October 08, 2016

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Pushing the envelope...Resonating within...inspiring others...

When you stare at an empty tank, have you ever noticed that your mind goes wild with ideas? So much potential..so much opportunity...not only to build something enjoyable, but to build something that satisfies your desire to do something different.

I mean, is this the time you're going to do the crazy-looking Lake Victoria "mud" biotope tank , or maybe the Asian Peat Bog...or finally, the Brazilian Igarape? 

Why not? What aren't you going for it with this tank? Budget? Time? Space? If it's budgetary, that's a tough one, with the only real solutions being to either improvise or simply wait. If it's space, well, you can always go smaller, right? If it's fear of doing it "wrong"...borrow a motivational phrase from a famous shoe manufacturer and "just do it."

Today, like any day, is your best chance of doing something amazing. Something that will help you enjoy your hobby more, learn about a new group of fishes, push the state of the art of aquaristics...inspire others.

Today is as good as any day. You just need to give yourself "permission" to do it. You need not worry about upsetting some pretentious contest judge, nitpicking the placement of every plant, twig, and pebble in your tank. You need not worry about the criticism of other hobbyists, because your idea is as valid as anyone's.

Want to inspire others? Well, tell a better story. A different one...a humble, but appealing one. Appealing to who?

Appealing enough for you to share your work with the world for the sheer joy of delighting others with your creation. yet, most important of all, satisfying that inner hunger to create something that resonates within you. And maybe, just maybe, it will resonate in others, inspiring them to push the envelope out further and further. 

That's how you inspire others while simultaneously pushing the outside of the envelope.

And inspiration is the way we grow as a hobby.

Today's little motivational talk...

Stay inspirational. Stay motivated. Stay true to yourself.

And stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

 

 

 

October 07, 2016

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A world in a box...and how we manage it.

It's amazing, the stuff that goes through our minds as we perform seemingly "mundane" tasks on our aquariums, isn't it?

Well, it is to me...I get weirdly philosophical at times...

As I was doing a more "deep cleaning" in my office aquarium, I was thinking about the disturbance I was causing and its impact on the microcosm that I created. During my "deep cleaning" in leaf litter tanks, which is usually done around the 6 month mark, I am siphoning out a lot of debris, which is mostly decomposing leaves and botanicals which have accumulated under the more recently added leaves.

The stuff you don't see. I am surprised at the amount of "mulch" that is manufactured deeper down in the leaf litter, and even more pleasantly surprised to find that there is no nasty hydrogen sulfide, uneaten food, or other organic debris trapped in this stuff. 

It's literally decomposing leaves that, if left alone would likely further decompose without me really noticing. It makes me wonder what impact such "deep cleanings" have on a microcosm such as an aquarium; in particular, the fishes. I mean, it's a pretty significant disruption to their world. Yet, despite their getting out of the way of the siphon and my clumsy movements, they seem to take it all in stride. In fact, on a number of occasions during the cleaning, some of my Sailfin Characins would gather around the siphon, snapping upshot they thought might be an errant worm or other food item dislodged by the hose. 

I think that such disruptive events, as traumatic as we might make them in our heads, are of typically little consequence for our fishes, which are probably accustomed instinctively to seasonal or periodic weather-related events, such as torrential rains, tidal action, wind, tree falls, etc. The "turnover" and removal of older leaves and the replacement with fresh new ones seems to mimic what really is a process that has been going on in nature for eons, right?

It made me think about our overall approach to how we create aquariums in the first place.

I think that we sometimes forget that we have the capacity to create a "world" for our fishes, not just a static diorama display, as in the case of many of the "competition" scapes we see on the web. Rather, most of us may not think about the fact that we are trying to create a "whole", encompassing multiple aspects of an environment, yet considered as one. 

In other words, an aquascape conceived and executed around the way fishes interact with it; how plants would grow in it.  Rather than considering each as a "component" of the aquascape, viewing each as an interconnected, integral part of a microcosm, confined within a box of glass or acrylic.

This is not novel, but I think we tend to forget about this, in my opinion.

For example, when I create a leaf litter zone aquarium, I'm not just coming up with a concept that's interesting to look at. I consider the behavioral patterns of the fishes that will live in it, how they interact, and what is useful to them about living in such an environment. And that includes what happens when we perform maintenance, and create a disruption in the carefully conceived environment that we have constructed- how it affects their behaviors.

Okay, I think I'm hyper analyzing a rather simple topic, but it is interesting to contemplate just how much impact and significance we have on the little world that we create within a glass or acrylic box, isn't it?

Think about THAT the next time you pick up the siphon hose!

Or, maybe just do the water change and go about your business...

Either way, remember to enjoy what you're doing, relish in the creativity, and take the responsibility seriously.

Stay engaged. Stay engrossed. Stay involved.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

October 06, 2016

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(Almost) everything I needed to know about life, I learned from my aquariums...sort of.

Almost everything I needed to know about life, I learned from my aquariums...

 

Ok, that sounds kind of insane, actually. And, in some corners, it might be. On the other hand...maybe there is more to this than you might think at first thought.

 

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

 

Let’s look at these “lessons” a bit closer, and if you don’t agree- then you can tell me that I’m crazy!

 

Lesson One - Stay Focused -  When building and managing your aquarium, you’ll come to the realization that it’s hard to balance what you need to be doing with what you have the time, energy, and resources to actually do. Sure, you should be changing water every week, but you have that little distraction called life that may get in the way. And that’s okay. Your family and relationships are more important than your tank. We know this, right? Yup. However, I just said it, anyways. Don’t lose focus on what’s really important. 

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

 

Lesson Two- Practice Patience-  I know that in my personal life, I’d hardly be given the moniker of “patient”, but in my aquarium keeping work, it’s my mantra!  Sure, like everyone else, I want a lush, established aquarium as quickly as possible. However, I found out the hard way through many years of aquarium keeping that the old cliche about not rushing things holds true. An aquarium is a biological system, and it follows eons-old natural patterns of function and process. 

You can’t rush it. Oh, sure, you can “seed” your aquarium with biological material to speed up the cycling process, and you can grow your plants a bit faster with frequent water changes, feeding, and trace element replenishment...But it can only go so fast. Why not follow those good practices, but expect- and enjoy- a slower, more measured pace of growth in your tank? Patience is about understanding what steps it’s going to take to get you where you want to be, and measuring and evaluating your progress along the way. Eventually, you’ll get there. And you’ll probably find the journey every bit as enjoyable as the destination. Trust me.

 

 

Lesson Three- Be true to yourself as an aquarist - Huh? What I’m getting at here is that you should love being who you are as an aquarist! Sounds like “psychobabble”, but it’s true! Your greatest hobby successes will come when you practice being the type of hobbyist you are. Just because everyone is infatuated with Cichlids and you love Killifishes does not mean that you’re not a “cool” hobbyist. There are so many angles to this hobby it isn’t even funny. Love what you specialize in, and share what you know with fellow fish geeks. 

If you have no interest- or worse yet- no clue- about "dirted tanks" or Rainbowfishes, for example- then don’t get on the message boards and start preaching the gospel of potting mix to fellow hobbyists. What I call “regurgitation”- the act of ranting authoritatively about stuff you may have heard of but have not practiced- is really unhelpful to the rest of the aquarium keeping world. Be proud of your aquarium, your experience, and the type of reefer you are. Share selflessly, and play to your strengths. Push yourself, evolve, adapt, flow. But above all, be yourself. 

 

Lesson Four- Count on Your “Peeps” -  It’s crucial to have other hobbyists to turn to when things get tough. Sure, you can be a free thinking aquarist- but don’t go it alone. You’re not an island. Reach out on the message boards and consult other hobbyists. Not only will you learn more and have a good time with your hobby- you might just end up making lifelong friends! Build relationships, and seek out friends, experts and cheerleaders when you need them. It’s a smarter, more effective way to succeed in the hobby.

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

 

Lesson Five- Learn to Stop - Apparently, Im not alone: Many aquarists just never learned how to say "no" gracefully! This is evidenced by the many 120 gallon aquariums containing every conceivable type of cichlid, barb, loach and tetra known to the hobby! This is a real problem, as it can lead to an overcrowded, biologically mismatched aquarium population at best (You reefer types should do a Google search on “allelopathy”), and total disaster at the worst! We all know this...The solution is to excercise restraint. Just say “NO” sometimes!

You can always get another aquarium at some point (the whole “Multiple Tank Syndrome” experience) if you want to try keeping widely divergent animals together without bloodshed. You just don’t want to go down this path, adding every conceivable animal to your aquarium. If you’re so busy saying “yes” to all of the wrong animals, when are you going to have the space for the right ones when they come along? 

 

Lesson Six- Face Your Fears -   Good heavens, get out of your comfort zone once in a while. I’m not saying to try to set up a 400 gallon "non-photosynthetic reef aquarium just to prove that you’re a badass...What I am saying is that you should try something different from the tried-and true sometime. Keep that slightly-less-than-super-hardy Gourami if you have the hunch that you can do it. Great things can happen when you push through the fear. Put your experience, intuition, and observational powers to the test. You might be the first person to breed that weird little Loach that you have a secret fetish about. You may be the one person that figured out how to keep that uber-delicate wild Pipefish alive and thriving.

I’m not advising you to gamble with the life of a helpless animal in order to vanquish your fears. What I am suggesting is that you should play the occasional hunch and push yourself a bit. When you feel you are capable - take a chance. The benefits to you- and to the hobby- might be incalculable.

Lesson Seven- Lighten Up! You heard me! Have some fun! This hobby is not supposed to be a peer-pressure-ridden pressure cooker with impossible-to-meet challenges and goals. You aren’t required to have a perfect aquascape that some self appointed “demigod” would approve of. You don’t need to be doing all of the same things that the guy in Holland with a 29,000 liter aquarium is doing. You don’t, and you probably can’t - so why sweat it?  Enjoy your aquarium, no matter what size, what type of animals you keep, and how it looks.  Laugh at the fact that you get all excited about decomposing leaves on your aquarium, or that you keep stinky frozen foods in your freezer, right next to the ice cream. Take pride in the fact that you are one of a select group of people that keep some of nature’s most amazing creatures alive outside of their natural habitat. Not only alive- but thriving! 

When you screw up- and you will - accept the consequences with grace and humor. Laugh about it. Share the mistakes and foibles with fellow fish geeks. You’re probably not the only one who nuked his or her aquarium with phosphate remover, or accidentally introduced a few sprigs of Duckweed into your prized planted tank. So smile...That which doesn’t kill our enthusiasm for the hobby makes us a better aquarist. Perhaps less financially solvent- but better for the journey!

My hope here is that you once again realize that an aquarium is not just a pleasant diversion; a fun hobby- it can be a lifelong passion, a teaching tool for the entire family. And perhaps, most underrated of all - an aquarium can serve as a beautiful classroom for some of the larger mysteries of life. It sounds almost bizzare, but I believe it to be true when I say that almost everything I needed to know about life, I learned from my aquariums. Almost everything. I still haven’t figured what makes women tick. And how to do those little Chinese finger puzzles, or how to flip pizza dough, or...

Until next time...get philosophical once in a while...

Stay enthusiastic. Stay appreciative. Stay focused.

And stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

October 03, 2016

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"Doomsday prepping"...Or, the case for being ready for the unthinkable?

When we design and operate our aquariums, it seems like we put a ton of thought into almost every aspect- proper filtration, lighting, dosing regimens, stocking, aquascape concept, etc.

We build in all of the things that we feel are necessary for operation of our tank. However, we often fail to build in redundancies or develop "safeguards" to get us through problem situations. For example, a lot of us use canister filters, powerhead, and heaters in our systems. Although most of the ones we incorporate are thoughtfully designed, well-engineered, and generally quite reliable, they do fail now and again. And when they fail, it's almost always: a) At the start of a holiday weekend,  b) in the middle of the night, c) during a period of inclement weather, when it's hard to get out of the house d) on the Monday morning after you've returned from vacation, or e) when your credit card is maxed out because of "that other household expense" (whatever that might be.

So these scenarios beg the question, why not create these redundancies or safeguards when we conceive and design the aquarium? Yes, it cost a little extra to have the extra heater on hand, the extra impeller for the canister, or that extra pack of activated carbon, but these items can literally save your tank in the event of a failure. Besides, you're already outlaying the cash...I know that it seems like an incidental thing, and that this column is a waste of bandwidth discussing the obvious, but you'd be surprised just how many hobbyists simply give no thought to this stuff! It's easy to do when stuff is humming along and the tank is doing great. It's for that 1% of the time when stuff goes wrong. And it usually goes really wrong! We've all had friends call us in near panic looking for that "one thing" they need when the filter breaks on the tank that houses their pricy Discus, or whatever, so this is not an impossibly rare occurrence.

At the very least, you can start by creating something like what I've called my "Go kit", which includes stuff like an extra impeller shaft and O-ring for my Ehiem, a couple of Poly Filter pads, silicon sealant, "Rescue Tape", a couple of spare towels, an anti-parasitic dip, an air pump (battery powered) and airstone, some extra return tubing, and a few other essentials that you never seem to have on hand when you really need them! It's a good start towards a more comprehensive "dream kit", that would ultimately include stuff like a spare heater, full media recharge, and even an extra filter and/or powerhead.

This is not "rocket science", nor is this revolutionary thinking. Smart hobbyists have been doing this for years. It's just something that, in the grand scheme of dealing with a new batch of Apisto fry, getting your aquascape ready for a photo shoot, or just enjoying, we seem to put off. Most of us have all of the stuff we need for the most common emergencies on hand...but it's seldom aggregated in one convenient place that we can go to for when disaster strikes. My friends who have fish rooms are the best example of this. Many have everything you'd ever need on hand to cope with most everything...but it's scattered in multiple shelves, boxes, cabinets, and closets throughout the fish room, meaning that, when you need to grab it quickly, you're running around in a near panic after breaking your glass "Lily Pipe" for the fourth time, trying to remember where you put that extra Ehiem intake that you know you have....

So, this weekend, take a few minutes and aggregate all the stuff you might need when the unmentionable happens...and at least be ready to create a meaningful "first response." Like insurance, it's not our favorite expense, or even something that we like to think about...However, when things go south, you will not regret the small amount of time and energy you put into preparing!

 

Totally obvious. Totally easy to overlook. Totally worth it.

A quick and easy reminder of something you can do right now to make your fish geek life that much easier.

Stay prepared. Stay vigilant. Stay calm.

...And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

October 02, 2016

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The long way home...

Seems like we spend an inordinate amount of time in this hobby looking for "shortcuts", or "hacks", as the term has evolved to...Call it what you want, but shortcuts are just that- a way to get the desired result more quickly, with less work, or an easier approach. Calling them "hacks" or whatever doesn't change this. They are still "shortcuts", and are intended to circumvent the need for greater effort or expense.

Or so it seems.

Now, I'm okay with a shortcut when I'm trying to get from point "A" to point "B" in the least amount of time, for example. That's what the "non-stop" flight is all about. Or the tunnel through the mountain instead of the winding rail up and around it. Or the rear exit from the building that puts you on the next street without having to walk two blocks in the rain and cross a long, busy intersection.

Shortcuts are okay for many things. Some simply require greater effort, sacrifice, or energy.

In the aquarium world, I've always been of the opinion that shortcuts are not necessarily such a good thing. Because many of the "shortcuts" people take with regard to aquarium practice involve trying to accelerate, circumvent, or otherwise avoid natural processes that, although might be annoying, time consuming, or otherwise test our patience, are important fundamental aspects of a successful aquarium.

Examples? Here are two that come to mind.

Well, lets start with the "bacteria in a bottle" products. Now, don't get me wrong..I like them and use them. But I use them to "kick start" a system and add a population of bacteria that might not otherwise be present in a new sterile glass box, creating some biological diversity from the outset. I don't use them so I can add fishes the next day and have an instant aquarium. Unfortunately, that is the way the main stream of the hobby has perceived these products. To me, they are an ingredient in a "recipe" to establish an aquarium for the very long term. You can, of course, get similar results by throwing in some frozen food and waiting a few weeks...or taking some used filter media or sand from an established aquarium. The latter two ideas result in additions of bacteria that are likely not as "concentrated", take longer, and so don't really function as a "shortcut" as much as they do an "enhancement" or "kick start" as mentioned above.

Another good one is the use of various "algeacides." Many of these are very effective at erradicating "nuisance" algae in an aquarium. They are also effective at eliminating any type of algae...they can't descrimiante-and in many cases, killing fishes. They carry with them a significant amount of risk. A big, yet tantalizingly attractive trade off- eliminating a problem immediately with a fast-acting solution.  Especially tantalizing when you're in the grips of a serious problem; feeling desperate.

However, they do not address the real problem: What practices, habits, or events precipitated the algal bloom in the first place? An algaecide in a bottle can wipe out algae perfectly, but it can't correct poor husbandry or teach you good habits. In fact, in my opinion, this is an example of a "shortcut" product that can create more problems simply by its very nature! Huh? "Screw up your tank by mismanagement? Just dump this stuff in and 'pow!' Algae goes away!" And your'e ready to repeat the cycle again.

That's no solution, in my book.

Look, I know it sounds like I am bashing any development, and tool use to make our lives as quarts easier, the amount of labor less, etc. NO, NO, NO. That is NOT the point at all!

My point is that, we need to teach new aquarists about the fundamentals of aquarium management, rather than an "add this" or "try that" mindset. We need to instill in them that there is an art to keeping fishes, natural rules to understand, and practices that will create positive long-term outcomes ("long term" being the operative word here!). and make us better aquarists. Throwing money or a product that offers a "shortcut" may eliminate the problem quickly. However, it will not make you a more successful aquarist.

The success in our hobby comes from practicing good habits and learning good skills that serve us in the long term. Utilizing technology and spending money is certainly part of the hobby, but so is the understanding and learning of technique and principles of aquarium management that can only truly be learned by getting your hands wet, and taking "the long way home" now and again.

It's a longer journey, but so much more rewarding, in my opinion.

Off my soapbox now. Have a good weekend.

Stay open minded. Stay in touch with the fundamentals...

And stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

 

September 30, 2016

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How many of those? Understanding the dynamics of botanical aquariums...

Apart from, "What's the best botanical for________?",  the most common question we receive is "How many" can I use in a ___gallon/liter aquarium?"

The "how many" question is one that is really difficult to answer in a concrete manner. Why? Well, for one thing, there are a lot of variables involved in determining this, and no real solid "right or wrong" answer, in my opinion. I think there is a certain "instinctive feeling" that we have to go on here.

Botanicals, like anything we add into our aquariums, will influence the environment in which they are submerged. As natural materials, in addition to the much-discussed tannins and humic substances, they contain organics and other materials (lignin, etc.) in their tissues, which are broken down slightly when prepared through boiling, and may continue to be released over time into the water, contributing to both the "richness" of the environment and to the "biological load", or "bioload" of the aquarium.

As we all know, materials such as leaves and many of the "softer" botanicals will break down more quickly, imparting these materials into the aquatic environment. This is a "double-edged sword", because on one hand, your aquarium is receiving a nice dose of tannins and humic substances, while simultaneously receiving an increase in your bioload. And we know that all organisms and many materials present in the aquarium produce waste in one form or another (fishes and invertebrates in the form of solid or liquid excretions, and things like botanicals in the form of the organics they release from their tissues over time into the water column). These waste materials consume oxygen as micro-organisms consume them and break them down into their constituent nitrogen components, like ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.

Without sounding too scary, or venturing into a deeply scientific discussion for which I am simply not qualified, suffice it to say that, for our purposes, you simply need to be aware that everything you add into your aquarium that may be broken down by microorganisms should be thought of as contributing to the bioload of the aquarium!

How do we address this or compensate for the "load" in our tanks? Through simple, time-tested methods of nutrient control and export, which have been detailed in countless books, articles, and forums in the fish world for decades. In summary, nutrient control and export techniques include things like regular water exchanges, use of chemical filtration, physical removal of decomposing materials, disciplined animal stocking, water movement, etc., etc., etc.

And the one "nutrient control and export" method not mentioned here is to employ good old common sense, judgment, and even intuition on your part. There is simply no substitute for your good judgement. If you see that your water is cloudy, your fishes are listless, and the aquarium smells, you probably don't even need to break out the test kits to know that something is wrong. Of course, testing is always the best way to confirm exactly what's going on in the water, but the reality is that your first line of defense is always observation.

In the context of botanicals, you simply need to use...your judgement. We have, for years, used considerable restraint when adding these materials to our own aquariums (particularly established ones!), choosing to go slow and gauge for ourselves the impact of our additions. And, since we launched Tannin Aquatics last year, we've been filling your brains with countless admonitions to go slowly, observe, test, and gauge for ourselves how much is "enough" for our aquariums.

We've discussed the "ugly" biofilms and occasional algae growth that are normal in systems continuing heavy loads of botanical materials. This has been part of that "mental leap" that we talk about so much- understanding what is "normal" in the context of a botanical-influenced aquarium and learning to embrace it rather than detest or fear it, as it is an expected, natural development within our aquariums. Understanding that this is simply what occurs in natural rivers and streams as well.

With all of the countless variables in every aquarium in the world, it's damn near impossible -and actually irresponsible- for us to recommend "x" number of whatever botanical per gallon/liter. Sure, there are some time-honored practices in terms of how many Catappa leaves or cones, for example, it takes to get a good tint in aquariums of roughly "x" many gallons/liters, but the reality is that each situation is completely different, and numerous factors contribute to the actual impact these additions will have in your specific system.

The recent piece by Vince Dollar here in "The Tint" addressed the benfits of humic substances and the potential impact of adding botanicals to our systems, in terms of pH and alkalinity. These are probably some of the most important items that you need to be aware of when venturing into the world of botanical-influenced aquariums. It's so much more than just getting a nice brown tint to your water, and it's important to understand that blackwater, botanical-influenced aquariums are different from conventional "white water" tanks in more ways than simple aesthetic ones.

We've said it before and we'll say it again: Blackwater, botanical-influenced "natural" aquariums are no more difficult to create and maintain than any other type of aquarium system. In terms of management, they are on par with say, an African Cichlid aquarium, but certainly not quite as much of a "dance" as a reef aquarium or high-tech planted, in terms of management. The big difference between a botanical-style system and a more "conventional" freshwater aquarium is that you simply need to have a greater awareness of the impacts of what you're doing on a regular basis, and need to understand, embrace, and nurture the natural processes that occur. Really, you don't need to have a chemistry or biology degree- you simply need to have an awareness of what is going on, because these aquariums embrace nature just a bit differently than what we're used to.

Oh, and they look different. :)

Hobbyists have been dabbling with blackwater, botanical-influenced aquariums for a long time. Tannin Aquatics did NOT "invent" this idea by any means. If you call us "thought leaders" in this area, as some have, we'll take that. Yet I reiterate again that the idea has been around for a while, but maybe we simply haven't put the pieces together. However, I think it's only quite recently that we as a hobby have started to move them out of the "oddity/sideshow" arena and into the more "mainstream" of the hobby as a viable, interesting choice on how to run an aquarium.

We're seeing a lot less of the "you can't run an aquarium like that" negative thinking (particularly from those cowboys on the forums who have never attempted keeping one in this fashion) in the hobby world than ever before. Maybe, maybe- we've helped "demystify" them  a bit and make the idea more appealing to some hobbyists, which is gratifying and exciting! We receive emails and messages nearly every day from hobbyists who have embarked on this journey and have fallen in love with the hobby all over again. Lots of "eureka!" moments, which is really awesome to see!

We're all still learning a lot of things about developing and managing these systems on almost a daily basis, as more and more hobbyists worldwide try them. They are not "the best" system for every fish or plant, obviously, and simply not attractive to every hobbyist. Not everyone wants brown water, piles of leaves, decomposing seed pods, and biofilms in their tanks. However, for those of us who enjoy the challenge, fascination, learning process, and of course, the aesthetics- these aquariums present a "ground-floor" opportunity to learn, experience, and share a growing body of knowledge about another unique natural approach to aquarium keeping.

We're happy to have you aboard with us on this adventure that we're all taking in together.

Stay excited. Stay adventurous. Stay creative. 

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

 

September 29, 2016

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"No apparent reason..."

 

Yesterday, I was talking to one of my friends  about what was going on in his cool fish room, and he was telling me that he was just looking to see what fishes were “breaking out”, which ones could be doing better, and which ones were in trouble. A cool, useful practice that many of us engage in with our tanks. He and I reflected on the fact that, on any given day in a lot of fish rooms, you’ll some find fishes or tanks that were “kicking but, some that could look better, and some that just “bought the farm” for no apparent reason.

 

“No apparent reason…”

Familiar words, actually. I hear them often when talking to fellow hobbyists who, calling us for advice, assistance, or just encouragement, will say things like, “…and they were looking great the other day, and today- they’re just failing to thrive for no apparent reason.” 

 

You see it on the forums- at least a dozen threads every day about “anomalous” fish losses. This is not a new thing. It’s not even an unusual thing. It happens. A lot. 

 

Back when I co-owned Unique Corals, a large coral propagating operation, with thousands of pieces under our care, we needed to assess and get to the bottom of whatever went wrong- because if it spread, it could have jeopardized our inventory. Not good when you make a living growing corals. Oh, sure, we had safeguards in place, but you need to attempt to find the root cause of the problem, lest it occur elsewhere in your facility.

 

Over the years, I’ve learned that there is ALWAYS a reason why fishes or corals struggle or die. We may not always find the ONE factor- the one thing that did it…But there is always a reason, or bunch of reasons- why the fishes or corals didn’t make it. 

 

On the other hand…sometimes, you just can't seem to pin it down, right? You go through the mental checklists of things that you do. Some change in the usual product additions, feedings, procedures, etc. You look at water parameters, search for trends. Look for one thing you did differently two days ago that could have been the trigger for the calamity…And still, the answer eludes you.

 

The unfortunate, unscientific, and altogether unsatisfying conclusion that we come up with after exhausting the obvious- and even the obscure- is often- the fish simply died for “no apparent reason.”

 

That sucks. It’s frustrating, because of course, there are reasons why the fishes died. Often, its more than one factor that contributed.

And you can’t find them. Can’t pin down the cause.

 

Without sounding like the proverbial broken record, this reinforces the usefulness of regular water testing, because when tests are performed regularly and evaluated frequently, you’ll spot trends.

 

Trends are super important in aquarium management, aren’t they? They help you see what direction your system is headed. They help you see if your parameters are stable, swinging all over, or just headed in one direction or another. Without getting too caught up in “big data”, you can get some good feeling for how your tank is doing by sifting through the data regularly. This seems obvious, but you'd be surprised how often many of us don't do this...

 

And there is no substitute at all for the simple, and often quite enjoyable- act of just looking at your aquarium. Every parameter is important, but if your tank looks like shit, does it really matter if phosphate is .04ppm or .08ppm? Your eyes are probably one of the best aquarium testing devices ever conceived…you just need to apply them regularly! In our busy lives, the surprisingly simple act of allocating the time to just look at our beautiful tanks sometimes eludes us...how ironic is that?

 

So the altogether unsatisfying conclusion of this discussion? Sometimes you just can’t find the source of the decline in your aquarium, or why you lost that particular fish. Sometimes the data eludes us. Sometimes, things crap out... "just because.” 

 

There are a lot of “moving parts” in a typical aquarium, and the failure of any one of them may or may not trigger a problem…it can be frustrating ferreting out which of the 5 dozen possible things that could have gone wrong might have lead to the problem you experienced!

 

Part of what makes the “job” of the hobbyist so enjoyable is the search for knowledge…the camaraderie that arises from our community putting their heads together to answer great questions…and sometimes, just to share "war stories" with fellow fish geeks. To learn and grow together as a community.

 

The reality is that the reasons for your fish death or tank decline are absolutely out there. 

 

Yet...they may not be something we’re able to define precisely.

 

Frustrating? Yes. 

 

Enjoy the art and science of aquarium keeping. keep growing, searching- sharing.

 

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

September 28, 2016

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In the water...

As Tannin becomes a bit better known among aquarium hobbyists, we're starting to see all sorts of people bringing all sorts of new ideas to the table. Its a very exciting time, not only for us as a company, but for the hobby itself, because of all the new energy.

We receive a fair amount of questions from hobbyists who want to create, say, a "Rio Madiera biotope aquarium", and would like to know which botanicals would work. I understand this good question, and how it is very important to many of you. Here's the thing- Tannin was largely developed because I had a desire to curate and make available natural aquascaping materials (beyond just wood) to help create natural-looking displays.

In other words, our mission was to help fellow aquatic hobbyists to create "biotope-like" aquariums, vivariums, paludariums, ripariums, and other aquatic features with the materials we offer being more broadly representative of materials you'd find in the natural waterways of tropical regions. (I prefer the expression "natural-style" or "biotope-style" aquarium, BTW).

As opposed to geographical or ecosystem-specific materials that would be absolutely what you'd find with, say, the "_________" Tetra, blah, blah, blah. Like, the competition judges might not like this, but the materials Tannin offers were curated for the enjoyment of hobbyists first! I think our products give hobbyists a "palette" upon which to draw from, and fosters creativity for a wide variety of hobbyists.

 

This is an important takeaway for those of you who are entering aquariums in biotope  competitions. Some of our materials are found in many tropical areas of the world, such as Asia, India, etc, in addition to South America and other places. We have chosen to give many of our products Portuguese names, because Portuguese is the language of Brazil, where our "Amazonia-loving" hearts lie in terms of aquascaping!

We've sort of "romanticized" them (imagine that?). The specific leaves, seed pods, etc. that we offer may in many cases NOT be found in Amazonia, but they are excellent "surrogates" for the actual materials you may find floating in Amazonian streams, Igarapes, etc.

We selected them with their aesthetics in mind, as to how they might contribute to an aquascape representing such a biotope, not specifically tying them to a geographic region. They'd be just as "at home" in an aquarium representing a South American "morichal" as they would a Southeast Asian peat bog...there is flexibility here!

Your wild Bettas, Gouramis, Rasbora, and fishes from other regions of the world will probably not notice that they're swimming in water with Magnolia leaves or seed pods from Peru, just as your Apistogramma will be happy to nest in a pod from Southeast Asia!

I have the utmost respect for those of you who are competitive aquascapers, particularly in the "biotope" categories. It's really hard! And I'm also acutely aware of how strict many of the judging standards are for these things, so from time to time it's important for me to reiterate that you may not be able to be 100% authentic to your subject if you incorporate a specific pod in your competition-destined "Preta da Eva River biotope", for example. These botanicals are, however, great representations of the natural materials you'd find in these watercourses- an important distinction that we keep pointing out.

And of course, some materials, such as Alder Cones, Birch Cones, etc., while they are perfect for influencing the environment by imparting humic substances and tannins into the water, are decidedly "un-biotopic" and would not be found in the biotopes most of us strive to recreate.

(Luis Navarro, I can't tell you how much I love this pic...)

However, they are useful, interesting, and undeniably attractive as "props", and you should just enjoy them as you see fit. Shrimp, in particular seem to love these cones, even though they would simply never encounter them in their natural environment. And who cares?

The point is that in the vast majority of hobby activities, we don't need to get all "stressed out" about including the exact items found in the waters with our specific fishes. Rather, we should seek to enjoy the aesthetic that they bring to our tanks, the enrichment that they add to the environment, and the joy they bring us. Just putting ideas "in the water" is an amazing creative process that we are honored to be a part of.

With each new aquarium that we see- each new idea we hear discussed, and each new  hobbyist we see excited, it adds to not only the amazing body of work accruing with botanical-style natural aquariums, but it serves to inspire other hobbyists to "throw their hat in the ring" and give the idea a try. And to share their ideas, trial, tribulations, and successes with our growing global community.

We couldn't ask for more than that!

Keep scheming. Keep executing. Keep sharing. Keep dreaming. Stay invigorated. Stay excited. Stay creative.

And stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

September 26, 2016

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Notes on the "maturity" of botanical-influenced aquariums

Do you ever look at your aquariums over time and sort of evaluate how they've evolved?

With a botanical-style aquarium, this is not only interesting, but it's a useful practice as well, as we develop the body of knowledge, experience, and technique associated with the long-term maintenance of these systems. And by doing this sort of periodic evaluation, you'll also be able to develop a "feel" for how your particular aquarium performs over the long haul.

For example, in our office 50 gallon leaf litter system, which has been up and running just about one year now, we've noticed some interesting trends. The first thing we noticed when we started adding leaves is that, as we built up the "litter bed",  what we excepted was an explosion of nasty biofilms and algae all over. Interestingly enough, the biofilm phase" only took place after a couple of weeks, and was remarkably limited and short-lived.

We also noticed that the biofilms seemed to be confined to specific leaves that were prepared in a specific fashion, too! In our observations, leaves that were steep in boiling water tend to recruit substantially less biofilms that those that are simply rinsed and tossed into the aquarium, although your "mileage may vary" as they say.

In our experience, the leaves with thicker "cuticle layers", like Jackfruit and Magnolia, seem to "recruit" the biofilms a little more rapidly; a little more significantly than the "thinner" leaves like Guava, Catappa, etc. And, because of their more "durable" outer layer, the aforementioned leaves are actually a bit easier to work with if you're inclined to physically remove the biofilms from the surfaces (ever the patient type, when I conduct "physical biofilm removal" from leaves, I tend to use a small plant tweezer, others opt for a soft toothbrush).

Observing this  aquarium carefully over time as it matures has once again confirmed my ideas about which leaves tend to last the longest before ultimately softening and decomposing. There were no surprises here. From quickest to decompose to longest-lasting, my experience time and again has shown the following order:

-Catappa, Guava, Loquat, Jackfruit, Magnolia 

Sure, there are always a few random specimens of say, Guava, which linger for a month or so longer than one would expect, but on the whole, this assessment seems pretty reliable and valid.

The other thing that I've noticed is that the tint of the water tends not to diminish over time, even with water changes. And this is due to a couple of factors, the first being that the water I utilize for changes has a few Catappa leaves steeping in the containers, and the second factor being that the leaf litter bed in the aquarium itself is continuously being "topped off" with an average of 2-4 new leaves per week. Which leaves I use are dictated by which ones are decomposing, and what sort of "aesthetic" I'm feeling at the time. This process of adding new leaves is analogous to what happens in nature, where new leaves are more or less continuously falling into the streams and rivers, replacing ones that decompose.

I'm asked a lot if I remove leaves and botanicals that decompose, and my answer is "It depends."

If you don't mind the look of crumbling leaves and botanicals (I don't), I say to leave 'em in! This is a very natural look and mimics the natural processes that occur in rivers and streams quite accurately. On the other hand, if you simply can't handle crumbling "Terra Sorrindo" in your tank,for example, feel free to yank them out and replace them as you see fit!

That's the beauty of this kind of aquarium: There is a fair amount of flexibility and freedom to manipulate the physical appearance of the tank regularly without having too much radical influence on the chemical and overall environmental parameters, if you replace things "as they go."

The other observations I have made as my botanical-influenced aquariums mature is that they are surprisingly stable, in terms of water chemistry parameters, fish population, and general appearance over time. Oh, sure, you will get a different "look" when you throw in some new leaves or botanicals, but the overall aesthetic is remarkably consistent without being mundane over time.

 

Sort of like a planted aquarium that you prune regularly. It just looks "fresh" without being to radically redone. Smaller, controlled, regular moves as opposed to rapid, radical ones will almost always yield better results.

One of the things that I believe has had significant impact on the overall quality and health of my botanical systems has been to incorporate good water movement into the aquarium. In other words, having filter output or additional movement provided by powerheads and such directed so that water is in motion around all levels of the tank, especially towards the bottom where the leaves are. This will assure good oxygenation and overall movement of the area where leaves tend to break down and detritus could potentially accumulate, keeping the pH from "stratifying." How much flow to get down there really depends upon a range of factors, such as the kinds of fishes you're working with, how much movement you can get in there without knocking everything all over, and  the overall "look" you are trying to achieve (a fast-moving river versus a meandering Igarape or near-stagnant Asian blackwater pond, for example...) in your aquarium.

In terms of parameters such as pH, alkalinity, nitrate, and phosphate, after some initial "settling in" I've found well managed botanical aquarium to be surprisingly stable, and absolutely no more difficult to maintain than any other type of specialized aquarium. At least as easy as an "Mbuna" aquarium, and certainly less of a headache than a reef aquarium, these tanks are really quite easy to manage if you develop- and stick to- a regular schedule of water changes, botanical replacements, and filter media changes. I've found that weekly water changes work perfectly for me.

Really, as I've said repeatedly, the most difficult part of creating and managing a botanical-style aquarium is to make that mental "stretch" and to accept that the appearance of this sort of aquarium will be substantially different than any other that you've owned before. Understanding that decomposing leaves, formation of biofilms, algae, and tinted water are both desirable and normal is the key.

The term "natural aquarium" is far more applicable in this context than in many others, in my humble opinion. Knowing that what you might initially perceive as the most "aggravating" stuff (like the initial appearance of biofilms) is part of the evolving processes that occur in both our aquariums and nature, and that the worst of them are typically transitory- will give you an even greater appreciation and love for this type of very natural aquarium.

As you gain more familiarity with the idea of running a botanical-influenced aquarium, you'll no doubt make some of your own interesting and useful observations, develop techniques, shortcuts, and theories. This is the beauty of being actively involved in what is sort of the "ground floor" of a newer "movement" within the aquarium hobby. Every observation counts. Sharing is huge. Every new aquarium set up helps add to the overall body of knowledge, advancing the state of the art and providing valuable inspiration to others.

And that's what it's all about!

Until next time...Watch your aquarium evolve and mature. Stay focused on the big picture. Stay engaged. Stay curious. Stay invigorated.

And stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

 

 

 

 

September 25, 2016

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Getting wet. Following your passion. A personal perspective.

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

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

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

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

Good fortune and timing led me back to my native L.A. when the opportunity came to partner up with Joseph Caparatta, who was moving from New York to SoCal to re-launch, re-brand, and re-imagine the dormant “Version 1.0” of Unique Corals. After a lot of back-and-forth plane trips, tons of planning sessions, lots of all-nighters, hard work, and serious dollars, we successfully “rebooted” UC, and I haven’t looked back at any other industry since. 

 

We created a pretty cool thing. This was it for me…The aquatics industry is my life gig, baby. I love this stuff, and like many of you, I love working where I live.  Don’t discount that. Work where you want to live. Bash my city all you want, but I love L.A.! They’ll have to pry my cold, dead body out of Los Angeles…never buying a one-way ticket  outta this town again! And man, I totally love what I do.

It all started with passion.

I told myself that, if I ever worked in the industry, the last thing I would ever do is pander to the hapless, uninitated and misinformed…Or would I? I wanted to deal with more advanced hobbyists, like I fancied myself. Then I realized that I’m in a great postion to share my love with a whole new set of people…people who may not have previously known the joys of the aquarium-keeping world. It’s been pretty rewarding. You should see the look on someone’s face when they get their first aquarium, or when you geek-out a fellow "tinter" when you throw an extra botanical into their bag! Can’t explain the feeling!

 

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

At Unique, I played with corals and fish all day and kept fellow reefers stoked (okay, that’s a waaay oversimplified description of what i did…but you get what I mean)! And I work with some talented, amazing people.  Being in this industry, I even get to support my friends’ aquatic businesses by purchasing from them for my business. It’s rewarding. It’s fun. It’s unreal.

And then, my real longing to get back to my freshwater roots and play with this idea I had about blackwater tanks just couldn't be held back any more. I knew that it was something I had to do. I did what at one point would be considered "unthinkable" for me. I sold my interest in what had become one of the hottest and most respected marine livestock vendors in the US- still is, actually. 

And I pursued my other dream with Tannin Aquatics. It freaked out a lot of my reef-world friends...I mean, who would walk away from one dream gig to pursue another in a different "medium" entirely, one in which I was a virtual "unknown" in?

A passionate, entrepreneurial fish geek, that's who!

I highly recommend going for it in the fish world if you can. I get to see some of the coolest corals and fishes and aquariums in the world, and deal with some of the most awesome aquarium people around. My speed dial is filled with amazing people with more talent than I’ll ever have. It’s like a “who’s who” of aquarium  gliteratti”, as they say here in Hollywood-  and I get to meet new fish geeks every day! Yeah, it’s my dream career (especially since the pro surfer gig just never worked out for me, LOL).

 

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

Yet, on certain days, in the middle of the frenzy of ship outs, vendor relations, social media stuff: It hits me:  I do it for a living! And..I love it.  

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

You’ll sweat. You’ll cry. You’ll doubt yourself a lot. But, there will come a day when you hop in the car one morning, and drive to “work”, realizing that you can’t wait to get there..and that it’s not really “work” that you’re going to. You will smile. Sure, you may walk in the door to the smell of dying corals, 30 emails, a message from a ticked off customer, a lost shipment, some unexpected bills…but you won’t mind it so much, because you’re living the dream. It’s hard to explain, but I think you’re “picking up what I’m putting down” here. Going back to a career that is unfulfilling seems like too banal a reality for me to even contemplate now, and I’m sure that you’ll feel the same way if you make the leap.

Follow your dream. Please.

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

Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics