The Tint

"Evolution." An important concept in the aquarium hobby.

Evolution happens all the time.

And not everyone is happy about it. 

Yet, they should be!

Despite the occasional negativity that you see online and elsewhere, with people complaining about how things are so bad in the hobby, or how there's not much we can do to make a difference, or why this product isn't such a good idea, or...the usual stuff- it's a really good time to be an aquarium hobbyist!

One of the coolest things about our hobby is the amazing progression over the years in both the "state of the art" in technique and the technology that we embrace.  Yeah, I know, I love to tease you techies, but I am appreciative for what you’ve done! Really. You’ve helped make some things possible with an ease we’ve never enjoyed before. Amazing  improvements that have enabled us to do things previously thought incredibly difficult or even, impossible, unfold daily in the hobby.  

And the progression our hobby seems to be accelerating constantly. 

(Okay, I gave you guys your damn moment in the sun. Go back to your controller readouts, and create a lighting controller or something that someone other than an engineer can figure out, okay?) 

Regardless, we’re in a great “Postmodern” aquatics era...What an amazing time to be a hobbyist!

It’s interesting, however, to watch some hobbyist’ reactions to new products, techniques, ideas, etc.  I read a lot of new product blogs and discussions about various aquarium topics. It's not uncommon, after reading about some new product or evolved technique, that you’ll often see comments like, “That’s nothing new, really. ___________ had something like that a few years ago.” or “All that guy did was add______. It’s not really new.”

Ok, well, maybe. And so the fuck what?

Totally negative attitudes. The kinds which actually keep things from progressing.

Comments and attitudes like this seem to overlook a few simple facts, so let’s look at this a bit closer.  Did you ever think about how the technology and practices we routinely utilize in the hobby actually came into being in the first place?  Much of it is built upon achievements and developments from the past. Successes and failures contributed to this process, right? No magic here.

I mean, it all started with a goldfish bowl, right?  Sure, there are brand new technologies that trickle into the hobby all the time, yet many of the hottest new products, ideas, and techniques of today arose as a result of someone looking at something that was already in existence and saying, “I can do better than that.” 

It’s the “better mousetrap” theory, right?  

Things evolve over time, often borrowing from existing technology or technique.

And what’s wrong with that? I mean, Hollywood does it all the time with the wretched and vapid lack of creativity that you see in remaking everything from comic strips to children's toys in an attempt to entertain people…and it works.. It sells billions of dollars of tickets despite the insanity of sequeIs to movies that should have never gotten green-lighted in the first place…(Okay, I'm digressing here, lol) I think we do a bit better with this process in the hobby, but the point is, you can draw from the past and create cool stuff for the present.

Evolution, I suppose.

I guess where one could question this is when you look at certain product sectors in the hobby. Planted aquarium substrates come to mind. I mean, many of the new planted substrates are hardly distinguishable or even differentiated from each other. Many are made of "clays sourced in the mountains of Japan" or whatever...Well, that's super cool- but how many different mountains are there in Japan? Or, more precisely-does each mountain have some special clay that's sooo different than the others? What makes any of the 20 different brands' planted aquarium substrate any different from the others, besides the packaging or product name?

There is a difference between evolution of a product and differentiating one from another.

I mean, look at what we're doing here at Tannin.

We didn't invent the idea of tossing seed pods and leaves and stuff into aquariums. It's been around as long as people kept fishes! All we did was see a way to make a more cohesive set of concepts, techniques, and applications for them. Different than what's been done in the past, but definitely building upon practices that have been around before.

Evolution.

Now, sure- other brands have come into our little market sector, offering "naturally sourced botanicals" or whatever- but no one is "inventing" new seed pods, right? So the differentiating factor in our little sector is how these materials are used in a process or technique, and how they can accomplish various things that we want them to do. Just putting the same thing in a new package is not doing anything special, IMHO. 

Homoginization.

That's why I'm so hard on some of these newcomers to our sector. NOT because they're trying to do what we've done- but because they're not bringing anything different to the table. It's a wasted opportunity, and it's kind of stupid, if you ask me. (You didn't, but, hey...).

Evolution and refinement have always driven advances in the hobby- they always will.

One need not look to far back into the hobby’s past to see a prime example of this evolution: Remember when reef aquariums hit the U.S., and there was the sudden introduction of the 'trickle filter?" Water from the aquarium was trickled over some sort of plastic media, allowing bacteria to thrive and "process" the water. Cool stuff-yet it was derived from sewage treatment technology- it wasn't some completely new concept. And this venerable invention powered the reef systems of the mid eighties, placing the promise of the “miniature reef” into the grasp of almost every marine hobbyist.

Plastic filter media, such as "Bio-Balls" were all the rage!

George Smit’s landmark series of articles in FAMA magazine in 1986, extolling this technology, helped launch the modern reef craze as we know it. By 1988, it seemed like the marine sector of the hobby exploded in popularity, with dozens of new filter manufacturers arriving on the scene almost monthly, everywhere you looked.

Evolution.

As the decade wore on, however, hobbyists and manufacturers saw fit to improve the trickle filters that were available at the time, creating new models with greater media capacity, more baffles to break up flow, and compartments to hold equipment like skimmers and reactors (Both evolved and new ideas as well!). Little improvements that provided increased performance. Nothing revolutionary, mind you- just “tweaks”. Good tweaks, nonetheless.

Eventually, it was determined that trickle filters were great at removing ammonia and nitrite, yet tended to allow nitrate to accumulate rapidly.  In the nineties, many embraced the belief that accumulating nitrate could be a potential detriment to coral growth and long-term fish health, and almost overnight,“conventional” trickle filtration began to fall out of favor.  Hobbyists everywhere began yanking the plastic filter media (bioballs, etc.) from their trickle filters.

The “filter” became the “sump”, and was primarily the nexus for water treatment (mechanical and chemical) for the aquarium.  With no use for biological “towers”, within this new school of thought, this feature began to disappear from filters. Kalkwasser dosing was utilized to increase alkalinity and calcium and to precipitate phosphates… 

 The “Berlin Method” of reef keeping had arrived, and a derivative of this method has been the state of the art ever since, with many subtle tweaks.  Once again, existing technology had “morphed” to accommodate the prevailing school of thought.  The state of the art evolved, and so did the equipment.  An idea from the past improved upon to accommodate the needs of the present. Woah!

Evolution. Again.

It's all over the hobby, in both fresh and saltwater.

In my opinion, we are often too quick to chide such evolutionary steps as “copying” or “ripping off” existing ideas, when in reality, they are simply improving and building upon what was already there.  This is the necessary progression of things in many cases. We didn’t make the leap from undergravel filters to high-capacity sumps and hyper-efficient protein skimmers and canister filters, or from fluorescent bulbs to advanced, controllable LED lighting overnight.  

Hobbyists, manufacturers, and product designers looked at the prevailing technology and technique of the day, assessed the needs of the hobby, and attempted to improve upon these existing technologies. Remember, many of these improvements are done to gain a market advantage over competitors.  For example, if I make an easier to clean filter, hobbyists are more likely to purchase my product. Further refinements take place all the time.  This is how the hobby progresses.

It’s good. It's totally normal.

 

Evolution.

For some reason, many aquarium hobby prognosticators love to bash those who see something not working in the hobby, and attempt to improve or build upon what's already there. It's weird...the refrain, "That's nothing new!" is so common on forums and such that it's almost laughable, IMHO.

Sure, in a hobby movement like ours, when you distill it down, all we're really doing is attempting to replicate, on some level, the processes and conditions which are present in Nature. We are simply trying to develop technique, utilizing natural materials, to do what Nature has done unassisted for eons. Truly "nothing new", right?

Well, not to Nature...But to the hobby, it's sort of an...evolution from what we've been doing for many decades, isn't it?

 

Inspiration is an “open source”, and innovation is for anyone to embrace.

Evolution is almost an unstoppable force in the hobby.

It can come from anywhere, at any time. 

Thanks to global communication fostered by the Internet, ideas can be presented and tweaked easily. Some aquarium technologies, such as lighting and controllers, borrow from other industries or fields of endeavor, whereas others, such as the development of new food products, arise out of  knowledge and experience gained within the fields of aquatic science and aquaculture-and good old hobbyist experience as well. Ideas, technologies, and technique “cross-pollinate” between fields, and the changes benefit us all.

Sweet.

There is no great “hobby hegemony” that seeks to keep ideas and progression in the hands of some chosen few.  No sir. These days, anyone with an original idea, determination, and a social media presence can forge a new path for the hobby, and get the word out quickly!

Trust me.

Think about this for a second:

As a Tannin customer you’re actually a participant in the progression in the hobby! Hell, yeah!  No watching from the sidelines for you…You’ve got a front row seat to the evolution, and your comments and questions do not go unnoticed by manufacturers, fellow hobbyists, and industry people!

So, the next time you might be tempted to criticize someone’s new hobby idea or product because it seemingly ”borrows” from something already in existence, realize that you’re merely seeing the evolution of the hobby at its flash point. The “bleeding edge”, as they like to say. Don’t just chide the development because part of it seems derived from something familiar.

Embrace it, enjoy it, and utilize it….

For that matter- improve it.

Okay, time for some chin-ups and coffee…I’m outta here.  I have this idea I need to tweak...

Evolution awaits...

 

Till next time…

Stay observant. Stay brave. Stay excited. Stay inspired. Stay creative...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

 

 

 

 

Why you won't find everything on our website...

Today's subject is about as literal and straightforward as I could get, right?

We get this question in one form or another all the time. Usually, it's couched in gentle, suggestive verbiage, like, "You know, I'll bet you'd sell a lot of __________ if you offered them!" or, "Have you thought about offering__________. I think a lot of people would like them!"

And, of course, all teasing aside, we love getting suggestions from our community and customer base about stuff we should offer. It not only puts us in touch with what you're into, it opens our eyes to the wider possibilities that are out there. On the other hand, it often serves to convince us that we're doing things exactly how we should. 

Huh?

Well, first off, we've created an environment where customer feedback is welcome and appreciated. That's huge. Second, it confirms that we have an engaged audience which is so into the stuff we offer and the ideas we discuss that they're thirsty for more! A validation/confirmation of a vital, growing market!

However, there is a positive side to not trying to offer every single thing that our customers want: We don't stray out of our lane too much! For example, we could offer heaters and pumps and stuff like that. Yet, the reality is that you can and should purchase these from any number of less specialized online vendors or local fish stores, which have not only a greater selection of these items than we'd care to- they offer parts and service and such in a more efficient manner than we ever could- or would want to!

It's always been our thinking, and will likely continue to be, for the most part- that we really won't offer anything that isn't either a Tannin "built and branded" product, or one that isn't so tightly adjacent or relevant to our philosophy and support of botanical-style aquariums that it just makes sense.

Did you catch the last part?

In other words, I just told you that you're going to see more items showing up on our website that are not necessarily botanicals, yet are complimentary- if not essential- to the art and science of botanical-style aquarium keeping. Yeah! Watch for more and more tangential items showing up in our collections- that are things you might not have thought of at first, but are perfect additions to our product line because they intimately support or compliment what we love to do in this "sector" of the hobby!

It's why we've spent almost two years developing, testing, and tweaking our "NatureBase" line of sedimented speciality aquatic substrates. It took a LOT of different formulations and raw materials to get them just the way we wanted them! And that was important, because these are materials intended to be used in the types of aquariums we talk about with you guys all the time. They HAD to be different. 

And we had to educate our community on how these products are different, what to expect from them, what we intend them to be used for, and HOW to use them.

Sure, we could offer "____ brand of aquarium sand" or whatever, but the reality is that these products are not specific enough for what we do. They're fantastic, affordable, and well-thought-out. However, they're not specifically formulated to support the form and function of the specialized botanical-style aquariums we are crazy about here. I mean, where else will you find a substrate materials designed to replicate the composition, form, and function of the Varzea or Igapo habitats?

You won't.

Because they're really focused and simply not suitable for the bulk of mass-market consumers. However, to you people- our community- they're exactly what you've been waiting for! This sort of shows a "truism" that we follow here at Tannin: We'd really rather develop our own specialized products, rather than try to "force fit" products from other manufacturers- or items which don't really fit our "theme" into our product mix. Hell, we just had a "fire sale" and unloaded all of the rocks we used to offer, didn't' we?

Yeah, we did. Because they're not exactly the  "perfect fit" for the types of aquariums we play with. This is practice we'll keep doing: Gradually paring down stuff that doesn't precisely fit our narrative here...

And, it's a little "early warning" to you about some crazy-cool products currently under development in the "Tannin Tint Works"- our little "R & D" department. You're going to see a gradual release of a variety of products- some which even defy current aquatics industry categorization- which will make perfect sense for what we do!

This goes back to our recent blog about the aquatics business, and why we have no concern whatsoever about new businesses showing up in the "botanical-style aquarium" sector. This isn't arrogance. It's a lack of worry based on facts: Not only do most of them bring absolutely nothing new to the table (hint: a cute name, a logo, and a website full of some preservative-coated dried botanical materials from an arts and crafts supplier doesn't make you a botanical-style aquarium brand), but for many reasons, they simply can't- and won't- be able to develop and release the types of things we currently have in the pipeline.

We always appreciate the concern that our fans show us when a new, would-be competitor shows up, but the reality is that they're attempting to clumsily move  into the direction where we were- not where we're going!

The idea of being all things to all people just doesn't resonate in me, my crew, or our brand DNA. We never were about trying to be this big, all -encompassing aquarium brand. Yes, we've started to branch out (no pun intended!) beyond offering just leaves and seeds pods and such- but those offerings are directly linked to our dedication to the botanical-style aquarium movement and its needs.

There is something perfectly comfortable for us about that. Does it limit the number of people we could reach? Well, sure it does! Does it help us keep more focused, more directed, and more specialized on the needs of our community? Yup.

And that's why you won't find everything on our website.

Just the stuff which matters to you.

Stay curious. Stay educated. Stay focused. Stay excited. Stay tuned...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Things can go sideways sometimes...And that's part of the plan.

One of the things I alternately love and loathe about the aquarium hobby is that, no matter what you do; no matter how carefully you plan- no matter how carefully you execute- stuff can go sideways sometimes for no apparent reason.

Why?

Well, the same "variable" which we have come to extoll, emulate, and adore- Nature, of course!

Yeah, Her.

She'll entice, challenge, reward, and punish you- sometimes in the same day! Nature can be wildly unpredictable, yet often thoroughly logical at the same time. You can do everything "right"- and Nature will think of some way to throw a proverbial "wrench" into your plans.

She operates at Her own pace, with Her own rules, indifferent to you or your ideas, practices, and motivations. 

Things can "go sideways" sometimes.

Yet, with all of Her wild and unpredictable actions, it's never a bad idea to show some deference to Her, is it?

With our heavy emphasis on utilizing natural botanical materials in our aquairums, I can't help but think about the long-term of their function and health. Specifically, the changes that they go through as they evolve into little microcosms.

As we've discussed before, a botanical-style aquarium has a “cadence” of its own, which we can facilitate when we set up- but we must let Nature dictate the timing and sequencing. We can enjoy the process- even control some aspects of it...Yet underneath it all, She's in charge from the beginning. She creates the path...

It starts with an empty tank. Then, the lush fragrance exuded by crisp botanicals during preparation. The rush of excitement of the initial “placement" of the botanicals and hardscape materials within the tank. The gradual “tinting” of the aquarium water. The softening of the botanicals. The development of biofilms, fungal growths, and algae “patinas.” Perhaps, even a bit of cloudiness from time to time because of microbial growth.

Ultimately, there's the decomposition.

All part of a process which can’t be “hacked” or rushed.

We can change some of the physical aspects of our tanks (equipment, hardscape, etc.), but Mother Nature is in control.

She "calls the shots" here.

And I think that's perhaps the most important lesson that we can learn from our aquariums. As aquarists, we can do a lot- we can change the equipment, correct initial mistakes or shortcomings the system might have had from the beginning.

We set the stage, so to speak.

However, in the end..it's Nature which does most of the real "heavy lifting" here. Nature rewards us for our good decisions, scolds us for our bad ones, and provides "cues" on what future decisions we need to make. And Nature does it all indifferently...without judgement. It reacts positively or negatively to our attempts to control it. 

Even when things "go sideways"- when our best-laid plans for our aquariums seem to veer off the course we've set, we need to understand that it's not off course, really. And it's not us who are totally in charge here.

It's Her. It's Nature.

Which is why the reality of a blackwater/botanical-style aquarium is that it's perhaps one of the best ways to bring Nature into our home. To blur the lines between nature and aquarium. Sure, planted aquariums give us a similar challenge...but the botanical-style aquarium challenges us in different ways. It tasks us to accept Nature in all of its beauty. And yeah, it makes us accept that there IS beauty in things like decomposition, biofilm, and algal growth.

Things which we as aquarists might have been "indoctrinated" to loathe over the years..

One need only study the wild aquatic systems of the world to realize that it's not all "crystal clear and sterile" out there- and that our aquariums in all of their tinted, murky glory will reflect this. Nature "calls the shots" here.

And that it's totally okay.

Yes, I know an aquarium is not "Nature"- yet it does function in accordance with Nature's laws, regardless of what we want, right? And it is an ecosystem to the organisms which inhabit it.

One of the things that we've seen be more accepted in the hobby over the past few years is a trend towards more "realistic" aquariums. This is a good trend...However, it tends to focus on the aesthetic, and not the function. It's important to try to foster these more "realistic" systems in both form and function. Yeah, not just systems which look like natural environments; rather, systems which are modeled as much after the function of them as the aesthetics.

"Functional aesthetics."

And that means accepting some things. What we see as "going sideways" is just an opportunity to learn; to accept different things. 

I think this is where Tannin Aquatics falls, if you had to nail us down into one specific "stylistic/philosphical approach" to aquariums.

The "space between", so to speak. Sort of straddling multiple approaches, with Nature as the ultimate "critic."

A less rigidly aesthetically-controlled, less "high-concept" approach to setting the stage for...Nature- to do what she's done for eons without doing as much to "help it along." Rather, the mindset here is to allow nature to take it's course, and to embrace the breakdown of materials, the biofilms, the decay...and rejoice in the ever-changing aesthetic and functional aspects of a natural aquatic system- "warts and all" -and how they can positively affect our fishes.

Yes, things can still go sideways sometimes- even when we let Nature run the show.

And that's part of the charm and awe, really.

And that's absolutely what occurs in nature. Random distribution of botanicals and branches, etc. Now, to a certain extent, currents and spatial factors (i.e., how wide and deep a given stream is) affects the distribution, but for the most part, it's quite random. And that is the fascination and beauty of Nature...

I think- THINK- that we as aquascapers have developed some amazing "rules" to proportion out 'scapes in an artistic manner, but it's my opinion that it's also okay to be a bit less "technical" and more "impulsive." I have to admit that I often squirm when I see aquascaping videos and the 'scaper goes on and on about "...You need to have a large element here to offset the piece of wood here.." I'm like, "Why?" It just seems so "restrictive."

And of course, the answer is likely, "Because it looks better."

And of course, I cringe again, because I'm not sure what "better" means- although the serious aquascapers ARE often correct. That being said, I still think that a certain degree of randomness; even what some would label as "haphazardness"- is good; and more important- awareness of how things really work in nature- is even more valuable. Couple good taste with these two key factors and you're in great shape.

Anyways, back to Nature.

I believe that an aquarium that attempts to replicate a sort of chaotic scene like the ones we discuss so much here starts with what looks like really artificial placement of wood, anchored by numerous details which soften, define, and fill in the scape. A sort of analog to the theater/motion picture concept  of "mise en scene", where pieces literally set the stage and help tell a story by providing context.

Yes, unlike a scape which depends upon growth of plants to fill it in and "evolve" it, the botanical-style blackwater or brackish-water aquarium is largely hardscape materials, which requires the adept placement of said materials to help fill in the scene. And of course, part of the "evolution" is the softening, redistribution, and break down of botanical materials over time...just like what happens in Nature.

Nature has been working with terrestrial materials in aquatic habitats for uncounted eons.

And Nature works with just about everything you throw at her.

She'll take that seemingly "unsexy" piece of wood or rock or bunch of dried leaves, and, given the passage of time, the action of gravity and water movement, and the work of bacteria, fungi, and algae- She'll mold, shape, evolve them into unique and compelling pieces, as amazing as anything we could ever hope to do...

If we give her the chance. 

If we allow ourselves to look at her work in context.

If we don't worry when things go "sideways."

If we don't give up.

Always have faith in Nature.

She'll challenge you. She'll tempt you. She'll school you. But She'll also educate you, indoctrinate you into her ways, and take you under her wing...if you let Her.

Let Nature handle some of the details... She pretty much never messes them up! Don't fight Her. Understand her. Don't be afraid to cede some of the work to Her.

Botanical-style aquariums are not not "just a look." Not just an aesthetic. Not just a "trend." Not even just a mindset...

Rather, they're  a way to incorporate natural materials to achieve new and progressive results with the fishes and plants we've come to love so much.

So set the stage, and enjoy the random, compelling, and ever-evolving work of art that is the blackwater/botanical-style aquarium. Started by you. Evolved with the steady hand of Nature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The hobby is pricy.

I am pretty sure that this is one of my most controversial blog posts to date.

Yeah.

However...

Someone has to say it. May as well be me:

This hobby isn't cheap, huh? 

I mean, it's not necessarily expensive, either. It CAN be. Filters, fishes, plants, aquariums- all that stuff can add up.

It's downright pricy.

And there are ways to save some money, and not all of them involve waiting for the LFS to have a big sale. There are ways to do "DIY" things- and those are great. Over the years, hobbyists have been very good at being resourceful about how to make their hobby more affordable.

Love that.

Yet, I still go back and forth with this stuff- I sometimes have mixed feelings about the idea of "saving money and doing stuff quickly." However, I continue to see a lot of articles, forum discussions, Reddit posts, and hear podcasts which spend a ton of time and bandwidth helping hobbyists find cheap alternatives to some typical hobby industry products and DIY-type, or "Amazon-generic-substitution-type" versions of things you'd purchase from hobby-related companies.

Before you accuse me of being some butt-hurt vendor calling out everyone that wants to make their hobby more affordable as "cheap", let me clarify: I think it's pretty cool that we are so resourceful as hobbyists, and I'm absolutely, 100% for keeping your hobby as affordable as possible. And sometimes, that does mean utilizing substitutes and alternative stuff for more expensive hobby equipment and such. 

Who the hell am I to judge this? I mean, for goodness sake, I sell twigs and leaves and some stuff that you can collect yourself from the empty lot down the street! In fact, on several occasions, I've recommended that you do so right here in this blog! So, even though the tone of this article might be bit slanted towards a slightly less sympathetic position, rest assured that I'm approaching this from a hobbyist position, not a vendor's point of view.

Looking for ways to save money on your hobby, particularly in financially challenging times, is never a bad thing. However, I think it's in the "how and why" part of this approach where I sometimes get wrankled. There is like a whole subculture in the hobby of people who will go out of their way to develop "hacks" to save money above almost all else.

I'll come out and say it...Some-not all, so-called "money-saving" ideas and approaches are just stupid and cheap. Examples?  I've literally heard recommendations to utilize table salt instead of marine salt mix for brackish water tanks. Like, why would you do this? To save a few dollars, you'll skip over a carefully formulated, batch-tested, aquarium-specific salt, designed to precisely replicate the composition of seawater, with its compliment of trace elements and minerals, in favor of something that you'd use in...cooking. Sorry, I think that is just short-sighted and well...stupid. 

It is.

Like, how much money will you save using table salt over the long run, when you're essentially short-changing your fishes by not providing them with the levels of trace elements and buffers and such which are found in the marine salt mixes. Exchanging their health to take some half-witted "shortcut" goes against so much of what we in the hobby claim to value.

I hear the angry rebuttal:

"But yeah, Scott- that's all well and good, but not everyone can afford to pay $15 for a bag of marine salt mix when the table salt is more affordable, and makes the hobby more accessible to a wider range of hobbyists."

Again, I kind of call bullshit on that. 

Really.

I dare say that the hobby IS kind of pricy. And quite frankly, if you can't afford to do it right- to create a system that provides for the basic health of your animals correctly- just don't do it.

Ouch.

I know, it sounds like "vendor-hate speak", but it's reality, IMHO. And again, I'm thinking as a hobbyist here.

Yeah, I'm sympathetic to the economic realities of the hobby and its place in our lives. I've been in it literally since I was a toddler. Like so many, I've faced economic challenges before. I understand. I've felt the frustration of not being able to afford stuff in the hobby that I wanted at the time. And guess what? I learned one thing in decades in the hobby that is consistent:

The hobby is pricy.

Sometimes, I feel that it's simply better to wait until you can afford to do things right before you jump in with some partially-funded, incompletely equipped aquarium effort.

Shortcuts  in the hobby almost always have a tradeoff. And the tradeoff is often success and the danger to your fishes' lives.

I saw this in the reef side of the hobby a lot. 

I saw many, many cobbled-together "reef tanks" over the years that were simply fundamentally under-equipped to properly maintain live corals on a sustainable basis for any length of time. And the owners continuously had challenges and issues with their systems, and more importantly- with their animals. And in many cases, ended up re-doing their systems expensively down the line to get it right. Or they simply quit.

The underlying narrative people love to push about the reef aquarium hobby is that it's "super expensive." Well, yeah, it can be. That's a fact...if you go for the highest-end protein skimmers, pumps, controllers, etc., you can spend as much as you would on a new car. That's no exaggeration. On the other hand, you can absolutely properly equip a reef aquarium by simply buying good-quality equipment and employing it correctly. Or, you can opt for a 50-gallon reef tank instead of a 180-gallon reef tank. 

Or, you can study, learn, and save the many until you can afford to do it correctly. I know, that's the least attractive approach, but it makes a lot of sense. "Study" is never popular with some people, either.  A lot of hobbyists simply want to skip "step 1" and go right to "step 3."

And then there is this "extremely downsized" idea...

The old idea of a "nano reef" was to me, an absurd exercise in trying to put a "square peg in a round hole": Under-equip an already too-small-for-most-hobbyists-to-manage-successfully system in an attempt to make the hobby "more accessible" to hobbyists who can't have a larger, pricier system. I mean, I get it- it's great to give lots of people an allegedly affordable entre to the hobby.

It's also great to teach them how to responsibly care for their animals in a sustainable manner.

Predictably, the old ways of doing "nano reef" tanks didn't do much to achieve either. Fortunately, manufacturers eventually caught up to the idea and created properly equipped systems, which, although more expensive than their "death trap" ancestors- actually DO accomplish those things. Today's "nano reef" systems are actually a viable, less expensive alternative to a huge, pricy system. 

The hobby IS pricy.

Yeah, I sell leaves and other natural things- none of which are "made" in a factory. Leaves are one thing you can collect yourself, of course, if you have a source. Yeah, you can and should gather your own when you can. It makes sense. Yeah, that's pretty easy to understand. Of course, if you don't have a source, you can always buy it from us! 😆

Of course, when you're talking about trying to adapt equipment and such which was intended for uses other than aquariums, which may not require the level of accuracy, long-term reliability, or durability that our hobby requires, it's just not always such a great idea.

Again, you can adapt all kinds of "stuff", such as plastic containers, furniture, even lighting in some instances, for aquarium use. Culturing live food or making your own frozen fish food is a good idea. We all do these kinds of things. Even me. And that's fine. However, you need to think "big picture" when doing this, and make sure that what you're using can work safely and effectively for an extended period of time.

Equipment is one area where "cheap is dear" more often than we'd like it to be.

Yet, the over-riding attitude- the "bigger picture" which prevails in this kind of approach is way scarier to me.

I see this attitude on forums and other hobby groups all the time: Hobbyists with a mindset which justifies entering into an area of the hobby as inexpensively as possible. No, let's call it what it is- as cheaply as possible. For example, African Rift Lake cichlids, Discus, or reef aquariums are not something you go into on the "cheap"... Because when you do, the long-term results almost always suck. And "suck" in this instance usually means dire consequences for the fishes themselves. To ensure proper care of your fishes, you need to make some "infrastructure investments" to do it right.

To try to "cheap out" and not make these investments not only is a bad mindset- it simply sets you up for potential difficulties. It perpetuates the idea that you can sort of get an "easy in" to otherwise "investement heavy"areas of the hobby by going cheaply and skipping over some of the expensive infrastructure required to adequately ensure success.

Shortcuts suck.

You wouldn't use a length of velcro in place of a seatbelt on your car, right? Nor would you extract your own tooth, although, hey, you just grab a household pliers and pull, right? So why would you take big shortcuts with your fishes' lives?

"To save money, Scott, you f----ing idiot!"

Sure. You'll save money in the short term. And risk fishes' lives continuously until you do it right. And prohably spend more money simply trying to fix things that should have been done correctly in the first place.

Is that a good trade-off for you?

My advice- er, my plea:

Just wait until you can afford to do it right before you venture into those speciality areas of the hobby that require serious cash outlay for proper equipment. Patience, again.

Why not slow down, save the money required, and/or acquire good used equipment from a fellow hobbyist to get started correctly? What is the rush? Besides, buying used, quality stuff is a great way to get equipment/supplies affordably, and has the added benefit of helping out a fellow hobbyist who's moved on to something else.

I hate to be the person shouting this on stage, but someone needs to put this thought out there.

Saving money is good. DIY is good, when you can do it correctly. However, taking every possible angle to do stuff cheaply and quickly is a bad strategy for long-term success in the hobby, IMHO.

Because the hobby IS pricy.

Properly designed equipment, quality aquariums, and carefully-selected fishes DO cost a lot of money sometimes. High-tech powerheads or water pumps often contain pricy technological components which make them work well. Low-iron glass aquariums cost a lot of money to procure the raw ingredients for and manufacture properly.

Healthy, attractive, properly handled wild-caught fishes cost a lot of money to import, ship, and maintain before they get to you. Fisherfolk in the countries where our fishes come from need to be paid properly for their work. Championship guppies, shrimp, bettas, and Discus cost a lot of money, time, and effort for the breeder to produce. Mass-imported, poorly handled, genetically inferior specimens don't.

A strange hypocrisy emerges at times.

Hobbyists will scream about the plight of natural habitats and how it's bad to "rape the reefs" to collect fishes or corals, yet they simply won't pay $30 for a captive-bred version of the wild fish they can get for $16. Sort of a hypocrisy, really.

These are realities. 

This isn't something that I'm thrilled to push in your face, but it's important to say it.  We've all spent a fortune over the years on our fave hobby- and that's part of the game.

Sure, there are always ways to do it right and still save money, for those willing to do the research, and put in the time and work. However, for those who are not, you have two choices: Take the cheap, easy route and use some shortcuts, and understand that you may not get great, long-term results (and may ultimately have to replace your inferior choices)...Or, you can save up until you have the means to do it correctly. Or we we can "downsize" our ambitions to meet our resources of time and money...

I know, to many, I sound like a complete ass here.

But you know what?

That's okay. Personally, I'm kind of tired of having to "fix" problems caused by completely avoidable mistakes and "unforced errors" made by hobbyists who, eyes wide open, knowing the downsides, made the conscious choice to take the quicker, easier, less expensive route.

That's not going to make me popular with many. I'm sure I could have been a bit more deft or soft in my argument. However, I want to go on the record, and state this without ambiguity:

The hobby is pricy.

Yet, so are a lot of things we love, collect, and play with. And so are many endeavors that we engage in. Most worthwhile things are. We may not like it that way, but that's a reality.

Those of us in the hobby and industry need to do a better job of painting a realistic picture of how to do things correctly in the hobby. And sometimes, that's NOT doing stuff the cheapest, fastest, easiest way. Sometimes, it involves hard work, expensive equipment, and patience to achieve good results. Because when we continuously push the narrative of doing stuff as inexpensively and quickly as possible, we potentially damage not only the "culture" of the hobby- we risk losing the very hobbyists that we're trying to welcome into it.

THAT, to me- is truly pricy.

Stay diligent. Stay optimistic. Stay enthusiastic. Stay educated. Stay patient...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

 

 

 

 

 

Temporary beauty- permanent inspiration: The allure of vernal pools

As we push further into attempting to replicate unusual ecological niches in our aquariums, the allure of small, temporary bodies of water is something that we can and should devote more time to studying and recreating in our tanks.

Consider the unique habitats which arise in vernal pools.

A great definition of this habitat is found in a study I located by researchers Keely and Zedler:

"We define vernal pools as precipitation-filled seasonal wetlands inundated during periods when temperature is sufficient for plant growth, followed by a brief waterlogged-terrestrial stage and culminating in extreme desiccating soil conditions of extended duration."

Vernal pools are classified by ecologists as a type of wetland, although they are, as their name implies, temporary aquatic habitats. Certain fishes, such as annual killifish, have evolved to adapt and thrive in these environments over eons. This, of course, makes these unique aquatic ecosystems all the more fascinating to us as tropical fish hobbyists!

(Image by HAL333- used under CC BY-SA 4.0)

Typical vernal pools in the tropical locales mentioned above are dry for at least part of the year, and typically, but not always, fill with water during seasonal rain/flooding events. Some of these pools may stay partially filled with water during a given year- or longer- but all vernal pools dry up periodically. Sometimes, these pools empty and fill several times during the wet season. Movement of water between vernal pools also occurs. 

The high degree of variability of vernal pools is a prominent attribute of them. This is a result of year-to-year-fluctuations in rain, the length of the flooding period and time which it takes for "shorelines" to emerge in these habitats.

Vernal pools are typically associated with plains or grasslands, and are typically small bodies of water- often just a few meters wide. The origin of the name, "vernal" refers to  the Spring season. And, this makes a lot of sense, because most of these ephemeral habitats are at their maximum water depth during the Spring!

Vernal pools are typically found in areas comprised of various soil types that contain clays, sediments and silts. They can develop into what geologists call "hydric soils", which  are defined as, “...a soil that formed under conditions of saturation, flooding, or ponding long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper part.”

That's interesting! 

A unique part of the vernal pools is what is an essentially impermeable layer of substrate called "clay pan."  These substrates are hugely important to the formation of these habitats, as the clay soils bind so closely together that they become impermeable to water.  Thus, when it rains, the water percolates until it reaches the "claypan" and just sits there, filling up with decaying plant material, loose soils, and water.

So, yeah- the substrate is of critical importance to the aquatic life forms which reside in these pools! Let's talk killies for a second!  One study of the much-loved African genus Nothobranchius indicated that the soils are "the primary drivers of habitat suitability" for these fish, and that the eggs can only survive the embryonic period and develop in specific soil types containing alkaline clay minerals, known as "smectites", which create the proper soil conditions for this in desiccated pool substrates.

The resulting "mud-rich" substrate in these pools has a low degree of permeability, which enables water to remain in a given vernal pool even after the surrounding water table may have receded! And, of course, a lot of decaying materials, like plant parts and leaf litter is present in the water, which would impact the pH and other characteristics of the aquatic habitat.

Interestingly, it is known by ecologists that the water may stay alkaline despite all of this stuff, because of the buffering capacity of the alkaline clay present in the sediments!

And, to literally "cap it off"- if this impermeable layer were not present, the vernal pools would desiccate too rapidly to permit the critical early phases of embryonic development of the Nothobranchius eggs to occur. Yes, these fishes are tied intimately to their environment.

(Image by Andrew Bogott, used under CC BY-S.A. 4.0)

The fascinating concept of embryonic diapause ( a form of prolonged, yet reversible developmental arrest) is well-known to scientists and lovers of annual killies. The occurrence and length of time of diapause varies from species to species, yet is considered by scientists to be an evolutionary adaptation and ecological trait in various populations of Nothobranchius, tied directly into the characteristics of the ephemeral habitats in which these fish reside!

Diapause assures species survival by enabling the annual life cycle of these fish to be completed, and can even be affected by the presence of adult fishes in the habitat (not a good idea to hatch if potential predators are around, right?)- a fascinating adaptation! Since the embryonic phase of most Nothobranchius is a relatively long period of their lives- and in some species- the longest phase of their life, factors which impact embryonic development are extremely important. 

Okay, my head is about to explode here with this really interesting stuff! 

(Image by Kils- used under CC BY-S.A. 3.0)

Of course, when they're filled, vernal pools are literal oases of aquatic life, ranging from microorganisms and micro crustaceans (like Daphnia) to aquatic insects and their associated larvae (like mosquito larvae!), frogs, and in some instances...fishes! It makes sense that fishes would find their way into these habitats over eons- especially if they're literally filled with foods for the fishes during their wet season, right?

Interestingly, in the case of annual killifishes like Nothos, other species of (non-annual) fishes are occasionally found living with them, when these habitats might be connected temporarily to adjacent, more permanent bodies of water. Fishes as diverse as Lungfishes, Barbus sp., Clarias catfishes, mormyrids like Petrocephalus sp., Ctenopoma sp., non-annual killifishes such as Aplocheilichthys sp., and even some cichlids like Tilapia are found in these vernal pools!

Oh, that's pretty cool, right? What an eclectic group of fishes!

These fishes aggregate in these pools because of their connectivity to adjacent waters, and they feed and thrive off of the abundant food present in the vernal pools. And of course, the stomach contents of Nothobranchiusand the species which occur with them include stuff like planktonic and benthic invertebrates, copepods, Daphnia, and insect larvae.

Understanding this type of habitat has lots of implications for creating very cool biotope-inspired aquariums. 

And why not make 'em for killifish?

And maybe, just maybe- they might help make killifish, and the killifish hobby, more interesting, appealing, and relevant to a new group of hobbyists- long a topic of concern among the killie-keeping "establishment!"

A big win, if you ask me!

These pools are surprisingly productive, with significant crustacean and insect life- a truly remarkable abundance of life- which helps sustain the fishes which reside in the vernal pools. Most Nothobranchius species are what ecologists classify as "generalized carnivores", feeding on a range of planktonic and benthic invertebrates and insects found in these habitats.

How would you effectively replicate this habitat in the aquarium?

A shallow, wide aquarium, filled with an appropriate mix of aquatic soils, leaves, and botanical materials could be employed. The unique dimensions of such tanks gives you interesting possibilities to create simple, yet utterly fascinating displays.

You would keep water depth fairly shallow, and then you could slowly lower the water level as the "dry season" comes...Just like our "Urban Igapo" idea, this is really sort of similar- an aquatic habitat which ebbs and flows, and eventually returns to its dry, terrestrial state.

Playing with this stuff would not only be great for species like killies- it would go a long way towards recreating many of the aspects of this unique habitat in the aquarium.

We need to see more of this...

I mean, on the surface, this is hardly a revolutionary idea...

Now, this is NOT exactly the same idea as the "biotope aquarium" crowd plays with, IMHO. That's more of a physical and arguably "superficial" attempt at replicating the aesthetic aspects of the natural habitats from which our fishes hail. Very, very cool- but different, I believe, than what we're talking about here.

This is function at its most "raw" and literal.

And that's kind of what our mission here is all about, isn't it?

Stay creative. Stay thoughtful. Stay engrossed. Stay observant...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Subtle "suggestions" and important observations from the non-aquarium crowd!

Have you ever noticed that we tend to operate in out own little world, often almost blissfully ignorant of how it all seems to those on the outside? Like, we may be so hyper-focused on one aspect of our hobby-or simply the hobby in general- that we fail to take into account how things look those who aren't hobbyists; you know, people who observe our aquariums from time to time. Or daily.

Perhaps it's because we are too "in the game..." We simply can't distance ourselves from the realities.

Hmm...

Ever noticed how the "non-aquarium" people in your life, especially those you reside with, seem to have an incredible knack for asking the perfect "rhetorical question?" I mean, some seem sort of obvious to everyone else, even though we might not want to hear them!

Yeah, it seems like the skeptical, or perhaps "mildly amused" non-fishy residents of your home are usually the main source of many of these "gems." Perhaps, if we look at a few of them more closely, we can see exactly what the core point is, and leverage the concerns expressed in the "question" to create a more harmonious home life.

Right?

Yeah. Think about that for a minute! In our world, "harmonious home life" often translates into a "green light" for...more fish tanks! (like, that's the ultimate "seal of approval" for all of us, right?) It pays to listen to such suggestions and observations from these very important people!

Besides...a lot of times, they're "spot-on"- regardless of if we like to hear them or not!

And we'd be wise to accept the validity of their observations, and to take action on them- rather than simply "explain them away", or take them as some sort of personal affront, like we may tend to do at times, huh?

Here are a few classic rhetorical questions the hardcore fish geek is bound to encounter now and again:

 

(Pointing to a sick or dead fish that you've either not yet discovered, or were about to net out) "Wow, these fish are kind of delicate, huh? They don't live so long in this tank?" 

Hmm- beyond the "hit" that your ego takes as a result of this discovery, perhaps there is a small kernel of truth here? I mean, it could be simply that the Zebra Danio croaked. Or, in the case of say, a more delicate Mbuna, Apisto, or wild Betta, that the environment or the husbandry techniques you're applying to the aquarium need some review and perhaps, some "tweaking."

The casual observer noticing frequent or regular fish losses should not be ignored. It's a responsibility for us to get to the bottom of this stuff. We may not like to be "under the microscope" for stuff like this, but it's often very valuable when we use it as constructive and investigate- and solve the potential issue.

 

"I'm trying to remember...Was the tank making this much noise last week?"

Another absolute classic that can tip you off to some potential issues, right? I've personally experienced this one before. Believe me, non-fish people (particularly spouses or other residents) notice every hum, whir, and pop your aquariums make, and if something changes...or if it's just kind of "mad-scientist-lab-sounding" to begin with, they'll be the first to let you know. It might be a bit annoying for you to hear these reports- yet, consider the potential "issues" that these things could be harbingers of.

This is the kind of feedback that could literally save your aquarium- or even your home life! Check those plumbing connections, air and water pumps, impellers, etc. perhaps something just needs a minor adjustment. Perhaps something major is about to fail. Regardless, this is the kind of feedback that we should never consider "annoying..."

The fact that others recognized this is a HUGE "tip off!"

"Has the tank always had that weird smell?"

"Earthy" ( a commonly ascribed olfactory observation of our botanical-style aquariums) is one thing... You can no doubt easily explain to the uninitiated that the earthy, rather pleasant smell is normal. "Weird" is quite another!  Aquariums shouldn't smell "weird." What to do? Check the filter. Check the floor. Check the sand. Check protein skimmer (in a SW tank)...Check everything! Something is definitely amiss! This is an absolute "red flag" you need to jump on immediately!

I mean....yuck! 

"Those 'algae-eaters' don't work very hard, do they?"

Oh. Yeah, we know what this means.

Your tank, flat-out, has too much nuisance algae. When even a non-fish person notices this, you have to finally accept and deal with this. Non-fish people are usually at least semi-excited about everything they see in an aquarium, so when they are pointing out something that is affecting the aesthetic, you need to take note of their "subtle hints" and attack the problem head on- and immediately. Now, in the blackwater, botanical-style aquarium world, we accept a certain amount of biofilms, fungal growth, algae and such.

However, when it begins to look less than "natural" and more "problematic", this is feedback worth listening to, IMHO! There are numerous ways to address algae; it's time to literally roll up your sleeves and get to work on identifying and controlling this stuff, once and for all.

  

"Is that big fish supposed to chase the skinny one all over the tank?"

Yeah, you may have noticed that you have a problem fish in there, and chose to "wait and see" how things go before taking action. We've all been there. And yes, it truly sucks to have to literally tear a tank apart to get out one fish. However, this type of behavior is a "life and death" matter for many fishes. In addition to simply stressing a single fish, the entire community is under stress...and stress leads to disease- or worse. 

When the non fish person notices "bullying", it's time to take action. Where is that net?

Wow, you have lots of little tadpole thingies in there by your cichlids. Are they normal?

OMG, your non-fish roommate noticed that your Apistogramma elizabethae have spawned even before you did! That's kinda cool- and ironclad proof that we should value the observations of a non-fish person just as much as we do another fish geek! I can't tell you how many times my wife or family members noticed stuff like that in my aquariums! It's an exciting discovery, for sure...and it's proof of the value of having the other members of your household engaged in your love of the hobby!

"Wouldn't it be easier if you had a towel there?"

Let's face it. You've been a bit messy, and you're kind of "on notice" now. If that siphon hose really was in the bucket, your feet wouldn't be getting wet, right? These are the kinds of things that can literally result in ultimatums being given, and threats to make tough choices about countinuing your fishy hobby. I've seen friends end up in the proverbial "doghouse" with their spouses over stuff like this, and it didn't always end well for them or their hobby "careers"...Up your game!

It's vitally important to understand the concerns of the other members of your household, and how the aquarium(s) impact them. So, why not take the less-than-subtle hint that you should put a drop cloth or towel down on the hardwood floor surrounding the aquarium. Talk about preserving domestic tranquility!  Taking care of the overall home environment is a simple, small gesture that will reap great dividends down the line, trust me!

"I don't remember seeing that fish in there. Have you always had that one?"

Shit.  You're busted. 

I've only got a few responses for you. All of them carry risk, and have potentially huge downsides. Yeah, you're on your own with THIS one, man!

Ahh..the observations of non-aquarium people... Almost annoyingly useful; often ridiculously accurate. Always important to heed.

So, in summary- the next time a "non-aquarium" person (especially a resident of the household) makes that seemingly innocuous comment about _________, be sure to take heed, because more often than not, there is some good, actionable information- or even advice- contained in the "rhetorical question!" And by taking action on the "observation", you might not only benefit your fishes and your hobby- you might just gain an ally in the process!

You might even convert a non fish person into a hobbyist, too!

Something to think ponder, right?

So, keep listening. Don't get flustered by "suggestions."

Stay calm. Stay open-minded. Stay diplomatic. Stay diligent. Stay flexible. Stay careful... 

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Transitioning to "The Tint"...slowly!

It's pretty incredible to see the explosion in interest in botanical-style aquariums in the last several months. To call this stuff a "trend" is simply to sell this stuff too short. Nature abhors trends (and so do I, btw...), and the idea of using botanical materials in our aquariums is actually an extremely natural process. 

Yet, it's a lot different than what we're used to, right?

I realize that a lot of newcomers to our "side of the fence" are simply not sure if this stuff is for them. Many are drawn to the overall aesthetic, but are still put off by the idea of stuff decomposing in their aquariums; about fungal growths, biofilms, and detritus. These are things which go against the grain of everything that we as aquarists have been indoctrinated to believe.

And I think that one of the most important themes we need to continually revisit is what we've called the "mental shift" that we as hobbyists must make when working with a botanical-style blackwater aquarium.

Now, it sounds a bit, well- "dramatic"- but we've all come to realize that botanical-style aquariums have a different "operating system" (literally and figuratively) than pretty much any other type of aquatic system you'd keep. Not that there is some big "mystery" or "secret" to keeping one...Like any aquarium, you simply need to understand, appreciate, and yes- enjoy- the characteristics, phases, and nuances of this type of system.

Most immediately obvious...is color of the water.

In many botanical-style aquariums, the water sports a significant tint. It's just something that you as a newcomer to this world have to really fundamentally get used to. Now, sure, you can use botanicals in the aquarium and NOT have a 'blackwater"-like environment. You could certainly utilize activated carbon or other chemical filtration media to remove the water-tinting tannins from the aquarium while still retaining much of the beneficial humic substances, but for most of us, "brown" is a foregone conclusion.

It's what brought a lot of us to "the dark side" in the first place!

We're totally fine with it.

That being said, there is a certain "look" to the water in a blackwater aquarium which goes beyond the color. It's a sort of "patina" if you will, or a subtle variation in the way light plays upon the surface. You compare your blackwater tank to a "white water" system, and it becomes immediately obvious that there is a radical difference!

Water aesthetics aside, perhaps the toughest part of the "mental shift" for many is the understanding that botanical materials break down in the water column as they impart tannins and other substances into the environment. The well-manicured aquascape you might have conceived will be continuously reshaped by Nature as the leaves, seed pods, and other botanical materials are broken down by bacterial and fungal action.

To many, this is a huge and remarkable departure, aestehtic-wise, from the more controlled, high-concept planted "Nature Aquarium" which has been extolled for much of the past two decades. On the other hand, the transient nature of the botanicals is the very embodiment of Takashi Amano's Japanese-garden-derived appreciation for "wabi-sabi", or the acceptance of the beauty of a state of transience and imperfection.

Don't believe me? Look that shit up.

This is huge.

And then, there are the fungal growths and biofilms...

Ahh, biofilms...Yes, those lovely coatings of bacterial material that begin to appear some time after your botanicals have been submerged" for a time. The appearance of biofilms is a sort of "stage", or even a "right of passage" if you will, which almost every botanical-style aquarium goes through. And yeah, they're present throughout the functional life of these aquariums.

And, we tell our community over and over that this is a completely natural normal occurrence; bacteria and other microorganisms taking advantage of a perfect substrate upon which to grow and reproduce, just like in Nature. Freshly added botanicals offer a "mother load"of organic material  and surface area for these biofilms to propagate upon, and that's occasionally what happens - just like in Nature.  

 

Their presence "waxes and wanes" to a certain extent- the product of a botanical bioload. Yet they're always there, as they are in natural habitats. And making the effort to understand, and even appreciate their appearance as a sign that your aquarium is functioning as Nature intended is the biggest step in achieving what can only be called "aquatic enlightenment." 

The realization that Nature is not the pristine, orderly environment that we have conjured up in our stylized aquariums and global aquascaping contests is perhaps the most difficult thing for the aspiring "tinter" to grasp.

We've been indoctrinated for so long to think that this is the way Nature is, and that the definition of a successful, well-conceived, or "healthy and clean" system is one that consists of perfectly symmetrical/intentionally-placed/trimmed plants, pearly-white sand, and impeccably clean driftwood. Of course, the reality is that this is just one aesthetic, and that Nature rarely has such circumstances combining in the same place.

Rather, it's a world of biofilms, patinas of algae, randomly distributed botanical debris, scattered rocks and wood tangles, deposited by currents, rain, and even the fishes themselves, settling into positions that typically defy the "Golden Ratio" and other human-created constructs.

I know that much love in modern aquascaping is given to things like "surgical cleanliness", manicured plants, carefully symmetrical rockwork, proportion, negative space, etc. Many of the most breathtaking contest 'scapes adeptly embrace this concept.

That's awesome. It's all well and good...

Nature, other hand, couldn't give a flying f-ck about that.

And neither should you. 

Ouch. 

Yeah. It's true, though.

Tough love, there!

NEWS FLASH: What we proffer-our interpretation of Nature- is not everyone's idea of a dreamy aquarium.

Frankly, it puts off some people. It scares the living shit out of others. And many just don't understand. They can't get past brown, soupy water, decomposition, and all of the good stuff that goes with it. IMHO, they've been sort of "programmed" by the world of aquascapoing contests that perfectly clean sand, bright lighting, rocks you could eat off of, and wood that, on day 45,  looks as sterile as they day it was submerged are the ONLY way to go. Oh, wait...Don't those guys usually break down their tanks by day 45?😆 Maybe it's day 30....

("C'mon, Fellman, THAT was just mean!")

It's okay. I get it. We all get it.

That's the mental shift you have to make if you're going to play with botanical-style aquariums in their purest sense.

So, how do you transition a botanical-style aquarium? It starts with a few questions:

The obvious questions we need to ask ourselves when commencing such a change are, "Do the fishes which I keep come from this type of environment in Nature?" and "Am I willing to take the time to do it slowly?"The answer to the first question is pretty obvious- and it's almost sort of insulting that I'd even mention it...but "due diligence", ya' know...

My personal recommendation is to start with relatively small quantities of materials, usually leaves, and then work in the more durable botanicals like seed pods and such. I guess my thought process is that materials such as leaves tend to break down more quickly, imparting their humic acids and tannins into the water at a corresponding pace.

And of course, after your initial additions, you should measure pH again, to see if there has been any impact. A lot of hobbyists are into checking TDS as well...We've beaten up that subject quite a bit in past blogs here, and it's discussed a lot by hobbyists, so it's something you might want to research. 

Obviously, the question here is "how much stuff do I start with?" And of course, my answer is...I have no idea. Yeah, what a shocker, right? I realize that's the least satisfying, possibly least helpful answer I could give to this question. Or is it? I mean, taking into account all of the possible variables, ranging from the type of water your starting with, to what kind of substrate material you're using, it would be a shot in the dark, at best.

My advice is to start with conservatively small quantities of stuff...like, maybe a half a dozen leaves for every 15 US gallons (56.78L) of water. You might not even notice any difference..or you might see a .2 reduction in pH...You have to test.

I recommend a digital pH meter for best accuracy.

I would make it a habit to add the same amount of materials (leaves initially, and pods if you want to mix 'em in on subsequent additions) at a regular interval. Say, every 4 or 5 days. Test again. See where you're at. I would tend to shoot for not reducing your pH by more than .5 per week. That's me of course...your fishes' tolerance and your personal comfort level with doing so is your call. And it's really a matter of repeating this process until you hit your desired range.

Notice I said "range" and not "target pH" or whatever?

And remember- as we've said a million times here: Botanicals can not soften hard water. Their influence on pH is significantly limited in water with high carbonate hardness.

We receive a lot of questions about utilizing chemical filtration media while using botanicals, and again, there is no "right or wrong" here. I will tell you from my personal experience that I like to use filtration materials like Seachem "Renew", small amounts of activated carbon ("Seriously, Fellman? Activated carbon?" Yes, really.), and Poly Filter on a full-time basis in my systems.

The reality is that organic scavenger resins, carbons, and materials like "Renew" might be indiscriminate in their removal of stuff like humic substances, tannins, and other organic compounds released by the botanicals, but they also tend to moderate things you don't want, like ammonia and "miscellaneous" organics (how's that for a "cop out" on my part...falling back on "generics!").

We toss a lot of  botanical materials (ie; "bioload") into our aquairums, all of which break down and require a bacterial population to "process" it. Why not have some chemical filtration as an "insurance policy" to remove some potential excess organics and such which will place a substantial burden on the bacterial population?

Yeah, they might remove some of the visual tint, but they will remove a lot less of it if you don't use the recommended "dose" per gallon. And frankly, I've never done a serious test to see exactly how much of what various chemical filtration media actually remove from the water. Being honest here...I'll bet not too many of you have, either, right?

So, we're kind of relying on the manufacturer's instructions and good old observation. Don't worry about the "tint" these materials will remove if used in moderation. Trust me, the water in most of my tanks is pretty damn dark, despite full-time utilization of these media! 

If you're getting a sort of feeling that this is hardly a scientific, highly-choreographed, one-size-fits-all process....you're totally right. It's really a matter of (as the great hobbyist/author John Tullock once wrote) "Test and tweak." In other words, see what the hell is going on before making adjustments. Logical and time-tested aquarium procedure for ANY type of tank! 

Now, the interesting thing that I've always found with my botanical-style, blackwater aquariums is that they tend to find their own "equilibrium" of sorts- a stable "operating range" that, once you find yourself doing the same procedures (i.e.; regular, consistent water exchanges, additions of botanicals, and media replacement, etc.) at regular intervals, tends to remain highly consistent as long as you keep them up.

I've talked repeatedly about the (IMHO mostly unwarranted) fears people have about precipitous pH "drops" and "crashes" and such, and I believe that most or all of these things are mitigated by consistency, patience, taking small steps, testing regularly, documenting and repeating them.

I've said it before an I will repeat it once again: I believe that pretty much every one of the "anomalous" pH "crashes"/disasters I've heard of in regards to blackwater, botanical-style tanks has been directly attributable to "operator error"- i.e.; failing to be consistent, diligent, and conservative. Tanks simply don't "crash" by themselves, in my experience.

They fail as a result of something we did or did not do: Failure to slow down. Failure to measure. Failure to observe or continue to follow procedures that have been giving us consistently good results. In my experience, tanks will typically show "signs", develop trends, and demonstrate the manifestations of "issues" gradually...if you're attuned to them.

Botanical-style blackwater aquariums are not "set and forget" systems, exactly like reef aquariums, planted "high tech" tanks, Mbuna systems, Discus tanks, etc. You need to observe and "pivot" as situations dictate. A sort of "yin and yang", if you will, between pushing the limits and playing it safe... And you have to ask yourself if this type of "active tank management" lifestyle is for you! 

Failure to move thoughtfully, slowly, and deliberately, testing and tweaking along the way, along with time-tested, common sense application of aquarium management technique can result in you killing every fish in your aquarium. 

That's reality.

So, don't be stupid or lazy and you'll be fine.

Okay, you're getting that idea!

The second question-the one about "taking the time to do it slowly"-is to me- more interesting..in fact, it's, as we say here in America- "The whole ball game.."(they probably say that in every country, too, but hey...).

Patience. Observation. Time.

Essential "ingredients" in the botanical-style blackwater aquarium game.

One fact:

It goes without saying that, if you've been keeping your fishes (even ones which come from blackwater conditions in Nature) in harder, more alkaline water, there will need to be a gradual transition to this type of environment. It goes without saying that rapid environmental changes are potentially harmful to many fishes. 

Now, in the bigger picture, I am of the opinion that even, for example, Tetras or other fishes that may have been bred commercially in "tap water" conditions (not necessarily soft and acidic) for the past few decades still could benefit from being "repatriated" into more natural conditions.

However, you're still putting them through an environmental change, and this requires time.

Where do you begin? 

Well, you start by seeing where you are. "Getting your bearings", so to speak.

I'd start by doing a sort of "baseline assessment" of the pH and alkalinity of my water. Digital meters are a great investment that will make accurate monitoring of your water very easy and economical. You should also give some thought about what your target pH/alkalnity are. If you're using tap water with a pH of 8.2 and considerable carbonate hardness, for example, you need to consider how you might bring these measurements down.

And you should, in my opinion, be willing to make the "infrastructure investment" (pricy though it may be) in a reverse osmosis/dioinization unit...or at least, finding a source of good, consistent RO/DI water (many fish stores will sell you RO/DI by the gallon/litre!). The rationale here is that it's far, far easier to reduce the pH in water with little or no carbonate hardness...it's more "malleable"- a better "canvas" upon which to work.

If you aren't using RO/DI water in your current setup, you can even start gradually mixing some in (without adjusting it or adding anything) with your regular water exchanges. Arguably, this may help to gradually lower the carbonate hardness and pH. Yet, it's going to take a long time. Ultimately, the idea is to replace all of the water in the tank with RO/DI. Patience is essential. Slow steps. If you can get your water to around neutral (7.0), that's a great "stepping off point" for modifications to lower pH levels.

Oh, there are other considerations- like substrate. If you're using a substrate which has considerable "buffering" capability, than it's likely that you'll either need to replace it, or accept the fact that you will likely not achieve "soft, acidic" conditions.

Now, speaking of pH- I wouldn't "shoot for the stars" and try to get to 5.5 or something really low right out of the blocks. For that matter, I wouldn't obsess over ANY specific "target number", really...Rather, I'd try to find a tight range that you could easily maintain. With the understanding that you need to do this over a period of weeks- even months...I'd shoot for a modest pH level of like 6.7-6.5 as your target range...Get a feel or operating a tank under these conditions and maintaining them consistently. 

Once you've got a sort of "handle" on the pH and alkalinity, and have gotten them "in range", you can begin the (slow) process of "fine tuning" your habitat. Now, you might be (as I often am) surprised to find that botanicals and leaves, while impactful somewhat on pH, will drop levels much more slowly, and to a lesser extent than you might think. And if you have harder, alkaline water, the impact will be even more minimal or even undetectable.

As we've mentioned many times, the impact on carbonate hardness from botanicals and leaves is essentially nothing. They won't accomplish "softening" of water- a myth that's been erroneously ascribed to them for decades. A study of basic water chemistry will bury this myth once and for all. 

You simply need to utilize other methods to reduce KH (like the aforementioned use of RO/DI water) before even starting to add the botanicals and leaves, if your goal is to reduce pH in the system with them.

The other, probably insultingly obvious thing to be aware of is that, even if the water looks dark brown, it's not necessarily 6.3 and zero KH. I mean, tannins will stain water in the absence of chemical filtration media to remove them. They may not significantly impact the pH, as mentioned above, but you'll get that "visual tint." 

And I know many hobbyists who are perfectly happy with that.

And let's talk about the idea of tannins and humic substances for a second. We know that they are released into the water as a result of steeping botanical materials. And yes, there are commercial test kits to measure tannin levels (usually used in winemaking and such). They will give mg/l readings, which are, unfortunately, of no real use to hobbyists at the present time.

Why?

Because we simply don't have baseline information which hobbyists can interpret about tannin levels and/or humic substances in natural habitats, nor an analysis of which of the hundreds and hundreds of tannins and humic substances are typically found in most blackwater habitats.

At this time, we simply have to go with the understanding that these compounds ARE found in natural blackwater aquatic habitats at varying concentrations and combinations. Until further research is completed, interpreted and analyzed, we unfortunately simply have to "trust" this stuff! Yet another reason to study the wild aquatic habitats of the world even more closely.

I am also not aware of any studies done on the health impact to tropical fishes of tannins and humic substances in harder, alkaline environments versus soft, acidic ones, so it's sort of an open topic, really. 

Not exactly 100% definitive, completely confidence-building stuff, right? I mean, we know that these things are there. We know they're important, but we don't know a whole lot more at this point- at least, not hobby-wise. 

And that's not only the challenge- but (in my opinion) the appeal- of this aquarium specialty. We all have an opportunity to contribute to the state of the art. To increase our body of knowledge of how these systems operate. To unlock the manifold benefits- and potential pitfalls- of botanical-style aquarium "practice."

It's not for everyone. Not everyone likes the look. Not everyone likes the work and effort required. And the lack of a "recipe" or complete "step-by-step-guaranteed-to-work-every-time" thing is daunting to some.

We're still at the phase when what we do is as much of an "art" as it is a "science." Now, that's not a bad thing, mind you. Just something we need to take into account as we persue our work. 

We at Tannin have begun developing a whole suite of specialized products designed to compliment the botanical-style aquarium and add some degree of predictability to the game...Yet there is so much more to do.

There is no "dial-a-river" solution just yet...And frankly, I'm kind of glad. The fun is in the experimentation. The journey. The discovery...

I suppose that this piece probably didn't answer all of your questions. Rather, I'll bet that it opened up quite a few more, spurring you to do more research before starting a blackwater, botanical-style aquarium...That's never a bad thing! 

Stay excited. Stay careful. Stay experimental. Stay diligent. Stay skeptical. Stay hopeful. Stay creative. Stay enthralled ..

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Hahnel knew it...

The history of aquarium keeping is an intimate mix of exotic fishes, equally exotic locales, interesting practices, and amazing people. If you go back into the history of our hobby, you're likely to encounter a few names that transcend both time snd geography: Axelrod, Baensch, LaCorte, Fenner, and a guy from New York (via Germany) named Paul Hahnel. 

Often called the "Father of the Fancy Guppy", Hahnel is considered one of the giants of the aquarium hobby, having pioneered the technique and disciplines which helped make the fancy guppy one of the world's most popular and beautiful fishes.

Hahnel and his contemporaries were pioneers, but they were not scientists in the traditional sense. Rather, hobbyists such as Hahnel applied careful observation, discipline, patience, and a healthy dose of common sense into their technique. This is a set of characteristics which has not only distinguished great hobbyists from "average" hobbyists for generations, it helps advance the hobby.

They shared this knowledge freely.

Some of my fave quotes from this guppy legend included stuff like, "Just feed good live and dried food when you pass by your tank from the left, and siphon out 10% of the water when you pass from the right.."

Obviously, this is sort of metaphoric, but the idea rings clear through the decades: Feed your fishes well, and change the water on a regular basis. In other words, be consistent in both husbandry and maintenance. Observe.

And it's really that simple. It's about two key factors in aquarium keeping. This idea of keeping our aquarium water as low in metabolic compounds as possible, while simultaneously feeding our fishes with the most nutritious foods possible as often as possible.

Funny, guppies and guppy breeders sort of formed a "through line" in my fish-keeping pedigree...

For me, growing up in a house full of guppy tanks (My dad was a big fancy guppy fan), the names that came up often were the legendary guppy breeders of the day- Paul Hahnel. His books were all over my dad's fish library, so it was only natural that I'd end up reading them as a kid.

And of course, there was the well-worn copy of the William T. Innes classic, "Exotic Aquarium Fishes"- the book that I literally read a thousand times...cover to cover. Memorized every species name, could quote some of his charming passages about their care, and about stuff as esoteric and "fish-geek-precious" as his discussions on waking up very early in the morning to net Daphnia for fishes off of local ponds. I can still quote the passage that was the "mantra" for the working fish geek:

"Future generations may smile at our working hours, but this allows the tropical fish enthusiast to be at his salaried position by eight..."

I remember haunting the local pond, collecting fairy shrimp and mosquito larvae (which endeared me to my mom to no end) before school, inspired largely by that passage!

In fact, Innes' book had a great picture of one of my all-time favorite fishes, Crenuchus spilurus, the "Sailfin Characin", which I finally acquired after a lifetime in the hobby. It was a huge event for me...

My copies of these books were so beaten up that you could barely open them without pages falling out. I read 'em over and over and over...

These books, written decades before I was even born, and the lessons of people like Hahnel, Innes, and LaCorte, were still the backbone of my "fishy education." And the interesting thing about these old books- and much of the advice preferred in them- is that they stand the test of time. Most of this stuff is fundamental husbandry and common-sense concepts related to the selection, care, and breeding of fishes.

Sure, some of the names have changed, and some things have become more common, like breeding Discus, which in Innes' 1939 edition, was being hailed as one of the greatest tropical fish achievements in history..which, when you think of it in the context of the era...was true.

And then, there was the great Rosario La Corte- one of my favorite all time fish hobbyists. His little paperback book, "Enjoy The Tetras", is pretty much the "vector" for my lifelong love of these fishes. 

He bred hundreds of species of fishes, wrote about them tirelessly in books and magazines, and freely shared his trials and tribulations in grand fish-geek style. I recall in 2012, I was in the New York area and was invited to a meeting of the Long Island Killifish Association, where he was there! At the time, I was pretty much at the top of my "Reef game", fish-geek-star wise, a featured speaker at every major reef conference, clubs worldwide, and an author in online media...Yet, mindful of my pedigree, I was absolutely like a 13-year old girl about to meet her fave TikTok star!

I remember how excited and nervous I was to meet the legend in the flesh.

And you know what? He didn't let me down. He was one of the nicest, most humble fish guys I ever met, and took the time to talk with me about who-knows-what (I think I must have simply repeated "I've read all of your books-like 20 times..." over and over again.), and lived up to his legendary status!

And of course, no other hobbyist, past or present, has ever had the amazing and complete influence on me that my father did. He literally started me with a bowl of fishes when I was 3, and I haven't looked back since. He passed away a few years back, but he influences me every single day.

My dad knew something that was pretty remarkable: If you have a passion, share it with your children. Teach them what you know, nurture their dreams, answer their questions, and encourage them in every way.

Give your son or daughter their first fishbowl, nano-tank, baby guppies. Allow them to feel the excitement when they add that new Tetra, find that cool Angelfish they've been looking for, pick kill eggs from a spawning mop for the first time, or create that perfect aquascape. 

Embrace their geeky enthusiasm. 

And that's what parents who are fish geeks do. It's what fish geeks who just happen to NOT be parents do. It's what fish geeks in general do!

In every field of endeavor, we have our influencers, thought leaders, and yes- legends. People who, through action and thought, have positively influenced the culture and technique of what we do. The tropical fish hobby is no different- except that at the end of the day, most of the key influencers and even the "legends" are gracious, humble, and just good-old fish geeks, like you and me. They have working fish rooms, spill water on the floor, and make all sorts of mistakes...and laugh about them!

And they all carry with them the knowledge borne of effort, enthusiasmm, hard work, and patience. There are no real shortcuts in this hobby- no ways to "beat the system"

There words and lessons resonate across time; transcending eras and generations- and ring as true as they did when they were first written...Much of it simple, concise, and easy to accept.

How funny that the most simple advice I've ever received has guided my aquatic passions far more than some of the complex directives I've been given by well-intentioned aquarists over the years.

Or is it?

We all can learn from the body of knowledge accumulate in the decades before we ever had an aquarium. These are ideas- a culture- which guides everything we do. Sharing our experiences, reaching out to fellow hobbyists, and just talking- has never been more important than it is now. Keep no secrets.

So I guess my one "plea" to all of you crazy-cool fish expert/"obsessionistas" would be to reach out across the aisle- to poke your head over the fence- and share some of your amazing expertise and experience within your specialty to others working in different areas. This will ensure not only that your hard-won information and ideas are not confined only to your specific area of obsession- it will perhaps foster breakthroughs in other hobby specialty groups.

And some of those breakthroughs might just be the key to the long-term well-being of the hobby as a whole, and to sharing, educating about, propagating, and protecting the fishes- and habitats of the world -which so desperately need our attention.

 

It's what Hahnel knew. It's what every hobbyists knows.

Stay collaborative. Stay open-minded. Stay passionate. Stay generous...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

 

The mess we make.

As you know by now, I am pretty much near-obsessed with the idea of allowing a botanical-style aquarium to "evolve" with little interference on the part of the aquarist. With botanical-style aquariums, I personally believe that they can better handle evolving on their own more so than many typical systems...Not that I'd want to just "let a tank go", mind you...

I'm a fairly diligent/borderline obsessive maintenance guy. I love my weekly water exchanges. However, I think it's very important to understand the reason why we create aquariums like this. What is the goal? What are we trying to accomplish? If we make an effort to understand the way the natural habitats we are enamored with function, it becomes way easier to manage them in a more confident manner.

Hobbyists unfamiliar with our processes and ideas will call this a mess.

We call it "natural."

I mean, when you think about it, the natural, botanical-style blackwater aquarium is sort of set up to replicate a habitat where all of this stuff is taking place already. Leaves, seed pods, etc. are more-or-less ephemeral in nature, and are constantly breaking down in these environments. Decomposition, accumulation of epiphytic growth, and colonization of various life forms is continuous.

Exactly what happens in these habitats.

As we've discussed before, an aquarium has a “cadence” of its own, which we can set up- but we must let Nature dictate the timing and sequencing. It starts with an empty tank. Then, the lush fragrance exuded by crisp botanicals during preparation. The excitement of the initial “placement" of the botanicals within the tank. The gradual “tinting” of the aquarium water. The softening of the botanicals. The gradual development of biofilms and algae “patinas.” Perhaps, even a bit of cloudiness from time to time because of microbial growth.

Ultimately, there's the decomposition.

It's part of the cycle of life in Nature- and in our aquariums.

All part of a process which can’t be “hacked” or rushed. We can change some of the physical aspects of our tanks (equipment, hardscape, etc.), but Mother Nature is in control.

She "calls the shots" here.

And I think that's perhaps the most important lesson that we can learn from our aquariums. As aquarists, we can do a lot- we can change the equipment, correct initial mistakes or shortcomings the system might have had from the beginning.

We set the stage, so to speak.

However, in the end..it's Nature which does most of the real "heavy lifting" here. Nature rewards us for our good decisions, scolds us for our bad ones, and provides "cues" on what future decisions we need to make. And Nature does it all indifferently...without judgement.

It reacts positively or negatively to our attempts to control it. Both in the wild, and in the confines of an aquarium.

Yes, I know an aquarium is not "Nature"- but it does function in accordance with Nature's laws, regardless of what we want, right? And it is an ecosystem to the organisms which inhabit it.

One of the things that we've seen be more accepted in the hobby over the past few years is a trend towards more "realistic" aquariums. Not just systems which look like natural environments; rather, systems which are modeled as much after the function of them as the aesthetics.

"Functional aesthetics."

I think this is where Tannin Aquatics falls, if you had to nail us down into one specific "stylistic/philosphical approach" to aquariums.

The "space between", so to speak. Sort of straddling multiple approaches, with Nature as the ultimate "critic."

A less rigidly aesthetically-controlled, less "high-concept" approach to setting the stage for...Nature- to do what she's done for eons without doing as much to "help it along." Rather, the mindset here is to allow nature to take it's course, and to embrace the breakdown of materials, the biofilms, the decay...and rejoice in the ever-changing aesthetic and functional aspects of a natural aquatic system- "warts and all" -and how they can positively affect our fishes.

So, that's the whole philosophy behind the botanical-style aquarium and how it functions. How do we best facilitate smooth operation of our systems to accommodate Nature into the process?

We start by accepting the idea of decomposing materials accumulating in our systems. We understand that they act, to a certain extent, as "fuel" for the micro and macrofauna which reside in the aquarium, and that they perform this function as long as they are present in the system.

Sure, if it just bothers the shit out of you, you could remove some of it from time to time. However, I have long been one the belief that if you decide to let the botanicals remain in your aquarium to break down and decompose completely, that you shouldn't change course by suddenly removing the material all at once. 

Slow, steady moves are the way.

Our aquariums, much like the wild habitats we strive to replicate, are constantly evolving, accumulating new materials, and creating new physical habitats for fishes to forage among. New food sources and chemical/energy inputs are important to the biological diversity and continuity of the flooded forests and streams of the tropics, and they play a similar role in our aquariums.

We add leaves and botanicals periodically, not just for an aesthetic "refresh", but for a "re-charge" of the biome within our tanks. This is a fascinating spect of the botanical style aquarium. It facilitates the cycle of growth, nutrient accumulation, and decomposition. It becomes not only part of our practice, but it's part of the "system" we are trying to facilitate.

If you look at an aquarium as you would a garden- an organic, living, evolving, growingentity- 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. In the botanical-style aquarium, it's truly about a dynamic and ever-changing system.

Every stage holds fascination. 

And, once stuff starts "softening" or breaking down, it doesn't mean that your job is done, or that you're just an observer from that point on. Nope. It means that you're now in a cool phase of "actively managing" (and by "managing", I am emphasizing observation more than "intervening!") the aquarium.

Sure, when you embrace this mindset, you're making minor "tweaks" as necessary to keep the aquarium healthy and moving in the direction-aesthetically, functionally, and otherwise- that you want it to. Yet, at some point early in the process- you find yourself just letting go and allowing the tank to do what Nature intends it to do on it's evolutionary path...

A lot of people may disagree, but I personally feel that THIS phase is the most exciting and rewarding part of the whole process!  And perhaps- one of the most natural...if we allow it to be.

And allowing the aquarium to sort of forge its own path, and to process the materials in the closed ecosystem allows Nature to do her thing...

Nature can control. Nature can stabilize. Nature can admonish us...However, Nature can also provide.

We've talked a lot about allochthonous input- food which comes from outside the aquatic environment- such as insects, fruit, seeds, etc. You know, stuff which literally falls from the trees!

However, there is also a significant amount of food which our fishes can obtain which occurs within the aquatic habitat itself. 

This is something that we, as lovers of the botanical-style aquarium, are well-suited to embrace. And of course, I'm utterly fascinated by the concept of food production within our botanical-style aquariums! Yes, food production. If you really observe your tank closely- and I'm sure that you do- you'll see your fishes foraging on the botanicals...picking off something.

I've noticed, during times when I've traveled extensively and haven't been around to feed my fishes, that they're not even slightly slimmer upon my return, despite not being fed for days sometimes... 

What are they eating in my absence?

Well, there are a number of interesting possibilities.

Perhaps most interesting to us blackwater/botanical-style aquarium people are epiphytes. These are organisms which grow on the surface of wood, botanicals, plants or other substrates, and derive their nutrients from the surrounding environment. They are important in the nutrient cycling and uptake in both nature and the aquarium, adding to the biodiversity, and serving as an important food source for many species of fishes.

THAT is why I think it's advisable to allow botanical materials to break down completely in the aquarium.

No real mind-blowing, world-changing tactic here...well, not on the surface, at least.

Yeah, there are those out there-short-sighted, in my opinion- who view what we do as simply making a mess...

However, if you put some thought into this as a process- a practice that is all about the 'evolving" nature of your aquarium. Something analogous to what goes on in the wild. Something that fosters biological and chemical interactions and impacts we have come to see as part of the fascination of our blackwater, botanical-style aquariums.

Stay diligent. Stay creative. Stay observant. Stay excited. Stay patient...

And Stay Wet.

 

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

 

 

Digging those Geos!

One of the fun things about the aquarium hobby is that there seems to be a fish, or group of fishes, for almost every taste. Those of you who know me well are aware of the fact that I tend to favor small, relatively docile fishes, like characins- the "Teacup Poodles" of the aquarium world.

Although I'm not alone in my love for the little guys, there are plenty of hobbyists who love larger, more aggressive, more "destructive" fishes. Well, I may not favor those fishes in my tanks, but I do have a healthy respect and admiration for some of the more- shall we say- "hardcore" fishes...like the so-called "Eartheaters" (families Acarichthys, Biotodoma, Geophagus, Guianacara, Gymnogeophagus, and Satanoperca).  

Theyre party of a tribe known to taxonomists as Geophagini. This lively and diverse group contains some of the most endearing and interesting cichlids around. With a surprising number of our customers wanting to incorporate botanicals in setups with these fishes, I couldn't NOT take a little look at them in "The Tint", right? 

(Gymnogeophagus balzanii. Photo by CHUCAO, under CC BY-SA 3.0)

And of course, the name of the genus Geophagus contains the Greek root words for "earth" and "eat", as if to reinforce the popular collective name. So, in case you haven't figured it out by now...They dig in the sand to get food...oh, and they shit.

A lot.

And some are large and mean.

Of course, you probably already knew that, and I'm the last guy you really want to write one of those "Review of the Eartheaters"-type articles, so we're going to focus more on the kind of environment you'd want to set for these bad-asses, from a botanical-style aquarium perspective, of course.

And of course, it's irresponsible for me to simply generalize about all of them as a group. Not all of the Eartheaters are mean, destructive fishes. Not all are huge. However, you need to really study the attributes and behaviors of the species you're into. 

(Satanoperca leucosticta- image by Dr. David Midgely, used under CC BY-SA 2.5)

So, without getting too specific, suffice it to say that the bulk of them do fine in neutral to slightly acidic environments. Hailing from South America (Brazil, Northern Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay), including Amazonia, many inhabit areas with a mix of botanicals, rocks, and of course, sand or sediment.

Yes, you'll see plants in these environments, too, but not always true aquatics, so we'll focus on the botanical aspect. Besides, as you know, I'm hardly the guy you'd go to for information on plants, right? I'm sort of a botanicals, leaves, and driftwood kind of guy, myself...

So, like how would you use botanicals with these fishes?

Hailing as they do from environments that have both swift currents and sluggish water movement, you can use a mix of bigger, heavier botanicals with some of the smaller ones. Rocky, sandy, botanical-strewn bottoms are common habitats for these fishes.

You'll often see them in habitats with sandy, silty substrates and a few leaves and such scattered around. Of course, these environments are slightly turbid, not only because of the currents, but because of the digging activities of these fishes.

Many species are also found in swamps adjacent to streams or rivers, with far less water movement and more placid water flow.

One interesting thing that we should think about when housing these guys in tanks with botanicals- a fair amount of these fishes need some "roughage' in their diet- usually in the form of plant materials...However, some of the "softer" botanicals, such as leaves, coco curls, etc are often "mouthed" by these fishes, so that's something to think about when keeping them in a botanical-influenced tank.

Now, I wouldn't specifically go for a leaf litter-only tank with these guys- they'll simply move it around and create a sort of boring look. Rather, I'd go with some of the more durable, larger materials, in various sizes. The beloved Cariniana Pods  (when the damn things are back in stock from our suppliers- thanks, Covid, you piece of shit!) and "Helix Pods" are perfect "props" for these fishes, offering them an interesting and stimulating physical habitat.

Although the bulk of these fishes reach sizes which will make some of these pods useless as a hiding place after they're just a few months old, these will function as the equivalent of a dog toy!  And, the larger, more durable pods make pretty cool "props."

My preference for botanicals with fishes like this would be an abundance of the more durable stuff, in various sizes, such as Mokha Pods, or Jacaranda Pods, which have "nut-like" outer shells that can easily be moved, and are analogous to some of the botanical materials that you'd see falling into rivers and streams.

Hmm, it's that allochthonous input thing again!

And you know that I find this a fascinating behavior, right?

(A classic, Geophagus brasiliensis. Image by Cezary Porycki, used under CC BY 3.0)

Since many species do forage of fruits and other botanical materials as part of their diet, you could include some of the more "transitional" materials, like  Calotropis pods, which soften significantly after being submerged, and are a favorite of shrimp and many catfishes, too.

Damn, if I keep suggesting materials to use with your Eartheaters, this blog is simply going to end up sounding more like a sales brochure for our stuff than anything else, so I think you get the idea by now....

In summary:

You can use pretty much any of our botanicals with these unique cichlids, within reason. We receive a lot of request for "Enigma Packs" designed for these fishes. And of course, when we curate them, we try to take into account the species that the pack is intended for.  Of course, we can generalize a bit when selecting botanical materials for these guys...

The key, IMHO, is to mix more durable materials, which can hold up to the "chewing" and digging and general moving-around-the-tank activities that these guys are known to engage in throughout the day.- in with the more "transitional ones You can create a cool aquascape that is both functional and aesthetic by using a nice mix of the larger, more durable botanicals with more traditional hardscape elements like wood, etc.

To quickly summarize, these endearing fishes are surprisingly good candidates to keep with botanicals, because while many are not specifically from tinted, blackwater environments, the bulk (heh, heh) of them do come from environments which have "botanical influence" from materials that fall into their habitats from overhanging trees and such.

(Acarichthys heckelii- Image by Dr. David Midgely under CC BY-SA- 2.5)

I also think that we as hobbyists make entirely too much out of the "They make the water cloudy!" argument. I mean, sure, many of them dig. You need good circulation, filtration, and overall husbandry. But guess what? If the water is a bit turbid because sediment and sand are in the water column because of the excavation efforts of these fishes...who cares? The fish?

I don't think so.

I mean, yeah- they dig, and they'll make their aquarium environment turbid as a result. So, you compensate with good husbandry- but you need not freak out by trying every possible avenue to make the water crystal clear. I'm feeling that we place way too much emphasis on this attribute in aquarium keeping- feeling that any turbidity or color in water is somehow "problematic."

As we know by now, many habitats in Nature, including those where this trip of fishes comes from, are anything but "crystal clear."

So keep enjoying these fascinating, high-octane cichlids...and keep creating "functionally aesthetic" displays for them! Let us know if you've found that some of the botanicals seem to work better than others for these guys! 

Stay excited. Stay dedicated. Stay engaged. 

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics