The Tint

A manifesto, or an introspective moment?

I was talking to a non-aquarium person the other day, and, after hearing about my business ventures and hobby endeavors, she asked what it really meant to be a serious  aquarist, and what makes us any different from all of the people who just have a nice community tank in their house and that’s the extent of it. 

I thought that maybe we are all the same- fish people...Well, we are, to some extent...but we are a bit different. So I drove off with the nagging question of "What makes you guys so different?" in my head. I had this bunch of thoughts as to how I'd describe myself...and it made me think about just what makes a serious hobbyist different than people who just happen to own an aquarium. 

It served no purpose other than to help me define myself a bit, but it was interesting to look at in the context of the company we’re about to launch.

I'm a serious aquarist.

I don't dabble in aquariums. I'm obsessed with them.

I know that keeping aquatic life alive requires understanding, skill, patience, and good habits.

I know that a successful aquarium requires me to take certain steps that many other fish people aren't willing to do. 

I regard my aquariums as microcosms of nature; learning tools, an experience..Their main function is not to provide a piece of decor in my home.

I have procedures for every scenario, every problem playing out in the back of my head. I have other obsessed hobbyists to share these thoughts with. We are a community.

I obsessively maintain my aquarium based on husbandry methods that work for me; skills learned and honed from years of practice, towering successes, and humbling failures. I listen to other hobbyists, then do whatever I darned well please, if I feel my way is better...And then I try theirs, when my ideas fail! I'm stubborn..and proud.

I don't chase down every hot trend, obsess over every new gadget. I try things that work for my animals. I geek out over obscure stuff, however.

I'm not afraid to try new stuff, but I always consider the impact of any new practice, procedure, or piece of gear.

I support those who are propagating fishes and plants, because I understand that the world's aquatic resources need our help. As a hobbyist, I know that the future of the hobby- the future of the world's aquatic animal population- is in part dependent upon how successful I am at keeping my animals healthy, and sharing my stories with others.

I screw stuff up all the time. And when I do, I share my errors with other hobbyists, get up again, over an over, and try to learn from them.

I am eager to hear about what my fellow hobbyists are doing, because that seemingly crazy idea might be the basis for massive success.

I realize that learning is a lifelong process in the hobby. I want to be doing this for the rest of my life.

I know that aquarium keeping is not just a hobby...it's a lifestyle.

I am part of a tribe; a community, which grows and nurtures and shares ideas, concepts, experiences, and animals. 

I am a part of a larger whole, which is much greater than the sum of it's parts.

I am a serious aquarist.  And so are you.

And I'm pretty darned proud of that.

Why are you proud to be a serious aquarist ? What do you feel makes us different than the rest of the people who simply “dabble” out there?

Let's hear it!

Stay wet...

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

"The Tint" at Bucks County Aquarium Society Summer Picnic!

You know that we LOVE aquarium clubs almost as much as we love the hobby itself...The people, the fish, the camaraderie! 

So, when one of the nation's most prestigious clubs approached us to donate some items for their annual Summer Picnic raffle, there was no hesitation! And, when you're a new company like Tannin, trying to get your name out there, it makes sense to support the people who you hope will be supporting you! We sent a few packs of Aquatic Botanicals to the BCAS, and apparently, they tuned out to be quite popular! 

Our stuff had some illustrious company- many top vendors and manufacturers donated to this nice event:

Not bad for a company that few people may have heard of, that was still a good 3 plus weeks away from launching at the time of the event!

Thanks to everyone at the BCAS for thinking of Tannin. See you next year!

P.S.- If your club would like to have a few Tannin items at its next event, just shoot us an email and we'll hook you up with "The Tint!"

Stay Wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Is it just a bag, or an incubator for aquatic creativity? The story behind the Tannin bag.

When we first conceived Tannin Aquatics, the idea was to offer fellow hobbyists all of the cool stuff that we love so much- Leaves, wood, and other “aquatic botanicals”, which add a unique, natural look and vibe to almost any aquarium. Our aesthetic leans towards the earthy, organic, and natural.

 When it came time to find a way to package our products that conveyed this feeling, it was only obvious that we needed something earthy and natural-looking. After much research and brainstorming, we came up with the idea of a cool, reusable jute bag. We had to try out a lot of versions before we finally found what we are looking for. 

We’d like to think that the result was one of the coolest packages in the aquatics industry, which provides form, function, and an unwavering sense of aesthetic! Yeah, we knew we were on to something when people started asking for the bags as soon as we featured them on Facebook and Twitter- before we even had a functioning web site!

 Many of our aquatic botanicals will come with this cool, reusable bag, which will no doubt find a myriad of uses around the fish room and beyond.

It might be just a bag to some, but to us, it’s the tangible embodiment of our core values, mission, and aesthetics…Leaves, wood, water…life- and the ability to embrace all. We look forward to offering you materials that help you express yourself in the aquatic world. And it all starts with the bag!

Stay Wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

What does it take to sink a "Savu Pod?"

What does it take to sink a "Savu Pod?"

Honestly, this is the kind of arcane stuff we ponder around here at Tannin.

You'll need to prep this "aquatic botanical" prior to use. The "Savu Pod" is surprisingly buoyant (well, WE were surprised, anyways), and we perfected the art of "sinking" 'em! Fortunately, it's really easy..

Just give them a light rinse, place them in an inert pot of water (make sure that your significant other understands what's about to go down), and bring them to a boil. Leave them at a steady boil for about 10 minutes, and allow them to cool. Rinse. Voila! They sink faster than Etsy's share price post-IPO! (Okay, that was just mean...)