The Tint

Geekiness and theory from Seat 3A

Headed home. Thinking fish stuff.

As another great fishy event passes, I'm feeling somewhat inspired yet again.  Yeah, tired, but inspired. There's something about the travel we do for fish keeping events that makes us pause and think a little about how amazing this hobby is. What is it about being around fellow fish geeks that just sort of brings out the "geekiness" in us?

As you surmise, I do get a lot of email and PM’s from readers of my ramblings here and elsewhere, and I get some pretty interesting requests and questions, as well as suggestions about topics people would like to hear about. Today, we’re going to touch on a topic suggested by a fellow hobbyist at one of these gigs. The request posed was to discuss a little about the maturing process of a tank- specifically, thoughts on what the difference is between a tank that is just “cycled”, and one that is defined as “mature.” 

What an interesting topic! Of course, I’ll throw my two cents worth out there, and then we can all add to it and discuss..

I guess the logical place to start such a discussion would be…at the beginning. Well, the beginning phases of your tank, that is. You know what I mean: You’ve designed the perfect system in your head. You spent some money on all of the gear you need to make this thing come alive. You've selected a substrate, rocks, wood...You might have even purchased some botanicals from this little company called Tannin Aquatics (maybe, LOL).

Of course, before all of the killer fishes are swimming about peacefully in their new home, you need to “cycle” the system, and get it suitable for life forms to reside in. It’s one thing to have a nicely-equipped system, quite another to have a suitable system for aquatic life. It’s still another when it earns the lofty hobby moniker of “mature.” 


(This is what most of us what define as "mature." Right?)

I am operating on the assumption (gulp) that most of us have a basic understanding of the nitrogen cycle and how it impacts our aquariums. However, maybe we don’t all have that understanding. My ramblings have been labeled as “moronic” by at least one “critic” in the past, however, so it’s no biggie for me as said “moron” to give a very over-simplified review of the “cycling” process in an aquarium, so let’s touch on that for a moment! 

Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate…arghhh! Chemistry. Science. Black and White. Yikes.

During the cycling process, ammonia levels will build and then suddenly decline as the nitrite-forming bacteria multiply in the system. Because nitrate-forming bacteria don't appear until nitrite is available in sufficient quantities to sustain them, nitrite levels climb dramatically as the ammonia is converted, and keep rising as the constantly-available ammonia is converted to nitrite. Once the nitrate-forming bacteria multiply in sufficient numbers, nitrite levels decrease dramatically, nitrate levels rise, and the tank is considered “fully cycled.”


(A schematic of the nitrogen cycle by one of my favorite mentors, the great Bob Fenner!)

So, in summary, you could correctly label your system “fully cycled” as soon as nitrates are detectible (if they are, right?), and when ammonia and nitrite levels are undetectable. This usually takes anywhere from 10 days to as many as 4-6 weeks, depending on a number of factors. In my experience, there are certainly some “cheats” you can use to speed up the process, such as the addition of some filter media or sand from a healthy, “mature” aquarium, or even utilizing one of the many commercially available “bacteria in a bottle” products to help build populations of beneficial bacterial populations.

So we have at least, for purposes of this discussion, established what we mean in aquarium vernacular by the term “fully cycled.” However, what does “mature” mean? Well, here is where we lose some of the hard facts and get into judgment calls and opinion…and that’s okay. I’ll give you my thoughts on the topic, and I expect to hear yours!


Make friends with your bacteria...They've got your back!

In my opinion, a “mature” aquarium is a system in which the nitrogen cycle is fully functioning, and nitrate is regularly produced as the “end product” of the biological filtration process. However, it goes further than that. I believe that truly “mature” systems have several distinct traits that set them apart from newly-cycled systems, specifically:

*Botanicals and other surfaces may show covering of biofilms, algae, and other macro life. Stable populations of amphipods, copepods, and/or other small crustaceans might be visible.

*Fish population has been stable, healthy and consistent, with few losses with any frequency.

*Fishes and, okay, plants, too- are actively growing and increasing in size as well as improving in health and color. 

What’s more, there is a certain “Something” to a mature aquarium…A smell, a look, a lack of excess in either “good” or “bad” animals. You really notice this in a blackwater, botanical-style aquarium, right? In my opinion, another trademark of a “mature” tank is one in which you don’t have to freak out every time you miss a water change, forget to feed, fall behind on algae scraping, top-offs, etc. Aquariums that are environmentally stable allow the aquarist a certain degree of latitude in maintenance and overall husbandry. But that doesn’t mean you can kick back, of course.

Mature tanks also can fall into what author/reef aquarium great/friend Mike Paletta referred to as “Old Tank Syndrome” back in 2006. Mike asserts (correctly, IMHO) that a reef system (and by extension, a freshwater aquarium) is NOT a “slice of the ocean/river”; rather, that it is a closed system, and is subject to accumulations of nutrients (specifically nitrogenous waste and phosphates) over time, many of which can reach a detrimental concentration unless maintenance is stepped up to combat their accumulation. Regular, though not obsessive- water parameter monitoring is always advisable to ascertain just what is going on in the aquarium. We’ve talked previously about establishing “baseline” operating parameters for your aquarium, and trying to stay within that baseline for the life of the system.



(No matter what phase of it's existence your tank is in, you still need to stay on top of maintenance! Yeah, I've been doing water changes in my fishless aquarium...GEEK!)

In other words, even with regular maintenance practices and monitoring in place, you can’t truly set the tank “on autopilot” and let it run itself. There is a constant “war” between good and bad chemical concentrations going on in your system, and you need to be on top of things in order to assure that the “bad” doesn’t outweigh the “good.” 

Now, this doesn't always mean that a tank is teetering on the brink of disaster, of course. However, it does mean that an aquarium is a dynamic system that you simply wouldn't want to let run without some monitoring.

What this might mean in practice is that stepped-up water changes and other maintenance may be employed as necessary to combat excesses. How do you know that you have excesses of organic nutrients building up in your long-established tank? Well, one cue is when you start noticing outbreaks of algae where none existed previously, that’s a tip off- as is the failure of previously thriving fishes to display the growth and vigor they once did. Sure, an aquarium is a lot like a garden, and you’ll need to “prune” regularly to assure that plants aren’t growing all over each other, disrupting water flow patterns with their growth, and just looking ugly. Of course, you COULD let it run amok, and sometimes get somber pretty cool results! 



(Actively growing plants give us joy, but they are super-competitive with their neighbors.)

The bottom line is that an aquarium, being a closed system, will demonstrate some characteristics that are easily identifiable when it’s “mature”, but that you still need to address all aspects of husbandry and maintenance throughout its existence. Much like a garden, a reef could “run wild” if left to its own devices, and the outcome for many plants and animals in residence could be negative. Even mature tanks need monitoring to really blossom.

No one said the hobby is easy, but it’s not difficult, either- as long as you have a basic understanding of the environmental processes and conditions within your aquarium. If this “moron” can do it, it’s "cake" for you smart hobbyists!

I’d like to hear your thoughts on this topic. If you can offer personal opinions, examples, and experiences, this would be particularly interesting. I know it’s a topic that’s been kicked around before, but let’s bring it up again and share.

I'm gonna try to catch a bit of sleep for a few minutes. Yeah, good idea!

Stay on top of things. Stay challenged. Stay engrossed.

And Stay Wet.


Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Hacking the hobby...

I have to admit, I'm hardly what you'd call a "do-it-yourselfer" when it comes to a lot of things. However, I think I suffer from that most common, yet insidious of hobby afflictions: The desire to "modify", "tweak", or otherwise customize fish stuff. I think pretty much every hobbyist does, to some extent. And I think, to be perfectly honest- that many manufacturers are aware of this. I just like to change stuff...it's in my nature. Yours too, no doubt.

And the hobby offers so many ways to do this.

Now, electronic controllers are perfect for tech-savvy DIY'ers- If you can code, or figure out the software included in your controller, you've got a whole world of things you can do: Tweak the light intensities to take a "siesta" mid day and then ramp up lighting later in the day, while dosing more nutrients? No problem. Want to maximize flow intensity and back off pumps and other water movement devices for feeding? Yeah, you've got this. You guys make it look easy.

Guys like me- the more "challenged" ones- well, we have to resort to changing stuff you can unscrew, twist, snap on, or saw. Don't like the piece of crap pump your all-in-one tank comes with? No sweat, yank it out, get that high quality pump, and figure out the fittings during an hour in the plumbing section at the home improvement store, and voila! You've got FLOW! Don't like the look of the filter return? You've got a dozen ways to fix that..

We have  DIY solution or "hack" for almost everything, don't we? We use stuff in ways manufacturers never even imagined...and it's like, totally normal for us...right?

It works with almost everything in the hobby...even botanicals! Hey, I'll admit it- don't want to pay $4.00USD for some seed pods or leaves? Collect you own, if you can find them! Don't like frozen food? Well, you can easily grow worms and keep brine shrimp in your refrigerator, right? All of these things can save money. Not certain that they will save time. But I think the point of our DIY projects isn't necessarily to save time. I think it might not even be to save money all the time. Rather, I think it's about customization. We love stuff on our terms in this hobby. And we kind of enjoy the process, too.

Besides, who really cares if that high tech DC pump costs more than the aquarium, right?

Leaves are free...I mean, if your a hobbyist who lives in India, you laugh at our selling some types of leaves.

On the other hand, you work, you don't want to deal with collecting stuff...

That's how modern life is, right? Off the shelf solutions don't work for everyone. That's why most of us watch TV on-demand, via our DVR or services like Hulu and NetFilx. It's about doing it in a way that's best for US. No commercials. Ever.

Why be held back from what you enjoy?

And that's part of the reason I hate "rules" when it comes to things like aquascaping. Stuff that's subjective, open to interpretation doesn't always need rules. I mean, suggestions are great, but hard and fast "rules" (short of, "Don't decorate your tank by stringing a live electric wire covered in Christmas Moss") just sort of create barriers that we all seem to dispose. Nature imposes "rules", like the nitrogen cycle, pH, and day/night cycles. But as hobbyists, "rules" never seem to work. It's more like "suggestions" for so many of us. Besides, the best work often is based on eschewing them.

Now, granted, we might venture into unsafe and unfamiliar territory, and sometimes even  get ourselves into trouble when we go against "conventional" aquarium wisdom...On the other hand, it's these little detours that often lead to the best developments, the coolest innovations, and the unexpected breakthroughs. Call it happenstance. Call it giving in to frustration. Call it gifted insight. Pushing back boundaries is not always an invitation to trouble.

"Hacking" the aquarium hobby is a good thing- when we go in with our eyes wide open- knowing that stuff could go south in a hurry if we let it. 

I'm still going to change out that pump in my All-in-one tank.

Stay bold. Stay sort of reckless...sometimes. But always have a "Plan B."

And always...

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Quality Control...The "price of love", and the bigger picture.

When I was a young child, my father gave me my first fish- essentially some culls from his pure strain of solid blue Delta-Tail guppies. Having just turned 5, I couldn't care what they were, I was just thrilled to have some fish!

Obviously, as they years went by and my experience with fishes of all types grew, I began to be more of stickler when it came to the quality of the fishes I wanted for my collection. Like every hobbyist, I wanted the nicest specimens for my collection. However, I would occasionally purchase some "ugly ducklings" in the hope that my better-than-average care could bring out the best in them. Now, this is not an uncommon thing with fish geeks, right? It seems like almost every fish geek has a tank or two of "factory seconds"- fishes which may not be the best example of their species; fishes which may actually have some physiological issues. Fishes which, if they were in the wild, may not have made it.

Now, don't get me wrong- I'm ALL about compassion. I'm the guy who won't crush that wayward spider or cricket that wanders into the kitchen...But when it comes to fishes, I have tempered my compassion with a dose of reality, and an understanding of consequence. I am not an active breeder of fishes at the moment, but I know that if I was, I'd be pretty ruthless when it comes to culling. I have this issue with poor quality fishes getting into the hobby, as many of you probably do.

One of the things I hate the most is when you purchase a shoal of say, 15 Neon Tetras from the LFS, and you will almost always end up with 2 or 3 that, upon very close scrutiny, have small defects- missing or bent pectoral fins, missing gill plates, etc. Maybe even a crooked spine. Small defects that, perhaps don't harm the fish or render it incapable of survival, but problems that may or may not affect them later in life. The larger issue, as we all know, is that these lower quality specimens sneak into the gene pool, sometimes spawning, and perhaps affecting generations of the fish in a local area. And it's easy to overlook some of these little defects, particularly when you're purchasing small, shoaling/schooling fishes like characins, Danios, and Cyprinids, like I do. 

We all have to be vigilant about this. It seems obvious, but it IS kind of hard to tell, in the chaos and activity of the store, that this Leopard Danio had a oddly-tilted caudal peduncle, or that the Rasbora was missing a section of it's left gill cover- but these things can't be allowed when we breed them (intentionally or otherwise), because the long-term quality of the species in captivity can be affected. And quite honestly, in recent years, I've noticed a lot of lower quality specimens, particularly of mass-bred fishes, slipping through the cracks and getting into retail stores, and often, ending up in hobbyists' aquariums.

This is not meant to be an indictment of every fish farming operation out there, or an allegation that wholesalers, or the LFS does a poor job. However, it IS meant to sort of give us all the occasional reminder that QC should start with the fish farmers, and the process needs to be continued at the wholesale, retail, and hobby levels. At every stage, buyers can and should "vote with their pocketbooks" and let the suppliers know that 27 of the 250 Neons they purchased had subtle, but significant defects.  

Yes, it IS often difficult to catch the "bad apples" when you're dealing with thousands of fishes- I know, I've operated a large scale aquatic livestock facility, and worked at a number of aquarium related businesses over the decades. I get it. However, it's critical, IMHO. Captive bred fishes are a vital part of the industry, and will be forever. However, with the hobby growing rapidly, and demand growing, it's incumbent upon us all- fish farmers, wholesalers, LFS owners/employees, and hobbyists, to carefully scrutinize every fish we purchase, and offer feedback along the chain 

I'm no geneticist, and I am certainly not an authority on quality control in an industrial setting, but it seems to me that quality of the fishes we sell is so much more important than simply meeting a purchase order commitment. "Commoditizing" fishes may look great on a spread sheet, but it simply doesn't make sense from a long-term viability standpoint. And quite frankly, I think our aquarium fishes need to cost more. Yup. We need to put a greater value on them- particularly wild-collected fishes, as this supports those in the countries of origin who earn a livelihood collecting our fishes, rather than contributing to deforestation and other ecologically unsound activities that would be more attractive if fishing for ornamentals wasn't an option. It's a privilege to have access to these animals, and the price needs to reflect this at all levels.

And honestly, even the larger commercial facilities should, I believe, charge more.The LFS should charge more. It better reflects the truly precious nature of the animals that we keep. I realize this won't make me popular with some hobbyists, but it's how I feel. I understand it's already an expensive hobby, but it's more expensive in the long run to devaluate and commoditize fishes. And quite frankly, I'd like to see even more fish stores and even wholesale operations getting behind "basement breeders" and small boutique fish producers, to further enhance quality and selection.

Small-scale breeders WILL charge more- as they should- to reflect the expensive realities of small-scale, careful fish breeding. Just like we see with small-batch food producers, coffee roasters, and craft beer brewers, the "ecosystem" around tropical fish production can and should reflect an even greater commitment to quality, value, and sustainable pricing. We as a hobby need to look beyond just the initial price of the fish at the LFS. We need to really understand- as we probably already do, and perhaps don't care to vocalize- that quality has a price. And, that lack of quality has an even greater price. We should make a choice.

It's long run versus short run, IMHO. Sure, it's great to be able to get thousands of really cheap Apistos, or whatever, into the market...lots of hobbyists could get them. However, in the long run, flooding the market with cheap, lower quality fishes with higher mortality and defect rates does nothing to advance the hobby long term, or to add value to the practice of collecting, breeding, and distributing them. We just have to be honest with ourselves and make what, for a lot of us IS a tough call: Accepting the fact that more expensive animals will lead to a brighter and better future long-term.

Again, this is not an indictment of large scale fish farming, wild collection, or the way fishes are sold. It IS a call for all of us, as consumers and hobbyists, to simply step back periodically and look at the bigger picture. Will paying an extra dollar/euro (or whatever your local currency may be) make or break your decision to stay in the hobby? Only you can answer that, but if enough people say, "Yeah, it's not so bad..." what a difference that would make...globally. 

Not only now, but far into the future. For us, for our children, and for the children of those who work so hard to collect, propagate, and distribute the fishes we love so much.

And of course, for the irreplaceable habitats worldwide that are affected by our actions.

And for generations yet to be born, who will continue to enjoy the wonder and diversity of nature, which we will all have done our part to treasure and protect.

Treasure your fishes. Treasure your hobby. Treasure your fellow humans. We all know to do this, but it can't hurt to reflect upon it every once in a while.

Stay bold. Stay compassionate. Stay involved. 

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Learning and growing...what's "failure", anyways?

“The only real mistake in life is the one from which we learn nothing…” 

-Henry Ford

Some time back, I received a call from a friend who was just devastated. She was a very experienced hobbyist, with a lot of years in the game- like 25 plus. She made a really basic mistake, failing to quarantine a few new fish from a trusted online vendor, added them right to her 300 gallon Discus aquarium, and - you guessed it- almost her entire collection of fishes- many rare and expensive- are showing signs of Ich.  Damn.

After we discussed her best course of action, she seemed a lot better…However,  she called back again later to just share how she was feeling; The usual emotions you’d expect when one goes through something like this: Regret, self-criticism, questioning, and…shame. The "shame par" was interesting to me, because it seemed to me she was being unnecessarily embarrassed. Of course, being a fellow veteran in the hobby game for three decades, and a keeper of fish since I could walk- I shared my war stories, and reflected on the many, many mistakes I made. I provided the usual “rah, rah" stuff, which essentially became platitudes at some point. The bottom line is that she felt pretty shitty, and just wanted to sort of beat herself up, despite my supportive admonitions to move on. I don’t know if I fully reached her.

Not too many days later, I did something that created similar feelings in myself- Having been asked by a site administrator eager to have Tannin's support, I sent out a plug/blog for my company for an aquarium-related blog in in frenzy, just before an early morning rush to catch a flight, without proofing it first.

Of course, you KNOW what happened, right? It contained some really stupid typos- some flat out screw-ups by me (like misspelling the name of my own company!), and some a result of the spell checker not recognizing the botanical names and offering laughable corrections- which was still clearly my fault, because, hey- the human is supposed to "check the spell checker," right? Now, no reader seemed to notice, yet when the errors were pointed out to me by a friend, I fell into the exact pattern my friend friend did- disgust, embarrassment, frustration, anger at myself..and yes, shame. Shame that I had let my company down, that I- the “mighty wordsmith” of Tannin, had let some sub-par stuff slip out into cyberspace, perhaps "damaging" my brand.

Sure, I tried to rationalize what happened…There was little to rationalize. Better to analyze what happened. I rushed and failed to do the things necessary to avoid errors before sending. The solution was obvious- just slow down and proofread! Much like the solution my Discus-loving friend was given by yours truly- “You know what to do-just quarantine from now on. You've got this...” Easy to say, right? Sure, she had a short term problem of a tank full of expensive, sick fishes to contend with. Would the mistake devastate her tank? What is the immediate solution? Decisions had to be made and action taken. Quickly.  Would this mistake result in her getting out of the hobby? No. Of course not. 

Would my typo-filled post result in the demise of Tannin Aquatics? No. If that’s all it took, that would be pretty sad…Besides, if customers thought less of my entire company because of a few isolated typos, I wonder if these apparently flawless, "god-like" people are the types I’d want to do business with, anyways. 

Yeah, we can rationalize away mistakes. We can dwell on them. Wallow in it. Let them beat us, and win. 

Or, we can learn from them, move on, and vow to take measures to never again make the same mistake. I think that’s a better approach, don’t you?

Remember the investigation following the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and the 2003 Columbia tragedy? NASA realized that both incidents were a result of failure to follow safety protocols that were- or should have been- in place to prevent these kinds of things from happening. Administrative pressures to launch and complete the missions overwhelmed the need to slow down and consider the possibilities poised by cold temps or debris strikes to the shuttle, with tragic consequences.

What did NASA do? After soul-searching, finger-pointing, and much investigation, they instituted and followed protocols to make sure such tragedies wouldn't happened again.  Obviously, lives were lost and would never be brought back. A proud American institution was rattled to the core. And guess what? They made a tragic mistake in 2003 with similar devastating consequences. Did NASA quit? Did mankind stop exploring? No. We know the rest of the story- a by-and-large wonderfully successful program emerged that had broad-reaching positive benefits for mankind. Despite failures caused by human error and misjudgment. 

Look, an aquarium or a spelling error on a forum post are not on par with disasters that resulted in deaths of humans, but the principles- and lessons to be learned- are much the same. As fish people, we can choose to beat ourselves up, listen to a few people who tell us we were stupid. Or we can face what happened,  look at what led up to the incident occurring in the first place, manage the consequences, and put procedures into place to assure that such errors never happen again.  We can show others that it is possible to make an error and recover. We can share our stories so that fellow hobbyists don’t make the same mistake. We can make a setback a net gain for ourselves and the hobby..We can emerge stronger and better as aquarists- and for that matter- as human beings. 

The great inventor, Thomas Edison, on the thousands of failed attempts to create a functional electric light bulb, made the famous and highly-applicable comment, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Talk about an optimist!

Think of all of the great innovations in society, technology, the arts..and in fishkeeping, for that matter- which arose as a result of…failure. A result of error. A result of screwing something up- and, rather than dwelling on the negative implications- putting a positive spin on things and moving forward to rise from the ashes of failure, emerging better and stronger than before- for the benefit of others, as well as the individual who perpetrated the error or committed the act of failure.

I submit to you that our aquarium-keeping mistakes are sometimes tragic, often expensive, always frustrating- but never wasted…IF we face them, learn from them-and share the experience with others. In reality, no mistake is ever wasted in life. It can always serve as an example of what NOT to do, a la Edison.

The history of Tannin in its "pre-business" days was filed with disasters, as we determined what would work and what wouldn't. We tried all sorts of stuff, different procedures, some with tragic consequences, and someone with wonderful results, before ever making our materials available to you. In the context of "R and D", "failure" just goes with the territory. It's part of responsibility.

One of my personal icons, Steve Jobs, knew of failure, both before and during his tenure at Apple. In fact, he was actually fired- fired- can you imagine firing the guy?- from Apple. Dumped by the company he literally co-founded in a garage.  As you can imagine, he was devastated- humiliated…felt like a failure. Did he hang it up? Of course not, as he later famously related in a Stanford commencement speech:

“I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life,”

As Jobs intimated so well, the takeaway from failure is the opportunity to rebound and innovate- stronger than before, flush with the hard-won knowledge that can only come from learning by, well- screwing up. Taking ownership of our mistakes is a pillar of aquarium-keeping technique and philosophy. Everyone screws up in this hobby. Everyone fails. Everyone does something contrary to what they know to be correct.

Everyone.

However, it’s the truly successful aquarist- and human being- who, rather than dwelling on failure, moves on to learn from it. Rises from the ashes to correct it. Shakse off the humiliating cloak of failure, only to don the shiny, freshly-pressed garment of success. 

 Not everyone can do it. Everyone should…

If the aquarium hobby were easy, we wouldn’t have forums filled with “how to’s”, and vendors wouldn’t stock medication, test gear, electronic controllers, ‘scaping tools. You wouldn’t need to take corrective actions when your water parameters head south, because they never would. You wouldn’t need to tear apart your aquascape to move the fish that you knew would bully everything else in your aquarium, yet you tried anyways-becuase you wouldn't have needed to experiment in the first place.

I think I’ll give my friend a call this week, just to check in. I think I’ll let her know that what she did- although tragic in the short term- was one of the best things she could have done. Yeah, really. I’ll let her know that if she learns never to make the same mistake again- and more important- shares her mistake and the actions she took to correct it with others- that the tragic incident was in actuality one of the greatest experiences of her aquarium-keeping "career." If it helps just one other hobbyist avoid the same mistake, then the cliche about the hapless fishes not dying in vain really does hold water.

And to you, the readers of my forum post: Do you know that “Cardnal Tetra” really is a “Cardinal Tetra?” Does the fact that I typed “Geafagus” instead of “Geophagus”  mean that you will forever look at my company with a jaundiced eye and never buy from us again? Maybe. Maybe not. I would like to think it wouldn’t drive you away, but hey-that’s your call.  I have to tell you that, reflecting back on it, I'm occasionally still a bit upset with myself…On the other hand, at the risk of sounding a bit, well- arrogant- I’m actually kind of happy that I screwed up. Yeah. Why? Because I don’t like the feeling screwing up left me with, and I don’t want to feel it again…and that feeling will push me to do better and hold myself to higher standards. (until the next blog riddled with typos goes out, lol)

Oh, and the site with the error-filled blog?

It folded soon afterwards, lol. Maybe it worked out okay anyways? Maybe I caused it to fold? Nah. But really ironic, wouldn't you say?

Of course, being human, you know that I’m bound to screw up again at some point in the future. But it’s okay. I still believe in myself. I will still learn. I will still improve. Oh, and just because we acknowledge and “own” our failures doesn’t mean that we can hold ourselves to lower standards.

It just means that we need to be a bit more aware of the possibilities of doing something in a manner that we know might be detrimental. 

And to you, the one hobbyist who though he was going to be the ONE person who could create a substrate consisting entirely of Java Fern, or you, THAT hobbyist who decided that it’s okay to build the open-top river tank with 30,000 gallons per hour of flow and a surge system located above that really expensive hardwood floor…I wish you all the success…or, at least, I wish you a pleasant journey towards success as your recover from a setback.

Your bravery, heart, optimism and tenacity exemplify the best traits of today’s aquarium hobbyists, and human beings.

So, stay with it. Be kind to yourself, and patient with others. 

Stay proud. Stay humble. Stay hungry. Stay calm.

And most important of all…

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

You can't do that.

I was chatting with an old fishy friend yesterday- a guy who is really talented; a really progressive aquarist who has many novel approaches to stuff we do in the hobby.

Approaches honed by doing things...Sometimes, they're unorthodox. But they always work! Sadly, he's taken a "hiatus' from the hobby...worn down, it seems, by some negativity he's encountered.

He related to me a recent situation where he was just pummeled in an online reef keeping forum for suggesting that there was a better way to do something. He was humble and gracious. He presented his idea, and showed how he does it. Showed how others could do it. Successfully.

Yet, he was hit. Hard. It was incredibly ugly.

You're in this hobby long enough, and you want to try some new stuff. Things that may just go against the "status quo"; the "way things are done", the "commonly held belief", or the "best practices."

You do this because you're perhaps frustrated with the way you've been doing something. You feel limited by the processes, mindsets, and challenges that you're encountering with an aquarium project you're working on.

So, you embark on the new road. You develop the proverbial "better mousetrap." You're having some success...and you share your rather unorthodox idea on a forum or user group, because you're excited and think others might enjoy hearing about it.

And then it happens.

From out of the dark corners of the dusty backroads of the internet comes the response to your work, "You can't do that."

We've seen this dozens and dozens of times. Way too many times. And it's often from someone who has, quite frankly, never even tried what you're doing. Or never approached it in the way you're approaching it. Yet, often times, this person is perceived as an "expert" in his/her online community, yet sometimes it's simply because this person is really good at intimidating others who "invade" his/her self created "utopia", where their version of "normal" is the only way.

It's so predictable that it's almost funny. But it's not.

(I'm not sure if it's unique to the aquarium world, but I suspect that it isn't.)

And these bullies-that's what they are- all operate in the same way...

They'll bombard you with all sorts of arguments, personal attacks, random google links, etc....but almost never will you see them have a personal experience with the very thing, done in the very way that you are. You know, the thing they are tearing you down about. They're "armed for battle" with somewhat vague, third-party information and "experiences" ("This guy in Seattle tried that and his tank melted down twice!"), and tremendous amounts of often dated material, citations from quasi-related work- often high-level scientific stuff that has little to do with your idea, yet cobbled together to intimidate and impress others.

And the gang gathers. Supporters of the "expert" will rally behind him/her. You'll receive more and more, often moderated, but just as negative- "feedback" from these people...again, most have absolutely no personal experience which they can offer to show you why your idea or approach is so horrible...they just "know." Because...that's not the way we do it..."And we're a community..."

Don't cave. Don't even bother to argue with these small-minded people. In fact, one of the things I've found to be best is to simply and politely leave the situation.

Get back to DOING. Prove the validity of your idea by doing. Iterating, modifying...demonstrating. I'm not suggesting that everyone is going to get along. But it's no reason to abandon your own essence.

Believe in yourself. Some people will never come around, despite your obvious success. Some will continue to dwell on the parts of your idea which are challenging, tricky, and perhaps hard to understand...but that work if you do them.

Keep doing them. Keep showing and sharing and taking heat. But keep doing.

If you believe in your idea, don't let anything stop you.

A lot of people won't try your idea, because they're afraid. Or because it's NOT what "you're supposed to do." Or, because it's hard. But keep sharing anyways.

You can lead a horse to water....

Often, by simply doing, over and over again, others will come to understand that your idea is actually pretty good. They'll realize that it can make them successful with their aquarium projects, too. It will be beneficial.

And they share. And the idea germinates...and spreads. And more and more hobbyists have success; build upon your work, and share their ideas, their modifications. Their successes, and failures.

Or, you can simply get into arguments with the naysayers who dismiss your ideas, spend all of your time engaging with people who will never "get it", and you'll simply never progress, because you get 'burnt out", like my friend did. It's horrible. He's like...done.

Negativity sucks.

Please don't fall into the negativity trap. Don't become a naysayer. Don't be one of those people who says, "You can't do that..."

And don't become a jerk.

It's poison for the soul.

When someone tells you "You can't do that", just show your work. Over and over.

Maybe THEY can't do that, but open-minded, interested people can.

Believe. Declare war on negativity in this hobby. Enough is enough. There is way too much good out there to get caught up in pettiness and hate.

Simple advice for Saturday, in honor of my friend, who sadly submitted to this.

And to you- those of you boldly pushing back the limits; challenging the "status quo"-despite what "everyone" says:

Stay strong. Stay bold. Stay humble. Stay relentless...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

P.S.- Still time to get your proposals in for your "Tint Grant!" Let's see 'em!

Getting it.

Only a fish geek really “gets it.”

There is this unofficial characteristic that you find in almost every hardcore fish geek: A helpfulness, an undefinable generosity, compassion, enthusiasm- call it what you want- but it’s a palpable, measurable characteristic that separates hardcore hobbyists from the hapless dabblers in the aquatic hobby.



JT Martin is no "dabbler.."


Not sure what I mean? When was the last time you went to the LFS with a bunch of fish keeping buddies? It’s kind of like 8 year olds taking a road trip to Disneyland…The excitement and giddiness is unbearable! By the time you arrive, you’ve worked yourself up into such a frenzy that it won’t be a let down at all if the only fish you see are Neon Tetras…



"I know they have that Apisto I want! And I can't wait to see that Bucephalandra selection! Are we THERE yet?"

One of my favorite things about owning Tannin is the total excitement our customers show when they receive their packages! We put a lot of care into making them like a gift you'd want to open at Christmas, so it's fun to see those "box opening" videos and pics; to feel the excitement! We get as big a thrill out of assembling your orders as we hope you do receiving them!

When I co-owned our facility at Unique Corals, I never got over the childlike wonder that hardcore reefers would display when, after a long road trip from somewhere else, McDonalds coffee still in hand, they'd arrive at our facility and literally giggle with excitement as they start exploring the raceways. 

Seeing that thrill in others never gets old…And that “thrill” that we get as hardcore hobbyists is a defining characteristic of our essence, as alluded to previously. The things that excite us are way different than the things that excite the casual "fish keeper"…I mean, you know you’re hardcore when your buddies can’t wait to show others YOUR cool tank, etc.- as if they somehow own it, too.

And, in essence, we all do. Not in the communist, “everyone owns everything” kind of way- rather, the fact that every aquarist seems to take a bit of pride in things that his/her fellow fish geek accomplishes. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve arrived in a new town for a speaking gig, and the people who pick me up at the airport can’t wait to show me “Jim’s” tank, because "he has the coolest __________ you've ever seen!"

I love that. I mean, they’re excited to show you SOMEONE ELSE’S tank? Awesome.

And what about generosity?

Hardcore aquarists are typically overflowing with it. They love this stuff so much they’d literally give you their fry or plant cuttings just because they are stoked on them. I saw a sterling example at a conference not long ago when a hobbyist/vendor was so stoked that some guy loved one of his killies, that he literally said “I want you to have it..” An the hobbyists response was like, “Well, dude, come to my fish room and grab something..” And the vendor's response was, “Maybe.”

I mean, he was all about just sharing something that he loved with another hobbyist who also fell for the fish’s charms...And getting something in return wasn’t even on his mind. This guy was so stoked that I literally was getting goosebumps just seeing this. An absolutely perfect example of what I mean when I say that hardcore hobbyists are the coolest group of people you’ll ever meet. 

Hardcore fish geeks have this "air" about them…they just want to try new stuff, share ideas, offer their opinions, and most important- support. When you have a problem and go on a forum and post the story of your trouble- you almost always get immediate, overwhelming response…Because hardcore fish geeks have been there…or if they haven’t- they know that they will one day. And, they will typically give generously of their time and effort simply for love of the hobby. “Payment” is usually in the form of fry or plant cuttings- at some far off date in the future. It’s like, “No worries, just score me some fry of that sweet Krib pair when you finally breed them” (Even though the fishes in question are like juveniles themselves and a year away from spawning)..and the cool thing: The hobbyists who “owes” the fry will not forget…One day, he’ll come to the local meeting with a nice group of fry and tell the recipient, “I owe you from last year, when you helped dial in my Ehiem that night..”

Hardcore hobbyists have a long memory about stuff like that.



"Just let me know when you spawn 'em, bro.."

And don’t ever tell a hardcore fish geek that you’re just getting started in the hobby during a visit to your tank, or you’ll be up until 2:30 AM acclimating all of the fish and planting all of the cuttings he/she is going to give you to your rock. It’s almost predictable how generous hardcore fish geeks are…to a fault, almost! 

And the cool thing- it’s like that in every aquarium-keeping community in the WORLD that I’ve visited…It’s like a universal culture. There are certain constants:

*Every hardcore fish geek says he/she hates Water Sprite, calls it “weed”, but secretly is looking for some ‘cause they can’t get it to grow.

*Every hardcore fish geek has at least three disaster stories to share (ya know, floods, broken hardware..or worse).

*Every hardcore fish geek has like a hundred baby Mollies they want to get rid of, and will gladly drive 2 hours to do it!

*Every hardcore  fish geek has a pair of Apistos in one of their show tanks that breed regularly, but they never get around to harvesting the fryto rear.

*Every hardcore fish geek has an “algae battle” story or three to tell!

*Every hardcore fish has that ONE fish that he or she has been trying to track down for years...

Ah, hardcore fish geeks. I love ‘em. 



"I have some Mollies, if anyone wants some.."

You people- all of you- make my days- every day. We are a global, interconnected, interactive, fun-loving, fascinating, highly dysfunctional family of people who love this crazy hobby. Most important…

We are all friends.

And that makes getting up each day that much more enjoyable.

Until next time.

Stay generous. Stay enthusiastic. Stay compassionate. Stay excited!

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Bee Cool.

My vote for the cutest freshwater fish is definitely the lovable "Bumblebee Goby", Brachygobius doriae. because, well- it's really small ( like maybe 1.5"/ 38mm max), and hops around like its namesake.  And it has this little face that's...well, it's cute. It's small.  It's even placed in a small genus, with only nine, occasionally-confused members. 

Now, one of the things I love about this fish is that it's one that we have  a completely preconceived notion about, and the "Bumblebee Goby",  is like the poster child of "little brackish aquariums."

(The star of our blog...taken by our good friend, Ted Judy! Visit his site- tedsfishroom.com for all sorts of cool stuff!)

And, yes, it IS found in brackish environments in places like  coastal southeast Asia, from the Mae Khlong in Thailand to the Mekong basin (Cambodia, Laos, and Viet Nam), Malaysia (Peninsular and Sarawak areas), Singapore, Indonesia (Kalimantan, Borneo) and Brunei. Now, the cool thing about this fish is that it may be found in not only "regular" freshwater habitats- but like soft, acidic freshwater...like those tannin-stained peat swamps that we've talked about before. Now, in these peat swamps, it tends to be found in waters that are more mildly acidic (like 6.8 and up), but nonetheless, this is an extraordinary range for a fish that has been long ago "typecast" by the aquarium trade as a primarily brackish water fish, wouldn't you say?

Now, most aquarium-available populations of these fish tend to come from pure freshwater, or if they're lucky, brackish. Careful acclimation to your water conditions- whatever those might be- is necessary. Like a lot of small gobies, they tend to not tolerate fluctuating environmental conditions well. I've kept them in brackish (SG 1.003) water with a little "tint" and perhaps a slight turbidity to it for many years with great success (and one incident of laying eggs!). Our concept  of "tinted brackish" aquariums is pretty much a perfect fit for these little guys, IMHO.

And being a little fish that tends to hop around on the substrate, it's not a bad idea to learn more about the substrate in the localities where it's found, right? I did a little digging (LOL) in the available scientific information on these fishes and their common habitats, and found that the locations in which they are found tend to have fairly specific types materials in the substrate. 

The substrate itself is typically muddy, sandy, silty and interspersed with leaves, driftwood, and yeah, mangrove roots in the brackish areas. Did you see the "leaves" part? Yeah...kinda what I was thinking. I love the mud part- a theme that we're going to be talking about again and again in the world of Estuary, trust me.

I've always kept these little guys in community settings- that is- communities of their own species. They remind me very much of marine Jawfishes, in which there are definite social hierarchies and territorial boundaries and such.  You don't need a huge aquarium to keep them, but wouldn't it be cool to keep a bunch of these tiny guys in say, a 40-50 gallon tank? Yeah...espacially if it's set up correctly! The importance of setting up an aquarium with a variety of "micro-niches" (i.e.; rocky areas, empty shells, branches, palm fronds, leaf and botanical accumulations, mangrove roots, etc.) cannot be overstated. Not only does it look cool aesthetically (duh..), it facilitates social behaviors as well.

Now, one of the things we've learned over the decades is that just because you're small doesn't mean you can't be a bit of a jerk- and these guys are no exception! You'll occasionally get a dominant male that is just such a...well,  a--hole that he pretty much can be the "top dog" of his domain of tiny friends, making life sometimes miserable for them. You need to watch this type of behavior and occasionally intervene to make sure it doesn't get out of hand (and it can, believe it or not...seeing two 3/4" fishes going at it is only partially funny when one of them gets the shit kicked out of him). 

(Image by Dirk Golinski, used under CC-BY-SA-3.0)

As we start looking closer and closer at brackish aquarium, we start looking more and more closely at the fishes that we could use in our brackish aquariums. This piece was not intended to be a landmark, group-breaking expose on a pretty well-known fish...However, I wanted to get you thinking about some of the fishes that you've already heard of, while looking at them in the context of the type of environments we're talking about with Estuary.  

Of course, we look at some of the common (and rare) fishes that are perfect for what we're doing. This is one of our enduring faves, for a lot of reasons. 

We're thinking of lots of cool ideas...and no doubt, you have many of your own! Be sure to share, because we love what you do!

Stay excited. Stay creative. Stay "slightly salty..."

And Stay Wet

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Green and brown- a good combo!

One of the things we're seeing more an more of these days (besides super cool aquaecapes, lots of spawnings, and some really enthusiasts aquarists) are PLANTED BLACKWATER TANKS!

Or, more properly stated- "blackwater tanks in which aquatic plants are flourishing." Now, in all fairness, we have tended to utilize wood, botanicals, and leaves- essentially "hardscape" materials- as the primary components of our botanicals-oriented systems, but this is changing daily. We also tend to work with marginal and terrestrial plants above and near the water surface, as well.

And we are seeing some cool experiments with "botanical mulch" and alternative substrates with plants as well...

For the longest time, however, it seemed as though the aquarium world has had this "issue" about keeping plants in aquariums with blackwater. It was simply "it doesn't work." And of course, being the stubborn type, I had to figure out why this thought took hold.

Now, not being a plant expert, I don't even pretend to know 1/100th of what some of you know, and there are many experts out there who will be able to "school me" on this topic...but I can't help but think that the initial hesitation many hobbyists had about keeping plants in blackwater tanks was that there was a perception that somehow, blackwater was "bad" for them. Like a "mental block" sort of thing...we've seen this before, haven't we?

That's obviously a bit of an over-simplification, but I think it's a classic example of the way misconceptions seem to spread in the hobby. Somewhere along the line, someone threw in some high-light-loving plants into a "tinted" tank, they failed to thrive, jumped on a forum to post his/her "findings", and it went on from there...I'll even bet they went through a "checklist" and "rationalization" in their head: "Okay..I used the same lighting I did in my clear-water tank, the same fertilizers, and the same maintenance routines...they just barely grew...Plants can't grow in blackwater tanks."

Hmm...did he say, "...the same lighting?" Yeah, he did.

Well, there is something, right?

It's a known fact that light doesn't penetrate as effectively in the tinted water of blackwater environments. We've talked about this before. That's ONE of the reasons you don't see a lot of algae in many blackwater systems. And floating plants, of course, tend to do well-because you don't really have the "light penetration factor" influencing them as much as say, rooted plants. Light penetration is a limiting factor, other things being "more-or-less" equal, right? 

But they're not.

I mean, to some extent, blackwater may be described as more "nutrient poor", and having much lower ionic concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium than clearwater environments.

You overcome this by...fertilizing. Just like you do in a "clearwater" system. You'll probably have to adjust your doses to compensate for the near lack of the above-referenced major ions, but it's pretty much that simple, in my experience. You'll use more fertilizers. And if you're growing plants that rely on rich substrates, like Cryptocoryne, I've found that you don't have to do all that much differently than you do in a clearwater tank.

So, really, the "keys to success" with plants in blackwater systems are essentially the same as in clear-water aquariums. You just need to do a bit more: Ramp up the light and fertilizers to compensate for what could be lacking. Verify through testing. You should investigate hardness, too. Not every plant can adapt as well to our soft water conditions. Other than that, I personally have not really experienced any other issues with keeping plants effectively in blackwater aquariums, as many of you have observed as well.

Adjustments.

Now, I'll also be the first to tell you that many of the habitats we love, like Amazonian Igapo (inundated forest floors) and such don't have aquatic plants to any great extent. The plants you typically see in the cool pics we feature are terrestrial plants and grasses that are goring out of the water (or trying to, anyways).

There are, of course, plenty of blackwater habitats in nature where known aquatic plants grow and thrive, like in Southeast Asia, where you see lots of Crptyocorynes and other plants which even favor blackwater habitats, growing both submerged and emersed.

Yet, the mindset is slow to change in many in the "mainstream hobby", and the impression is only now breaking from "You can't" to "Oh, look- you CAN!"

This is another one of those cases where there is some validity to the claim- Yeah, you can't expect plants to thrive in blackwater under the same regimens that they do in clear water. You need to compensate, test, and adjust. It's what planted tank enthusiasts do, anyways! However, somewhere along the line, along with "Tannins are bad!" and "Blackwater tanks are dirty", the assumption that".. you can't keep plants in a blackwater aquarium!" took hold. 

And I think it kind of held some people back for a while.

Like many things we do in the hobby, a "mental shift" and an open mind are typically what are required to overcome a long-held assumption. Oh, and a shitload of planted blackwater tank pics!

As always, we urge you to push a little harder. Go a little deeper. Ask a few more questions. Try a few more experiments...before you conclude that anything we talk about here is an "absolute." The answers are out there, and in their case, they're right in that little corner of nature, where the green plants are thriving in the brown water.

Stay open minded. Stay skeptical. Stay relentless.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Another potential obsession...Yeah, you "betta" believe it!

(Sarcastic tone here) Of course, I have no interest in yet ANOTHER group of fishes with fascinating behaviors, murky taxonomy, unique morphologies, and interesting natural habitats. Yeah...have no interest in them whatsoever...

And what happens...The so-called "wild Bettas"- those non-domesticated relatives of the ubiquitous poster-child for fish abuse, Betta splendens, rear their beautiful heads (and bodies, and tails) again... 

Now, I'm no expert betta enthusiast.In fact, I've only kept a few species, and I've really only recently played with the "wild ones", so this little blog is simply going to be another one of those "shout outs" to something I need to try, and to peer-pressure others into getting involved with them so that I can vicariously experience keeping all of the cool ones through your work...Yeah, I'm pretty transparent that way. No shame here.

This is one very cool group, let me tell you.

Yeah, the genus Betta is no "one trick pony- there are like dozens (around 70-something when I last checked) of species, in more than a dozen "complexes." 

It's a large, interesting group of small, really cool-looking fishes, many as far-removed in appearance, behavior, and husbandry requirements as the Honda in your garage is from a Formula One race car.

Yeah. Seriously.

Oh, and they pretty much all come from the kinds of habitats we all love here: slowly flowing, dimly-lit jungle streams, stagnant ditches, and peat swamps, with the sun diffused by layers of dense canopy growth.

Dark, tannin-and-humic-substance-stained water, with low pH and correspondingly minimal mineral content. The bottom is usually covered with decaying leaves, botanical materials, palm fronds, and tree branches. And you'll occasionally find other fishes, like unusual Rasbora and such, living with them.

(Rasbora kalochroma- Photo by  Factumquntus, used under CC BY-SA 3.0)

You'll often see roots of terrestrial and marginal plants growing into the water near where the fishes may often be found...And little puddles and ditches...yeah! Bring it!

Yeah, this sounds pretty much like our kind of habitat to work with!

And the neat thing about many of these unique species is that they aren't all bubble nest builders, like you'd assume. Some, like my fave, Betta albimarginata, actually are mouthbrooders, like many of the cichlids we may have played around with now and again. Surprise.

(B. albimargniata Photo used under CC BY- S.A.3.0)

Some, like Betta brownorum, would totally appeal to people like me who love killies, and the many geographic population variants that may be attached to a number of species (such as the Fp. gardneri group, for example). These populations are really important to both scientists and wild Betta enthusiasts, who carefully document and label wild collected populations to maintain the purity of the bloodlines. Super cool.

(Summer Kathleen Meredith's amazing pic of her Betta brownorum. If this pic doesn't make you ditch those boring Australian Rainbowfishes once and for all, nothing will...)

They're not just fascinating fishes, and kind of cool to look at- they're remarkable for their adaptation to challenging habitats. In fact, at some points during the year, the fish may be survive by "bedding down" in a layer of super-damp leaf litter for several weeks as the water in the ditches, streams and puddles where you might find them isn't always present, and this "buys them some time" until it returns. That's seriously hardy...

 Well, they deserve their own recognition, but these are super-cool fishes, regardless.

And of course, there are a LOT of enthusiasts out there, with more than a casual interest in these crazy-cool fishes.

And we've seen some beautiful botanical-style setups featuring them. One of the things I love about this group (and Apistos, for that matter), is that many hobbyists like to keep and breed them in more natural-looking/feeling setups, which I think is not only more visually interesting, it's probably far more calming and beneficial for the fishes themselves than a sterile breeding tank. Our friend Ron of Functionbuilt Aquatics (cool You Tube channel, btw), is obsessed with giving his wild Bettas really natural-lied conditions to breed in. Such a good practice.

And, it will give you a chance to experiment and learn a bit more about not only the fish- but the unique and alluring habitats from which they come.

So, the next time you're itching to set up a natural aquarium for a very special fish, heed the "call of the wild" and consider one of the many amazing wild Betta species for your next project. It'll satisfy your cravings to create an interesting aquarium, serve to highlight an amazing group of fishes, and help keep viable populations of these animals in captivity, removing some of the pressure off of their natural habitats from collection.

(Betta tussyae- yet another wild beauty!)

I can't believe it took me so many decades to get into these cool fishes- I hope you won't wait quite as long as I did!

Stay enthralled. Stay excited. Stay intrigued...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquaitcs 

The most exciting moments...?

It's been a really interesting week here at Tannin! Despite being ravaged by flu (LOL), we've managed to create some excitement about a few things...Always a good thing!

And those pics and videos you keep sharing with us...! Wow.

It's exciting to see hobbyists getting stoked on new stuff, and that never seems to get old. We actually get a vicarious thrill out of seeing everyone get all happy when they receive that cool pack of botanicals, and make their aquarium "complete", because...we get it!




It got me thinking about things that get us excited in the hobby! I posed this question to some of our many customers, and they had a wide range of interesting answers. The biggest and most exciting events in the hobby, based on this very un-scientific sampling thus far, seem to be when you set up a new tank, and when you acquire/receive/purchase new "stuff" for your aquariums....And I'm inclined to agree...! 

I love when I help a fellow hobbyists score that cool batch of botanicals that he/she was looking for to complete that scape, and I get that email or text or call and they say, "Man I can't wait to get the package...!" 



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

Coolness!

However, I think there are other exciting things...Like going to conferences and having your head explode from all of the fish, gadgets, and hobbyists you encounter under one roof, nailing the perfect aquascape, securing that difficult Anubias to the wood work just the way you wanted it...seeing your friends accomplish their goals with their tanks...dozens and dozens of tiny little moments that provide us that little "rush" which keeps the hobby so addictive.

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

All those kinds of cool things that create excitement, and keep us engaged in the hobby. Granted, we all get excited about different things: I recall a couple of years back, hanging with a bunch of guys at MACNA who had very passionate and (to them) exciting exchanges about testing for Vanadium in aquarium water (no, I'm serious! And they weren't really that drunk, either!)!  And I recall hanging out with Luis Navarro and Ted Judy last year at a conference we all were speaking at, and we talked for what must have been hours about wild Swordtails...arcane, cool, interesting stuff. And of course, "shopping" with friends for gadgets at shows is a thrill (especially when they're the one spending money!).

So many cool things.

And you know what? It even hit me this past month- after almost two years (wow), I still get that twinge of excitement every time I step into the office...every time I open up Facebook, Instagram, or just the email...Because there is always something new and interesting...something to keep me excited, engaged, focused. And all of these things-all of these experiences, things, and moments of enjoyment of the hobby with friends- with YOU- our amazing global community- are what excites me the most. 

 

I'm pretty lucky, I think.

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

Stay excited. Stay engaged...And stay wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics