The Tint

The "plant thing" evolves: Asking the right questions...All part of our "mental shift."

We're noticing more and more evolution of ideas within the blackwater/botanical-style aquarium world, as well as from the more "mainstream" hobby as a whole, and it's getting really interesting!

One of the things I'm seeing a lot more of is a desire among hobbyists who have not played with this stuff before to create "blackwater"-like conditions in all types of aquariums. I have received many PM's and emailed from hobbyists who would like to see a "tinted" version of their tank; however, they're not quite ready to embrace the decomposing leaves and botanicals full-bore. 

This is perfectly cool to me, because it signifies the first real "mainstream breakthrough" in terms of the overreaching "aesthetic" of blackwater. Just having say, a planted tank enthusiast who happens to keep dwarf cichlids, tetras, or Rasbora interested in seeing a "tinted" version of their tank is a "mind set shift" that is remarkable, given that it wasn't that long ago that "blackwater" was seen as "dirty", "chemically unstable", and "limiting" by many so-called "Mainstream" hobbyists. 

It will probably take longer for many of these people to appreciate the aesthetics of decomposing leaves, botanicals, and biofilms...but the real shift has started. 

Again, I remind you that you can always employ a "reactor" to utilize botanicals as a "media" if you really don't like the aesthetic of these materials in your display. It also serves to keep the tint at an aesthetic level that you enjoy (not to mention, in an environmentally stable situation as well). We're seeing more and more hobbyists concerned with how to do this, as they're employing great husbandry (i.e.; frequent water changes) and want to keep the conditions consistent.

I've fielded a number of questions and seen several discussions on how to prepare your makeup water to have similar conditions to the display (in terms of "tint" and the physical characteristics which accompany it). 

Now, that being said, we're seeing a significantly greater interest in "enriched" substrates from the community, as well as from some hobbyists who have "migrated" here from the planted tank world, and they're very interested about incorporating botanical materials into their displays.

It's early days yet, but at least one of these individuals confided in me that he feels that the value of having these materials in the display, imparting some of the tannins and other organics into the water may significantly outweigh any of the "perceived deficits" to plants that have been one of the main hesitations many serious planted tank enthusiasts have had about playing with blackwater.

In other words, we're seeing experimentation with blackwater from serious, "hardcore"  aquatic plant enthusiasts- something which was almost unthinkable a year or two ago. Hobbyists are letting go of some of the long-held dogma and at least giving this stuff a shot instead of simply dismissing it as a novelty, or unsuitable for their purposes. One of the single biggest reasons for this "mental shift" is the acknowledgement that a captive "blackwater" system and its environment is somewhat different from the wild blackwater habitats, which are largely devoid of minerals and nutrients which spur plants. However, the interest in the "active botanical substrate" idea, in particular, is spurring new experimentation.

And the recognition by several of these enthusiasts that light penetration is thought by science to be one of the main reasons why aquatic plants and algae are less prominent in wild blackwater systems, yet  can be compensated for by more intense LED lighting commonly employed in captivity anyways is very intriguing to hear!  In other words, there's a broader recognition that our tanks are more natural in some respects than many other "methodologies" used in the hobby, but they are still closed systems and behave- can behave- differently than the wild habitats they might resemble. It's now being actively explored which other means are best employed to "compensate" for any environmental "shortcomings" as related to aquatic plants in the blackwater aquarium.

Just hearing these hobbyists postulate that there might be simple ways to compensate, and  that the possible benefits might outweigh the "deficits" is remarkable! It's about greater understanding, patience, and the application of "finesse" by the hobbyist.

It's a recognition that, not only do we NOT have all the answers about just how good a blackwater/botanical-style aquarium can function- we're just getting to the point where we can ask more pointed questions about the idea! We're just beginning to scratch the surface on this. We've seen the obvious benefits for many fishes (coloration, health, spawning behavior)- we're now seeing experienced hobbyists taking the first tentative steps into experimenting more seriously with blackwater conditions for plants.  We're hearing discussion on everything from the chemical composition of blackwater aquariums to the idea of "leaf mulch" being looked at differently.

Now, it may ultimately be that, in general they simply don't do as well in blackwater aquariums...We might, however, get further insights into which plants can benefit from them, and how to accomplish creating conditions that work for them within the context of the blackwater/botanical-style aquarium.

 We are seeing greater interest in identifying which plants actually do grow better in the types of conditions we work with in our blackwater aquariums (i.e.; Cryptocorynes, etc.). This builds on what is already known and has been accomplished. And just the fact that serious plant enthusiasts are even playing with this stuff is a tribute to the sharing of work and ideas that YOU- our "Tint Nation" have done! Inspiring hobbyists from other hobby "disciplines" is an amazing thing that will benefit many.

Exciting times. Fascinating discoveries. Spectacular successes. Crushing failures. Shared experiences. "Mental shifts." They've all been a part of our journey so far, and will continue to propel the blackwater/botanical-style aquarium "movement" into the future. 

Stay bold. Stay open-minded. Stay progressive. Stay unchained by dogmatic thinking...

And most importantly...

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

The "terrestrial element."

I often think about the interplay between land and water, and how we as aquarists work with this dynamic.

We are seeing more and more blackwater paludariums- aquatic features which incorporate elements of both land and water. Some of these incorporate  so-called "marginal" plants-  plants which are found along the margins of streams, rivers, ponds, and other bodies of water.

They grow at the muddy edges of these habitats, often with their roots and part of their stems underwater, while their leaves and flowers are above the water. We've featured them before, and we've been offering the cool AquaVerdi Riparium Planters for some time now, which many enthusiasts are using to create these types of displays.

I think we're going to see this more and more as we move forward with "Estuary", and explore the interplay between Mangroves and the aquatic environment, soils, and aquatic plants associated with the brackish water habitats we're fascinated by. There are a lot of cool elements to work with- Mud, soils, leaves, roots, plants, bivalves...

It's a biotope that we're just starting to look at in the context of our "botanical" vibe, and I think we're going to see hobbyists presenting an entirely new look in the brackish water realm soon, by incorporating more natural materials in an aesthetic that has not previously been associated with this habitat.

The mind-blowing display by Johnny Ciotti that we feature from time to time certainly blends many elements of both terrestrial and aquatic, and some of those cues fro the so called "Wabi Kusa" aesthetic as well, but in an entirely different way. What ideas can we gleam from this aquatic display?

Paludariums are becoming more and more "mainstream" too! While I think paludariums are super cool, I don't think that they should be the only way that we incorporate marginal or even terrestrial plants into our displays. When you look at the pics by our friend, Mike Tuccinardi, of the igapo flooded forests of Amazonia, which we so admire, you see an abundance of completely terrestrial grasses and plants, many of which will continue to grow and "peak up" above the water's surface. Since it's literally a flooded forest, the soil substrate must be covered with all sorts of plant materials, many of which seem to "find a way" to grow in these conditions. 

We've seen more and more aquarists incorporate terrestrial plants, like Philodendron, etc.- into their aquarium displays, and I think this is definitely a cool thing.

There is definitely something compelling about terrestrial (or even aquatic) and marginal plants growing out of the aquarium, tying together the water and land in a unique, natural-looking way.

We see a lot of tanks that are "not quite full" to foster this, and the aesthetics are amazing, as in Craig Thoreson's unique West African display.

An amazing display shared with us by Julio Silva does this in such an inspiring, dynamic way as to appear almost seamless.

And perhaps among the  most stunning of all is Vasarhalyi Imre's Southeast Asian display, which incorporates the "above and below" the waterline elements so well.

What I have yet to see in an aquarium, however, is a display in which terrestrial plants are anchored in the substrate of the aquarium, which is subsequently flooded as in nature. 

Or, could we grow terrestrial plants submerged completely from seeds or cuttings, allowing them to burst out of the water? I'm asking because, as you imagine- plants aren't really my thing, lol. However, with the enriched  aquatic plant substrates and even "dirted' tanks using terrestrial soils we're seeing in aquariums nowadays, it seems entirely possible and worth experimenting with, right?

With more and more tanks incorporating elements which "break the waterline", I think that we're going to see greater and more interesting interpretations of the "terrestrial element" in our botanical style/blackwater aquariums.

Final thought: I've been pushing this idea for a decade everywhere I talk; no takers  yet. Who's gonna do the first killer marine paludarium, based on the "coral rock islands" of Palau? Jungle above, reef below?

An incredible dynamic, challenging and fascinating for the hobbyist...and really not executed before to my knowledge.

(pic by Aquaimages, used under CC BY-SA 2.5)

In the end, our mission statement of "leaves, wood, water, life" encompasses this amazing interplay between land and water, and we'd love to see more and more exploration and creativity in this area presented by hobbyists.

Let's continue to strive "above and beyond" the waterline, bringing in that very special "terrestrial element" into our aquatic displays. Life arose from the water, and creativity seems to stem from there as well!

Stay focused. Stay creative. Stay relentless. 

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Going for it...

The other day, I got a PM from a fellow hobbyist who was just burned out on his career. He was wondering just how you get into the aquatics industry; just what it is like to do what you love every day. We talked, shared war stories about career changes, satisfaction, and the challenges of balancing life and work. It’s not the first time I’ve spoken with someone who wanted out of what they felt was a soul-sucking career and desired to play with fish for a living. I’m certainly no "career counselor", but I have been there. It's sad to be in an unfulfilling career. I know. And, apparently, some of you are in that place from time to time. Today’s column is dedicated to you.

The conversation made me think a lot about my own journey.

It wasn’t all that many years ago that I was "comfortably" rat-holed in my souless, financial-sector marketing job, using every spare second to play with, or plot about my aquariums, writing my weekly rants on all things aquatics, or traveling to speaking gigs and conferences. My “second career” as a part-time Fish Geek just wasn’t enough. I had to shake the rusty chains of my dull, but necessary full-time job. It was sucking the life out of me.



Look familiar?

I was deep into the typical “caught-in-the-rat-race- of- life” career…Of course, when you’re a hardcore fish geek- you have one thing that the masses don’t always have: PASSION! Unbridled passion for all things aquatic. It permeates your existence, your every move, like wet hands, and your smelly fish towels. Like many of you, I longed to be playing with fishes full time- and I wanted to get paid to do it, too! Audacious? I couldn't handle the unfulfilling career life I was in anymore. I put out some feelers, and as luck would have it, opportunity found me. I ran out the door into a totally new career: Full time professional Fish Geek! My employer actually PAID me to think of crazy aquarium-keeping ideas all day, to solve people’s fish problems, and to spread the insanity that is our beloved hobby.

My personal journey towards career enlightenment made me leave my beloved So Cal and venture all the way across the continent, to one of the nation’s premiere fish businesses, where I got to be the Fish Geek that the universe intended me to be. Yeah, what a switch! I cannot believe it myself that I did it. Toughest decision of my life. So for the better part of a year and a half, I helped design custom aquariums, acquire uber rare livestock, and help people discover the joy and sheer craziness that reef keeping is. It was a great experience. Very different. However, I was desperately home sick for L.A….

Good fortune and timing led me back to my native L.A. when the opportunity came to partner up with an incredibly talented and successful fellow entrepreneur, Joseph Caparattta, who was moving to L.A. from New York to re-launch, re-brand, and re-imagine the dormant “Version 1.0” of Unique Corals. After a lot of back-and-forth plane trips, tons of planning sessions, lots of all-nighters, hard work, and serious dollars, we successfully “rebooted” UC, and created an amazing business.


The dream became a reality. 

We created a pretty cool thing there. This was it for me… I decided that the fish world is my life gig, baby.  And I'm staying put in Los Angeles. I love this stuff, and like many of you, I love working where I live. Don’t discount that. Work where you want to live. That's another lesson to learn, trust me. Like, bash my city all you want, but I love L.A.! It's where I want to be. They’ll have to pry my cold, dead body out of Los Angeles…never buying a one-way ticket outta this town again!

And man, I totally loved my gig.

I mean, I got to see some of the coolest corals and fishes in the world, and deal with some of the most awesome aquarium people around. My speed dial was/is filled with amazing people with more talent than I’ll ever have- Tony Vargas, Justin Credabel, Jake Adams, Julian Sprung, Matt Pedersen, the crew at ReefGen, ORA, etc. And we developed this "A list" following of reef geek "celebs" as customers..It was like a “who’s who” of reef “gliteratti”, as they say here in Hollywood- and, most important, I got to meet new reef geeks every day! Yeah, it was my dream career (especially since the pro surfer gig just never worked out for me, LOL).

And I still wanted to do more...

The passion and restlessness drove me to follow up on a long-time plan and elevate my beloved sector of blackwater aquariums. I had worked for years with them, and felt that there needed to be a place that curated all of the cool stuff that fish geeks needed to create amazing, unique blackwater aquariums...And Tannin Aquatics was born.

It was the complete opposite of what I did at Unique. A completely undeveloped, under-served, relatively obscure niche...Different aesthetic, technique, idea. In fact, there was very little cohesive "stuff" to go by...we had to create it, which was really fun! But it's something I am- insanely passionate about. SO much so that I decided it was time to sell my ownership interest in Unique Corals and delve full time into this "blackwater thing."

Everyone thought I was nuts for leaving the juggernaut that UC had become; especially when we were really near the top of a very crowded pyramid in the coral sector. But you know what? I had to. I knew I wanted to...It was time. I loved it...but not as much as what would be coming next. Time to move forward. It was scary, but I knew it was what I wanted to do.

Flash forward a couple of years, and I think we've got something pretty special here at Tannin. We're at the forefront of a global hobby movement, with an engaged, diverse, amazing global community of incredibly talented hobbyists. Friends, videos, speaking engagements, magazine articles, all of the stuff that seems to happen when you do what you love and give it 110%.

It all started with passion.

I told myself that, if I ever worked in the industry, the last thing I would ever do is pander to the hapless, uninitated and misinformed…Or would I? I wanted to deal with more advanced hobbyists, like I fancied myself. Then I realized that I was in a great postion to share my love with a whole new set of people…people who may not have previously known the joys of the aquarium world. It’s been pretty rewarding. 

In my relatively brief professional aquatics career, I’ve done stuff like had high-level creative meetings with all sorts of people who want the same experience- an awesome aquarium! I enjoyed helping design, build and stock the aquariums of my dreams- er, my client’s dreams! It’s a scary symbiotic relationship, actually: I got geeked out, they shared their dream, I shared my dream, and we made it their own. They got a cool tank, I got the joy of helping conceive it and overseeing its “birth” and development…all the joys and heartaches.


One of the coolest aquarium projects I ever worked on: "Land Mind" in NYC.

At Unique, I played with corals and fish all day and kept fellow reefers stoked (okay, that’s a waaay oversimplified description of what I did…but you get what I mean)!  At Tannin, it's sort of the same thing, except the cast of "players" and the material we work with are different. And I work with some talented, amazing people-a different "cast of characters" and a different "medium", but the same idea.  I even get to support my friends’ aquatic businesses by purchasing from them for my business. It’s rewarding. It’s fun. It’s unreal.

If you're contemplating doing something...You need to do this.

It’s not all fun and games, mind you. In the aquatics industry, we have the same struggles as any small business: You’ve got long hours, bills to pay, employees to manage, tough decisions to make, competition to hate, lost shipments to deal with, vendors to call, dead livestock, equipment repairs, taxes, computer problems, mistakes to correct, a high learning curve to work with, lots of inventory to think about, customers to take care of, and a million other things- some in your control, and others totally random. It’s sheer craziness.

But I do it for a living! And..I love it.


I never got to see stuff like this when I was in the "rat race."


And I’m not alone…lots of hobbyists have transformed their love of the hobby into a full-time career. It takes desire, talent, drive, sacrifice…and some luck. However, a transition into your “dream career” is entirely possible.

If you have a passion for things aquatic, I encourage- no- I URGE- you to act on it. There will always be a place in the aquatic world for passionate people to share their love with others. It is one of the most amazing journeys I’ve ever taken…And what’s even more cool is that I get to experience the fish world from an entirely different perspective, not just my rather biased hobbyist-eye view.

Oh, I still have it, as you know- but I also have gained a great appreciation for the guys and girls on the other side of the counter! And I’ve developed new opinions, new ideas, and have experienced things that few hobbyists get the opportunity to do. I’ve even developed humility! There's a lot to learn about this industry! Of course, it’s still fun to poke the bee hive now and again; to tick off the industry a bit…

I’ve gotten to see corals, fishes, and other aquatic stuff that only a few people in the world outside of the collectors get to see. I remember the first ecolabeled fishes from Papua New Guinea that we brought in, and the first insane Aussie corals we handled. Botanical items from all over the world...pieces of wood that you'd kill to have in your own aquarium...gadgets, equipment, and accessories...yeah, sweet! I still get goose bumps when I think about what it is like to open shipping boxes when they come in! We get really geeked-out!

And now we're adding a line of stuff for that other obscure "geek-out sector" of min, brackish water. It's going to be fun...And the 2018-2019-2020 "pivots" should be cool, too...

It’s very fun...

My point here is not to brag about how awesome my career is…It’s to inspire you- wherever you are and at whatever stage of your career you’re at- to take that risk- perhaps against all odds (and even your better judgement) and go for it. To get off of that rock you’re sitting on, the crevice you are stuck in. Change. It’s scary, sure. It was for me. However, if you don’t take that risk, won’t you always wonder? The pain of wondering “what could have been” seems far greater than the pain of taking a chance…If you have a dream, skill, and passion for this aquatic world, and you’re longing for a change- GO FOR IT!

Nothing ventured- nothing gained...

You’ll sweat. You’ll cry. You’ll doubt yourself a lot. But, there will come a day when you hop in the car one morning, and drive to “work”, realizing that you can’t wait to get there..and that it’s not really “work” that you’re going to. You will smile. Sure, you may walk in the door to the smell of dying corals (if you're in that sector)  a message from a ticked off customer, a lost shipment, some unexpected bills…but you won’t mind it so much, because you’re living the dream. It’s hard to explain, but I think you’re “picking up what I’m putting down” here. Going back to a career that is unfulfilling seems like too banal a reality for me to even contemplate now, and I’m sure that you’ll feel the same way if you make the leap.

Follow your dream. Please.

Here's a great quote often credited to Mark Twain (but apparently never authenticated as such). It works regardless, in our context:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Today's little piece of inspiration from the guy who goes to work in shorts and flip flops every day. Take it with a grain of salt, but I hope it moves you just a bit if you're feeling stuck.

Stay focused. Stay the course. Stay happy. But most of all…

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

The benefits of moving fast...

I’m waxing philosophical this morning…which generally gets me into trouble with my readers, the hobby establishment, and just about everyone else. Oh well, I was in one of those moods, thinking about how we evolve as hobbyists, and I drew some parallels to some philosophies discussed in the business world…I thought it might make for an interesting (if somewhat controversial) discussion today.


“Move fast and break things…”



It’s a great quote, attributed to Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, and adapted by many tech startups all over the world as a philosophy of rapid growth, improvement, and innovation. A lot of business people will tell you that this philosophy is great when you’re starting out, but eventually has to evolve to a more stable mantra as a business endeavour “matures.”

Well, that’s all good, but I can't seem to get that expression out of my head of late, especially when I think about how it applies to the aquarium world. Sure, in business, it’s a great idea to evolve rapidly and make quick changes and iterations if something doesn’t work…and being small and nimble allows you to do that relatively easily. I know I’ve adapted at least part of that in my work with Tannin as we did with Unique Corals before.



Ahh..the plan. or rather, how to achieve the goals stated in “the plan.” This is how I think that, if implemented with some thought, the “move fast and break things” philosophy can be adapted into our aquarium-keeping efforts.

Hear me out on this.

Okay, seems like everyone is always preaching patience with aquarium keeping- a key ingredient- and I’m the first one to tell you that it’s the major component of all successful aquariums. However, when you’re first starting out, is it always necessary to follow a detailed plan to the ‘nth” degree? I mean, isn't it okay to adapt, to change, to scrap an idea and move on if t’s not working? Cut your losses? 

I think it might be!




For example, let’s say you’ve designed your tank to operate in a “ultra deep leaf litter bed” arena. You’re committed to creating a crazy-deep layer of leaves, like 16 inches deep-which will provide a realistic simulation of an Amazonian stream. It's a lot of bioload. And you decided to run a fairly deep sanded with it. In a tank with a lot of fishes already. This is right on the edge, and you've pushed it. Hard. Dissolved oxygen levels and other factors have to be impacted by this radical move! Husbandry and monitoring are vital. No margin for error.  But it's a realistic simulation of that Igapo forest, right? Well, on paper...but you're going from 0-100 from the start! A great goal, in theory- but is it a practical way to operate a blackwater/botnaical-style system for you? Maybe. Maybe not. Is the execution too aggressive? Too radical? The transformation too quick? If your fish are declining rapidly, do you exercise patience and “stay the course”, or do you take decisive steps to address the issue; modify the process- iterate, as they say in the startup world?

Yeah, maybe you evolve it a bit, because it wasn’t working. Maybe the one above is not the best example, but the idea of getting out of something that's clearly problematic, as quickly as possible, and either modifying it or abandoning it altogether might have some merit...

Now, I’m not advocating 360 degree changes in your aquarium management approach every time something doesn’t give you desired results in 3 days. Chaos. I’ve worked in environments like that and it’s maddening! Like a tornado of craziness. And really, just stupid.

No- not preaching that.



What I am thinking about is the mental ability to get yourself easily out of a situation that is simply not working for you- for the benefit of your animals, budget, time- and sanity. It’s a hobby, for goodness sake, so if you’re not enjoying it, what’s the point? If it's not working, shows no signs that it WILL work, and is generally problematic, wouldn't it make sense to rethink/revise/revamp?

So, maybe it’s not exactly “move fast and break things” for you…perhaps it’s “move at a nice rate of speed and change moderately quickly when things don’t work out.”

What are the benefits of adopting the “move fast” philosophy- or at least the "gist" of it- for you as an aquarium hobbyist?



First, you can test a lot of ideas and concepts on your tank relatively quickly, in “real time”, rather than just reading about them on the forums. If you have a general idea of where you want to go with your tank, but are interested in a few approaches, this is not a bad way to go if handled in a logical and rational manner. You can work in multiple ideas to see if they work, and throw out the ones that don’t relatively quickly.

Now, again, I’m not talking about major hardware shuffles: “Yeah, the 350 gallon was too small, so three weeks later, I broke it down and ordered a 700 gallon.” That’s insanity. I’m talking about “tweaks”, like deciding to build your deep leaf litter bed over a series of weeks or months, or perhaps, to install a reverse-daylight refugium with Anacharis for nutrient export...Changing flow patterns, feeding times, light combinations. Tweaking. Not full-scale overhauls.

Second, you can certainly learn stuff at a more rapid clip, right? If you’re giving yourself the opportunity to “audition” a practice, philosophy, procedure, etc., you can find out if something makes sense a whole lot more than if you commit 1,000 percent to a rigid philosophy of “I’m simply going to do it this way.” Even if you don’t get the whole picture of what’s happening in your aquarium, attempting quick little "experiments" can give you an indication of the general direction or trend- an answer to a little piece of the puzzle that you can incorporate to evolve more successfully in the long term.



Finally, this philosophy actually can force you to look at things more honestly. In other words, if you decided to do something that maybe you thought might not work- by committing yourself to a “nothing is sacred” attitude at the start of your project, you can evaluate things in a more direct light and change things up as necessary to assure overall success of the tank and the health of its inhabitants. Ego is not included. If you throw the “fun” part back into the equation, and share your trials and tribulations with other hobbyists, and make changes as needed- it certainly makes it more enjoyable to stop being stubborn and try to make impossible-to-execute things work, right?

Of course, for every action, there’s an equal (?) and opposite reaction, right ( I think that’s all I remember from physics)..? So, what are the downsides to a rapid-iteration, “move fast and break things” philosophy?

To begin with, you will probably build some “mental debt.” In other words, as you rapidly make changes and move things along, you may tend to overlook other things. Human nature, right? You tend to look at every change or iteration as a big experiment, and that you can “fix stuff later”- a kind of dangerous trap to fall into, especially when you think of the potential impact on living organisms. It’s one thing to make intelligent, measured changes, but to take shortcuts, non-sustainable "work-arounds", and “band aids” harbors potential hidden dangers. Be alert to this. Could your “relentless pursuit of perfection” (to coin the Lexus tagline) could result, ironically, in you never quite getting it right?

In addition, you might find yourself “burnt out” rather quickly. I mean, if you’re chaotically trying every new idea, every new gadget that’s out there in trying to find quick solutions, you will not likely enjoy this hobby for very long. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, right? I mean, it’s a “hobby” at the end of the day. Yet, each day I read forum posts from dozens of hobbyists who flail helplessly in multiple directions, trying every little thing to change up their tank, solve a relatively simple problem. Algae issues are notorious for soliciting this kind of behavior- the desire to get the problem “solved” has resulted in many disasters (like using all sorts of chemicals and medications to eradicate algae, damaging the beneficial bacterial populations, when the reality is that it could have been eradicated or managed with simple husbandry tweaks to begin with…). Think before you “iterate!”



Better luck next time, huh? (Image by Saffron Blaze, used under CC BY-SA 3.0)

In the end, I think there is nothing inherently wrong with the “move fast and break things” philosophy vis a vis aquarium keeping. However, I think that you can take it to an extreme. If you’re “breaking” too many things along the way, and not learning- and more important- not ENJOYING- this hobby, then what’s the point? Remember, responsible, thoughtful experimentation is always a good thing…as long as the knowledge and benefits gained from such experiments justify the “costs.”

I’m certain that there will be many different opinions on this, so I’d love to hear yours. There are many pros and cons to this thought process, and all have merit.

So, remember- stay focused. Stay engaged...

And stay wet.



Scott Fellman

Healthy Habits...

I've spent the last few weeks working on a tank in our office. And, with every build comes the usual considerations: "theme", budget constraints, equipment choices, aesthetics, power consumption, etc., etc. And, with every build, us fish geeks tend to look at things as if this is our new chance to "get it right", as if somehow, all of the previous tanks we've built were part of a buildup to this ultimate achievement! Now, that's not an entirely unhealthy thing; I mean, we always strive to improve, to learn from past mistakes, and to constantly work at perfecting our craft. There is nothing wrong with a little self improvement, right?

I was talking with a fellow hobbyist the other day who was building his "ultimate" biotope aquarium, and was doing a lot of incredible stuff, but seemed to not really be enjoying the process. In fact, he made it seem like it was a "job"- like the aquarium world had some level of expectation about his effort that he just HAD to hit.

This was/is a real problem...One that is not all that uncommon in this hyper-connected world, where ideas fly across the internet in minutes. Amazing stuff is everywhere.

The problem, as I see it, is that we tend to overreach at times in our attempts to create what we see as "perfection." We sometimes tend to push too hard in terms of how we do things, the equipment we select, and the methods we choose. We put too much pressure on achieving some prescribed result, and overlook the fun of this whole thing. I know that I have done this before over the years- sometimes with good results, but often with unintended, less-than-favorable effects.

During my most recent tank builds, rather than pushing myself to the limits of capability, technology, and budget just because it's whats expected by "everyone" , I spent more time enjoying the process; thinking about what gives me the most pleasure in fishkeeping, and how I can design my systems to provide that experience for me-and health for my animals. I mean, it's a hobby, right? It's supposed to be fun. Aquarium keeping is not like any other hobby- it's an obsession for many, an expression of ourselves, and often a lifestyle as well.

That's all well and good, but, after a lifetime in the game, I'm finally able to reflect back on my experiences in the hobby and truly put my mind into a mode of "I can really enjoy this for the right reasons!" A personal breakthrough, if nothing else! Took me a while to get there, too! I figured I'd share my little "epiphanies" with you, as I actually learned some things during the past few years that have helped me enjoy the hobby more than ever! And, just perhaps- they will benefit you...Or, perhaps they'll demonstrate just how far off the deep end I went!

Either way, as always, I'm sharing my experiences/thoughts/ideas with you in the hope that it might just touch a few of you who occasionally (like me) tend to take this stuff a bit too seriously, and risk losing the enjoyment that we're supposed to derive from the aquarium hobby. I've broken these little personal discoveries down into a few points. Hopefully, they don't come across as arrogant or overly-preachy- not the point. The point was to share some valuable things that have made a world of difference to me.

Of course, we might need to think about what "successful" actually means in this context. to some of us, just having a tank that holds water in our home without leaking is a "score!" For others, it needs to hit on a whole litany of points. For still others, a "successful" aquarium experience means to win accolades and peer approval- you know, the whole "Tank of The Millenium" prize or aquascaping title that more than one hobbyist I know has coveted. The term "successful" is really a personal context, I suppose.

So, without further pomp and circumstance, in no particular order- here are some things I've learned over the years that helped me create a much happier hobby experience:

Stop trying to create the perfect tank from the start...it will evolve- Yeah, it does happen. We talk about "evolving" our blackwater/botanical-style tanks all the time, right? You don't need a "finished product" worthy of peer accolades and contest trophies right from the start (or ever, but that's a different point). Great tanks evolve over time. Biofilms, algae, and that "patina" of tannins take time to wax and wane. Leaves can take time to soften, and plants and fishes take a long time to settle in. Water chemistry parameters take some time to get dialed in. In short, you can't rush nature- nor would you want to. Part of the fun is watching things evolve over time.

Yet, we often like to accelerate this pace, for reasons not easily defined.

For many hobbyists, we get into this "collector's mode", obsessively acquiring as many different animals as we can find- sometimes because we love them, and other times, because they are the "hot thing" at the time. I see this in the reef hobby, especially.  For many, if you honestly assess your motives, you may find that your source of enjoyment in the hobby is simply the process of acquiring stuff- the "thrill of the hunt." Nothing wrong with that, but something worth noting. For others, it's a about growing the fishes and plants; evolving the system.

For all of us, it should be about letting nature run its course, as it has for eons, and perhaps, helping it along a bit in our closed systems.



See challenges like algae issues, parameter control, etc. as opportunities to improve your "mindset" and your skills- It may seem utterly ridiculous when there is green slime on your sand, gooey filamentous algae covering your botanicals, and diatoms all over the aquarium walls, but if you actually take the mindset of "Here is a chance to be patient. Here is a chance to figure out what is really happening...is this all bad- or just a normal part of the evolution of an aquarium?" If you don't freak out, you may just come ot of challenges with a better attitude and greater skill.

Yeah, really, the old "when life gives you lemons..." mindset works well in aquarium keeping. Because it's not a matter of IF you'll have some challenges- it's a matter of WHEN. They come with the territory; living creatures in closed systems and such always throw us the proverbial "curveballs." Everyone freaks out- it's human nature. However, the TRULY successful hobbyists is the one who gathers his/her wits, observes what's going on and how it occurred, and tries to figure out what to do about it so that it doesn't happen again. Or to understand that it's NORMAL, and to just hold on for a bit longer... Don't just go 'through the experience' with a problem or challenge- LEARN from it and use it as a skill enhancer. And share it with others for the big win!




Don't over-analyze everything-  I can see how one can easily be caught up in "analysis paralysis", spending tons of time chasing every parameter and freaking out over the slightest deviation. That's not a good attitude. In fact, it's nuts. Let's be honest- I think information about our water parameters is important- even vital. However, it's what you DO with the information that has the most impact.

Chasing numbers is a maddening obsession, and not the key to success. Fanatically keeping your aquarium's environment within your chosen parameters is not. Creating a beautiful, healthy aquarium is an amalgamation of many skills and factors. Obsessing over every single aspect of your tank is going to drive you crazy- if not out of the hobby- in record time. I've seen this repeatedly over the years with dozens of hobbyists. It's far better to set "target ranges" for aspects of your system's function, appearance, and environment, than it is to force yourself into rigid parameters.

And, for goodness sake, don't freak out over every weird noise, damaged fin on your Apisto, and bit of algae on your Amazon Sword. Sure, there are reasons for almost everything that happens in an aquarium, but you don't need to worry about every single one. I know a reeferkeeper who that thinks the world is coming to an end every time his protein skimmer goes out of whack- convinced that this is a sign of the "great reef apocalypse." Typically, rather, it's just a sign that he reached into the tank with a fresh algae scrub pad, or just fed some extra food. Not worth worrying about, unless signs of overt distress among the fishes or corals are obvious.

We try to relax- yet we watch, and we worry, and we ponder. Pondering is fine. Worrying is not good for your hobby experience-or your health. Don't worry so much! Enjoy.





Stop worrying about what everyone else thinks- This is a tough one for many hobbyists, in this internet-enabled, Instagram-fueled, Twitterized, forum-driven "postmodern era" of aquarium-keeping, we're literally besieged hourly by dozens of examples of "amazing" tank "build threads", DIY projects, fish and coral acquisition success stories, and assertions that THIS is the best way to succeed at keeping an  aquarium. And, with the hobby community elevating various actively-posting fellow fish geeks to "near divine" status daily, we can easily feel not only humbled, but downright insignificant or irrelevant as fish geeks. This is a really bad thing to get sucked into.

I can't stress it enough: If you have a vision, and idea- a theory- and the ability to act upon it- DO IT! Don't listen to the naysayers, the followers, the sheep. There are always plenty of self-appointed "critics" hiding behind the security of their keyboards and a window with Google open- ready to show you a dozen reasons why what you're proposing is not going to work.

Screw them.

Yeah, there are always plenty of people heaping adoration on the hobbyists who seem to be doing "cool stuff"- tried and true, but maybe not the direction that your heart tells you to go. You're not in the aquarium hobby to impress anyone- let alone, the masses. You're probably in this hobby simply because you love keeping fishes, plants, and aquariums. These are the right reasons. Just because you may have a contrarian bent- an idea that seems to go against "conventional aquairum-thinking" (whatever that may be), doesn't mean that it's wrong, or no good, or not worth pursuing. In fact, that's all the more reason to go with your idea! So what if you may not be "popular?" So what if you take a few hits from "naysayers?" You're following your own road. The irony is, that by being successful at something radically different or previously out of fashion- you might just end up with the adoration that you previously scorned. Weird, huh?

Grit, passion, and determination can take you farther than style, money, and gadgets- Anyone can throw together an uber-pricy tank with all the latest gadgets, name-drop-able fishes, and crazy plant cultivars. Anyone can hire "experts" to make it for them. Anyone can talk a good game, get "likes" on social media, buy "followers" on Instagram, and play the hype game. Not everyone can create a great aquarium; one that takes time, patience, and the occasional dose of failure. One that embraces different thinking. Not everyone can rise from setbacks, mistakes, and outright catastrophes- and create an amazing aquarium, propagate that awesome coral, or breed that fish once though impossible. Only those who have the conviction, perseverance, and determination to follow through can do these things.

Don't for one minute think that your little tank with a pair of Bettas and a Java Fern Lis any less amazing or interesting than the 200 gallon reef tank that some well-heeled hobbyist somewhere is building and splashing all over the forums. Your effort, your drive- your love for the animals under your care is every bit as impressive- if not more so- than anything that all of the cash and flash can achieve.



It's always great to pause for just a moment to reflect how awesome this hobby really is, and how fortunate that we are to enjoy the gorgeous animals that we love so much. Always remember the amazing responsibility we shoulder as reefers to provide the best possible care for the animals under our care, and for their well-being.

And then, remember how fun this whole game really is- when you let your self enjoy it!

Have fun. Don't take the hobby too seriously.

Stay excited. Stay involved. Stay humble. Stay grateful.

And most important of all


Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman
Tannin Aquatics 

Mixing and matching...and spinning!

I had a nice chat this weekend with one of our cool community members, Mike Bognich. I love chatting with Mike because not only does he go for it and try all sorts of cool experiments- he doesn't do things in the hobby to please others- he does things he likes; for the share joy of the game. The kind of hobbyist everyone admires.

We were talking about different fishes that we were into, and how I want this and that but couldn't keep them in the same tank, etc.  And, when I put down the laptop at the end of the conversation, I was thinking to myself, like, "Damn, Fellman- you need to lighten up a bit..."

Time to confess. I admit, I'm a pain in the butt. And as an aquarist, as in other areas of my life, I'm no different. I have had this issue ever since I was a young adult aquarist about...well- I"ll just come out and say it:

I have this...problem...mixing fishes from different geographical regions in an aquarium. No, I'm okay with a very generic "South American", "Asian", or "African" combos...sort of hypocritical, I know...Like, Peru and Brazil are the same place, right? How perfectly ignorant a viewpoint... Well, what I have been unable to do in recent years is bring myself to keeping a tank with say, South American characins, Asian Danio, and riverine cichlids from Africa...you know, a community aquarium in the more traditional sense. And maybe, even keeping "domesticated" strains of some of them...You know, 'cause they're nice-looking!

What's the harm in that?

It's insane. And annoying. Like, I don't know where this came from. I mean, sure, keeping fishes from specific geographical regions, like just from the Orinoco or from Malaysia or whatever, is cool. I could blame someone. I could easily blame Axelrod or Bleher or Amano...Yeah... It's their fault. Well, no- it's my own hangup. And it's not totally wrong: There are many possible advantages from keeping groups of fishes which naturally evolved and/or occur with each other in specific habitats.

However, when one looks at it simply, what is the problem with keeping, say, Rasbora and Pencilfishes in the same tank? They're both cool, peaceful fishes that would look super together? They both like soft, acidic blackwater and come from similar habitats in nature, right?

I mean, I love them both dearly, think they'd get along just fine, and can easily keep and even breed member of both groups. Let's face it, if they occurred on the same continent, it's highly likely that they'd even be found together, huh?

It's not like I'm talking about mixing a predatory Asian fish with a tiny South American Tetra or something, right? We're just talking about different compatible fishes from different parts of the world.

And the irony is that both were probably bred on a commercial fish farm in Florida or something, right?

Ridiculous.

And I'll go the LFS or peruse the selection of my fave online vendors, and I'll see some amazing West African cichlids, and think to myself how cool they'd look with a large shoal of Hyphessobrycon from South America, accompanied by, say, some Asian loaches...

Yeah, I just described the classic community aquarium- the staple of the hobby for a century! The concept that's gotten a million kids worldwide to start playing with their first aquarium! I did this for years growing up. I DO IT AS A REEFER ALL THE TIME too! (that's a weird issue- it's somehow okay for me to have a Royal Gramma from the Caribbean in my Indo-Pacific-dominated reef display...) And the sky doesn't fall down and everything works.

Yet, when faced with the chance to bend the rules in my freshwater "practice", I choke.

And I feel so..dirty when I think about it...Like a naughty little kid who knows he took the cookies from the cookie jar when mom was vacuuming the house. I mean, in my mind, it's like I'm only a few steps away from tossing in the turquoise-colored gravel and "Sponge Bob" ornament...well, in my book, anyways!

Yeah...

And like, who am I trying to please? Who's "approval" am I seeking? I'm the original "I don't-give-a-f----" aquarist, preaching everyone to "do you" and not care about the views of the "ignorant masses" and arrogant contest judges- YET- I can't seem to get over my own hangups about doing this!

Weird.

And the saddest part about it is that it's kept me from keeping some incredible fishes over the years. It's made me literally pass on numerous opportunities to obtain some of the fishes I really wanted/sought after for years, simply because I've placed this strange, hard-to-completely-justify restriction upon myself, and didn't have an extra aquarium available to house them, even though I had a perfectly good (for example) "Southeast Asian-themed" tank that could definitely accommodate the small group of Hemmigramus hyanuary that I stumbled upon...I mean, they sort of look like a Rasbora species to the uninitiated, right?

No one will know; I could just...nope. Not happening.

I stop myself. I stop myself and correct myself, and commend myself for "keeping it real" and not bending...

Then I go home and look at my tank and think to myself, "Dude, you totally could have accommodated those 8 fishes in the tank and the Gouramis wouldn't care less..."

Like, WTF?

And plants? Does my absurdity apply to them? 

Nope.

Couldn't care less. In my view, they're all green or red and look kind of like you could take one out of a stream in South America, plop it into a stream in Asia, and it would look just fine. 

Hypocrisy. Yup.

And you haven't even seen yet how the dichotomy of inconsistency applies to my brackish tank in the office. 

Yeah.

So hear's the dea...If I say it publicly, maybe I'll be able to pull it off:

I think I need to ditch this once and for all. I need to lighten up and stop thinking of myself as having to comply with some "universal restriction"- as if I was chosen by divine forces to "keep the code" or something. As if I were truly breeding every fish I keep and HAD to keep things "pure" or something. 

And it's not like I have a 120-tank fish room where I have the luxury of purchasing any fishes I want and housing them in their own tank...

So, unless I commit to a huge fish room, (hmm, that could be cool...!), I think it's time to ditch this several-decades-long "issue."

Besides, I just found a breeding pair of Nanochromis splendens that would look so nice with my Cardinal Tetras. And that Leopard Ctenopoma would be super cool with my L134...

Must...overcome...have to...

Am I alone in my absurdity? I'd love to know.

In the mean time...

Stay true to yourself. Stay honest with yourself. Stay engaged. Stay obsessed.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

The joys of being a geek.

Seems like the longer we're around, the more insane it gets every week...I always said I'd never want to be "that guy" who is a hardcore fish geek, then starts a company, and gets "too busy" to do the things he likes to do- like interacting with fellow fish geeks...Well, some days, I must admit, it feels like I've become "that guy..." I mean, there literally aren't enough hours in the day sometimes to do everything that you want. Between setting up orders, taking orders, answering customer questions, dealing with  all of the other minutiae of running a company, it CAN get a little hectic. I guess it's a good problem to have. 

So, what's the point? 

Well, I'm happy to be here to interact with you cool people- as you are what it's all about. In the mad frenzy of a busy week last week, I remembered to acknowledge the things that really make me love this hobby- an "exercise" we should all do from time to time. And one of the things I enjoy ruminating on is the fact that we as fish geeks are into the most obscure stuff!

Think about it. If you've entertained the idea of playing with, say, propagating freshwater microalgae- there is probably some fish geek out there who's not only had the idea, but who's built out a propagation system just for that purpose in her basement! Want to breed Cyclops and create an automatic feeder? There are actually "experts" on that out there. Interested in creating an aquarium system just for sponges and tunicates? I'll bet there's a lab out there doing some work and some grad student would be stoked to hear from a hobbyist who's interested in her work!

Our "tribe" has insanely good knowledge of many, many things, ranging from the basic to the downright obscure.

That's totally cool.



Sponges, huh? You're not alone in this geeky endeavour!

Besides, when you embark on a journey into your geekiness, not only will you have fun- you just might help others solve problems or figure out ways to do something similar. It's all cool.


To some folks, a bucket of infusoria in culture is pure Nirvana. Gotta love these people!


Thanks to the internet and the general geekiness of hobbyists worldwide, this stuff doesn't stay "obscure" that long. We talk, brag, share, assist, and just generally let the information we've gleaned "percolate" into our culture, which enriches us all. And it's fun to get into these seemingly obscure things, isn't it? And they stay with us for long time; sometimes, they go dormant because we don't have the space or time or whatever...but they never leave us, huh?

Personal case in point:

Not all that long ago, I got back into my long term love affair (sounds sordid, doesn't it?) with marine macro algae. I used to play with all different types, but just kinda ran out of time and resources to keep going. Well, flash forward a few years and I had a 16,000 gallon saltwater facility with all kinds of toys to play with! So, when the opportunity came up to acquire some cool macros algae from an awesome propagator and curate the collection I'd been dreaming of for over a decade, I jumped on it.

So, much to the chagrin of some of my colleagues, on any given day you'd find me doting over my little section of one of our raceways, packed with little containers of macro algae of all sorts. In addition to creating a geeky, tiny "cottage industry" within Unique Corals, it had just been fun doing something that I sort of lost track of over the years...the fun and excitement of doing something that's interesting, "new", and obsessive is a sublime delight for the fish geek!



(It may be just a clump of algae to you....)

Okay, so the point of all of this rambling is quite simple: If you have one of those geeky and obscure obsessions, indulge yourself and play! Do the geeky stuff to your heart's content...and remember to share your passion for it with other fish geeks. It's the kind of stuff that makes things really fun. The kind of stuff that makes a hobby more than just a pleasant diversion...It becomes a lifelong obsession- a rich and rewarding passion. Find your geeky bliss.


Perhaps you want to glue shells to mangrove shoots for your tank. And why not? Do what you love, right?

Of course, in the case of my macro algae thing, in opinion of my long-suffering employees, I was just "Scott coming out from his office, playing with his collection, stealing our nets, and getting in the way."

Sigh.

True visionaries are always treading a lonely path, right?

But hey, every geeky thing I do. Every geeky thing YOU do- makes this hobby, this passion, and this obsession that much more enjoyable. It enriches the world by showing others that you can do just about anything if you love it enough.

What geeky hobby obsessions do YOU indulge in?

Discuss.

Quick Sunday thought. Stay tuned for lots more of the usual absurdity from yours truly.

Stay Wet

Scott Fellman 

Tannin Aquatics 

A lot of barking about...bark!

People often ask me to pick them more "unusual" or "scarce" stuff for their Enigma packs, or to recommend botanicals that are not always used widely...and I don't need to think to hard on it, either! I reach for Catappa bark!

So... you see me talking about Catappa bark all over our website, and on social media, and by now, you have probably reached one of the following conclusions: 

1) Fellman is slightly crazy (not too far off the mark, I might add…)

2) Catappa bark has some intriguing features (bingo!)

3) Fellman is slightly crazy (I think I’ve heard this before…)

Okay, let’s focus on  #2…Catappa bark is a really amazing product, with lots of cool uses around the aquarium. It's been used by fish geeks for many years, but has always sort of been "lost in the shadow" of its more popular cousin, the Catappa leaf.

We’ll start with explaining what this stuff is.  It comes from the Indian Almond Tree (Terminalia catappa). This tree provides many gifts for aquarists, including its wonderful bark.  Like the leaves, Catappa bark offers a rich source of tannins, humic acids, and other substances which  are thought to provide antibacterial and antifungal properties and other health benefits for aquarium inhabitants. It will, of course,  impart a lovely shade of brown into the water- what we know as "The Tint" around here!

It’s a very cool-looking material, too. It accurately replicates the fallen branches and woods that accumulate on the bottom of tropical streams and rivers, enriching the substrate and surrounding waters with the aforementioned tannins. Although the bark sections are not “branchy” in the true sense, they do have a very distinctive appearance that will add to the interest of your aquascape. I've always been surprised that we don't see more of them used in 'scapes.

They're available in two forms: "Strips", which are just that- little strips of bark, and "logs", which are rooted and toed sections of bark. Heftier, more substantial, and pricier than strips, they do offer more aquascaping potential. The strips are more "utilitarian" than aesthetic, but they do look kind of cool scattered about in the substrate! Both impart a lot of tannins into the water and last a good long time!

So why don't we see more of them?

Well, I think part of the problem is that this stuff IS kind of pricy. I admit it. Most of it is harvested, rolled, and cut by hand, so it's labor intensive and costs us a lot to begin with. We don't get it in enormous quantities However, it's really interesting stuff and should be used more...and perhaps if more and more hobbyists use it, we can bring in more and hopefully employ economies of scale to bring costs down!

Fish breeders (particularly Betta and Discus breeders) worldwide use pieces of the bark to provide the benefits of tannins to their fishes in breeding and show setups. Religious users of Catappa products in general will tell you that they regularly achieve  more frequent spawns, better colors in their fishes, and higher egg viability rates in waters which contain Catappa. And with logs or bark strips lasting longer than catappa leaves, it might be a nice alternative, right?

Another great benefit of Catappa bark is that it offers a place for smaller fishes, as well as larval fishes, to hide. In addition, it can be utilized as a spawning substrate for various species of small cichlids, such as the much-loved (around here!) Apistogramma.

I'd like to see some killie and rainbow fish hobbyists experiment with them as spawning substrates, too! Top spawning killies (like Epiplatys, RIvulus, Aphysemion, etc.)could utilize them as a spawning substrate  in even "bare" breeding tanks, deriving not only the benefits of the tannins and humic substances, but having a secure spot to deposit their eggs on that is easily harvested by the breeder! Hmm...

If you keep ornamental shrimp, you’ll love this stuff as much as the shrimp will, because it provides a beneficial “foraging area” for them, as they graze on the biofilm that inevitably accumulates on the submerged bark sections, as well as on the softening bark itself. Plecostomus and other Loricarid catfishes will be seen scraping this bark for supplemental nutrition, which, in turn, further releases the valuable tannins and other substances into the water column.

When we first started Tannin, it was a forgone conclusion that we’d carry Catappa bark. What wasn’t easy, however, was to secure a reliable, sustainably-minded source. We took quite some time, tried a few different outfits, and vetted a number before finding our supplier, from a small, family-owned business in a village in India. I came to know the young owner of the business quite well, and knew that he had his head and heart in the right place, so choosing to do business with him was a proverbial “no-brainer.”

Catappa bark sections are good stuff! They are carefully cleaned, dried, and some are rolled and tied into attractive little "logs", with tons of character! Others retain their natural form. They're all beautifully random and imperfect! We try to give you a little variety in each pack... We find this "randomness" quite charming.... 

Regardless of whether or not you choose to use this bark for aquascaping, its water-conditioning properties, supplemental nutrition for fishes and shrimp, a spawning substrate- or all of the above- this stuff is one of the “core products” that any “bontanically-oriented” aquarium hobbyist should utilize in their systems!

Think about it!

Stay creative. Stay curious. Stay motivated.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

The long haul: Thoughts on the long-term maintenance of botanical-style/blackwater aquariums

We've started to think a lot about the long-term maintenance of blackwater, botanical-style aquariums. One of the interesting things is that the general hobby's perception about blackwater aquariums was, for a very long time, that these systems were just sort of "stunts", and had no real "long-term outlook", as they could not be maintained for indefinite periods.

At first, I thought this was just the assertions of a few random people on forums here and there, but upon further investigation in the years before I launched Tannin, it seemed that nearly everywhere I looked I found a similar pessimism about the long-term viability of these types of aquariums. 

Perhaps part of it could be explained away by the fact that blackwater conditions have, over the years, been recommended for "conditioning" fishes, or for breeding aquariums for certain types of fishes, not really for the long-term maintenance of fishes. So they might never have been viewed as the types of aquariums you keep going long-term.

Interestingly, one segment of the aquarium hobby- shrimp keepers- has a good body of experience with the long-term maintenance of lower ph/alkalinity systems, and many of these hobbyists have enjoyed significant long-term success by employing some consistent, although perhaps slightly specialized husbandry practices.

And, as we've talked about before, there seemed to have been a perception among the mainstream hobby that blackwater aquariums were delicate, tricky-to-maintain systems, fraught with potential disaster; a soft-water, acidic environment which could slip precipitously into some sort of environmental "free fall" without warning. And there was the matter of that "dark brown water..."

Happily, this perception seems to be eroding, as a new generation of aquarists (hey, that's YOU guys!) has taken the torch and ran with it, taking a slightly different approach- and a vastly different attitude- and is perfecting the techniques required to maintain blackwater/botanical-style aquariums for the long term. And the "long term" is where my interest lies.

The longest I've personally maintained such a system has been about 3.5 years, and the only reason I broke down the aquarium was because of a home remodel that required the removal of everything from the space in which the aquarium was located. I set it up again shortly after the work was completed. The reality, though, is that I could have kept this system going indefinitely. 

As most of you who work with these aquariums know, the key to long-term success with them is to go slowly, deploying massive amounts of patience, common-sense husbandry, monitoring of environmental parameters, and careful stocking management. Not really much different from what you'd need to do to successfully maintain ANY type of aquarium for the long haul.

Since the typical botanical-style blackwater aquarium is set up with an initial "inventory" of leaves and other botanicals, we are accustomed to gradually "building up" the amount of these materials in our systems over a span of time. Patience! And, because of the very nature of botanical materials (they decompose underwater...), it is necessary to regularly replace them, much as you would filter pads, activated carbon or other chemical filtration media.

The act of replacing the decomposing leaves and botanicals not only mimics the processes which happen in nature (new materials being deposited into the waters), but it serves to continuously "refresh" or perpetuate the conditions within the aquarium. A sort of "mandatory husbandry process" that just happens to be the best way to maintain ANY type of aquarium for the long term, IMHO!

Fortunately, these materials are now more easily available to hobbyists than in years past! (In fact, we know a place...)

Interestingly, in nature, many leaf litter bed accumulations in Amazonian streams, for example, have been monitored for long periods of time (years), and they have become regular "features" of the stream in which they reside, influencing not only the structure of the river, but flow rates, dissolved oxygen levels and other chemical parameters, and of course, the fish population (in both composition and numbers).

Much like in nature, the way you maintain your botanicals in your system can influence these things as well. This is why I feel that the botanical-style blackwater aquarium is very similar to a reef aquarium, or a heavily-planted aquarium. There is a continuous and dynamic "evolution" that occurs throughout the existence of these aquariums, and the direction it goes is absolutely influenced by the degree to which we as hobbyists are involved.

I think that the keys to really long-term success and stability of your blackwater/botanical-style aquarium are as follows:

1) Start slowly, gradually building up your quantities of botanical materials over a period of weeks or months, until you reach a level that you like aesthetically, and which provides the type of manageable environmental parameters you are comfortable with.

2) Employ basic, common-sense husbandry protocols, like weekly small water changes, careful feeding, use and replacement of chemical filtration media.

3) Stock your aquarium with fishes gradually, over a period of months, preferably with smaller fishes that can "grow with the aquarium" and produce less metabolic waste during the critical first few months as your system establishes itself.

4) Regularly monitor basic water parameters over the first couple of months to establish a "baseline" of how your aquarium functions and runs chemically. Continue this practice throughout the lifetime of the aquarium.

5) Regularly remove and/or replace decomposing botanicals (or NOT- depending upon your preference) with new ones, to help keep the same visual "tint" and consistent TDS/pH parameters.

6) Note any trends or deviations from the "baseline" over time and adjust as needed to stay within a fairly tight range.

And of course, observe your aquarium regularly (a given), and share any insights, issues, and trends that you've noticed with the community. With so many hobbyists now getting into this interesting segment, we're starting to see some useful data on the establishment, maintenance, and long-term care of blackwater/botanical-style aquariums.

What trends and "behaviors" have you noticed in your longer-term established blackwater/botanical-style aquariums? Have you found these systems any more challenging than other aquariums you kept, or was it simply a matter of learning about how they behaved and maintaining them in such a way as to provide consistent environmental conditions?

Stay observant. Stay consistent. Stay open-minded.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Three ridiculously simple hacks for a more easy-to-maintain botanical style/ blackwater tank

If you're like me, you're obsessed with the aesthetics, function, and benefits of the botanical-style, blackwater aquarium. And many of you have been working with botanicals for as long as we've been offering them for sale (would you believe 2 years in August?!), and have probably already developed your own set of favorites, along with some cool techniques and such along the way!

Now, before I get into the "meat" of today's piece, I must qualify it and state firmly that there is simply no such thing as a "maintenance free" aquarium, blackwater or otherwise. We've already established that, even in our world of decomposing leaves, biofilms, and brown water, there are necessary practices that you need to engage in to keep your aquarium functioning and thriving in top condition. Make no mistake- these tanks require some work. Nonetheless, those of us who have played with botanicals in blackwater aquariums for a while have developed some "hacks" to at least make some of the necessary ongoing maintenance tasks easier.

And it's not always about "maintenance" in this context. Nope. Sometimes, it simply about setting up your aquarium a certain way, or utilizing materials in such a way as to give you longer-term functional/aesthetic benefits with less effort, as you'll see here.

Here are two easy, time-honored "hacks" that can make your life as a botanical-style blackwater aquarium hobbyist a bit more easy.

1) LEAVES FOR LONGEVITY

A great combination of leaves, in my opinion, would be Guava and Magnolia. Why, you might ask? Well, for one thing, both of these leaves tend to last a lot longer than say, Catappa. Magnolia leaves not only have a very "exotic" look when they're submerged, but as many of our "power users", like JT Martin will tell you, they hold their shape and colors for extended periods of time. They may recruit a little more biofilm on their surfacesthan some other leaves during their "tenure" in your aquarium, but they will more than compensate with their "endurance" and aesthetics...Oh, and they can add a very attractive tint to the tank as well!

The other half of this "dynamic duo" of leaves, Guava, is the perfect compliment. It also has an "exotic" look, with its distinctive shape and ribbed structure. Guava lasts a surprisingly long time when submerged (I've had specimens last 2 months or more before starting to break down significantly) retains it's good looks, and imparts a more gentle golden tint to the water.

Of course, if you keep organisms like shrimp, they'll take 'em down in short order (shrimp just seem to LOVE Guava leaves!), so you'll need to replace them more often. In my opinion, Guava leaves are one of the great "unsung heroes" of the botanical/blackwater aquarium, and don't seem to get the credit they deserve versus the  uber-popular Catappa leaves!

So, the takeaway here: Both of these leaf types look awesome, last a long time, and tend to hold together without breaking up as easily as other leaves, making them excellent choices for a more easy-maintenance botanical-style/blackwater aquarium.

2) "TINT HACKING"

Many of you probably already do this, but maybe not...When you prepare your water for water changes, it's typically down a few days to a week in advance, so why not use this time to your advantage and "pre-tint" the water by steeping some leaves in it? Not only will it keep the "aesthetics" of your water ( can you believe we're even talking about "the aesthetics of water?") consistent (i.e.; tinted), it will already have humic substances and tannins dissolved into it, helping you keep a more stable system. Obviously, you'd still check your pH and other parameters, but the addition of leaves to your replacement water is a great little hack that you should take advantage of.

It's also a really good way to get the "look" and some of the benefits of blackwater for your system from the outset. If you're just setting up a new aquarium, and have some water set aside for the tank, why not use the time it's aging to "pre-tint" it a bit, so you can have a nice look from day one? It's also great if you're setting up a tank for an aquascaping contest or  other same-day club event that would make it advantageous to have a tinted tank immediately.

I must confess that one of the more common questions we receive here from hobbyists is "how can I get the tint" in my tank more quickly- and this is definitely one way!

3) "WOOD YOU BELEIVE..?"

Here's another stupidly simple "hack" to get not only a "quick start" on tinting your water, but to help with the ongoing maintenance of the color with a minimal amount of intervention. I must admit, it's actually so basic that it's kind of like "cheating"- but hey, it's all about "hacking" today, right? 

The inspiration for this "technique" (I'm kind of embarrassed to call it a "technique", really) is the numerous frantic posts from distraught hobbyists that you see on aquascaping/planted tank forums who freak out because they just set up their "natural" planted aquarium and the piece of wood they used is "...leaching tannins into the tank and coloring the water brown!" 

Gasp!

Okay, I shouldn't make fun of these hapless souls who just loose their shit and simply haven't figured out that tint is cool...but the beautiful takeaway here for us is that you can use your wood (oh, that totally came out wrong...) to your advantage as a botanical/blackwater aquarium fan. (that still sounded bad!)

When life gives you lemons (or in this case, tannins)...

Most aquatic woods like my personal fave, Mopani, as well as Spider Wood, "traditional" driftwood, and as you'll soon discover, Mangrove- impart significant amounts of tannins into the water, which is why those clear-water-loving weirdos (heh, heh) like to soak their wood pieces for weeks before setting up their tank, and use heavy amounts of activated carbon and other chemical filtration media indefinitely to remove as much of the tint-producing tannins as possible.

So, simply give your driftwood enough of a "presoak" (or not) as required to get it to sink and stay down on its own, and perhaps to leach out some initial impurities, like surface dirt, dust, etc.- and than place it in your tank, and let it release its tannin goodness into the water. Sure, if it's too dark even for your sophisticated taste, you can always moderate it with some activated carbon or repetitive water changes until you get the "tint level" you like. And, as every "natural" aquarium fan knows, the wood will continue leaching tannins for a pretty long time...

Sweet.

This is perfect for those who love the tint but perhaps dislike the idea of lots of leaves in their tank; maybe those who just like the more durable, but less-tannin-imparting botanicals. Easy. Embarrassingly easy. And insanely obvious, too. Many of us simply didn't really consider it, because we got all caught up in using our leaves and botanicals to do the "heavy lifting", right? Yet aquatic wood is the perfect "secret" that's literally been right in front of our collective eyes for a century or more of aquarium practice! Use what ya'got, right?

Okay, on that note...

Let's cut this one off here, although I'm certain you have many more interesting, creative, and "legit" techniques (okay, "hacks") for working with your botanical-style/blackwater aquariums. Let's hear 'em!

Until next time,

Stay clever. Stay innovative. Stay creative...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics