The Tint

What are these "aquatic botanicals" of which you speak?

What ARE "aquatic botanicals" that you hear us talk about? 

Well, they're natural products (generally leaves, bark, wood, and seed pods) that are used for both decorative and environmental enrichment purposes in our aquariums. "You sell twigs and nuts!" as one of my reef keeping friends profoundly declared! I suppose he wasn't too far off, although I think that was a bit over-generalized, lol. 

Many fishes (particularly South American fishes like Tetras, Cichlids and catfishes), as well as numerous African and Southeast Asian species (Gouramis, Bettas, etc.) benefit from the tannic acids and other substances released by these products into the water.

The Tannin "Enigma Bag:" Because everyone loves a good mystery, right?

"You'll just have to trust us!"

We love the idea of a good surprise...I mean, who doesn't? And "good surprise" in the context of fish-geek-dom is a really good thing...words that can get the heart racing, at the very least! 

So, with the dual ideas of providing a cool experience and great value for fellow aquarists, we came up with the idea of the Tannin "Enigma Bag"- a custom-curated selection of stuff for you, with an air of surprise, fun, and outright mystery about it!

The Tannin "Enigma Bag" will contain an assortment of cool stuff selected from our website collection...but you won't know exactly WHAT until you receive it. 

Hand-selected aquatic botanicals, small batch food, gear..maybe even something we don't have on the site yet..who knows? What we do assure you is that value of the items you'll receive will definitely exceed what you pay! Available in 3 different price points ($25, $50, and $75)! 

Who loves the grey fishes?

Why do I like small , grey-brown fishes? Why do I covet fishes, and even corals that most people find rather uninteresting?  Why do I get excited about wild guppies, Chocolate Gouramis, and kind of "dull" kinfefishes, like Sternopygus macurus way more than I do about almost any other fishes? Do I not get out enough? Am I too cool to jump on the bandwagon of new fishes and corals? Or, could it simply be that, after several decades in the hobby- I’ve learned to be honest with myself about what I like? Hmm…is there a lesson here? Or even a blog? Let’s see…

(Eigemania viricens by Luis Ruiz Berti- Dull? By whose standards?

I get to see a lot of corals and fishes- a lot of really rare stuff.  I don’t care how long you’ve been in the hobby or worked in the aquatics industry- when a new livestock shipment arrives and it’s time to break out the box cutters, even the most crusty fish person still gets a kind of giddy excitement, anticipating what is in the box.

Not too long ago, I was in my LFS when the shipment arrived. As usual, I hung around watching the crew open up the boxes to see what was swimming. "Designer" Angels? An L264 Pleco? No, this time, it was a box of wild Cardinal Tetras. The “bread and butter”, ultra “common” staples of the aquarium hobby, yawn.

Actually, I wasn’t yawning. I was admiring this brightly colored gems swimming in their bags, and considering what brought them here. Just a few days earlier, these little guys were happily swimming somewhere in their native Amazonia, thinking only of where their next meal was coming from, and ways to avoid becoming menu items for someone. What were they thinking now, I wondered? Who would end up buying them? What size aquarium would they spend the rest of their lives in? Would they be comfortable, well fed- or would they slowly waste away and die in agony? Do we ever think about this?

Was I being overly sentimental? Stupidly self-righteous?  Maybe. But I was contemplating; just for a second- how easy it is to take for granted what has become “common” to us.  These fishes are popular in the aquarium hobby for a reason: They are beautiful, not trendy. Yet, they are interesting creatures. They are precious, regardless of the price tag- and they are worthy of our respect and admiration.  They need not be expensive and flashy to be worthy of our admiration, do they?

The baffling world of "Fishspeak"- Translated!

In the course of my day as owner of Tannin Aquatics, and co-owner of Unique Corals, I talk to so many fish people that I figure I’m as qualified as anyone to make some social observations here. I have no formal psychology or sociology training, apart from a few classes that I stumbled through in college. Of course, this makes me the ideal candidate to disseminate this information with an air of undisputed authority, right?

Like any culture, aquarium keeping has it’s vernacular, it’s technical jargon, and it’s expressions. Of course, being deep inside the culture, it’s sometimes hard to step back and take an objective look. Fortunately, you have me, them man with one foot on the pulse of aquarium culture, and the other in the water change bucket…(aww, how did that happen AGAIN?) Well, you get the idea- I can be your personal guide to the baffling lexicon of “aquariumspeak.”

Let’s look at some of the more common terms, used in context, so that we can analyze just what they really mean.

FIRST EXAMPLE:

You are talking to a livestock vendor, inquiring about a cool Apisto species, and the voice on the other end of the phone tells you something like, “ We don’t currently have that species available…We’re growing out a new clutch, and we’ll let you know when it is available.”

C’mon, this is a no-brainer. You know what it really means…

 Translation: “We lost the breeding pair and don’t foresee getting one back any time soon. In fact, we don’t ever think that we’ll get the fish back, as we’re too proud to ask anyone to hook us up with some fry so that we can re-start our propagation efforts with this one.”

SECOND EXAMPLE:

When you’re visiting with a fellow hobbyist and admiring his or her tank, you casually ask where they got that rare Lake Tang “Shellie” that you know is the hottest, most expensive thing on the ‘net, while his/her disapproving spouse (who would just as easily like to see the tank turned into a bookshelf) is within earshot. The answer is “Gee, well that was incredible..It was like a hitchhiker that just sort of arrived..I was tweaking some of the rock one day and I noticed this little fish pop out of it…” (This theory totally ignores the fact that the fish in question is ridiculously colorful,  just appeared two days before, is not all that tiny…).

We’ve seen this one so many times before it’s not even funny…right?

Translation: “I spent a lot of money on this fish from ( insert favorite vendor here) with money earmarked for the kitchen remodel, and had it surreptitiously shipped to my (choose one) office/sister’s house/friend, and acclimated and released it carefully and quietly one evening while everyone was asleep.”

THIRD EXAMPLE:

You’re visiting a fellow hobbyist and he is “apologizing” for the profusely growing algae and discolored plants in his tank. He assertively states, “I got a bad batch of (insert random food/additive/plant product here), and everything has been dying!” When asked how long this has been going on, he indicates “Months!”

Ahh, lack of husbandry rears its ugly head yet again. Easier to blame a manufacturer’s defect for his ills.

Translation: “I have not made water changes on my system in almost a year. My tank was looking pretty bad. I finally made one last week and the plants did not improve, therefore, it must be a bad batch of food…The lack of health cannot be correlated with my failure to maintain my tank. Nope.”

We’re a proud lot, huh?

FOURTH EXAMPLE:

You’re at your favorite local fish store, and you spy an amazing Bucephalandra species growing in the big display tank behind the counter. You of course ask if they can sell you a cutting. The response is, “No we can’t cut from that tank. It’s too invasive.”

On first thought, it’s sounding like another excuse to bash the LFS again…But think about it for a second…

Translation: “We’re total aquarium geeks, and we just can’t bear the thought of cutting up this beautiful plant, even if it involves us making money!” In my book, that’s every reason I need to tell me why I want to do business with this store! They just told me that they love the plant as much as I do…How can I not let my frustrations go and just have ultimate respect for them?

FIFTH EXAMPLE:

“I don’t get why the plants are crapping out. I checked every parameter and nothing is out of line.”

Oh, this is common, believe me!

Translation: “I checked my temperature, pH, nitrite and ammonia. They’re all good.” Of course, this fails to take into account alkalinity, nitrate, phosphate, iron, etc. You know, the ones that really indicate if the tank is suitable for plants? Oops.

BONUS EXAMPLE: 

You’re with your friends at the fish auction, ACA, AKA, or IBC convention, etc. You proudly announce to your friends “I’m just going to check everything out. My tanks are full, and my fish fund is tapped out at the moment. I’m just gonna listen to the speakers.”

Uhuh.

Translation: You’re attempting to talk yourself out of spending a chunk of cash on new fishes, and there’s little doubt that you won't be able to. You’re in a virtual fish frenzy, surrounded by your enabling fish buddies. And, the vendors accept credit cards.

You’re so screwed.

Am I worried that I’ve just called us all out to the non-fish people out there? Nah.

It’s my job.

Stay connected to your aquariums. Share your fry with your pals.

And stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

A Paradigm shift? The "Postmodern Era" of aquarium keeping.

An old expression goes, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” In my humble opinion, that expression does NOT apply to our hobby anymore. Sure the fine art of aquarium keeping has stayed basically the same as it has for a generation- water changes are important, careful observation of our systems is always beneficial, blah, blah, blah….These are more or less “Universal Constants” or “Best Practices” for our hobby and remain as valid now as they ever were. What has changed are the philosophies and applications of technique behind some of the most vigorously held beliefs in aquarium keeping. In our “Postmodern Era” of aquarium keeping, there has been a paradigm shift of sorts. Conventions have been challenged, truths have been questioned, and some former “rules” have been re-written.

For example, I just love that we are once again looking at creating biotope aquariums- systems that attempt to replicate a specific ecological niche. Sure, these have been done for decades, but now we are able to apply technology- like cutting edge technology- like LED lighting, supremely accurate heaters, and amazing water pumps- to compliment our aesthetic and biological choices for our systems. The marriage of art and science!

Now, in our “enlightened era”, we realize the many benefits of fertilizing our planted systems with CO2 and targeted additives.  Anemic, pallid-looking plants are no longer a common sight in the hobby- replaced by robust, colorful, and vigorously growing plants.  Common sense in fertilizing has once again returned, and proper foods are available for almost all the aquatic plants we regularly keep in our systems. If you’ve been in the hobby for the last decade, you have definitely noticed this shift in our thinking.

The days of blasting our planted aquariums with megawatts of metal halide lighting seem to be drawing slowly to a close. T5, LED, and even plasma arc lighting systems promise "nutritious" lighting at a fraction of the power consumption and inefficiency of the dinosaur lighting regimes of the last millennium. It’s really refreshing to me that we are collectively looking at “efficiency” and “targeted lighting” with the same zeal that we once had for “bigger/better” multi-bulb halide systems like we did in the reef hobby world for so many years.  You no longer need massive amounts of energy-wasting, heat-producing lighting to keep most plants healthy and growing-just a few dozen  watts of properly configured, effectively placed, energy-efficient lighting in most cases.

Hobbyists and DIY'ers the world over have turned a creative eye towards new lighting applications, and the development of new technologies- particularly LED- has promised to literally change the way we look at our systems. Dramatic increases in energy efficiency from these new technologies will literally pave the way for the hobby to become more affordable for everyone in the not-to-distant future. Sure, the initial expenses can be high, but the long-term  (and for that matter- the short term, too!)operating costs have fallen dramatically. The ongoing operating costs of a planted aquarium- the “dream killer” for many, will once again fall to more sustainable levels with the continued evolution of these more efficient technologies.

Even the definition of a “community aquarium” has changed. The era of defining a “community” as a system dominated solely by a mishmash of Zebra Danios, Neon Tetras, Rasboras, an Angelfish, and a few Platys has been replaced with more creative, open-minded thought. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to see entire systems devoted to colonies of Corydoras or shell-dwelling Lake Tanganyikan cichlids, for example. They are, indeed "community tanks"- but comprised of a community of fishes found together in nature. The paradigm has shifted such that all of these systems are essentially acknowledged to be “community tanks” by the hobby at large. The skills required to maintain any of these types of systems are almost interchangeable. It’s perfectly common to hear a hobbyist say, “That’s a cool tank” when staring enviously into an all-Apistogramma-dominated system or a Plecostomus biotope system. 

The so-called “nano” tank has evolved. Not just evolved- but ARRIVED! Man, I sound like a broken record sometimes about nano systems, but the “postmodern” nano has grown up from its nutrient-laden, overstocked, under-equipped, tacky, oxygen- poor deathtrap status of years past. Thanks to pioneering hobbyists and manufacturers, the nano system is no longer being marketed exclusively as the entre into the hobby for hapless, misinformed beginners. Nanos are now being used as “testbeds” for groundbreaking new concepts by all sorts of hobbyists, and have become an engrossing, addictive subculture within the hobby.

With a new generation of hobby manufacturers turning out high quality, high-tech equipment specifically for nano applications, today’s nano tank has become not just a novelty or diversion, but a full-on alternative to the megareefs that many hobbyists feel defines you as an “advanced” aquarist. Discoveries and breakthroughs are being made daily by enthusiastic hobbyists operating fantastically maintained, properly equipped nano systems. Indeed, it’s entirely fair to say that many of today’s nano systems rival some of their much larger brethren from decades past.

Intelligent water flow has arrived! Sure, we had powerheads in the hobby as far back as the late 1970’s, but today’s internal  (and external) pumps are little marvels, cranking out massive amounts of highly controllable flow with efficiencies that previous generations of hobbyists could not even dream of. Sophisticated microprocessor-based controllers are pretty much de rigueur with many of these pumps, helping even the most novice hobbyist to simulate natural flow patterns, tides, and even seasonal intensities.

And, they’re doing it with ridiculously small amounts of electrical consumption and heat generation-not to mention, the reliability borne from lessons learned out of  generations of corroded, overheated powerheads that were once so common. Even more impressive is the hobby community's thinking about flow: No longer do you hear of the need for “chaotic, random flow” so commonly espoused in the 1990s for reef aquariums.  Hobbyists are questioning why it was once believed that you needed several unsightly powerheads placed in the tank to create “flow patterns" consistent with those found in natural streams, lakes, and rivers.

Nowadays, the mantra of efficiency and “gyre  configuration” is embraced as the flow technique of choice in our hobby. Instead of just taking some random “expert’s” recommendation to blast our reefs with alternating , inefficient flow patterns, we’re thinking about what actually takes place in the oceans, and why the animal we keep need-and benefit- from flow.  Fewer pumps, operating more efficiently-and intelligently– can create results once unattainable without a battery of less efficient pumps. Understanding of “boundry layers”, gas exchange, fish feeding patterns, and physiological responses to water motion have driven today’s hobbyists to question why things are the way they are in nature, and how we can configure flow to efficiently do exactly what it has to do to convey benefits to the animals we keep.

Yup- truly intelligent flow!

There are literally hundred more examples of the paradigm shift in our “Postmodern Era”, but you get the picture. With the global community created by the internet, the most important thing in the hobby has not changed, but merely evolved- the exchange of ideas, support, and inspiration among hobbyists. The very best part of this hobby/lifestyle is the people in it, and the relationships we form as a result of our shared obsession. Sure, we may talk about different things than we did even 5 years ago, but we are still talking!

We all love to see each other’s tanks, give the occasional constructive criticism or pat on the back when it’s deserved. As fish geeks, we  are typically social by nature, sharing stories, ideas, and more than occasionally, a fish or two (or in the case of many hobbyists- several dozen fishes, if they know you need them!).

The big difference is that we are now able to do it on a worldwide scale, and information and breakthroughs are shared at amazing speed. But in the end, it’s still all about the people and the common love we have for this crazy hobby. May that never change!

Until next time…

Stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Taking a more focused approach to aquarium keeping..a better way?

It seems as though not a day goes by in the aquarium world when you don’t hear about some new product, animal or technique that will help change the hobby forever. New things that promise to simplify and improve our hobby experience. Yet, for some reason, many of us in the hobby seem mired in the past, with a “more complicated must be better” philosophy. Not only do we typically attempt to recreate the entire aquatic ecosystem in our systems with many layers of biological complexity, we equip our systems with tons of gadgetry to mimic this environment. Our equipment choices and husbandry techniques need to be broadly focused to match the goal of being all things to all creatures.

Rather than the shotgun approach, it would seem logical to design, equip, and manage our systems with a more precise focus. Why not zero in on the specific needs of the animals that we are keeping? Why not take a more focused approach to husbandry, emphasizing some degree of simplicity to get the job done? Equipping and managing systems to maintain the widest variety of organisms certainly has its merits – to some extent.

However, I find myself turning to a more disciplined and specific approach to aquarium keeping. For example, my love of biotope aquariums is directly attributed to learning about and desiring to replicate a specific part of an ecological niche— not the whole darned thing! With equipment, husbandry technique and aquascaping to match the biotope I’m attempting to replicate, it’s a great approach to manage a reef tank in my opinion. Do you ever wonder why we collectively seem to like to make things so darned complicated? I attribute this “complication syndrome” to a few possible factors:

1. We just don’t like to make things easy on ourselves. The “community tank” philosophy has never left our collective psyche in the hobby. If you’re keeping a huge array of organisms from all different parts of the river environment, multi-stage CO2 systems, additive dosing regimens,  automatic top-off/water change systems, and eight-way water return devices all have their place, right? We use the broadest brush to cover the most canvas — all the possible scenarios. Technologically complex systems and approaches seem to have become a necessity.
2. We like to buy stuff and impress each other. Hey, who can argue with THAT? It feels good to show off that sexy, expensive protein skimmer or uber-high end LED lighting system…doesn’t it? In all seriousness, I’m sure few hobbyists really set up a system costing thousands of dollars simply to “one up” their buddies, but after reading some tank build threads on hobby forums, I just can’t help but wonder about this sometimes. I think we’re deeper than this, but it warrants consideration.
3. Because that’s how it has always been done! Okay, there is some merit to this one. We tend to follow the tried and true. As we’ve discussed in previous posts, discoveries of the past help influence the breakthroughs of the future. If something works, we tend to stick with it perhaps tweaking a few things here and there as we go. Yet, think of how heretical it was back in the day to get rid of our plastic filter media from wet-dry filters, or to actually feed our reef tanks! Paradigm shifts involve a certain degree of risk, and perhaps we’ve become adverse to risk or criticism in this modern online era.
4. If something is more complicated, it MUST be better and safer! Blasting your planted with tons of misapplied lighting (no- I’m NOT bashing halides here- just generalizing about our use of lighting in general….so back away from the keyboard haters), massive amounts of fertilizers, and banks of water purification technology perhaps gives us the security that we’re doing all that we can to keep our animals healthy. The end goal is noble, but the approach seems to me to be costly, inefficient, needlessly complicated, and often unnecessary.

I am not bashing everyone with a complex aquarium system with tons of cool gadgets and exotic husbandry protocols. What I am doing is questioning the need for such complexity. Sure, I’ll be the first to tell you that water quality management is paramount to success in the hobby. However, I’ll also be the first guy to tell you that picking up a siphon house weekly or more frequently is the ultimate expression of water quality management. All of the technology in the world is not going to save your system if you don’t have the fundamentals down.

Thank goodness we are collectively starting to rethink some long-held hobby beliefs and simplifying our approaches — to the benefit of both our animals and our pocketbooks! A great example of this is the wonderful way we have traditionally applied water movement in our systems. If you need to create intense flow patterns, it’s long been held that you need an armada of pumps, baffles, closed loops, powerheads, and other flow-enhancing devices to do the job. While all of these devices have their places, the truth is that you can create outstanding water movement with the logical application of a few very modest powerheads directed in a thoughtful manner.

I think we make things awfully intimidating for the new hobbyists with some approaches. Advising the newbie to equip his or her small tank with every conceivable technological prop for success perpetuates the myth that aquariums are tough to keep. Yes, there are some minimum equipment requirements that you have in order to outfit a tank. However, I can’t help but wonder if equipping the neophyte hobbyist with some extra food and a siphon hose and the admonition to use both regularly and frequently would benefit him/her far more than any electronic controller would.

Again, don’t get me wrong. All of the cool technology and equipment has its place. However, in this new era of the hobby, I think that it’s important to step back once in a while and re-evaluate what we’re trying to accomplish, why we are doing what we’re doing, and what really works. I’ll hazard a guess that we can simplify things and still enjoy great success. 

Focused approaches are used every day by the enterprising hobbyists that are breeding fishes and propagating plants. Their systems, husbandry techniques, and approaches are based upon a specific need — fish and plant reproduction, and the results of this focused approach are demonstrating daily its virtues. The bigger picture here is that the application of a more focused approach can — and has been — leading to huge advancements in the hobby. In summary, I’m not admonishing you to abandon the fun of the community tank or the diverse aquatic garden. I am encouraging you to step back now and then and channel your energies to a specific purpose, and to share your technique and philosophies with the hobby. One day in the not-too-distant future, importation of wild fishes and plants may be severely restricted, or even non-existent, so developing focused approaches to keeping and breeding aquatic organisms may be absolutely critical to the survival of the hobby.

Until next time…Stay Focused — and Stay Wet

Scott Fellman

"You can't do THAT! But you just did..."

Have you ever done something with your aquarium that everyone said was nuts? More important, did you get away with it, or did you crash and burn? Did you at least try something that the “hobby establishment” said could not be done, or SHOULD NOT be done? Wasn’t it fun? Expensive. Embarrassing, perhaps… 

But fun, right?

Did you try something “different” than what “they” say is the way to go? Something that provoked those kind of "If man were meant to fly..."-type comments?

I mean, something ill-advised, sort of crazy, off-the-wall, or just downright kooky? Or, did you act on one of those ridiculous ideas that someone threw out when tossing back a couple of brews with the gang after the fish auction or club meeting? Something totally wild?

Relax. You're among friends.

As one who has been known to take a few chances, go against prevailing “hobby wisdom”, and generally push the outside of the envelope a bit (as well as encouraging others to indulge in similar foolhardy adventures), I have even developed an unofficial “classification system” for such free thinking.

Of course I’m going to share it with you, because it’s important for me to continue to nurture disruptive behavior. That’s what makes the hobby great, right? So, here we go, with the “Fellman Scale of Innovative Thought”, which consists of "categories" of ideas:

Ill-Advised Ideas- I’m probably most guilty of this one, along with the majority of hobbyists who dare ask the “establishment”, WHY? Examples of this would be things like the time I was convinced that I could keep 4 different types of Knifefishes and Mormyrids together in a 255-gallon system without calamity or bloodshed. It was exacerbated, of course, because I went with mature (yeah, no juveniles for me) fish. After the days (yeah, DAYS, not weeks or months) went by, in addition to relentless territorial battles reminiscent of the tribal areas of Afghanistan, the rest of my prized fish collection was showing signs of, as one of my friends eloquently put it, “wear and tear…” 

You can imagine how fun it was to break down the aquascape (“Multiple driftwood ‘stumps’, so that each fish has it’s own territory”, I reminded myself before I embarked on this foolish escapade.) after I came to my senses and decided to end the grand “experiment.” Hey, this one was a product of my own arrogance, and I was really convinced at the outset of the experiment that I was to be THE ONE who could pull this off. Did I admit defeat? Nope. I just concluded that it could work better with a larger tank...

Arrogance. Simple arrogance. But it was interesting.

Sort of Crazy Ideas- You DIY-types are usually more “guilty” of this one…You know, stuff like top-off systems that involve dosing additives, surge devices in your living room, 4 chambered recirculating carbon reactors, homemade refrigeration systems for cold-water fish, automatic live food dosers, etc. "Improvements", you call them. The "better mousetrap" is your thing. I mean, these ideas are usually pretty nice, and represent many of the great values that we have in the hobby (the independent spirit, adventure, the pursuit for knowledge..the desire to save a few bucks…). Yours is a world of duct tape, twist ties, and Home Depot runs. Ideas haunt you at night...Some of these ideas are just a little too advanced for our skills, or perhaps there is really no inexpensive way to make an all-in-one-surge/autofeeding system for under $1,500. Well, maybe there is…It’s just that kind of thinking that keeps the creative (well, you can call them “sort of crazy”) ideas flowing…

Off-The-Wall Ideas- This is typically the realm of newbies..or even experienced hobbyists- who, because of their genuine innocence, love of the hobby, and/or “Why CAN’T it be done?” mindset, come up with some of the craziest ideas of all- and often execute them, albeit with mixed results. I think we should really consider them “outside the box” ideas, however. Ideas like Tubifex “farms” for nutrient export,  Java Moss “reactors”, multi-level gradient cryptic zone filtration systems, etc., which have a great theoretical effectiveness, yet may be challenging to apply in reality. Nonetheless, it’s at this “level” that real hobby innovations often occur…Stuff like electronic monitors/controllers for aquarium functions, controllable internal pumps, breeding setups for fishes like Plecos and Rays. Many great companies, both in and out of the aquarium hobby sector at large, were founded on just such a mindset. And, you’ll recall, it wasn’t that many years ago that the idea of cutting up frags of coral to grow out on ceramic plugs seemed pretty “off-the-wall”, right?

Downright Kooky Ideas- This is the type of stuff that gives our hobby the appearance of being a bit, well- eccentric- to outsiders. Stuff like converting indoor swimming pools to Mauna communities, building aquariums that look like telephone booths and Ford Pintos (heh, heh, couldn’t resist), 10 ml ultra-pico reef tanks, trying to grow gamefish in a home aquarium, selling dried seed pods, etc. etc. Look, I’ll be the first to tip my hat to the dreamers, free thinkers, and even the eccentrics among us. However, I’ve always been a bit of a realist…I mean, counterproductive, hurtful, and idiotic thinking is never in vogue. Yet, where would we be without the truly absurd stuff to give us some a) comic relief, b) measure of how serious we take this stuff, and c) ability to let our passions (and our checkbooks, all to often) run wild from time to time. Brainstorming is great…Bringing down the ideas from the ”Downright Kooky” region into the “Off-The-Wall” territory results- many times- in some of the best innovations that we have ever seen.

So, dear fishy friends, don’t be put off or led astray by “conventional” reef thinking, if there even is such a thing…Rather, allow your mind to wander, your passions to soar, your visions to take flight- and your dreams to come true. Don’t put them out with the “wet towel of negativity…” Rather, temper them and nurture them with the spirit of innovation. Keep those ideas flowing, visualize a way to make them become practical realities, and think about the greater good your developed dream will unleash upon the hobby. Disregard the spills, glued fingers, frayed nerves, short circuits, cracked aquariums, and occasional insurance claims. Think of the bigger picture: The conquering of new worlds, the sharing of new ideas, and innovations as yet undreamed of, which will forever change the hobby for the better. 

I close with a classic quote, often attributed to the great Mark Twain, which holds much relevance to this diatribe:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” 

Don’t shoot down that wacky, sleep-deprived, alcohol-induced idea that you and your buddies concocted at 3:30 AM at last year’s ACA Convention…even if it IS “Downright Kooky!”

Let’s hear of your triumphs, tragedies, absurd ideas, and amazing innovations. Be open, be honest…Be aware. And most of all…

Stay Wet.

Regards,

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

You can't keep a good pod down? another day in the tannin "test kitchen."

We’d like to think of ourselves as the industry’s leading purveyor of aquatic botanicals (which, according to one of my friends isn’t THAT much of a stretch, because, as he so eloquently stated, “You’re the industry’s ONLY purveyor of aquatic botanicals!”), and part of the price you pay to achieve that lofty status is that you need to understand how what you offer your customers is prepared and utilized. 

We spend a decent amount of time in the kitchen, boiling an assortment of pods, stems, and other aquatic botanicals, methodically and carefully noting their characteristics, durability- and most important to all of us- their “sinking time” (ie; how long it takes for a given aquatic botanical to sink). Making "tannin Tea", as we jokingly say around here. This requires a lot of time, patience, a good stove- and an understanding spouse- all of which I’m fortunate enough to have!

I suppose many years watching my mom cook soup and stuff when I was growing up added to the fascination of boiling  weird stuff. It continued when I was a killifish fanatic, boiling peat moss and running it through the blender…you know, stuff like that. Which was infinitely more tolerable for my mom than say, slicing up black worms (which resided in a plastic container in the refrigerator)…Man, she was patient- and understanding! Growing up in an “aquarium household” was cool!

As predicted when we first started this whole adventure, some of the botanicals would be a royal pain to get to sink. Others turned out to be surprisingly easy (Savu Pods and “Helix Pods” are two that come to mind immediately), sinking with minimal boiling times (like 10-15 minutes), with others, such as “Jungle Pods” taking over an hour to sink! And then of course, there are the totally unexpected surprises, like “Heart Pods”, which require no boiling- something that gets the aquatic botanical lover’s heart racing (really)!

And you learn a few things along the way…like the fact that “Helix Pods” kind of “un-helix” themselves after boiling..but are pliable enough to “hand shape” again…And you learn to enjoy the pleasant, earthy smell of boiling botanicals cooking in your kitchen. You develop coping techniques…alternatives for “problem pods” that won’t sink after what we consider more than reasonable “boiling times” (like well over an hour!). Things like placing them in a filter bag and running them in your canister filter, sump, or outside power filter to continue the “saturation” process…or just throwing them in a bucket with some rocks on top of them…Even using a coffee “French Press” (thank you, Starbucks!)…Whatever it takes. As long as it takes. 

Patience. Fortitude. And a healthy desire to do weird stuff in pursuit of the ultimate biotope aquarium. 

It’s what the aquatic botanicals game is all about. And the aquarium hobby, for that matter!

Until next time…May your pods sink on the first try. may your water be golden brown.

And may you always…

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

An accidental product review, or the endless meanderings of a hopeless fish geek?

To paraphrase a question posed by one of my friends, "Scott, your company is going to offer more than just twigs and nuts, huh?" 

To which I answered, "Of course!" (He asked this as I was feeding my Tetra tank)...Which made me reflect:

One of the cool product lines we offer at Tannin is Paradigm Fish foods. I've been incredibly impressed by them- not just for their unique form factor (a "crumble")- but for how eagerly accepted they are by my fish...And they're fun to use...You can take out your daily frustrations on the food (really, it's great fun!) when you crush it up! 

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