The Tint

Re-writing the code...

Many of us have been playing with this botanical-style, blackwater aquarium idea for a while now. We've dispelled a few myths, I think, and have probably chased down some crazy ideas and false leads. Perhaps we went down a few paths which led us astray, but we've learned.  We haven't stood still. We've thought through some stuff that was previously accepted as "the way to do things" without any question- and we've...questioned it. We've challenged the status quo, and I think, we've pushed the needle forward on aquarium practice a bit.

(The incredible evolving botanical aquarium of JT Martin, Needle Mover.)

I'm coming off of another amazing regional fish geek event this weekend, in which I had the great pleasure to interact with a large number of both fresh and saltwater hobbyists. It's rare to have an event with both fresh and salt people under the same venue! And it's cool. Something interesting happens when you mix freshwater hobbyists and reefers to tether: They talk. They mix. They talk about ideas and concepts that are applicable to both disciplines. They teach each other new stuff. They find common ground.

It’s a remarkable thing to see.

Any time that you mix hobbyists from different backgrounds together, you’re bound to find dozens and dozens of new ideas, re-validate old ones, and come up with stuff that you probably never even considered before. I always learn something. Enormous talent and knowledge in this hobby.

There is a certain synergy that occurs from playing both sides of the fence. I think that, once you throw aside the immediately obvious differences (like, specific gravity, lol), you end up with dedicated individuals who play with fishes. 

It’s like...that simple. It works. It's cool.

I hope to see more of these fresh/salt conferences. They really work for the hobby. 

The skills that we need to develop in order to run a successful reef aquarium- patience, observation, and diligence- are absolutely the same ones we need in order to run a successful freshwater aquarium. 

There is a certain impatience, and a certain feeling of obligation “to do stuff” that I have seen evident in the reef world, which is crossing over just a bit into the freshwater realm. For example, I talked to at least three reef hobbyists who asked me if there is a recommended way to grow corals “more quickly…” And my first reaction was to ask them, “Why? Are you growing the coral out for resale?” And each time the answer was, “No…I just…um…” It was typically because they thought they had to somehow force growth of the corals…It wasn't their "fault" or anything. It was just this unusual "default" that we seem to fall back on...It’s like we’ve somehow written some lines of "programming code" in the mindset of hobbyists that tells them they must do “X”- for whatever reason…

Is it because we are looking for "shortcuts?" Are we trying to get permission from...the hobby, or something? Or is it because "that's how we do it" in the aquarium world?

I think we, as a hobby, and perhaps an industry, tend to force things to be a bit more complicated than they need to be…We simply pile on needless complications of procedure, equipment, and expenditure out of some weird sense…Like, "you need to add _______ because it does _______________." 

Okay...

Don't get me wrong here. Many ideas and technologies we use in fish keeping are essential and important. However, some seem to me like just ways of adding another layer of complexity to something that might be more easily managed through technique or observation. Just because we can "automate" any old process doesn't mean that a) we need to, or b) it's better.

Yet we buy a lot of unnecessary "stuff"...just because....why?

And "rules.  I hate "rules."

Sure, there are certain unavoidable truths that oblige us to comply- the nitrogen cycle, for example. But "rules" on how to arrange rocks, or what colors to use in an aquascape...I am not much of a fan of them. In my opinion, they tend to stifle creativity and create uniformity, compliance- rather than to encourage greatness. It's just my opinion...but I think I might be correct! 

One of the things I enjoy most about Tannin, and I know it will be the same with Estuary- is to look at things the way they are in the hobby-the way they've been practiced for generations- and to question WHY. Not for the sake of being an arrogant jerk- but in the spirit of questioning why we do stuff the way we do. Is it because it's the BEST way? Or is it because that's what worked well with the prevailing skill set/knowledge/equipment available at the time the idea was presented to the hobby, and we've just accepted it as "the way" ever since, even though all of the "back story" which lead to this unwavering acceptance of the practice has long since changed? A practice or idea that may have been appropriate and optimum 30 years ago may be woefully outdated now. I mean, it still "works", but there are better ways now...

Accepting ideas, practices, and techniques in the hobby "...just because we've done it that way forever" is, in my opinion, a way to stagnate. And in all fairness, an admonition to change things "just because" is equally as detrimental. Rather, it's better to simply look honestly and boldly at how/why we do something, and ask ourselves, "Is this really the best way? Is it really necessary?"

Is it a practice we should keep embracing?

Or is it time to "rewrite the code?"

I think so.

Simple thought. Powerful implications.

Stay fascinated. Stay moving. Stay thinking.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Default settings...

As a fish geek, I think we're all programmed to sort of look at ANY aquarium and take more than a passing interest...Even if it's in a strange location, or in a deplorable state of condition, we're still somehow into it. And, wether you admit it or not, even when you're looking at the most awful aquarium you've ever seen, in the back of your head, you're thinking, "What if I just moved this rock and..."

Yeah, part of our "default settings."

As a fish geek, it’s like in your DNA to think or act a certain way when you see stuff. You can’t reprogram yourself. It’s "hardwired" into your essence. Some examples to prove my hypothesis:

It’s impossible for you to pass up even the smallest, most obscure local fish store or pet shop that sells tropical fish, whenever you are out and about. I mean, seeing that battered sign that says “Tropical Fish”  on the side of that weathered, bleak mini-mall calls to you like a siren. There is little you can do but make that quick turn, find a parking space, and causally stroll in to the shop. Sure, it may not look very promising on the outside (That poster for the "latest" under gravel filter powerhead system might give you pause), but this is the kind of place from which fishkeeping “urban legends” are spawned! Is THIS the place where you’ll find that Nanochromis transvestitus mis-marked as a “Fancy Krib?” You only know if you go, right? What are you waiting for? Flip a U-turn!

And we are hard-wired to geek out over just about anything fish-related, huh? And any body of water- anywhere- is a potential fish habitat, right? And we just sort of HAVE to walk to the edge an peer in...Don't we?

We look at almost any fish- no matter how "chromatically challenged" it might be...and would rather have it than say, a hamster or something, right?

We live, eat, and breathe "fish", and we can't escape our "default" settings that compel us, drive us, and fascinate us.

Yeah. Pretty cool.

What are your default settings, fish-wise?

Stay happy. Stay honest. Stay focused.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Tinting the sterile box...

Have you ever thought about the sort of "sequence" we go through when we turn a sterile glass or plastic box into a living, functioning microcosm of aquatic life, and how it sort of "evolves" depending upon how we manage it...and look at it? 

Yeah, this concept crossed my mind recently when I was in the process of setting up a new aquarium. It's like we start with the most basic stuff: A tank, water, and some ideas...And then it progresses from there. As a "tinter", we have a unique position, in that we can give a "let" to a few things which our friends, the "clearwater" enthusiasts find uniquely troublesome! More on that shortly.

So, there is that period of time, after you fill your aquarium, wash the substrate, and introduce the rocks and perhaps the wood into the tank, where it's sort of "sterile", right? Now, obviously not "sterile" in the scientific sense, because of course, there are bacteria, algal spores, etc. attached to the wood, rocks, and substrate. Yet, "sterile" in the sense that there is no "spark" to it. It's more or less clean, bright, and...well...clean and bright.

Yuck.

So, what happens next is up to us. It's he most enjoyable part, actually: Bringing the sterile box to life, aesthetically and biologically. And, if you step back for a second from the "checklist" mentality that many of us apply to this process, and consider it in sort of a "biologically evolutionary" way, it's pretty fascinating!

Let's start with the substrate- literally from "the bottom up!" Most of us use some form of sand or gravel, and planted enthusiasts of course utilize various nutritive substrate additives and materials, like soils, which, I believe, we should also be looking at as blackwater/botanical-style aquarium enthusiasts, if only for the fact that many of them also impart humic substances to the water in addition to giving you the option for live plants!

Substrates, in both the natural "igapo" habitats we've looked at, and in our own aquariums, have been sadly overlooked as a very important component of even non-planted aquariums. Flooded forest habitats, where many of our fishes come from in nature, are rich, complex, and dynamic, and we need to be looking that them more and more as possible "models" for replicating in our aquaria, from both an aesthetic and, increasingly- a functional- perspective. There are a LOT of "takeaways" there!

The cliched expression, "biological richness" in the context of our aquaria really takes on a different meaning with botanical-style systems, as their very nature and "configuration" is an expression of this idea. Much of the work in the future on blackwater, botanical-style systems, will, in my opinion, be focused on this aspect...And many of the benefits that we'll discover from these systems will be a direct result of this.

More and more of us are experimenting with mixing botanical materials directly into the substrate- Stuff like leaves and bits of leaves, coconut based materials, like our "Fundo Tropical", even Spanish Moss and smaller botanicals, like "Heart Pods", "Lampada Pods", etc. The idea is to create a rich, mixed bed of materials, which not only provide the tannins and tunic substances that our crowd loves, but the biological "substrate" to encourage the growth and reproduction of supplemental food sources, in the form of small crustaceans like Gammarus, Cyclops, Daphnia, and even worms. Incorporating an assortment of materials into the substrate which break down and "enrich" the aquatic environment produces a truly "active" substrate and microhabitat that, if properly maintained, can benefit the entire aquarium for the duration of its existence.

And then the wood...Ah, we love wood. Many of us prepare it weeks or even months in advance of the aquarium build, to make sure that it's waterlogged and "broken in." Now, this is where I think some of us are a bit "different." In years past, when I wasn't as into keeping my water nice and brown, I was obsessed with pre-soaking my wood pieces to get them to sink, but more so to release some of the bound-up tannins in the wood. You know, 'cause that's what we all do, right?

These days, I really couldn't care less if it adds some tint to the water as it ages, and I'm sure that many of you agree! Now, of course I worry about some pollutants, and do a little pre-soaking or rinsing for that purpose, but I'm happy to have the little "kick start" that the release of tannins from wood delivers, aren't you? And yes, I admit that I DO take a bit of evil delight in reading the frantic forum posts by hobbyists freaking the @#$& out about what to do about the "tannins staining my water!"  I often wonder if they could ever adopt our mindset and understand what a "gift" the wood has given them! 

I Like to get my leaves and botanicals in as soon as possible after that initial "haze", which inevitably arises from a newly set-up tank and not-perfectly-washed substrate, clears. We've talked a lot about this before on social and in this blog, but I"m not nearly as conservative in adding the botanicals all at once in an "uninhabited" aquarium. You're not really looking at getting fishes in there any time soon, so why not take advantage the delicious luxury that a "vacant" aquarium affords us as enthusiastic "tinters?" 

Add as much stuff as you feel you need, in order to get the "look" you want! You can always "edit" as you go. This is probably like the only time in our aquarium's existence when we can be so utterly cavalier about making quick edits. so enjoy the process! It's like the initial "install" of botanicals and leaves seems to really set the tone for the aquarium, both in the color of the tint it provides, as well as the simple aesthetics of "being", so take the time to get it the way you like it in this "consequence free" environment!

And of course, the impact on water chemistry is so much less of a concern without fishes in there. You can adjust and tweak as needed, taking the time to get it exactly how you want it, without concern over killing your fishes!

Your aquarium is coming to life.

If you are the truly patient type, you can take a "pause" of a few weeks to really let stuff start to settle in, make some adjustments, and start seeing some of your leaves and botanicals begin to soften and recruit some biofilms.  Cycle per your favorite technique. Add some of the aforementioned animals to help foster a little "food web" in the tank, and when testing dictates, add your first fishes.

Okay, this is not exactly aquaristically groundbreaking stuff, but I think if we look at the processes that we almost take for granted when setting up our tanks as part of a larger "evolution", we end up looking at our aquariums as dynamic, constantly-changing closed microcosms, with infinite possibilities and benefits for the animals which reside within it.

And it all starts with a sterile box.

Cool, right?

Stay curious. Stay excited. Stay patient. And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Stripe v. Stripe...An epic rivalry of tiny proportions.

Rivalries are cool.

We have 'em in sports:  Baseball has New York versus Boston. EPL Football has Manchester United versus Liverpool, Hockey has Montreal versus Toronto, to name a few. There's Apple vs. PC, Coke versus Pepsi, BMW versus Mercedes...well, you get the idea.

VS.

Rivalries...

In the aquarium world, we have cichlids versus, like everything else, fresh versus salt, and then, probably the biggest rivalry of all:

Neons versus Cardinals.

Yup, the irony of the two smallest popular fishes in the hobby is that it's probably the biggest "rivalry" there is among fish geeks!

And the cool thing is that they are both just different enough from each other to have garnered fans and created lively debates among hobbyists as to which one is best. To the outsider, they look kind of similar...I mean, really, the non-fish person is barely going to notice the red stripe being longer in the Cardinal, or the fact that the Neon generally attains a smaller maximum size than the Cardinal....But, as fish geeks, we're really into such seemingly trivial details, aren't we? And that extra stripe isn't the only thing that sets up the rivalry between these two popular little guys...

The venerable Neon Tetra ( Paracheirodon innesi) was first introduced into the hobby in the 1930's, and seems to have become a staple of the trade ever since. Named in honor of the great aquarium author, William T. Innes, this fish is about as recognizable to the fish world as Taylor Swift is to social media...like, EVERYONE knows this fish. Hailing from tributaries of larger rivers in the Amazonian region, the Neon evolved in soft, acidic waters, lives best in shoals of 8+ specimens, and is generally super hardy in aquariums, having been captive bred for decades.  Of course, we've all seen the variations: The "Gold Neon", albino, the "Diamond Neon", and long-finned variations, all of which I think suck. Why improve this cool fish?

The bigger problem over the years, IMHO, is that they have been commercially bred by the zillions for so long that the vigor and quality of the species seems to have been bred right out of 'em, and you have to search very hard and be very selective to find high quality specimens for your collection. I mean, look really carefully the next time you're in a shop, and you'll see all sorts of developmental anomalies on these fish: bent and missing fins, scales, bent spines, color abnormalities, etc.

Seems like it's all about producing the numbers with these little guys, and breeders seem to be less concerned with quality of the individual specimens...A real shame. As much as I'm for captive propagation and protecting wild populations, I can't help but wonder if introducing some new wild blood might increase the overall quality of the specimens available in the hobby?

Now, the Neon is remarkably adaptable, having been bred in hard, alkaline water for generations. As we've talked about many times, however, I can't help but wonder if the fish will just be more healthy and happy overall in soft, acidic water- you know, the type it was evolved to live in for the last, oh, several million years or so? Surely we haven't completely "bred out" the ability of the fish to thrive in this type of water? 

Oh, and there is that temperature thing...Neons tend to thrive in a wide variety of water temperatures, from  69-82F (21-28C), remarkably wide range for a little fish, wouldn't you say?

Can't say that about the Cardinal Tetra!

Interestingly, the Cardinal Tetra, Paracheirodon axelrodi, is-by coincidence, also named after a well-known aquarium figure, the venerable and controversial Dr. Herbert R. Axelrod. In the wild, this fish seems to be found mainly in the Rio Negro basin in Brazil, and the Orinoco in Venezuela. Like the Neon, it comes from little soft, acidic blackwater tributaries and streams, as well as clearwater "morichals", which are fascinating habitats we've discussed here before.

Since the habitats of the Cardinal are sort of seasonal, the fish populations seem to ebb and flow a bit with the start and finish of the wet season. Scientists almost consider the Cardinal an "annual" fish, as it's so tied in to these seasonal changes that you'll rarely find a wild specimen older than a year. Of course, in the confines of a well-cared for aquarium, their lifespan is much longer.  A realistic argument could be made that we're actually prolonging the lifespans of these fishes by collecting them from their natural habitats for aquariums!

We've noted in our discussion of Project Piaba that this fish is of vital commercial importance to the native fisherfolk of the Rio Negro, and terrific models of sustainable collection and habitat protection have arisen as a result of extensive studies of the fish...it's truly the "poster child" for a sustainable-managed wild fishery!  

That means that we've been blessed with good-looking little tetras with all of their fish and stripes, because, unlike the Neon, we haven't bred them "by the billion" and basically erased all of their wild health and vigor!  Okay, there are those wretched "albino" and "Gold" variants that some call "achievements", I suppose...Unlike some of the captive-bred Neon variants, I find most of these "designer editions" just ugly versions of a hot fish! Now, in all fairness, the captive-bred "classic-type" Cardinals that I've seen are fantastic quality  fishes, and it's getting harder and harder to tell them apart from wild-caught specimens.

And the rivalry sort of heats up around the "sexiness" factor of the Cardinal. I think Cardinal Tetra lovers tend to view Neon lovers like the rest of us see "crazy cat people", hanging on to their old favorite. On the other hand, the Neon lovers tend to look at the Cardinal crowd as elitist, trend-mongering status seekers (hmm..sounds like reefers a bit, doesn't it? ). Cardinals seem to have a "wow" factor that lovers of planted aquariums can't resist, and, along with the Rummy Nose Tetra, they've utilized this fish in such abundance as to almost make it cliche'd in a highly 'scaped tank!

Then there's that temperature thing...The Cardinal seems to have a much smaller thermal tolerance, and you just won't see them very happy if your aquarium temperatures deviate much from the higher end of their preferred 73-84F (23-29C) range.They can be finicky little bastards, can't they?

And the shoaling thing is similar to that of the Neon, so where do you go with this?

From a standpoint of hardiness, one could argue that, if given their preferred temperature range, Cardinals are hardier than Neons, which have the susceptibility to the bizarre "Neon Tetra Disease" and the challenge from their all-too-common morphological abnormalities, thanks to the "fish factories" of the world. 

Now, with the bulk of Cardinals in the trade being wild caught, they certainly respond better to soft, acidic "blackwater" tanks, making them a sweet choice for our crowd of botanical, blackwater people...

On the other hand, Neons can tolerate "cooler" water, and seem to be a bit more adaptable to harder, more alkaline water, which has made them more accessible to a wider range of casual hobbyists worldwide.

So which is better? Which one is cooler?

It's a total toss-up. My personal thing is that I like both. I love the Cardinal because it's the classic perfect blackwater fish, IMHO. And with the love and respect I have for the Project Piaba mission, I can't help but want to support it by purchasing wild-caught Cardinal Tetras.

And the Neons?

Well, they DO have that broader "thermal comfort range", which makes them a bit more adaptable to a variety of situations...And you CAN keep them in a blackwater tank, of course, and not have to worry about keeping it so warm, right? And remember when we talked about the theory of how the Neon got its stripes to begin with?  I mean, how can you not like the fish after considering that stroke of evolutionary brilliance?

And they're both so damn small, you can keep a lot of 'em in a relatively small tank, so that's pretty cool. And again, they both school quite well, which everyone seems to like so much.

Tough call.

I suppose the down side for both fishes is that, being so small and essentially schooling fishes, they don't really have "individual personalities", so we tend to "commoditize" them, right? I mean, any fish that you see at the LFS "6 for $10.00" or whatever, tends to fall into that strange consumer mindset where they're viewed more like a pack of generic flake food or activated carbon, and slightly less than a "pet" by a lot of people.

Kind of sad, actually, because they do each have charms and behaviors (and colors) that endear them to us, don't they?

So, I suppose we've done absolutely nothing to settle this rivalry with this blog. In fact, about all we did was point out the obvious...Which is that Cardinals are way cooler than Neons.

I think.

Well, maybe...

Until next time...

Stay opinionated. Stay enthralled. Stay active.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Turning losses into gains...

Every once in a while, it's nice to look back on our hobby successes- and especially, our failures! This helps us gain perspective and keep pushing. 

I was speaking with a friend and very talented fellow hobbyist the other day, who made a pretty substantial error in her aquarium. She was in tears. She ended up adding some fishes to her long-established community aquarium without her usual rigorous quarantine protocol. She had a hunch at the time, she told me, that these fishes would be okay, because they were from a very reputable source...someone she really trusted...

Well, you know the rest...A rapid, virulent disease outbreak occurred, in which she lost just about every fish in her extensive collection in a matter of a week. A near wipeout. The kind of event that makes you re-think everything...your abilities, your judgement, your hobby in general. A really tough loss.

Look, she'd been in the game for decades. She didn't need a lecture on the merits of quarantine...she knew.

It just took one moment of complacency. One error in judgment. One misstep...And decades of lessons learned were tossed aside with dire consequences.

She was being human. We are all humans. We screw up. Shit happens. There are only  so many things you can do when you commit a major error like this: Quit. Deny. Accept, and move on, wiser for the journey.

You can take the sort of "self help" mentality and understand what is important in the hobby. You can tell yourself to enjoy every aspect of it (kinda hard to do, I know, when every fish in your tank is belly up).

But you need to. Really.

You can tell yourself that it was a mistake. You can cut yourself a little slack, and make a pact with yourself to never make the mistake again, and to recognize- even celebrate- the stuff you do well...the positives.

You can empower yourself and others by learning all you can from the mistake, and educating fellow hobbyists on how to avoid making the same one, with your experience as a guide. You can embrace the mistake. Own it. And let it stand for everyone as an example of what NOT to do.

You can embark on a new hobby journey to "pay it forward" and mentor some newbies on all aspects of the hobby...not just the one you messed up on. use the tragedy as a sort of stepping stone to a new part of your hobby life.

You can teach yourself that most powerful of words: NO! You can tell yourself in the future, Im NOT going to ignore the little voice in my head that says, "...this is a really bad idea.."

Hold yourself accountable. You screwed up. Not the LFS, not the aquarium manufacturer, not the company that made the gravel, or the lights, or the filter. It was YOU.

And that's okay. You own it, and you're better off for it.

I hope this helps you, Rose...I hope you realize that you are not alone. As for me? I've made so many mistakes in my fish career it's not even funny. But I"m better off for each one of them...you will be, too. You already are.

Get up again. Over and over. 

Last, but certainly not least- be grateful. Yeah. Grateful to have the opportunity to keep the precious animals that we do. To enjoy them, care for them, learn from them. Be grateful that you live in a time and a place when it's possible to do amazing things with small fishes from distant corners of the world.

Smile.

Feel bad for a little bit. Then jump right back into it.

Stay confident. Stay positive. Stay honest. Stay with it.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

This is how we do it...

So it seems like in the blackwater/botanical-style aquarium "game", like in so many areas of the aquarium hobby, technique, ideas, and "best practices" are evolving rapidly and regularly. As more and more hobbyists work with these types of systems, more and more is added to the body of knowledge we have about their design, daily management, and long-term operation. Although I've been working with botanicals myself for almost 10 years now, it seems like I learn new stuff, or refine old ideas and techniques, more frequently than ever. And thanks to the daily input from our ever-growing global "Tint Nation", new ideas and theories are being played out all the time. It's awesome!

So, today, I just wanted to share a few of my latest thoughts on a couple of basic things that seem to come up frequently in discussions. Let's just jump right in!

Leaf preparation:  Okay, after working with all sorts of leaves from different trees and different suppliers, I've so of hit upon a practice that works for ME. Here is what I do now...I will rinse off dried leaves to remove any residual dust/surface dirt/atmospheric pollutants that might be present on their surfaces, then I throw them in a pot of water and bring the water to a boil, and let them boil for about 10 minutes. Then I allow the leaves to steep in the pot for another 10 minutes or so, followed by a rinse with fresh room-temperature water. I Will then place the leaves into a container of room-temperature water overnight before placing them in my aquariums. 

In some instances, you might want to run a little inside box filter with carbon in the container, but it's your call. Now, a lot of people seem to be under the impression that by boiling and/or steeping/soaking the leaves before use, many of the beneficial tannins will be lost. I respectfully disagree. My experience just doesn't bare this out, as you can see by the color of the water in our display aquarium, in which 100% of the leaves we use are prepared in this fashion.

I think there is a lot to be gained, and very little to be lost by taking an admittedly conservative approach. 

I am a big believer in being conservative with the preparation of ANYTHING I toss in my aquarium, and it would be flat-out irresponsible for me to tell people to just "toss stuff in the tan." I don't, so I will never recommend doing that. Also, the boil/steep/soak methodology has the added benefit of "saturating" leaves enough to the point where they sink right to the bottom, which is nice in a higher-flow situation like mine.

Botanical/leaf addidtions: Another area where I simply cannot urge you enough to go slowly...There is absolutely no sense in adding a ton of stuff into your established aquarium all at once and expecting anything other than possible problems. Leaves and botanicals are bioload. They break down and release organics and other materials (lignin, etc.) besides just the tannins and humic substances that we're all into. The humic substances and tannins are the "prize", as we've discussed many times in this blog and elsewhere. However, they come in a "package" of other materials, some of which simply remain in the water and are not providing any additional benefits, and are typically exported with water changes. 

The reality is that we are working with closed systems, and although we are attempting to replicate- on some levels, at least, the aesthetics and function of natural litter beds, the aquarium is a different game entirely, subject to different influences, inputs, and export mechanisms than nature, so at best, we are replicating some of the processes and functions which occur in nature.

I think we're learning more and more every day abut the longer-term operation of botanical-style blackwater aquariums, and that this has tremendous potential benefit for the entire aquarium world. Why? Well, for one thing, learning how to manage and control what, in reality, is a rather extreme environment- in the confines of our glass or acrylic boxes, in and of itself provides tremendous insights into techniques and practices which can be utilized in other types of aquarium systems, some of which we'll be discussing soon!

I make it no secret that I believe my reef keeping background has given me some tremendous insights and a skill set that has benefitted my botanical/blackwater "practice.", and I think those of you who come from other aquatic "disciplines" will agree that the skills you've acquired will be of tremendous benefit to you and your fishes as you continue to experiment, operate, and refine in this tinted corner of the aquarium hobby.

So, that's it for today..just a quick few thoughts on the continuously evolving techniques that we use to enjoy our blackwater tanks! Hope this spurs some thoughts of your own, and maybe gives you some incentive to refine and share YOUR techniques! By sharing, everyone will win, and the dark, murky world of blackwater will be a whole lot less mysterious, and even more alluring and accessible to all sorts of fish geeks!

Stay persistent. Stay observant. Stay patient. 

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Any way you want it...

I remember, a couple of years ago, I was visiting the dentist for a routine checkup. There was a new and unusually chatty Dental Hygienist, and after the usual exchange of pleasantries, he started asking about my hobbies and such. And then he shared his hobby. He travelled around the world...on extended weekends. Yeah. What he would do is scout out the cheapest and best airfares he could find to- well, anywhere- on any airline- and just buy a ticket and go. You know- "Oh, Singapore Airlines has a great fare from L.A. to Kuala Lumpur this week...I'm going!" 

Yet, his hobby wasn't seeing all of the exotic places..Nope. His hobby was traveling to all of the exotic places! Yeah, like, he loved to get on planes and go places! Like, yeah, fly 14 hours out of L.A. to say, Ho Chi Min City, chill in the airport for a few hours...and get right on the plane back to L.A!!! He knew like every little nuance of international travel; could tell you about the secret coach seat adjustments on an Emirates A380, or the best airport bar in Amsterdam Schipol, or, the quick return through customs at London Heathrow, but he never stepped out of the airports. Never saw the cities- he collected travel experiences- well, a form of travel experiences, that is! And he loved it.

Man, Mondays must have been a real drag, right? All that travel in 72 hours..."What did you do this weekend?" took on a whole new meaning, huh? Although, I'll wager that he must have had some awesome "in your face" comebacks for obnoxious work colleagues: "Oh, I flew to London and back, what about you?"

Now, you're probably asking what this could possibly have to do with the aquarium hobby. More than you think, actually.

I recall during my tenure as co-owner of Unique Corals, we'd see a lot of customers who would want to buy all sorts of crazy corals. Some guys really wanted only specific stuff, like "named" (gulp)- or what would come to be known in the reefing world as "Limited Edition" corals (don't get me started). They'd scour our raceways for stuff that they felt we "mislabeled"- common corals, like Acropora tenuis. They'd think that they got a steal on a freshly-imported maricultured coral for $40 USD, when they knew that 2cm "frags" of the same coral (basically, the colorful tips, freshly snipped off the coral) would sell in their world for hundreds of dollars! Never mind the fact that the colors wouldn't hold, and that they only cost $12 wholesale landed cost, or whatever...These guys felt that they were "beating the system!" (Yeah, freshly imported A. tenuis, stressed and still showing wildly incredible pigments that wouldn't last, are like the "poster child" of the over-hyped coral B.S world.). It was pure adrenaline for them. Get a pic up on the forums quickly to show your "score!" That was their "M.O." These guys had an uncanny knack for stopping by on days we'd receive shipments from our Aussie wild collectors or Bali maricultured sources. 

They'd pay breathtaking prices for "microchips" of corals from online "vendors" of dubious reputation, despite the absurdly photoshopped images- just to be able to say that they had the "XYZ Nuclear Fallout Acan" or whatever, in their tanks. There was like this whole subculture of people in the reef world who simply collect this crazy "rare" coral. They talk about it and brag about it...and when you would see a picture of their "reef", it was almost always an uninspired pile of rocks with little frags on frag plugs  everywhere, lined up like vehicles for sale at a used car dealership. They'd point out every ridiculous "designer" coral and who they got it from, and how much it cost. You'd almost never see a full-grown colony of anything. Just frags on plugs, some seemingly just hacked off a colony and glued to a plug before shipping.

However, that was their thing. They were fully into it. Now, in many cases, in my opinion, the tank looked like shit, but they couldn't care less. That wasn't what it was about for them. Their "hobby", as I came to realize, was the pursuit of the trendy stuff. They weren't "reef aquarists" in the sense that they were passionate about building and managing reef tanks. No, they were passionate about collecting and acquiring microchip frags of "rare" or highly-sought-out corals. The rush. As a hardcore hobbyist, I'd often look at these people and laugh, and actually shudder at their lack of interest in what I thought were the more "important" aspects of the hobby. All the while, these guys and their whole subculture were loving it.

Yeah, I had to think about it for a bit and realize that: a) it's not for me to judge how someone enjoys their hobby, and b) there are plenty of ways to enjoy the aquarium hobby  and, c) it's good for the economy, right?

Nevermind the fact that I thought most of these people were a bit shallow and materialistic, and not particularly good aquarists. In the end, it didn't matter. It doesn't matter. We can enjoy the hobby however we want. It's not for me or anyone else to judge, despite my opinions on stuff.

I remember a guy from my local aquarium club- this goes back quite a few years. He was one of those nerdy, shy, internet subculture kind of guys. My girlfriend at the time was convinced he was a deviant of some sort. The kind of guy, that when he gets arrested for some illegal internet porn scam elicits those comments of "He seemed like such a nice guy...I can't believe it...' Spent all of his days and nights on obscure hobby forums. His house was total "bachelor style"- clothing, pizza boxes, and beer cans everywhere.

Classic.

And he had like 100 aquariums- all over the house. And plastic boxes and jars of fishes-any vessel that could hold water was "recruited" into aquarium service! Food cultures, spare aquariums, boxes of parts- you know, the typical stuff. And he kept, like- everything. 

Any fish you just heard about...Any methodology that was coming along, he'd be tinkering with. Really well, too. Bred all sorts of cichlids and Bettas. Rare plecos galore. Nice stuff. His house smelled musty all of the time, and there were certain rooms you weren't allowed to turn the lights on in because the Croaking Gouramis he was trying to breed in there were in "night cycle"- typical hardcore hobbyist stuff.

I could never have lived the way he did, despite my admiration for his skills and adventurous aquatic endeavors. Despite the fact that he spoke in a sort of dull whisper all the time and rarely cared to venture outside of his house (or so it seemed, because of the pile of boxes from online vendors always on his front porch), he was enjoying his hobby the way he wanted to!

And I envied him for it.

Well, not his personal grooming or housekeeping- but I envied his devotion and creativity.  And how he enjoyed the hobby. His way.

There was a stint of a couple of years where I was working in the New York City, area at one of the country's most "exclusive" aquarium design and maintenance firms. Yeah, homesick Los Angeles surfer guy headed east...That wouldn't last too long. I managed the team that designed and installed custom systems in some pretty swanky NYC apartments and homes...Like, 40-50 million dollar "Architectural Digest" kind of homes. Some were owned by very famous people. Money was nothing to these people, and they wanted what they wanted- when they wanted it. Without exception.

They would have these crazy custom aquariums in their homes. And these tanks were usually some of the most non-functional designs I'd ever seen: Absurdly tall and narrow tanks, room dividers, shower installs, incomprehensibly tall cylinder tanks. Many were "semi-reef tanks"- almost all were virtually impossible to maintain properly, because there was no access, or limited flow within the aquarium because of the absurd dimensions. They were not designed by fish people for fish people. They were designed by "enablers"-interior designers- to fit the dimensions of the space, with no regard for functionality or animal health.  Souless. As an aquarist, I struggled to comprehend why.

(not one we did...but in the same "genre", if you will...)

These people would often call up (well, their "house managers" would) and tell us they were having some function at the home on Friday night and wanted a new selection of fish to match the "theme" of the party...You know, lots of Yellow Tangs because they wanted yellow, or dozens of Puffers because they were having "Sushi Night" or whatever.  And sharks. Always calls for sharks. Or other equally bizarre requests....And we'd get into these long discussions about why these were absurd animal combinations and such, and that choosing fishes on the basis of how they matched your drapes was absurd. They couldn't care less. Sustainable aquariums and long-term health of the animals were of little interest. They wanted a piece of "kinetic art", and the fishes were simply "part of the installation."

Yeah, after having to give in to these people repeatedly, rather than risk my splashy job and my sanity, I had enough. It wasn't for me. I bolted back to L.A. to grow corals. 

Again, it dawned on me that, although I'm a hardcore fish person, it was hardly for me to judge how other people enjoy the hobby. Except, of course, of those people, because most couldn't care less or even want to care...it wasn't a hobby to them. However, I suppose, in their own bizarre way, they enjoyed the animals...At least when they were actually home...

Fast forward to now, and with Tannin, we get to work with lots of pretty experienced hobbyists, who take great delight in many of the arcane stuff that we do. we also have all sorts of aquascapers, breeders, even some beginners who want to start in a new way. The people who we work with "get it"- and that's cool. However, not everyone has the same aesthetic taste, interest, or philosophies as I do. And I get that. It took a lifetime in the fish world to realize the simple truth that everyone enjoys the hobby the way they want to.

And that's perfectly cool. Embracing this has made me enjoy MY hobby experience more than ever.

We get to see aquariums, hear ideas, and exchange stories with hobbyists at every level from all over the world on a daily basis. We operate in  niche of the hobby that is experiencing rapid growth and interest from many directions.  Seeing the work you do, and the secrets you unlock is amazing. It's like oxygen to me...And as I go speak at more and more freshwater events and meet and greet more and more hobbyists, I realize that, despite our differences in how we enjoy the hobby- we all enjoy the hobby!

You may see me criticizing the "underwater diorama" aquascaping crowd, or questioning the coral microchip collectors, but that doesn't mean there is hate there. I may never understand why that lady in Charlotte loves Hillstream Loaches so much, or why that guy in Leeds thinks that Gouramis are the greatest fish imaginable, but I get it. I get them. We- aquarists -are united by a common bond: An interest, a joy, a passion for aquatic life and the habitats in which they reside. We enjoy the hobby in the manner we wish to, and that's perfectly okay.

And very cool. Don't ever forget that, okay?

Simple thought and some reflection for a Friday.

Namste.

Enjoy your weekend. Stay safe. Stay happy. Stay involved in the greatest hobby imaginable!

And of course...

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

The to do list just got bigger...

It seems like the more we talk about new ideas in the botanical/blackwater aquarium world, the more other new ideas pile up on top of them! This is a really cool thing, because it shows just how much "pent up" creativity and energy there is in the minds of fish geeks around the world. Apparently, we're all itching to try new things, make improvements, and do experiments . We're executing, instead of just postulating, which I totally love. 

Well, "Tint Nation", I have some more assignments for you for 2017. Some of these might prove to be pretty awesome ideas to play with- others, might just yield some marginal improvements over how we've done stuff in the past. Some might lead to "crash and burn" disasters- others, compelling and successful outcomes. That's the price of progress, right? Let's begin the exploration with a topic I'm fascinated in, and I know that some of you are, too! 

"Alternate substrates, Part X": How about some more investigation into how substrates, perhaps consisting of shallow levels of very coarse pebbles and finer sand, interspersed with a deeper bed of a few types of botanicals and leaves- or just "all botanical" aggregations- the so-called "deep botanical beds" function?  Besides perhaps putting to rest long held hobby concerns about the "dangers of detritus", what else could experimenting with such substrates unlock? Well, a sort of "cadence", for one thing.  We know from experience that adding a lot of material to any tank at one time is a recipe for problems. In fact, virtually every bad outcome (and we have only seen/heard of a very few) we know of has been caused by adding a lot of material all at once to an established system. It seems that, even when building a deep botanical bed, you need to do it slowly. We know a few things, for sure- many of these materials will recruit fungal growth and biofilms. Many aquatic creatures, from shrimp to Plecos, will actively forage among such an aggregation of materials. 

What I'm curious about is how these types of alternative substrates function over the long term (a year or more) in an aquarium. Of course, the initial aquarists' instinct is to warn about "detritus accumulation, lack of circulation, depletion of oxygen", etc. And most of this is valid and worth consideration- absolutely. It's also been postulated, from personal conversations with some of you, that at some point very deep leaf litter/botanical beds can possibly  become "oxygen drains" in aquariums if not managed correctly. "Managing correctly" consists of stronger aeration, surface agitation, and good overall maintenance.  I wonder what the practical limit of botanical/litter bed depth is in anaquairum before it becomes such an issue. And how does the lower pH in blackwater aquariums synch with this?

I wonder exactly what goes on in the deep botanical layers?

Anerobic activity? Production of hydrogen sulfide gas? Fermentation? Denitrification, even? Interesting side note: In natural leaf litter beds, it's been postulated that fungi, not bacteria are the primary decomposers in lower pH habitats. In fact, researchers wonder what exactly causes such low pH readings in some of these systems (into the 3's or lower!). Humic acids are apparently not strong enough to bring down pH to such extreme levels. A possibility suggested by some researchers is that fermentation within the litter beds is releasing strong organic acids, such as acetic acid.

So, what- are we making kombucha in our aquariums?

Does the same process which occurs in a wild deep litter bed happen in an aquarium? Is there enough input to "fuel" such reactions?  And who runs an aquarium at 4.0pH right now, anyways? I know some who are experimenting with this region, so I think we'll see some interesting stuff soon...

Another interesting idea that has been discussed by a number of hobbyists in our community, as touched on above, is the possibility that "deep botanical beds" are performing some sort of dentrification process, similar to that which occurs in a deep sand bed in a reef aquarium. Of course, as a reefer, I'm starting to think about carbon dosing. biopellets, etc., and wondering if botanicals are functioning in a similar capacity within a freshwater aquarium, driving bacteria growth and ultimately, denitrification/phosphate reduction?

Now, most big-time botanical "users" (including myself, BTW) will tell you that they have no detectible nitrate (or phosphate, of that matter) in their systems. Interesting, because you'd think that with all of that botanical material breaking down in the confines of an aquarium, something would be up. Could there be a very efficient population of bacteria that process nutrients within a healthy botanical-style blackwater system with a large quantity of these materials? Could it be? Or is it something else? If so, what? Denitrification is interesting...I find this a very fascinating possibility. In general, I find the process of how aquatic systems assimilate organic matter very interesting, and I know many of you do, too...Good area to look at!

It seems that "one you get it down", the botanical-style blackwater aquarium operates in a surprisingly stable manner. Have you noticed that? I mean, we are still sort of finding our way in some areas, but for the most part, these tanks run really well.

Yeah, all of this is just speculation, and anecdotal observation, and the science behind a lot of it is getting well "above my pay grade" as they say...Some serious research by individuals with the academic background and/or research abilities on some of these subjects would be interesting! If you've got the lab- we've got the botanicals... hint, hint.

We are pushing in some unique directions, far beyond just aesthetics. Are there some dangers to pushing out the boundaries a bit? You bet. Will there be disasters; failures? Without doubt. Will there be new discoveries? Yes! Are there rewards for assuming the risks? Absolutely. Perhaps the best "reward" is the knowledge that we gain along the way. Knowledge which not only will help ourselves and fellow hobbyists in our aquarium endeavors- knowledge that will perhaps provide a greater understanding for the precious natural environments from which our fishes come from.

Couldn't ask for any more than that.

Stay adventurous. Stay curious. Stay bold.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Expectations...a "refresher course."

With more and more hobbyists trying out aquatic botanicals and emerging themselves in the world of blackwater aquariums, it seems like a good time to once again sort of visit some of the "basics" of our "practice" here.

There are many questions we receive from newer "tinters" after they decide to take the plunge and join our dark, murky world, and, although we've talked about most of the considerations, techniques, and expectations in some 500- plus blogs since we got started here, it makes sense now and then to review some of this stuff! Today, let's talk about one of the aspects of the "mental shift" that is an important part of being successful with blackwater/botanical-style aquariums: expectations.

Yes, expectations.

You see all of the cool pics of amazing natural habitats. You read the excited comments on Facebook and in forums from blackwater enthusiasts as they start and evolve their aquariums. You see the "unboxing videos" and "how to's" on social media (Thanks, guys- keep 'em coming!). And you're ready to pull the trigger and jump in for yourself! It's a very exciting time!

Visions of exotic, tannin-stained Amazonian blackwater tributaries and ridiculously colorful characins, spawning Apistogramma pairs, and stately Angels and Discus cruising in an exotic, richly-tinted, leaf-filled world fill your mind...

However, like all things we aspire to or envision in the hobby, the ultimate goal of a blackwater paradise requires us to understand things and take some steps, perform some tasks, and endure a few challenges in order to get there! One of the first things we need to realize is that all of these cool botanicals, while they do impart tannins, humic substances, and other organics into the water, cannot perform "spontaneous miracles", transforming your blue-white tapwater into a Brazilian igarape overnight!

First off, you need to take the time to properly prepare the botanicals for use in your aquarium. This almost always means you're going to be boiling and/or soaking them before they ever hit your tank.

Sure, there are some items, such as leaves, which require (depending upon who you talk to) less in the way of preparation, but everything you add needs some prep. On our website, we've put a lot of effort into providing you with preparation instructions for every botanical we offer. And, as we (that's us here at Tannin, and you- our community!) use them more and more, we edit these recommendations, too! Please take a few minutes to read this information, as it will get you off to a good start! Caution is always advised- you're adding all sorts of items into a closed biological system. There will be impacts. There could be risks associated with doing so. We won't sugar coat it. 

Now, once items are added to your aquariums (slowly, we always say...never all at once), you will see a gradual coloring up of the water- the degree to which your water will color up depends upon multiple factors, including which botanicals you're using, how many of them, how long you steeped or boiled the botanicals, and wether or not you're utilizing any filter media (such as carbon) which will remove the tannins from the water. This process doesnt happen overnight. It takes a little while. While we admonish you to be patient as your water "tints", if it makes you feel better, scoop a little out and pour it into a white bowl, and compare it to your tap water. After just a few days, you're likely to see a significant difference in color!

Now, a lot of hobbyists speculate on how much the pH of their aquarium water will change as a result of adding these botanicals. This is another aspect of botanical aquariums that has no "set answer", because there are numerous factors that can affect this, not the least of which is the alkalinity and hardness of your water before you start adding these materials. We frequently receive questions from hobbyists who are surprised that the botanicals they've added have not dropped their pH from 7.8 to 6.6 or something. "Why is it only 7.4?", we'll hear them ask. And again, our answer is, "It depends."

If you have very hard, alkaline water, and a buffering substrate material, even a significant influx of botanicals can only influence the pH by so much. Our recommendation, based on years of playing with blackwater aquariums, is to start with water with very low to non-existent carbonate hardness- reverse osmosis/deionzed water (RO/DI) is the way to go, and an investment in a quality RO/DI unit will pay dividends for years, for both "tinted" and "standard" aquariums!

And of course, once you've had your botanicals underwater for a few weeks, what happens then? Well, like anything exposed to water, they start to break down. This is part of the natural process and the "charm", if you will, of the botanical. blackwater aquarium. You need to look at botanicals, particularly leaves, as "transient" materials, ultimately requiring replacement after they decompose in your tank. You can either remove them, or simply add more materials.

It all depends upon your "tolerance" for the aesthetics of decomposing materials in the tank. I personally, having made that "mental shift" a long time ago, embrace this process and it's aesthetic as the ultimate expression of Amano's "wabi-sabi" philosophy. The beauty of nature and the visual aesthetic of materials evolving in your aquarium is a remarkable sight, in my opinion.

This is what happens in nature, and it's perfectly normal for it to happen in the aquarium. We need to sort of "train ourselves" to understand that this is how things really are in nature, and if we choose to fully embrace the process and aesthetic, that this is the essence of the botanical-style, blackwater aquarium experience. It's not a perfectly-manicured, aesthetically-precise "garden." 

Rather, it's a naturally-appearing, naturally-functioning ecosystem. It requires understanding, monitoring, patience, effort, and caution.

And then, there are those biofilms!

Yes, biofilms are at the lower end of the "food chain"(literally!)  in the botanical aquarium- as in nature- and perform a vital role in facilitating environmental stability and continuity. While they are absolutely NOT the most attractive thing we see in our tanks, they are not cause for panic, or for ditching the whole experiment! Typically, they start out as a "phase"-usually early on in the life cycle of your botanical-style blackwater aquarium. It's absolutely natural- they by product of a significant quantity of organic materials in your tank. Fungi and bacteria act upon the botanicals to break them down and process the abundant nutrients they release into the water. Other creatures, ranging from micro-crustaceans, to insects, and even fishes, consume these biofilms.

While disgusting in appearance, they are among nature's most useful and necessary organisms. They're present in every body of water, including your visually pristine "nature aquarium"- it's just that, in the context of a botanical-fileld blackwater aquarium, they're front and center! Just like in nature. Sure, the initial sight of them in your tank is both startling and often times, upsetting for those who've never experienced them before. They generally are more significant and last longer during the early phases of your aquarium, as it establishes itself and matures biologically. While they may or may not ever completely disappear from your aquarium-or they may "ebb and flow" over time- they are to be "embraced", and not reviled. It's hard. It's contrary to what you know.

It's a mental shift that you need to make if you are to try embrace the unique and aesthetically/functionally different blackwater/botanical-style aquarium "concept"- and it's often not easy... 

Yes, I'm going to show these natural shots over and over and over again until we collectively "desensitize" ourselves to the idea that a perfectly sterile looking aquarium is  the perfect picture of nature.

It's not.

Most of the most amazing blackwater aquariums that you'll ever see are, by aquarium aesthetic standards, anything but "pristine-looking." Once you get over the initial "Wow!" that comes naturally as you gaze upon a mature, established, well-maintained blackwater aquarium for the first time, you start to notice.."stuff"...in the water. Yeah, often, little bits of leaves, small particles of loose biofilms, decomposed botanicals, even some small aquatic crustaceans if you're lucky. Yeah, an established blackwater, botanical-style aquarium is anything but "spotless", and that's the beautiful thing about it. Its a vibrant, yet tranquil world, filled with life in many forms. A true "microcosm."

Now, don't get me wrong- in well-maintained blackwater, botanical-style aquariums, the water will be clear, the nitrate and phosphate levels negligible, and the tank will be "clean and healthy"- but it will be different. It will have operational "norms" that differ from other types of aquariums. It will have tolerances, quirks, and stability factors that are different, too. It will visually look different than any other type of aquarium you've ever kept. The water has... "texture." The aquarium will "sparkle" in it's own unusual way, and light effects will play out, varying throughout the day and during your lighting cycle. The water will have an earthy, alive,"organic" scent that is different than virtually any other aquarium you've ever had.

You'll notice other things, too: Your fishes. Many types of fishes which hail from these types of environments in nature will appear more "relaxed"- there is no other way to put it. They will begin to display different behaviors, perhaps calmed by the more dimly-lit environment of a blackwater aquarium.

This will be more than evident among fishes which have a bit of a reputation for being shy or retiring. You'll see a different side of them which you had not previously experienced...it's quite remarkable.

And the colors. Yeah, the colors will be more vivid. We've seen some fishes display almost entirely different color patterns than their counterparts kept in "clear", bright aquariums. It's something you'll know when you see it. trust us.

And there is more...so much more; however, the topics we discussed briefly here are probably the most immediately apparent, most commonly experienced things that are associated with our tinted world. You'll see. You've probably seen them already. Yet, it's something you need to reconcile for yourself.

Expectations. 

Embrace. Evaluate. Understand...Enjoy.

And share.

Stay enthralled. Stay engaged. Stay captivated.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Progressing when the waters get rough..."Regurgitation" revisited.

We're pulling back a bit today from our usual topic-specifc blog posts, to touch on something that, although we've talked about before, deserves to be repeated again...

I was at an industry event a while back and had the opportunity to spend some time talking with some pretty experienced aquatics industry people, and we were having some laughs about how the aquarium hobby has evolved, and how our practices seem to evolve with it. "Conventional aquarium wisdom" seems to evolve over time, as technique, science, and experience change. And it should! Remember how what may have been great advice 20 years ago is sort of looked at with a bit of skepticism - or even disdain today? I mean, how many hobbyists use under gravel filters as their "go-to" for filtration? Or, "You need 'X' number of pounds per gallon of rock to run a healthy reef aquarium...?" 

Stuff like that.

Things change, and we share our hard-earned wisdom with our "tribe." That's awesome.

If you’ve been “around the block” a few times in this hobby, you’ll hear fellow hobbyists dispensing words of aquatic wisdom to anyone who needs it. You know, the usual stuff, like “you need to quarantine new animal purchases”, “Use common sense when stocking tanks”, Perform regular water changes”, etc. This stuff forms the “religion" of our hobby: Core beliefs -or unshakable truths- which we pass on to all those who join our ranks. Fundamental, knowledge which we all feel that you need to have at least a working knowledge of to attain success in the hobby. It’s beautiful that most hobbyists are so willing to help out their fellow fish geeks by sharing this acquired wisdom- a true testimony to the quality of people in the aquatic world.



Sadly, you'll also see a large number of people out on the hobbyist message boards, websites, hobby conferences, and blogs, passing on “wisdom” that might be of dubious accuracy and origin- or, at the very least, information that may be generalized and passed on without experience in the given area. Classic examples are things like “You can’t keep that fish alive”, or “If you use that product, you’ll have this major algae problem in your tank”, etc. Often, the advice is dispensed with such authority and confidence that a typical hobbyist will not even question it. Some of it is really negative.

The scary part is that some of this “advice” is dispensed by a casual hobbyist with limited-or even no- experience in the given area. Advice based on third-party experiences (“Don’t keep that cichlid. This guy up in New York had one of those and said that it nuked his tank with ich." ), sweeping generalizations (“Can't run aquariums at a low pH-it will crash your tank”),  dogmatic "rules" (You need to balance that rock formation with 3 smaller groupings or it's not authentic _____ style."), anecdotal evidence ("Garlic 'cures' ich in saltwater fish"), and outright hearsay, ("You can’t keep plants alive long term with LED’s”) are just a few we've heard over the years, and they can really do harm to the hobby, in my opinion, discouraging progression and the desire to try new things.

Yet, you see it all the time…I call this hobby practice the process of “regurgitation”, meaning the dispensing of advice-often negative- in an authoritative, even humiliating  manner, without the personal experience or depth of knowledge to back it up. I think it's product of our modern, forum-and social media-enabled world. Although the intention might be good, the result is often that an interested person is chastised to the point where they are discouraged from testing their well-thought–out theory or new idea on how to do something. And that is a real tragedy, IMHO. Getting flamed on forums  and basically pummeled into submission by “the establishment” is not good for the hobby, or our souls.

I've experienced this before in the early days of Tannin Aquatics. A number of people told me that the idea of utilizing all of this botanical material to replicate habitats like igapos and such in closed systems would lead to pollution, wildly fluctuating parameters, and fish death. Having created numerous systems based on the concept over the years, I pressed on- stubbornly. And, thanks to all of you- brave hobbyists who also shared our vision- we've seen a worldwide renaissance in the idea of utilizing botanical materials to create functional aquascapes in our aquariums. It would have been so easy to just fade away if I listened to the negativity.

But this is not about me and how cool I am, FYI. That was just a personal example of this phenomenon!

I've written about this negativity stuff before it before a few years back, and still do in in my lectures, and it's an issue that doesn't always seem to go away. It's like there are some people who simply feel compelled to sabotage the well-intentioned, yet progressive efforts of others. It's like they're afraid to see others succeed or change what's comfortable. I imagine this is what people felt when they first introduced TV and people didn't want to give up their radios, or whatever.

I can't help wonder if it's fear. Really. Fear of change. Fear of not being "the expert" on something. I'm not sure. But it's a thing we have seen many times in the hobby. It's usually just a few loud people, but they can do surprisingly large amounts of damage thanks to the utility of the internet.

My plea? Don't abandon your good ideas if you're hesitant about the "advice" you're receiving from others. 

Sure, it’s good advice to discourage the guy with a toddler to refrain from creating a 240 gallon 12” high touch tank full of Piranha in his living room. or the outright beginner from keeping a school of rare, hard-to-acclimate Rainbowfishes just because "they're hot!" That’s a no-brainer.  That's good stewardship of our hobby. No one wants to see a fellow hobbyist get hurt, fail, or kill helpless animals. What I’m referring to here is the outright dismissal of logical, creative hobby thinking. I mean, how do we progress without a few persons making the decision to take the risk and try something seen by the general hobby establishment as “risky” or “impossible”? Just because “that’s the way everyone does it”, or “it’s always been done that way” does not mean that it’s right.

Probably the best example of this from recent aquarium hobby industry is the idea of keeping live corals. Think about it. It really wasn’t all that long ago that the concept of keeping reef-building stony corals was considered a pipe dream. Now, almost every weekend somewhere in the world you can find a local frag swap, with hobbyists of all experience levels trading, selling and sharing home-propagated corals once though to be near impossible to keep by many "experts." Or you can find really cool vendors that can offer a huge variety of corals to choose from.

Times change.

Remember when the idea of rearing a clutch of wild Angelfish fry was considered a very shaky undertaking at best? Not anymore. Seems like you can find a dedicated “basement breeder” doing great work almost everywhere you look. Not that the rearing of baby fishes is "no big deal"- it still excites us all-but the frequency with which it is done, and the level at which we innovate in this arena is amazing. Thanks to advances in equipment, food, husbandry techniques, and good old hobbyist tenacity and ingenuity, what was formerly thought impossible is almost routine.

And my point?

My point is that there is always someone who has to be the first to accomplish something great. Someone who can overlook the negativity and "smack talk", to fly in the face of convention while taking that road less traveled. This is how we progress. This is how we will continue to progress in the hobby. And more important, this is how we inspire a new generation of hobbyists to follow our lead, for the benefit of both the hobby and the animals that we enjoy. We can't dispense advise to fellow hobbyists with a dogmatic attitude that discourages progress and responsible experimentation. It will simply stagnate the progress of the hobby we all love.

I’m not advocating the abandonment of common sense and healthy skepticism. Everyone should not make a mad dash to the LFS to assemble schools of Black Diamond Stingrays. What I AM pushing is that we (and by “we” I mean every one of us in the hobby) should encourage fellow hobbyists who want to experiment and question conventional wisdom to follow their dreams. If someone has an idea- a theory, and some good basic hobby experience, there is certainly nothing wrong with that. Yes, there is the sad fact that some animals might be lost in the process. It sucks. It’s hard to reconcile that…and harder to stand by it when animals are dying. However, that may be the cost of progress.

The cost of not progressing might be far higher: The loss of countless species in the wild whose habitats are being destroyed, while those of us with some skills, dreams and respect for the animals sit by idly -watching them perish, failing to even attempt captive husbandry and propagation for fear of criticism and failure from the masses. There has been very real talk over the years about making the importation, and possibly the distribution- of live corals and some fishes illegal in many nations. It's not that unrealistic a possibility. Who knows what opportunities might be missed if we fail to persue our goals?

Think about that the next time you see or hear a fellow hobbyist outright trashing somone's idea to do things a bit differently. Please continue to express concern if something seems irresponsible or dangerous, but let’s also make a concentrated effort to encourage those with a logical plan to persue it. And most of all, let’s keep sharing on places like "The Tint."

Don't be mean. Please.

What ideas have you tried that seemed crazy, only turned out in the end to be terrific? Please share some examples to help inspire us all!

I'll leave you with a favorite, cliche'd, yet entirely appropriate quote from late Apple Co-Founder Steve Jobs, which sums it all up nicely, IMO:

“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”


Stay bold. Stay steadfast. Stay true. Stay...nice. And if you're just trying to be mean...Stay quiet.

But always...

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics