First off, I can hear every aquarium-related vendor who's reading this groaning, "Seriously, Fellman? You're encouraging ANOTHER person to jump into this game?" To which I reply, "Sure. Why not?"

There has never been a better time to get into business...if you're ready, committed to the process, and give it your all.

If you're good, and execute well, this industry, the hobby, the trade- can benefit. It forces us all to be better; to not be complacent. On the other hand, if you suck, well, you'll get chewed up and spit faster than a snail on a pricy Bucephalandra.

Seriously.


Obviously, you need to have some experience, financial resources, and at least a rudimentary "business plan" before you get wet. This is not rocket science- it's "Business 101." You need to be realistic.  We used to see this in the coral business all the time: Despite the seemingly easy proposition of buying a box of corals from a collector or farm in the South Pacific, slicing the corals up and growing them into little colonies in your basement for a sweet profit, it's not that easy. There's all sorts of stuff that comes into play before you can park your car on "Easy Street."




Oh, and as for the people who say "You can't make a lot of money doing this..." I say, N0, YOU can't make a lot of money at this with your bad attitude. Rule one- Don't ever, ever, ever believe ANYBODY when they tall you that, or anything else about what you CAN'T do. Because, if you do it right- if you figure out the way to make it happen- you CAN and WILL be able to make as much money as your talents, ambitions, and resources can allow you to. There is always, always, always a way to do something better, differently, or more profitably than has been done in the past.

Now, for purposes of this piece, I'm not gonna go into every detail of how to open and run an aquarium-related business at a profit, what the best market segments are, etc. You need to figure some of this stuff out for your self.  One thing you MUST have is passion. Whatever you choose to do in this industry, you MUST have a level of passion or you're just "going through the motions", IMHO. That being said, what I WILL touch on is the other side of the equation: The mindset, philosophy, marketing concepts, and psychology that you would want for this business. It's not much different from other businesses..well, yeah it is, actually...but...

MINDSET¦ The "big idea", revisited:

1) Try to be different. Do SOMETHING differently, or better, than every other guy in the market...You can- and it's not just coming up with a better name, logo, cooler website, or catchy slogan...Create value, market separation, or, some uniqueness for your customers that sets you apart from the rest of the many aquarium-related businesses out there. What makes your aquatics company better than mine? Why should hobbyists do business with YOU?

2 ) Believe in what you do. Believe in your mission, your purpose for existence, and the fact that you CAN and WILL achieve your goals. If that means taking out a few competitors along the climb up- so be it. Sorry. No "Kumbaya" here. Success comes at a cost. People are different when it comes to business...Even little old me.  Like, I love you and want you to succeed, but if you come into my market sector and try to beat me, I'll want to rip your head off and destroy you!. It's that real, lol. You have to have that attitude. This is business-not a fish auction, frag swap, or an excuse to have lots of cool tanks. And don't get all caught up in trying to "beat" everyone else...Sure, you can have respect and be buddies with other vendors, but at the end of the day, you need to be more concerned about YOUR mission, your business, what you're offering- than you do about theirs. Share some ideas, experiences, etc., but why "give away the farm", literally? Some stuff is proprietary, and needs to stay that way..a bit different than the hobby approach, I know, but essential for survival in business.


3) Don't waste time worrying about failing. Success favors the brave. Worry will simply do you in, help you buy into the naysayers, fall into the comfortable lap of mediocrity. Instead, worry about how you're going to bring your best to the table, every day. Don't accept "average", 'cause your not. Create, innovate, move; put distance between yourself and the masses -quickly. If you're going to worry about something, worry about not being like everyone else. In fact, here's great advice on the subject: If you see all the other vendors doing something a certain way- take it as a message that you should do something else. Quickly.

4 ) Let the world know who you are and what your mission is, and execute. We shot out of the box with our "Leaves, Wood, Water, Life" philosophy from day one, and it left little doubt what we're about...Everything we do is based on that.

When we started Unique Corals,  we barked a "Conscientious. Sustainable. Responsible" manifesto right from day one. It ruffled some feathers, ticked off the establishment in our industry; caught a few people off guard, because they felt that we weren't the only ones who felt that way...Well, we were the only ones who came out and said it.. We weren't being arrogant. We were simply adopting a philosophy and sharing it with the world. Because no one had ever spoken up in the coral sector about what they were all about in such a public way before, it gave us an aura of "hubris", according to some. Oh well, at least people knew what we stood for right away!  And we walked the walk and built a huge market share because we did just that. Leave people with no doubt about what you're all about, and be courageous.


Let there be no doubt what you stand for.


5) Walk the walk. As alluded to above- If you are going to publicly state that you're different because your company does _____________, then do it, man! Nothing is more ridiculous than saying things like, "We only offer fully mature, colorful completely healthy fish that are at least 1.5" in size when delivered" and then delivering tiny, stressed-out, drab, questionably-conditioned fish to your customers... "Hello, mediocrity!" Don't be mediocre. Be true to yourself and to your customers. Internal consistency is huge. Apologize when you screw up. And oh my God- OBSESS over customer service. Treat them like the VIP's that they are. It's the only way to succeed in this game. I'm shocked by how little regard some companies have for the customer...you're literally an "order number"...unbelievable...and those companies, thankfully, usually don't last to long in today's market! The good ones understand what it means to take the time to care for their customers.

6) Have vision and patience. That means not just knowing what you're gonna do..Rather, it means projecting your goals and holding yourself responsible for getting there. Accept the fact that you're going to fail once in a while..No- a LOT. You will- It's part of the game. We've screwed up so much you can't believe it. We still screw up- a lot less than we used to, but we still screw up. Everyone in this biz does. We're human. "We" (and that's everyone whose still in existence in this market) all kept at it. Too many people failed in this business at something and then simply stopped. Quit. Got out of the  game..Done! No one remembers these people, right? Don't be one of them. Brush yourself off, own your mistakes, fix the problems, and get back in the game. You're better than that.

Oh, and patience? Super important. NEWS FLASH: You won't make a killing right out of the starting blocks...or even a year later...maybe not even two or three years later. Developing a brand, a following..a market- takes time. When we first started Tannin, no one ever heard of us. I would get 12-15 people on my site every day, even less stayed to read the blogs. It took time and a lot of writing and patine to get the hundreds of people on the site daily that we now enjoy. It's a process. Understand that. There are no good shortcuts. Want a front-row seat for an example of this process? Just watch "Estuary." You won't see/hear much about it in the aquarium  "ecosystem" for quite a while as it catches on and grows; more people will come to the table slowly. They want to see others creating aquariums with this stuff first....and that takes time. Then it takes off...But you have to stay at it. Kind of like starting a fire. We did this with Tannin, and it worked great...If you don't have the discipline and patience, you will fail. Period. End of story. To many people get out too quickly and leave when it gets tough, IMHO. Don't.



What? You're gonna let a little adversity get you down? Really?

7) Be responsible. Pay your bills, and deliver on your promises. Yeah, that seems a bit obvious, but you'd be surprised just how many businesses in this trade are not responsible, financially and otherwise. It's a small world of aquarium vendors. If you fail at an obligation when doing business with one of them, word travels quickly. Money talks, responsibility, honesty, and integrity talk even louder...If you screw up, be honest, helpful, and apologetic. Humans understand other humans. Excuses suck. Arguments are lame. Just care and talk it out. Be real. Caring always works. Don't be an ass.


8) Be humble. Yes, I'm really saying this after all of this bold talk. Look, I'm a bit opinionated about some stuff, and perhaps a bit critical of my industry at times, but I do appreciate those who came before me, and those who "walk the walk" every day in this industry. That being said, I'm proud of what my company does, and I am proud that we rocked the status quo in our market sector (well, we might have actually helped create the sector, so I've been told! Cool.) when we started, and that we continue to differentiate ourselves. But you know what? I'm grateful to many people, especially those in our industry who had the courage to forge new paths to create markets that never existed before. This shit is hard! I'm grateful to the experienced people in the industry who took a few seconds and dispensed a few pearls of wisdom to me as I was getting started, seeing me as a "brother in arms", rather than an existential threat. And most important of all- I'm grateful to our customers and community, who took a chance and spent their hard-earned money- and even more important- their time and attention- with us. Without them we are just some fish geeks playing with "twigs and nuts."  We all need to be humble, grateful, gracious, and understanding.

9) Talk WITH your customers. Huh? Yeah, the social media that you hear me chat up constantly allow you to easily hit  and engage your target audience. The best marketing efforts are a conversation. Facebook, Instagram, and some of those other platforms allow you to find, target, and converse with your specific audience as never before- and inexpensively, too. It takes time and effort. And authenticity. The reality is that social media are great for having conversations, encouraging participation, etc. "One-way" dissemination of information and pics using one of these platforms (which is pretty much what many businesses sadly do with 'em) is simply a 21st century way of putting up a billboard or a TV commercial. No one really cares. You need to interact. People matter. Communities matter. And these platforms are actually useful for creating a dialogue with the people who matter in your world. Use them intelligently. Learn this. Use this. You'll understand why when you do.





10) Learn to take feedback from customers and the market in general, and evolve your company as necessary to serve your best customers. No barricades. Be cool. And don't try to be all things to all people. You can try offering every aquarium-related product at widely varying price ranges in an attempt to cover the whole market. Or, you can have just really cheap "knockoff" stuff, and deal with the type of clientele that the discount market attracts. Or, you can price stuff in the stratosphere and use clever hyperbole and persuasion to convince the well-heeled consumer that your Acropora coral (or whatever you sell) is THE absolute best one out there, totally worth $320 for a quarter inch fresh-cut nub. Or you can look at things differently and realize that what really separates you from the other guys is your ability to take care of your customers, communicate WITH them, offer unique, quality products, good value and fair prices, and realize that some people will love everything that you do, some will hate you no matter what, and some people have know idea who you are. Who would you focus on?

Okay, so that about covers the very basics of what I feel are the key points about the traits and philosophies that you should develop in order to achieve your goals in the online coral trade. None of this is rocket science. None of it has "never been discussed before." However, I would hazard a guess that no one in this market sector has given you this type of information before, for better or for worse..LOL

I believe very strongly in what I'm doing, as does everyone in this industry, IMHO. Our company works very hard, like so many other vendors here, to achieve its goals and take care of it's customers. There is no escape from that. No easy road to success in the aquatics business. Work hard and believe.

I'm not giving away any proprietary secrets...well- perhaps. And I'm not afraid tha someone is going to take the scant information in this little piece and use it to "steal" my market share. Pu-leeze. I believe that: A) this blog does not contain the key to the universe, b) that most readers will not embrace all of my ideas, c) any new company who comes in and pushes hard to do better is good for all of us already in the industry, and d) this is really hard work, and you need to be better and work harder than the other guys to get ahead.

So, to summarize: You CAN do this. The industry needs great new brands, new ideas, new philosophies, and new success stories. The industry needs YOU.

Be the success story, okay?

Until then,

Stay committed. Stay hungry. Stay diligent...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Aquatic plants in the flooded forests and plains of Amazonia...and in our aquariums!

With a lot of interest in our little botanical stretch of the aquarium hobby being paid to habitats like the Brazilian Igapo and Varzea floodplains/forests, we have a lot of hobbyists ask us which plants are most appropriate for this habitat. 

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I am not an expert on aquatic plants by any means, and any discussion on plants which I present is by nature rather superficial and limited. However, I did do a lot of research, read a number of scientific papers, and had some good discussions with those i"n the know" about which aquatic plants are commonly associated with these habitats over the years. I was able to glean some information that might be of use to you in this regard, and with all of the interest, it seems like an appropriate time to be discussing this stuff!

There are literally dozens of species of true aquatic plants that are found in these inundated grasslands and forests, and a number of representative species or genera are commonly kept in aquariums. Most of the aquatic plant life occurs in Varzea and Igapo floodplains, both of which we've talked about before. The Varzea are seasonally-flooded forest areas, which are inundated by pH-neutral "whitewater", and can reach significant depths, whereas the Igapo are generally shallow, blackwater environments with relatively low nutrient content and acidic soils. Varzea forests are extremely rich, which leads to a very rich aquatic ecosystem when inundated, and tend to have greater density of aquatic plants. Várzea forest soils have high nutrient contents because they receive high loads of sediment (from the Andean and pre-Andean regions) from the whitewater rivers nearby.

Igapó forests, on the other hand do not receive this seasonal influx of sediments , which is why they have relatively inorganic nutrient- poor soils. Igapo waters are acidic, with a pH ranging between 4 and 5, and are rich in organic materials- particularly humic and fulvic acids. It is also thought by scientists that the seasonal inundation of the Igapo soils creates anoxic conditions, limiting plant growth in general.

So, we have two contrasting aquatic environments, with widely varying conditions available for the growth of plants. Obviously, the Varzea forests are better conditions for a wider variety of plants, with their less acidic water and higher overall nutrient availability than Igapo, which tend to be representative of a more "classic" blackwater habitat, with far less plant growth and fewer species of fishes.

The other important factor affecting plant growth in these aquatic habitats is light; or specifically, light penetration. This affects diversity of both the terrestrial grasses and aquatic plants present in the waters. In the blackwater Igapo areas, light only penetrates down to depths of  1-2 meters, and many submerged grasses and terrestrial forest plants simply die back from lack of light. And the forest canopy adds to the shading in some areas, further reducing the amounts of light available to plants.

It should hardly be surprising that the diversity of plants, both terrestrial and aquatic, which survive in the inundated season is much greater in the areas of the savannas flooded by clear, nutrient-rich waters. In fact, it was determined in one study that around 900 species of grasses alone occur in the Pantanal (Varzea ) region, with almost 250 of them considered aquatic!

(The flooded Pantanal region. Image by Alicia Yo at the English Language Wikipedia)

Okay, terrestrial grasses are interesting, but they're not something that we typically will be keeping in our aquariums, right? However, the common "Barnyard Grass", Echinochloa, is ubiquitous worldwide and would make a and interesting subject to play with...you know, planting some in rich soils and filling it with water...oh, man, that's the kind of experiment I'm into! Who's on THIS idea?

(Echinochloa- Image by Michael Becker, used under CC BY-SA 3.0)

So, what types of aquatic plants would you expect to find in these habitats? Well, in the here are a few:

Nymphaea, Polygonum, Salviania, and Pistia, and the much-loved Water Hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes, and yeah, some species of "Amazon Sword Plants", just to name a few.

I've kept Polygonum species before (ironically, in more of a "blackwater" setting) and had great success with them, so a more "clearwater" botanical-style aquarium would no doubt really help them grow like mad!

Floating plants seem to be some of the dominant aquatic species found in both regions, with no shortage of well-known, readily varieties from which to choose. Now, their suitability for aquarium use (as opposed to ponds) is debatable, but there are numerous varieties of  Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia) to play with if you're so inclined!

In the Igapo areas, the predominant aquatic plants seem to be Cabomba, Nymphaea, and Utricularia, all of which are commonly kept in aquaria or ponds.

(Nymphaea, image by TC Tao, used under CC BY-SA 3.0)

 Utricularia

I have always had a soft spot for Cabomba, being one of the first aquatic plants I've ever kept. So, seeing that it's at home in a blackwater habitat is, well- comforting, lol! It's super adaptable, fast-growing, and easily obtainable...Winner!

There are some other true aquatic plants which are found in these habitats, but the options for species found in the blackwater Igapo systems are fairly limited. In the end, you may find yourself selecting plant species that are more representative of those found in these habitats, as opposed to the exact species, simply because of the need to be practical, and the desire to be creative!

That being said, the idea of incorporating aquatic plants into our botanical-style aquariums (blackwater or otherwise), is irresistible to many, and adds a new dimension to our displays, possibly attracting a wider audience of hobbyists to our little niche!

We've already seen a number of you creating impressive planted blackwater, botanical-style aquariums, and there is so much more potential for experimentation and artistic creativity...and FUN!

And with that, I exit this absolutely-by-no-means-comprehensive look at the aquatic plants of the flooded forests, leaving you with a little bit of information, and hopefully, a lot of inspiration- to try some fun stuff with your blackwater/clearwater, botanical-style aquariums!

Stay creative. Stay excited. Stay experimental. Stay motivated.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

"Sometimes, unexpected things happen in the Amazon..." Or, the fine art of not taking aquarium stuff too seriously...

Don't you think 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, not a fish geek, yet ever the pragmatist, noted, "You know, sometimes,  unexpected things happen in the Amazon."

Woah.

She was on to something there.

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. 

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?

Yeah. Exactly.

Think about it for a second. 

I think this high level of concern-this "overkill", if you will, on the part of all hobbyists is based on the fact that we take great pains to assure that we've created perfect little captive environments for our fishes, and do everything we can to keep them stable and consistent. When something out of the ordinary happens- a pump fails, a heater sticks in the "on" position, we forget to feed, etc.- we tend to get a little bit, oh...crazy, maybe?

Look, I get it: When a critical piece of environmental control equipment fails (like a heater), especially during a cold spell or heatwave, it could be life or death for your fishes. If you're about to spawn a particularly picky fish or rear some fry, it could be a serious problem. You can't really downplay those concerns. However, some of the less dramatic, non-life-threatening issues, such as a light staying on or off longer than usual one evening, a circulation pump stopping unexpectedly for a couple of hours, or forgetting to change the carbon in the filter one week, don't really create that much of a problem for your fishes when you really think about it objectively, do they?

Nah.

At some time during the exisience of our fishes in the wild, there was a temporary blockage in the Igarape in which they resided, slowing down the normal flow. At some point, there might have been a once-in-a-century cold morning in the tropics, right? At some point, the swarm of Daphnia or Cadis Fly larvae that were so abundant for months at a time, weren't...

In most instances, the animals that we keep are not so delicate, and the closed environments we provide aren't running so "close to the edge" that we should panic when some random factor changes things up one day. And consider this: When we purchase our fishes, they are unceremoniously netted out of the tank (or stream, lake, river, etc.) environment in which they reside, placed in a plastic bag, transported for who knows how long, and possibly making a few stops on the way before ultimately landing in our aquarium. 

That's a LOT of changes to cope with. Stress.

But guess what? Fishes manage to deal with it. Somehow. 

Sure, our first choice is to have rock-solid parameters and environmental conditions for our fishes 24/7/365, but sometimes stuff happens that throws a proverbial "wrench" into our plans. We have to be adaptable, flexible...just like our fishes apparently are.

So next time your light doesn't come on, or you forget to feed your fishes as you rush off to work some morning, don't stress out over it. They'll be fine. Keep calm. Always keep your concern high, but don't let obsessing over your fishes keep you from focusing on the even more important things in life (yeah, there are a few, right?).

And remember, sometimes unexpected things DO happen in the Amazon.

Don't panic. Don't freak out. Don't take this stuff too seriously...

Stay cool. Stay calm. Stay engaged.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

A fresh tide...Mental shifts and the "tinted" approach to brackish-water aquariums.

We're branching out a bit, but it's not all that unusual for us. And although the direction is a bit different, it's not completely alien. 

Although aquarists have been playing with brackish tanks for decades, in our opinion, what's been missing is a focus on the actual habitat and how it functions as a whole. I think we've been collectively focusing on the wrong part of the equation for a long time- just "salt" and basic aesthetics. I think we've limited ourselves, and have convinced ourselves that there is only so much we can do. As we've done with Tannin’s Blackwater/Botanical approach, we're going to focus a lot of energy on the functional AND (far different) aesthetic aspects of the brackish environment than has been embraced before.  

Witness the rise of the botanical-style brackish-water aquarium. A system that embraces natural processes and functionality...And just happens to have a different aesthetic, too! Less emphasis on "sterile" white sand and crystal-clear water, and more emphasis on a functional representation of a tropical, brackish water ecosystem: Muddy, nutrient- rich, filled with mangrove leaves, and stained a bit from tannins. Beautiful in a very different, yet oddly compelling way. Enter the age of the "tinted" brackish-water aquarium.

Yep, tinted. As in "brown." As in- not your father's brackish-water aquarium. It's not about limestone rocks, quartz sand, and pieces of coral skeleton. Rather, we will use combinations of fine sands, muds, and other materials to create a rich, dark, sediment-filled substrate. Possibly creating higher nutrient conditions than typically associated with brackish tanks. 

"It won't work in a brackish tank! It will create anaerobic conditions! Too much nutrient! Ionic imbalance...Tinted water means dirty!"

Man, this sounds so familiar...

It's about husbandry. Management. Observation. Diligence. Challenge. Occasional failure. Yes, you might kill some stuff, because you may not be used to managing a higher-nutrient brackish water system. You have a number of variables, ranging from the specific gravity to the bioload, to take into consideration. Your skills will be challenged, but the lessons learned in the blackwater, botanical-style aquariums that we're more familiar with will provide you a huge "experience base" that will assist you in navigating the "tinted" brackish water, botanical-style aquarium.

It's not "ground-breaking", in that it's never, ever before been done like this before. It's never been embraced like this before...met head-on from what it is- what it can be, instead of how we wanted to make it (bright white sand, crystal-clear water, and a few rocks and shells...). Rather, it's an evolution- a step forward out of the artificially-induced restraints of "this is how it's always been done"- another exploration into what the natural environment is REALLY like- and understanding, embracing and appreciating its aesthetics, functionality, and richness.  Figuring out how to bring this into our aquariums.

People will question you. Criticize. Offer gentle (or not-so-gentle) "suggestions" and criticism based on what is known and accepted. 

Yeah, we've seen this before. 

"Mental shifts" are required. But we're used to that, right?

Our target specific gravity is 1.003, which will allow you to not only maintain a variety of adaptable euryhaline fishes- it will allow you to keep a number of aquatic plants, such as Cryptocoryne ciliata, which are often found under brackish conditions in the wild (growing among mangroves, interestingly enough!), making them perfect for the rich substrates, diffuse bright light, and moderate water movement which we will embrace for this type of display! 

Now, the first thing to consider is that we're talking about creating a rich substrate, one which not only provides surface area for bacteria, but which is "functional" in the sense that it provides minerals and nutrients for plant growth, such as the aforementioned Cryptocoryne, Java Fern, and yes, mangroves. And, ultimately, if you evolve towards full-strength seawater, Seagrasses. 

The bottom is covered with a thin layer of leaf litter. Specifically, mangrove leaf litter. This will not only provide an aesthetically interesting substrate- it will offer functional benefits as well- imparting minerals, trace elements, and organic acids to the water. Mangrove leaf litter, like its freshwater counterpart, is the literal "base" for developing our brackish-water aquarium "food chain", from which microbial, fungal, and crustacean growth will benefit. And of course, these leaves will impart some tannins into the water, just as any of our other leaves will!

Since the mangrove is the "anchor" of the estuary habitat, we will focus on replicating (both aesthetically, and ultimately, functionally) on the root zone of the mangrove tree. This is a fascinating and complex habitat, which serves as a nursery, feeding ground, refuge, and primary habitat for a complex array of creatures. We've chosen to utilize mangrove root and branch wood for this particular niche, because of its unmistakable aesthetics, appropriate form, and function as a protective area for fishes. The gnarled, tangled roots of the mangrove tree are the cornerstone of a dynamic, aesthetically attractive aquarium. 

Of course, you can incorporate live mangrove plants into the equation, if you're put to the challenge of maintaining them (more on this in future installments). These are very slow-growing trees, so you can enjoy them in an aquarium for a very long time by starting with a healthy "propagule" from a mangrove from brackish water. We'll have these available on a limited basis soon. They need not be "rooted" in the substrate. Rather, they should be secured partially submerged, and they will put down roots as they grow. If incorporated into the dried mangrove roots/branches, you can create a fantastic biotope display!

Finally, we like to incorporate specific types of shells in this type of aquarium for their unique and appropriate aesthetics. Specifically, shells which are from representative mullusks that are known to inhabit the mangrove estuaries. We are big on the use of oyster shells to simulate the habitat of the "Mangrove Oyster", Crassostrea gasar, which adds a realistic touch to the mangrove roots when secured with glue. We won't initially have access to some of the crustaceans and mollusks found in this habitat, but this will change, too. We'll see more and more of them in due time.

 There is more to it than this, of course, and we'll expand on our ideas in due time. In the mean time, we invite you to research, dream, and scheme about your ultimate brackish-water aquarium!

We'll evolve from "partially-functional" simulations to a more ecologically-diverse system as we learn more and more about the variety of plants and animals that can be incorporated into such microcosms. It's an evolving process. 

Patience. You know the drill here.

We're just getting started, and it's time for us as a community to bring more ideas, experiences, and "functional aesthetics" to the brackish water aquarium world. There is a lot to learn; battles to win, myths to debunk, lessons to be taught- mistakes to be made..iterations to implement. But the goal- much like what we are learning from the ever-expanding blackwater, botanical-style aquarium movement, is that change is constant. It can be challenging, even scary at times. But the lessons learned, the secrets of nature to unlock- will bear fruit far into the the future, which will benefit the aquarium hobby in ways we haven't really contemplated just yet.

Here's to YOU. Here's to the future. Here's to pushing back boundries! 

Be brave. Be open-minded. Be observant. Be resilient. 

Stay focused. Stay excited. Stay creative. Stay diligent.

And Stay Wet. (and a bit salty!)

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Weird done well...A challenge. A calling?

I start today by clearly stating that this piece is entirely my opinion. It is not intended to be a criticism of any one person, group of persons, organization, or event. It's a critical review of something that I feel is important. A challenge to the hobby as a whole.

***

It's that time of the year again. Everyone is buzzing about the big worldwide aquascaping contests. Everyone has pampered their planted tanks, trimmed their mosses, arranged their wood. A lot of energy, money, time, and talent has been devoted to entries that will win the praise and awards offered by the judges and the fish world as a whole. All eyes are on aquascapes!  Good stuff.

And once again, we'll see "sky forests", "Fantasy Hobbit-scapes", underwater waterfalls, roads, and intricately-detailed moss 'scapes. And some amazing nature-inspired tanks, too. All of these will be incredible, inspiring work done by talented and tireless aquascapers who have devoted a good part of their year to it. And once again, in my opinion, an opportunity to do something truly unusual and inspiring will have been dismissed in the pursuit of the ultimate version of what seems to me like last year's winning entry. And once again, IMHO, every winner- although stunning and beautiful- will look like the winning entry from 2016. Or was that 2014. Or maybe 2013?

Someone has to speak up. Might as well be me.

Uh Oh. I'm ranting.

Yup. I am.

A very few skilled entrants will be rewarded. Others will be disappointed by the way they were judged. Others will be justly proud of how they fared. And maybe- just maybe- one or two will know that, while they didn't have a "snowball's chance in hell" of winning, that they pushed the limits of aqusacaping by entering something entirely different. Something that made a statement, pushed into a new direction, made some people look, think, and perhaps scratch their heads a bit as they contemplated and tried to comprehend it. An expensive "sacrificial lamb", entered for the sole purpose of truly pushing the state of aquascaping and execution of aquatic technique and ideas.

Okay. Let me address the inevitable hate I'm going to receive. I'm not "dissing aquascapers or certain contests. They are what they are and they have rules, guidelines, judging criteria. I AM trying to point out that what we've long considered "progressive" in aquascaping contests- although incredible- is sort of starting to look the same, almost all of the time, in my opinion. I don't- can't knock the achievements of the worldwide talent pool of entrants to these shows. Their skills and technique are amazing. It's just that...well..in my misinformed opinion, we seem to keep doing the same damn thing year after year...and rewarding it. And we aspire to create tanks that look like the winners. 

Not that these executions DON"T deserve the accolades they get. That is not my point. My point is that it seems like no one really thinks outside the box and tries something totally different. I get that there are some rules and criteria and such. However, why doesn't someone try to push it within the context of the contests? Apply the same energy given to the tried and true to something entirely different. And not just with biotopes...but perhaps with artistic representations of different niches, any of which could easily (well, not easily) be accomplished by a number of the many talented 'scapers in the world. Everyone on these podcasts and forums talks about how they want to inspire and "push the envelope", which is great. Yet, almost every year, IMHO, new versions of a "moss-covered log scape" with a crazy name seems to be on everyone's lips.

Wouldn't it be amazing if just once, an entrant who truly pushed into a different direction somehow snuck into the winner's circle, somehow deftly satisfying the rigid contest judging criteria while undeniably forging into the unknown?  I realize that it's unlikely to happen, given the judging criteria, etc. But again, I think it would be cool if someone could somehow use these highly visible platforms to disseminate ideas, inspiration, and beauty in a completely different way. Aesthetic alternatives that make us really think. And maybe smile.

Why not do "weird?" But do it really well. Like, better than it's ever been done before. Really apply all of that talent, technique, resourcefulness to something a bit different than an underwater beach scene diorama tank? Why not take an unusual concept-from nature or otherwise- and apply "amazing" to it? Surely the contest entry fees might be worth essentially "blowing" to show the aquascaping world something truly thought-provoking on the most visible global "stages" of the craft?

Oh, how I'd love to see someone do that.

What would be examples of "wierd done well?" Here are just a few...Now, of course these are not all acceptable/appropriate for entry into specific contests. They are, however, ideas you can utilize, build on, create with- in the proper context...Examples of looking at stuff differently, perhaps. 

Cave- Like, okay...we've seen a lot of people do a bunch of rockwork with some nifty little caves or recesses built into it. A lot of thought goes into placement to produce all of these nooks and crannies. These usually look pretty cool. However, when was the last time that you actually saw a serious aquarium recreation of the interior of cave ecosystem? I mean, a tank in which the entire aquarium is representative of the interior of a cave, right down to the extremely dim light and pigment-less fishes?

Now, this is one that wouldn't be for everyone for sure, because: a) It is kind of...dark  2) The fish selection is rather limited, and not known for color (it's about the novelty/morphology here) and 3) It's kind of...dark.

Yeah. Perfect.

African Mudhole for Nothobranchius: Yeah, on the surface, this sounds easy and just like a breeding jar or something: Throw peat on the bottom, add your killies...yeah, "mudhole"; whatever..Next. "Fellman, you just described a breeding jar for killies...!"Uh-uh. NOPE. Not gonna let you get away that easy. I'm talking more of a paludarium-type setup, with a strong terrestrial component. You'd probably set it up not unlike a terrarium for reptiles: Somewhat barren, with patches of terrestrial vegetation here and there, and a substrate really consisting of a mix of peat/mud/fine sand. The emphasis more on recreating the overall look than the utility of function. It's not for temporary breeding, either.

And it would be shallow water; probably not exceeding 6-8 inches (15.24-20.32cm) in depth. Circulation? Nope.  Filtration? Not likely. You'd be relegated to small water changes with a plastic cup a couple of times a week or more. Even that is not 100% accurate to the biotope, but infinitely more "realistic" than what a lot of us have done before. You'll have dark, acidic water, a small population of fishes, and the challenges of managing bioload in a filter-less "water hole."

Who's in? 

Palauan "Rock Island"- How many times do I have to present this one before someone- or ME- for that matter-tries this? (FYI, My excuse  has been not having the time or energy to devote to this specialized project, but I'll go on record to say that is a lame excuse and I'm going to act on this soon...) It requires definite "crossover" skills. We have lots of talented FW paludarium types out there. But you need to marry it with a real reef tank. It's essentially a marine paludarium, in which you'd have an "island" built up of "live rock", with a terrestrial component (yup, that means soil, etc.) complete with various tropical plants, and the "below water" component is a reef-type setup featuring Acropora, Pocillopora, and some soft corals. 

It's not as easy as one might think. You need to consider the filtration/water delivery of the aquatic component- no half-ass-ing it here. You're doing a full-blown reef- so you need an overflow weir in a partially-filled tank...that means "custom", which takes a bunch of us out of the running straight away. It also means positioning lighting to provide benefit for both the terrestrial and aquatic sections. I'm thinking LED spotlights? And you need to keep the planted section sort of "separated" on the "island", which means either a pond liner, pots, or other type of container(s) to hold plants in soil, hidden in the rock. No visible stuff. And you need to be able to water and get some drainage. And a nice reef. Not just some shitty frags glued to a rock. Grow it. Challenging. NOT impossible. One day, some rogue reefer with plant skills is going to enter this type of tank into one of those aquascaping snob-fests and freak everyone the f--- out! Yup. Someone needs to do this. And do it well. If you don't, I will. (I probably will anyways, but you'd tip me over the edge to act, lol)

Substrate Celebration: Yes, a tank with no rocks. No wood. No plants. Just...substrate. And fishes. A mix of beautiful sands, gravels, soils, and muds of various grades, sizes, textures, colors...arranged in a natural-looking, yet oddly alluring way. With appropriate fishes (yes, there ARE actual biotopes in South America and elsewhere that are essentially sand communities, fascinating in their simplicity, yet surprising in their biological complexity). 

With all of the many different aquarium configurations (like really wide and shallow!), substrate choices (commercial and otherwise), and unusual fishes available, this would be a chance to really try something that would be truly different. Lighting, water movement, fish selection would all be critical components here. Each would form a crucial part of the aesthetic and functional whole. With a number of fishes ecologically adapted to this habitat, the opportunity to create something so out of the realm of our ordinary perceptions, yet entirely plausible in its reality- is irresistible! 

So there you have just a tiny smattering of possible ideas that would kick convention back just a little bit.

Again, not just any of these would work in any contest. In fact, you don't HAVE to enter them in a contest. You just need to plan, execute, and share some of these, or any number of a thousand better ideas- with the world. Show fellow hobbyists that it's okay to do things that make us uncomfortable once in a while. Something different, yet compelling. We're not entirely  inexperienced at this concept in our niche, are we?  I've seen dozens of examples of botanical/blackwater tanks that you've created already that would present an entirely different aesthetic to the usual stuff we see served up as progressive and brilliant in the greater aquarium world. It's okay to do "incredible" a bit differently than everyone else, and maybe, just maybe- inspire a few others in the process.

Mental "shifts." We all know about those, right? Yup.

Not everyone will, of course.

The optics on this rant may not be great for everyone. It's okay. Not everyone likes this sort of talk. Not everyone feels it's productive or well-thought-out. It ruffles some feathers. I get it. I can see the criticism. In fact, I'll write my own: ("He ignorantly rips what he perceives as the 'establishment', then serves up a few lame, nebulously-developed ideas in the name of "pushing the envelope"- all the while convinced that his arrogant misperception of the art of aquascaping is even remotely useful. All talk, no action..".etc.)

Ahh. The advantages of having your own blog! 

Do it for yourself. But do it visibly, to inspire, and bring light to the world. Do your best. Do what makes your heart sing. 

And occasionally, do "weird."

And do it well. Regardless of what anyone says. Your vision just might inspire another hobbyist to do something that has never even been contemplated before. Those are the moments we live for. The moments that make facing challenges, fears, criticisms...all worth it in the end.

Off my soap box...for today.

Stay bold. Stay relentlessly creative. Stay inspired. Stay inspirational.

And always...

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

What's mud got to do with it?