The Tint

"Pivoting" with the leaves...

When you set up a new aquarium, do you do it with a lot of expectations that it will turn out a specific way, or is it more like, "I have this idea, I'm going to do this and add that and we'll see how it turns out?"

Have you ever noticed just how truly difficult it really is to execute an aquascape exactly how you've envisioned it? Maybe it's me, but it seems like I can cook up some great ideas in my head, but the execution always seems to be a bit different than the perfect plan I had.

The reason I bring this up is because, in my daily scheming of new tanks and using botanicals and other natural materials, I often have this preconceived notion of just how my creation will look when it's done. The difficulty comes when I actually try to put the darned thing together as I envisioned it in my head. There's always that ONE rock or piece of wood, or seed pod, or whatever- which won't cooperate. One that won't slide into the place that you selected for it. This compromises the initial design.

And of course, you have some options at that point, right? You can simply search for another ______________ that will fit, or you can "edit" your design and work with what you've got. You know, a "pivot." 

More often than not, I find myself "pivoting", and my design evolves into something a bit different than I initially envisioned. And it's not always a bad thing. In fact, most of the time, it seem like the revised plan is better than what I had in my head! 

Which brings us to the idea of using my favorite aquascaping material of all- leaves- and the philosophy that goes with incorporating them into your aquascape. Yes, a philosophy.

I've noticed with botanicals- particularly the leaves that I'm so fond of- that you need to be flexible in your thinking and in how you embrace them in your design. They are among the most simple elements we can use to create an aquascape. However, they can also frustrate us if we don't train ourselves to be accept that they won't always do what we want. They will float, curl up, not stay in the orientation that we want them to, and just generally behave "the way they want." 

And then, once we get 'em placed, they will start to slowly deteriorate over a few weeks or months (depending upon the variety), which alters your aquascape almost the minute you complete it. Leaves are such a transient element to 'scape with, yet provide a surprisingly dynamic component to your design. Because of their transient nature, they will shift position, change color, and even "morph" their shape after submergence.

All of these characteristics mean that we need to take this into consideration when incorporating them, and that we need to accept that the beautiful yellow leaf you have in the front of your aquarium today will fade into a golden brown, twisted one in a month. With leaves, you can look at this as a "burden", a frustration. Or, you can look at this as a truly dynamic thing, and an opportunity to see and create an ever-changing environment with ease.

As in nature, you can let the leaves decompose completely, adding new ones as you see fit, or you can simply replace leaves the minute they don't meet your aesthetic standards, so you always have fresh-looking, pristine leaves in your aquascape.

And, being relatively inexpensive as compared to say, plans or driftwood, leaves are one of the more economical aquascaping "props" you can use, making these quick changes affordable!

With the wildly popular "Mixed Leaf Media", you can even use a matrix of leaves as the sole "substrate" in your aquarium. Endless possibilities here.

The transience of leaves and other botanicals is something that we need to embrace; use to our advantage, and enjoy for what it is: Natural materials, doing what they have done for eons.

Simple thought for a complex hobby.

Enjoy your weekend. Love your leaves. Stay flexible.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Sending a message...

If you follow me, you know that I've been a big fan of urging you on to try new things, to push the boundaries of both concept and style. We talk about trying out aquarium configurations that mimic natural biotopes (without being held down by that "biotope aquarium" tag, of course).

I am constantly questioning the way many aquascaping competitions are being judged and run. I realize that, if you want to swim in "their pond", you need to conform to their guidelines if you want to win. It's a reality. What I despise is that many hobbyists are reluctant to enter these competitions and showcase their creations because they fear the criticism.

That's just wrong, IMHO.

Look, I'll be the first to tell you that if something sucks, it sucks. No sense in sugar coating it. We all have our tastes and sense of style, unique to ourselves. Sometimes, it catches the fancy of others. Inspires and motivates them to try something similar.Tannin is based on a love of a more natural, more earthy, more "organic" aesthetic, and not everyone likes it. That's fine. But it doesn't mean that we're not going to stop doing what we do.

It's who we are. And you, our ever-growing global community, are adding to the "body of work" with botanicals, helping to define the aesthetic, the vibe, the feel. There are no rules, other than the biological/chemical ones that nature imposes upon us.

So, when you enter an aquascaping competition and the judge rips you because you didn't embrace the "proper ratio" or mix of plans, textures, colors, whatever...Don't be dismayed. Don't feel that you don't "have it" because you're being criticized for not meeting their standards or expectations. Rather, feel good because you've met YOURS!

And if it resonates with others, so be it. That's a beautiful thing.

This is called being authentic. And, in my opinion, it's what's lacking in the "competitive" aquascaping world. Talented hobbyists are feeling bound by the tastes of the people  who judge these things, and create aquascapes to satisfy the current tastes and attitudes of others. 

You aren't going to change the judges' minds. You aren't going to get the prize, either. On the other hand, your idea just might stimulate some other hobbyist, somewhere in the world, who's grappling with an idea. You might provide inspiration for other people to break the mold of sameness that is pervasive in many corners of the aquascaping world. You'll be branded as somewhat of a "disruptive force", a contrarian...a bit of a rebel, I suppose.

Yet, sharing something different is important. A bit scary, I suppose.

However, you will be making a statement, right?  Sending a message. And you'll be sending a bit of a message to the world. the message being that there are many different approaches to 'scaping. And many different ways to interpret what "beautiful" is.

Think about that the next time you hesitate to enter one of those competitions. Think of the big picture. Think of the other hobbyists who you will serve to inspire with your courage.

So I say, send that message. Push those limits. Open those minds.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

You are the evolution...

Someone told me recently, "Man, what a great idea you came up with, using all of those seeds and leaves and stuff in aquariums! This is so cool!"

I was totally flattered...then I had to set him straight.

I immediately had to tell him that Tannin absolutely did NOT "invent" the concept of using botanical materials in aquariums. I explained to him that the idea of using leaves, seed pods, etc. is not "new"- it's been around for many years. We didn't "come up with" the idea. What Tannin has done, is to survey, curate, collate, and refine their collection, and use in aquariums. We've taken the concept that was already there to some extent, and elevated it with lots and lots of experimentation, technique, a passion for the aesthetic, ideas, a bit of romance, and a fascination with the utility of these materials-and created a more concise, cohesive, and "one-stop-shop" for your aquatic botanical needs.

In short, we innovated, based upon some ideas that were already there.

And in the process, we've developed an inclusive, unique brand, and most important- recruited a growing, global community of like-minded aquarists who have helped us to follow up on our core mission to become "...more than just a purveyor of aquatic goods. We’re a mood, an atmosphere, a space to be. A living breathing, creative canvas to express yourself."

And for that, we've been called "innovative" many, many times. We'll take that, with some qualifications.

What we were jokingly referring to as the "New Botanical" style has become just that- a style. A "movement" within the hobby, fostered by many passionate hobbyists who are interested in a new form of aquatic creativity. Many of you already dabbled in the idea, and were looking for a "home." YOU- the hobbyists of the world, are actively creating and forwarding the art, style, technique- and movement...every single day. All we did was share our passion and curate the concepts, romance the ideas.

You're running with it.

Tannin is a sort of example for aquarists in that you don't have to start with a completely  "blank slate" to create meaningful change and to create innovative ideas within the aquarium hobby. There is no shortage of examples of this in our hobby "history"

I mean, it may come as a shock to some to realize that Takashi Amano did not "invent" aquascaping. What he did was identify a sense of style, technique, and aesthetic that he felt was lacking at the time, and used his unique artist background to develop a particular style of aquascaping, developing techniques and refining ideas which literally changed the face of the hobby. Amano didn't "invent" the idea of aquascaping. He elevated it, perfected it- through use of technique, passion, and creative thinking.

The greatest aquascaper of our time didn't "invent" aquascpaing. He innovated.

Other hobby innovations have been spurred by technological achievements, yet have been no less impactful. An example from recent history is the modern reef aquarium hobby. Hobbyists played around with corals and invertebrates for years, albeit with varying degrees of success. Much was unknown, access to animals was limited, and most important, the survivability of the animals was low. Keeping water quality high was challenging with the equipment and technique of the day.

Then along came a guy named George Smit, who found inspiration in the way wastewater is treated, and the way Japanese koi ponds were filtered for decades. He thought to himself, "What if we adapt that idea of creating an aquarium-sized unit that works by trickling water over a filter media which harbors a film of bacteria? They can consume the waste rapidly and help create very high quality water for corals..." 

(Okay, maybe he didn't think it exactly like that)

However, he did "put 2 and 2 together", coupled it with the use of live rock (something that hobbyists had also dabbled with for years) and came up with the concept of the aquarium trickle filter and fostering bacteria within the rock to help serve as "biological filtration." Soon, high quality, lower-nutrient conditions were available to hobbyists worldwide. An entire industry and hobby movement sprung up around his "Minireef" idea. Further refinements occurred. Some 30 years on, large numbers of corals, fishes, and invertebrates are propagated in captivity on a regular basis. People who have never seen the ocean can have a tropical reef in their own living rooms.

Smit didn't "invent" the idea of trickle filters, nor the practice of keeping corals and fish in the aquarium. Rather, he saw a something that was working already, refined it, improved it- innovated- and in the process, inspired an entire generation by helping foster that first breakthrough.

Every day, thousands of hobbyists like you and I, around the world, are doing things that, perhaps unbeknownst to themselves, are helping innovate and shape the future of the hobby.

Fish breeders are forging new techniques, spawning and rearing species that were never before spawned. Aquariums are being built which will highlight a species of fish never before given a chance to shine, perhaps unlocking the door to more and more breakthroughs in husbandry and care. Aquatic plants are being grown in unique ways, and fishes extinct in the wild are being bred and distributed, perhaps giving their species a chance to survive into the future. New aesthetic concepts are emerging.

Innovation, and of itself, is a dynamic concept. It's hard to quantify. But it's there. And it often happens right before our very eyes, initiated and perfected by ourselves...We just don't always make that connection, because we focus on the finished idea, not all of the subtle little breakthroughs and iterations along the way that lead up to it. New innovations often build on existing ideas or concepts in practice. Sometimes from necessity- other times, out of a simple desire to improve. Sometimes out of frustration.

Often, out of sheer genius.

Innovation has been happening like this for millions of years. No sense in stopping now!

YOU are innovating. Every single day. Everything that you do contributes to the body of knowledge, the state of the art, and the refining of technique. 

I salute each and every hobbyist- every single one of you. I celebrate our collective enthusiasm, passion, and desire to share. Your ideas, passion, and enthusiasm are an inspiration to all of today's fellow hobbyists, and to those as yet unborn.

Stay innovative. Stay creative. Stay passionate about what you do.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Over time....

If you keep a botanical-influenced aquarium for any length of time, you start noticing a certain vibe. A feeling. Right? It's weird, how some people just sort of "lock in" on these blackwater-type aquariums and really feel an affinity for them. And it's something I've noticed repeatedly, all around the world. There is some allure that blackwater offers.

And part of that allure is the way these systems seem to evolve.

And one of the things that we've noticed a lot about blackwater, botanical style aquariums is that they seem to improve over time. I mean, they start our looking nice, albeit a bit "sterile", but as the water darkens, the botanicals soften, and a patina of biofilm appears, the whole scape looks more natural. More alive. More "rich", if you will.

"Over time" takes on a different context for us impatient fish geeks, huh? We seem to love to see our systems look more established, and quickly! However, these botanical-influenced aquariums seem to lead us- tell us how they will evolve. Yet, we still can be a bit impatient. Waiting for some result, when what we really need to do is simply enjoy our aquarium at every stage of it's evolution. I wonder why we always want to see our tanks "done." 

Are they ever truly "done?" Or just continuously evolving. Yet we sometimes struggle with this "evolution."

I was wondering if it had to do with some inherent impatience that we have as hobbyists- or perhaps as humans in general-a desire to see the finished product as soon as possible; something like that. And there is nothing at all wrong with that, I suppose. I just kind of wonder what the big rush is? I guess, when we view an aquarium in the same context as a home improvement project, meal preparation, or algebra test, I can see how a "finish line" would take on a greater significance! 

On the other hand, if you look at an aquarium as you would a garden- an organic, living, evolving, growing entity- then the need to see the thing "finished" becomes much less important. Suddenly, much like a "road trip", the destination becomes less important than the journey. It's about the experiences gleaned along the way. Enjoyment of the developments, the process. IS there even a "finish line" to an aquarium?

Think about the almost transient or ephemeral nature of a botanical-influenced aquarium, with leaves softening and decomposing, seed pods settling in, etc. It's constantly evolving, extremely dynamic. And if you're like me- continuously replacing decomposing leaves with new ones, it's a continuous thing.



Sure, the reality is that any aquarium is not a static entity, and will continue to encompass life, death, and everything in between for as long as it's in existence. Yet, what is it that really happens in a truly "mature" natural aquarium? Consider aquatic plants: There might be some competition between plants that results in one or more species dominating all of the rest, or does diversity continue to win, with lots of plants and other life forms eeking out an existence in your artificial stream, just as they have managed to do for eons in nature?

Even with leaves and seed pods- some will simply last longer than others. All will contribute to the richness and diversity in their own way. Some replace others over time as the more "dominant" component of your natural hardscape, wether fostered intentionally by you replacing stuff, or by natural decomposition changing one botanical into a different form, which newly added ones take over. All form a part of the whole, rich, ever-evolving picture.

Over time.

And that whole picture can be quite beautiful.

A Monday morning philosophical detour...

Stay enthusiastic. Stay creative.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics
 

How many of those things should I add?

One of the discussions I have a lot with customers is, "How many___________ do I need for my _____ gallon tank?"

And that is a great question, because the best answer is, "It depends." 

Yeah, not a particularly helpful answer, huh?

Seriously, there are a ton of variables involved in figuring out how many of a given botanical you need. And I think it starts with asking yourself a series of questions. Most important, you need to look at just what you're trying to achieve.

In other words, if your goal is to mimic an Amazonian stream bed, replete with lots of leaves, seed pods, and other botanical debris, you probably want a fair amount of "coverage" on the bottom, so depending on the size of your aquarium, you may want to utilize several of each of the botanicals you have in mind. If you're just looking to add a few random "Savu Pods" or "Jungle Pods" to your tank to act as a shelter or breeding location, then 2-4 specimens should do the trick.  

Use our "variety packs" for a sort of "botanical stocking density" guideline. For example, if you're looking at replicating a Morichal environment, for example, you could look to our "Vibrante Morichal" pack for some guidance. We developed this pack with enough materials in when we felt are good densities and ratios to create a reasonably effective representation of this environment in up to a 50 US gallon tank. Obviously, if you're working with a smaller tank, there will be a higher density of botanicals in there. On the other hand, if you like a LOT of stuff, you may want to add more than one pack (over time, of course). There are no real "rules" about this stuff, aesthetics-wise!

The usual considerations need to be addressed, like the need to add materials slowly to ANY aquarium which has fishes, and ONLY after you have taken the time to properly prepare these materials for aquatic use. The amount of potential tannins and other organics deposited into the water by adding a large quantity of botanicals all at once in a populated, established aquarium could prove devastating to its inhabitants, so you simply cannot rush this process. Go slowly.

Doom and gloom aside, the aesthetic considerations will typically influence most hobbyists' "botanical stocking density."

Leaf litter beds are a bit easier. Well, you have to do some "fish geek math" to estimate how many of a given number of say, Medium Catappa or Guava leaves you might require to do what you're trying to do. If you want a fully-covered substrate with lots and lots of leaves, you probably are looking at a fair number of leaves- perhaps two dozen or more in a 40 US gallon "breeder) aquarium, with dimensions of  36'x18"x 17" (91.44cm x 45.72cm x 43.18cm). If you just want to have a smattering of leaves in the tank here or there, anywhere from 6 to 12 leaves should be enough to start with. You can always "edit" and add more as desired to achieve the effect you want.

And if you should "over-do it" and end up getting more leaves than you need? Well, you can always end up having some extras for replenishment as the leaves break down. See, nothing is ever wasted in a botanical system!

And of course, there are other considerations, such as the amount of "tint" you're trying to achieve. Obviously, you're not going to want to load your aquarium to the rim with Catappa leaves unless you really like the brown water, right? Well, as we've discussed before, you could simply use a lot of activated carbon in your filter  to create "white water" conditions in your aquarium. even when stocked heavily with leaves and such. If you recall, I endured this painful scenario several months back with my office tank, to make this point! 

Obviously, any pice on "how many pods to use" in your aquarium is purely speculative. Your needs, desires, tastes, expectations, and comfort levels will be far different than mine, or any other hobbyist's. In the end, it's all about what works for YOU.

Our best advice with botanicals: Purchase more than you need to start with, but start with less than you need.

Yeah. Slow and steady. Simple.

Stay disciplined. Stay enthusiastic. Stay curious.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Bring it!

I admit it, I'm one of those fish geeks that loves to enable others...I mean, I'm the biggest cheerleader in the world for my fellow fish geeks. If you're up to trying some crazy project- enacting some seemingly half-baked, yet exotic-sounding scheme to create the ultimate aquatic display, one that reeks of innovation and a high probability for failure...yeah...count me in!

Seriously.

And, if you've been in the hobby long enough, you start entertaining some pretty exotic ideas- you know, like simulated rivers in your living room, Mangrove swamps in your backyard, or turning your swimming pool into a reef or African Rift Lake biotope! Stuff like that.

Some of you actually act on them, which deserves ultimate praise!

I know many, many aquarists who have sort of "re-engineered' their houses to accommodate fish tanks, with pipes going through walls, dehumidifying systems that would rival many commercial buildings, and elaborate electrical system modifications and sub-panels that would put some small factories to shame!

This is the way we 'scale up" in this hobby, isn't it? We take those seemingly outrageous ideas, look convention square in the eyes and shout, "Is that all you got? BRING IT!" And all of the sudden, you've got that hobbyist building herself a 2,000 gallon Amazonian igarape in her living room!

Even if your ambitions don't involve tearing out supporting beams in your home, moving around electrical, or using a crane to position your one ton aquarium, or build some mega-aquarium, you're awesome in my book.

Your awesome because you dare to dream, to concoct, to try. And if you do try, sometimes, you come up with something pretty cool. And on rare occasions, you come up with something that can change the aquarium world.

So keep trying. No matter what anyone tells you. Just look convention and challenge, and hobby status quo in the face and scream those words...

BRING IT!

Simple, easy thought for a Saturday!

Stay creative. Stay excited. 

And Stay Wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

"The Pivot."

So I have this sort of confession to make.

When I first added plants to my office blackwater aquarium, it was really as sort of an experiment to see how they would fare in the dark brown botanical milieu I created. It was more of "let's see if this works for me." I was actually, in my head at least- violently opposed to the idea of incorporating plants at all into the 'scape. My thinking was that the green would somehow "violate" the "sanctity" of my little blackwater utopia hardscape, and take it in a direction towards a more traditional planted tank! 

Seriously. I was that worried!  

However, I took some comfort in knowing that the planet would have to "fend for themselves" in this tank; there would be no supplemental fertilization, special lighting, excessive pruning or other "management" common to planted aquariums. I was committed to letting the plants just "be"- the ultimate survival experiment. 

Probably an attitude that would horrify some aquatic plant lovers, but  I was very militant  and committed to a blackwater hardscape. I didn't want to "pivot!" No way. Anything else would derail me from my "objectives"- or so I reasoned...

Then, I was at a speaking event in the Spring with  Luis Navarro, one of the most highly-respected aquascapers in the world. And of course, we immediately clicked and geeked out, as fish guys do. His love for plants and aquascaping is infectious! How good is this guy? Well, when you look up "aquascaping"in Wikipedia, there is one of his 'scapes on the page.   (Oh, and so is a crazy-good 'scape by none other than the great George Farmer, who will be doing an upcoming video featuring Tannin stuff...fun! More on this soon) 

And of course, Luis just HAD to play with some Tannin stuff I brought along during his aquascaping demo (well, due largely to a bad break where the plants he was supposed to use didn't arrive..). And I saw what a serious planted guy does with botanicals, under pressure!

And of course, Luis showed me tons of pics of planted tanks and underwater pics from his forays into Mexico in search of plants, fish, and aquascaping ideas. These natural 'scapes were beautiful- exactly the kinds of things that interested me. 

And they had plants.

And of course, he said, "Let me send you some hardy plants." That meant trouble. And what did he recommend?  Polygonum sp. “Kawagoeanum” - that almost "bamboo-looking" plant that has beautiful pinkish leaves. The idea was to find a plant that would break the water surface, creating an interesting look in my open-top 50 gallon office tank.

When I planted the stems I received, it was with the idea of not doing any extensive "training" of the plant, largely to let it do its own thing. Since I wasn't going out f my way to give it any special conditions, I figured that there was a 50/50 chance the plants would survive, let alone grow.

Happily, I was wrong!

The plant did exceedingly well, and has done its "Polygonum Thing", throwing down tons of those fuzzy aerial roots that are the bane of many aquascaper's existence. In my blackwater world, they offered the perfect contrast to the browns and earth tones of the botanicals, and the fishes seem to love the added dimension they provide...Okay, that' in my mind, but the plants, particularly in their "wild" state, work very well...and they appear to be thriving! 

I'm totally into the idea of plants in a blackwater, botanical-dominated hardscape. Many of you have already done this with fantastic results. I was a bit late to the party, as they say! Yeah, a classic "pivot", as they say in business. Not a detour. And a pivot that I was happy to make!

Now, the point of this blog isn't to say "Look at my pretty plants!"  (well, perhaps just a little..) The point was that it's always good to let your plans be flexible. Staying on a disciplined path is often a good thing, but flexibility is a beautiful thing! I can honestly say that I couldn't imagine this tank without the plants in it.

What a "360", huh?

Today's very simple, slightly green takeaway.

Pivot as needed. Enjoy.

Stay open minded. Stay flexible, yet disciplined.

And of course...

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Creating a "movement." Literally.

It is really cool to hear from so many hobbyists who are embarking on this new foray into the world of aquatic botanicals, blackwater, and a more natural aesthetic. And with all the neat pic of up-an-coming tanks and hearing about your exciting new projects, we get some interesting questions...and I realize that, even though people have been adding leaves and cones and seed pods and such to aquarium for years, no one really ever made the effort to aggregate the experience; to become a destination for the "state of the art", etc. in this arena. Well, we're happy to fill that role in what one of my (very critical, I might add) fishy friends reluctantly admitted is becoming (in his words) "a global movement." 

As such, there are a lot of topics within the realm of botanical-influenced aquariums which need to be addressed, and as more and more of you get into these types of tanks, you're working on cool solutions and technique to address them and make our lives easier. One of the questions that we get a lot concerns the concept of water movement in a botanical-influenced aquarium- like, how much we need, what it does to these types of tanks, and what the best way to approach it is.

Water movement is a very important and (no pun intended) dynamic topic. In the freshwater world, apart from hobbyists who keep fishes like Hillstream Loaches and other fishes known to benefit from strong water movement, we don't really think about it all that much. However, with the advent of tanks field with stuff like leaves and seed pods, it's something to think about, both from the point of view of its impacts on the aesthetics and environment of the aquarium.

 I'm a big fan of fairly vigorous water movement in almost any aquarium. I think it's my "reef" orientation, but it works for a variety of fishy applications! Now, I realize that certain fishes (Anabantoids and killifishes come to mind; there are others) hail from environments that we would almost label as "stagnant", and flow in the "aquarium sense" is really not an issue. However, for the majority of fishes that hail from botanical-influenced, blackwater environments, water movement is still an important and, in my opinion, necessary consideration.

In wild environments, such as the Amazon River, water flow is variable, ranging from moderately strong in major tributaries, to barely palpable in flood plains and igarapes, which meander through the forest. In the rainy season, currents increase as water levels increase. In the dry seasons, obviously there is less water, and less water movement. There have been a lot of studies related to the transport of nitrogen and phosphorus in Amazonian streams, much related to the impact of deforestation. Suffice it to say, movement of water is important in distributing, diluting, and processing nutrients in these streams, and it's much the same in aquariums.

Water movement is like a refreshing breeze on a warm day, a vital part of the closed system dynamic, IMHO. It offers even distribution of temperature, nutrients, and oxygen. It also provides a bit of "exercise" for your fishes, which swim against some of the currents you create. Water movement has long been considered a key part of the nutrient export process in closed system aquaria.

In our botanical-influenced tanks, with lots of leaves and such, we obviously have to consider that strongly directed flow from the outlets of pumps, powerhead, and filters can push stuff around- annoyingly so! Leaves, in particular, are subject to the "whims of water movement" because of their light weight and buoyancy. Despite the potential for disruption of your leaves and such, it only makes sense that you should direct flow into the aquarium to be as widely distributed as possible. In my experience, it is important to put a little flow down to the bottom, if only to keep debris from accumulating significantly where your botanicals are (particularly if you're like me and keep a lot of leaves in there).

Directing some flow towards the bottom not only helps evenly distribute dissolved oxygen throughout the system- it keeps the pH from becoming "stratified", and helps prevent pockets of stagnation, particularly in thick leaf litter beds, which can lead to a lot more algal growth and biofilms than you'd like to see! Just to reassure you, I've found that, as leaves and botanicals become more saturated and start to break down, they tend to "wander" less from their original positions in the aquarium. And, if you're like me, and promote and "active" or "dynamic" leaf-litter management approach as part of your regular maintenance activities, you're continuously adding (and occasionally, removing) leaves to keep the system "refreshed" and deriving optimum levels of tannins that keep the visual "tint" you want.

 And, for that matter, it could be argued that this process of "managing your leaf litter" (yeah, can you believe it's come to THAT?) will help maintain a greater biological and chemical stability. My office blackwater system, for example, runs with a surprisingly stable pH around 6.6, and stays within a tight range. More experimentation, observation, and monitoring is obviously necessary in order for us to state categorically that chemical stability is derived from this process, but the anecdotal observations seem to point strongly towards this hypothesis being at least somewhat correct.  This process is perfectly analogous with what happens in nature, where leaves are regularly falling into the waters, others are decomposing and being "processed" either by breaking down completely, or moving downstream.

As you can tell from my rather unscientific treatment here, the topic of water movement- and, for that matter, the topic of overall management- in blackwater, botanical-influenced aquariums is still evolving, and there is a LOT of room for experimentation, observation, and development of technique. This, in my opinion, is the most exciting part of the "New Botanical" movement we're participating in: It's "open source", with all sorts of new things being learned each and every day. We've made a lot of progress- identifying some   basic practices to help ensure a good start, and making observations about the potential pitfalls and perils as well. And of course, we're developing, practicing, and refining techniques to hone our husbandry skills and create better, more stable environments for our precious fishes. 

And the best part? We're doing it together, without arrogance, conflict, and attitude. We're just fish geeks, united by a particular interest (albeit an odd one to some people), and having a hell of a good time doing it! Everyone's input is valued- and important!

Stay engaged. Stay observant. Stay humble. Stay interested. Stay generous.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

That certain quality...

Have you ever noticed how some hobbyists just sort of have "the touch?"

I mean, no one really knows what "the touch" is, right? It's just this undefinable, yet remarkable ability that some hobbyists have to keep that delicate fish alive, feed that one that is super finicky, or breed the fish that everyone says is almost impossible to breed. And these people almost always say stuff like, "I was lucky!" Or, "Well, I killed about 20 of 'em before I was able to get this one to survive!" Or, "I sat up all night dripping baby brine shrimp into the fry tank to make sure they got fed the first two weeks..."

Stuff like that. They're bing too modest. Too gracious... What do they have that the rest of us don't?  Not luck. Not coincidence. Generally, it appears to be a combination of enthusiasm, passion, commitment, and dedication. And a healthy dose of "I won't give up!"

I often would visit the homes of these super successful hobbyists, and I'd leave wondering how they did whatever it was they did so well. On the surface, they seemed no different than any of the hundreds of other fish geeks I talk to each year. The main difference- as I touched on above- is that these people just don't seem to quit.

And that's a good takeaway for all of us. Sure, it helps if you can afford the equipment to house that really rare, delicate fish, but the vast majority of these incredibly successful hobbyists never seem to be unusually wealthy. And they're not all retired, with seemingly endless amounts of time on their hands to lavish on their fishes all day. Rather, they sacrifice- they carve out the time to make stuff happen. It's a choice, often at the sacrifice of other stuff, like vacations, time with friends, forgoing major purchases, etc. They're willing to pay a price; just how much varies from hobbyist to hobbyist, but they are all sacrificing something in their pursuit of that fishy goal.

It's not for the feint of heart. Not everyone wants to give up the time, energy, money to do this stuff. It's a "calling" or something. Some desire to (Sorry, Nike) just do it! And that's a very cool thing. 

Today's incredibly simple, hopefully important, observation on that certain quality which makes some of the really successful people in the hobby, "tick."

Thanks for doing what you do. Stay dedicated. Stay enthralled. Stay excited.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

...That part when I say, "Yeah, I DO like nano tanks!" A confession, of sorts...

Okay, I admit it. For the longest time, I had this absolute aversion to the idea of a "nano tank." I think it was part frustration and rebellion, from years of having to keep little tanks by necessity in my bedroom growing up.."Enough!" And, another big part was the reefer crowd I ran with for many years. You know, the ones who asserted that a nano tank is essentially a "portable fish extermination device"- the "goldfish bowl of the 21st century." That sort of thing. I totally bought into that dumb idea.

And it's funny, because my room as a kid, well into my teen years, was dominated by 2.5 (US) gallon and maybe some 5 gallon tanks. And I was really quite good at keeping fishes in them, if I say so myself. Killies, Bettas, assorted characins..you name it. I even bred my first cichlid, Pelvicachromis pulcher, in a 2.5 gallon tank!  I remember using a 2.5 as a "growout" tank for the little killie, Pseudoepiplatys annulatus Monroviae. It was all I needed...I mean, I had management of water quality down to a science with those little tanks, and could change the water in like 8 of 'em in mere minutes! 

Yet, when I was of the age where I was permitted to have larger aquarium, both via finances and my parents- I launched into an immediate rebellion against anything under 5 gallons for years. I mean, at one point, my brine shrimp growout tank was 10 gallons! NO WAY was I ever going back to those tiny tanks for ANYTHING!!!

Ahh, the voice of ignorance, rearing its ugly (and in my case, relatively youthful) voice again. I was REEFER, man. You didn't play around with saltwater fishes and corals in one of those "death traps!" Yeah, I fell right in line with the prevailing thinking of the day. And as for their use in freshwater...I was negative at best, downright unreasonable about them at worst. Even though amazingly talented, super successful breeders worldwide used 2.5's and 5's in their extensive fish rooms, I wasn't having any of it. They were a joke, a toy, a dangerous little habit. Besides I was a reefer- that elite, snobbish, and outright arrogant clique within the greater aquarium hobby. How perfectly shallow for the late eighties...and how stupid to be so arrogant about it.

What an awful attitude I had.  

Well, like so many things, maturity and more experience brings some degree of wisdom, and I eventually started coming around. I realized that little aquarium gave a lot of people the opportunity to play with fishes that might otherwise not be able to. I also realized that people were doing pretty amazing stuff with them...always had been. I think the turning point to me was when the whole "Nano" reef crowd started emerging. Adventurous and very talented hobbyists began playing with nano tanks (now, granted, in the "reef" context, a "nano tank" was like 5-20 gallons, but still...), and soon, a whole subculture grew up around them. Manufacturers wised up, and all sorts of gear was developed just for nano tanks!

And then ADA came out with those damn "Mini M" tanks. Game over. This was a serious (and pricy) hobby option. Once I saw some of those crazy little planted nanos, the words "alternative" or "niche" were seldom used in my vocabulary again when discussing small aquariums! And for shrimp...ahhh. Nice.

They were no longer a "stunt." Rather, they were a legitimate option- indeed, often the best option, for a whole host of projects- freshwater and marine! It occurred to me that, not only were they useful from a utilitarian standpoint- they provided a perfect way to really highlight and care for specific species of fishes and inverts that would quite literally be "lost" in a larger show aquarium. I was so taken by them, I even wrote an article in the well-regarded "Advanced Aquarist" online magazine (marine) praising the whole thing...What  360 degree shift- from "hater" to "devotee" in less than a decade!

In fact, I began to realize that nano tanks were a great "testbed" to try out new stuff. With a nano, you can think of a concept for a tank while languishing in bed at 5AM, and have it built out and filled before noon! And broken down by 5PM with little more than a few hours of pleasant labor and maybe one trip to the local hardware store under your belt. I mean, these tanks were low-stress, and awesome "proving grounds" for ideas that could be scaled up...or not!

And, with the advent of the "New Botanical"-style aquarium and blackwater and such, nano aquariums give us an amazing way to test and prove new concepts, like deep leaf litter beds, miniature ripariums, mud biotopes...all sorts of crazy ideas that you want to test out in a smaller, more easily controlled system first, before you go ahead and order 50 packs of "Mixed Leaf Media" from us geeks at Tannin!

And of course, to those who ALWAYS believed- to those hobbyists who always knew what I arrogantly turned my nose up at so many years back...those who used them for breeding, medicating, rearing, experimenting- or to those who these tanks offered the only means of being in the hobby: I'm sorry. Yeah. I just didn't get it back then. I'm sorry that I got caught up in attitude and hubris and groupthink, rather than realizing just how important these diminutive tanks are to us.

(ADA "Mini M" by Johnny Ciotti...my friend and awesome aquarium aesthetic influencer...)

They've enabled us to do things that would not otherwise be practical, ranging from daily breeding to proof-of-concept work on state of the art practices. They've tested our skill, steeled our resolve, and propelled us forward. So, the takeaway here today, my friends, is not just that nano tanks are cool and useful, they're necessary! We've also learned once again that the "ignorance of arrogance" has no place in our hobby, and is, indeed, a hinderance to our necessary progression.

Stay open minded. Stay devoted. Stay experimental.

And stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics