The Tint

Bringing up the biome...

There is a certain allure- a fascination...even obsession about considering our aquariums as little closed ecosystems, reacting to both internal and external inputs, stimuli, and environmental pressures.

When you think of aquariums in this manner, they become a whole lot less of a "pet holding container" and a lot more of a little slice of Nature that you're recreating in your home. And of course, the botanical-style aquarium is an expression of this thinking. A microcosm fully dependent upon botanical materials to impact fully effect the environment.

One of the aspects of utilizing botanicals in our aquariums that we discuss, but can't think about enough, is their importance to the "microbiome" of the aquarium environment.

A "microbiome", by definition, is defined as "...a community of microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that inhabit a particular environment." (according to Merriam-Webster)

Now, sure, every aquarium has a microbiome to a certain extent:

We have the beneficial bacteria which facilitate the nitrogen cycle, and play an indespensible role in the function of our little worlds. The botanical-style aquarium is no different; in fact, this is where I start wondering...It's the place where my basic high school and college elective-course biology falls away, and you get into more complex aspects of aquatic ecology in aquariums.

Yet, it's important to at least understand this concept as it can relate to aquariums. It's worth doing a bit of research and pondering. It'll educate you, challenge you, and make you a better overall aquarist. In this little blog, we can't possibly cover every aspect of this- but we can touch on a few points that are really fascinating and impactful.

An interesting place to start is to simply review a bit about the very composition of the materials that we play with, like seed pods and leaves and such, and how they interact with the aquatic environments that we've created.

Many seed pods and similar botanicals contain a substance known as lignin. Lignin is defined as a group of organic polymers which are essentially the structural materials which support the tissues of vascular plants. They are common in bark, wood, and yeah- seed pods, providing protection from rotting and structural rigidity.

In other words, they make seed pods kinda tough.

That being said, they are typically broken down by fungi and bacteria in aquatic environments. Inputs of terrestrial materials like leaf litter and seed pods into aquatic habitats can leach dissolved organic carbon (DOC), rich in lignin and cellulose. Factors like light intensity, mineral hardness, and the composition of the aforementioned bacterial /fungal community all affect the degree to which this material is broken down into its constituent parts in this environment.

Hmm...something we've kind of known for a while, right?

So, lignin is a major component of the "stuff" that's leached into our aquatic environments, along with that other big "player"- tannin.

Tannins, according to chemists, are a group of "astringent biomolecules" that bind to and precipitate proteins and other organic compounds. They're in almost every plant around, and are thought to play a role in protecting the plants from predation and potentially aid in their growth. As you might imagine, they are super-abundant in...leaves. In fact, it's thought that tannins comprise as much as 50% of the dry weight of leaves!

Whoa!

And of course, tannins in leaves, wood, soils, and plant materials tend to be highly water soluble, creating our beloved blackwater as they decompose. As the tannins leach into the water, they create that transparent, yet darkly-stained water we love so much!  

In simplified terms, blackwater tends to occur when the rate of "carbon fixation" (photosynthesis) and its partial decay to soluble organic acids exceeds its rate of complete decay to carbon dioxide (oxidation).

Chew on that for a bit...Try to really wrap your head around it...

And sometimes, the research you do on these topics can unlock some interesting tangential information which can be applied to our work in aquairums...

Interesting tidbit of information from science: For those of you weirdos who like using wood, leaves and such in your aquariums, but hate the brown water (yeah, there are a few of you)- you can add baking soda to the water that you soak your wood and such in to accelerate the leaching process, as more alkaline solutions tend to draw out tannic acid from wood than pH neutral or acidic water does. Or you can simply keep using your 8.4 pH tap water! 

"ARMCHAIR SPECULATION": This might be a good answer to why some people can't get the super dark tint they want for the long term...Based upon that model, if you have more alkaline water, those tannins are more quickly pulled out. So you might get an initial burst, but the color won't last all that long...

Interesting stuff, and all part of the little "stew" we make when we set up a botanical-style aquarium, right?

I think just having a bit more than a superficial understanding of the way botanicals and other materials interact with the aquatic environment, and how we can embrace and replicate these systems in our own aquariums is really important to the hobby. The real message here is to not be afraid of learning about seemingly complex chemical and biological nuances of blackwater systems, and to apply some of this knowledge to our aquatic practice.

Okay, let's think about the biology of these ecosystems for a bit, and contemplate how some aspects of their composition and function can be applied to our aquariums.

During the rainy season in the tropics, overflowing streams flood the rainforest floor, accumulating materials which the fish communities utilize for food and shelter. And materials which fall from the surrounding trees and banks are major contributors to the productivity of this ecosystem. As the waters recede somewhat, temporary streams flow through these areas. 

They become rich, complex ecosystems, bristling with life.

Interestingly, scientists have found that these streams have very little internal production of food sources for their resident fishes. Rather the food sources come from materials such as plants, fruits, leaves, and pieces of wood which come from the surrounding terrestrial environment.

Oh, and insects.

Lots of insects from the surrounding trees and "shorelines", which fall into the water.

These materials and organisms are known as "allochthonous inputs" in ecology- materials imported into an ecosystem from outside of it. This is rather interesting point. Essentially, it means that these areas, rich habitats that they are, are almost completely influenced by outside materials....

And, as one might expect- as more materials fall from the trees and surrounding dry areas, the greater the abundance of fishes and other aquatic animals which utilize them is found.

And materials will continue to fall into the water and accumulate throughout the periods of inundation, maintaining the richness of the habitat as others decompose or are acted on by the organisms residing in the water.

Not unlike an aquarium, right?

I mean, we need to get it in our heads that botanicals are "consumable" items, which need to be regularly replaced as they decompose, in order to maintain environmental consistency.

Yeah, it's the "jumping off point" for one of my favorite speculative areas in our little hobby speciality:

With botanicals breaking down in the aquarium as a result of the growth of fungi and microorganisms, I can't help but wonder if they perform, to some extent, a role in the management-or enhancement-of the nitrogen cycle.

In other words, does having a bunch of leaves and other botanical materials in the aquarium foster a larger population of these valuable organisms, capable of processing organics- thus creating a more stable, robust biological filtration capacity in the aquarium?

With a matrix of materials present, the bacteria (and their biofilms, as we've discussed a number of times here) have not only a "substrate" upon which to attach and colonize, but an "on board" food source which they can utilize as needed? Facultative bacteria, adaptable organisms which can use either dissolved oxygen or oxygen obtained from food materials such as sulfate or nitrate ions, would also be capable of switching to fermentation or anaerobic respiration if oxygen is absent.

Hmm...fermentation.

We've talked about that before, right? And I'm not talking about this in regards to making kambocha, either!  Botanical "layers"- particularly, leaf litter beds- in the wild, offer an interesting study in nutrient processing and food production for the surrounding aquatic ecosystems. And, although botanicals accumulate to significant depth in some areas, the processes which we are fascinated with even occur at surprisingly shallow depths...

One study of wild leaf litter beds in Amazonia indicated that the majority of the aerobic decomposition probably occurs in the upper 10 cm of the leaf litter bed, as lower material is more tightly packed, reducing O2 diffusion, and is generally older and already well decomposed. It is also thought that fermentation processes release acids (specifically, acetic acid), which help reduce the pH substantially within these beds. 

So, we have biological processes occurring in botanical/leaf litter beds which a)facilitate nutrient processing in the habitat, b)contribute to the food chain, and c)potentially influence the chemical parameters of the water.

That's just like what happens in the wild habitats, isn't it?

Obviously, there is some analogous processes and benefits which occur when leaves and botanicals create a similar bed in a closed aquarium...What exactly they are is still a subject of ongoing investigation for us as aquarists. 

MICRO RANT: With so much emphasis placed on the appearance of our aquariums by some of the new vendors on the scene, it's important to remind ourselves from time to time that there are functional benefits of utilizing botanicals that go far beyond the pretty look.

We as vendors can't merely talk up the impact of "tannins" that botanicals impart from an aesthetic standpoint, and "how extreme the color" they give off, without at least sharing information about some of the important environmental impact they can have on the aquarium. We do that- and our fellow vendors shouldn't, either. Step it up, guys. We're fostering a movement here.

Now, no discussion of botanical "benefits" would be complete without the usual caveats to be responsible, prepare thoroughly, move slowly, and observe and test your water. Fishes like Apistos can be notoriously finicky and even delicate if they're subjected to rapid environmental changes.

Blackwater is not a "miracle tonic" that will make every fish thrive, but it can provide some very interesting benefits if applied with common sense. When switching over your existing, inhabited aquarium to a botanical-style blackwater aquarium with a lower ph and alkalinity, you are making significant environmental changes that can impact the health of your fishes, and the need to move slowly and carefully is mandatory. 

Okay, there's a whole lot there to unpack- drawing from a variety of scientific fields, such as biology, chemistry, and ecology, as well as from our everyday practices as aquarists. Yeah, we still don't know exactly which tannins are imparted to the water by a specific botanical. And for that matter, we don't know which tannins provide what specific effects on fishes or their aquatic environment, and what concentrations are found in their natural habitats.

And again, it's not necessarily that we are creating a new "thing"- we're simply seeing a correlation to the processes that we are fostering in our aquariums and what occurs in nature, and realizing that we can embrace, study, and benefit from them in our aquarium work.

I think that there are so many different things that we can play with- and so many nuances that we can investigate and manipulate in our aquariums to influence fish health and spawning behavior. changing botanical concentrations and such during various times of the year- creating ephemeral aquatic systems and other unique environmental-themed displays. 

I think that this could even add a new nuance to a typical biotope aquarium, such as creating an aquarium which simulates the "Preto da Eva River in Brazil in October", or whatever...with appropriate environmental conditions, such as water level, amounts of allochthonous material, etc.

Not just an aesthetic representation designed to mimic the look of the habitat- but a "functionally aesthetic" representation of a natural habitat, intended to operate like one..Full time. 

And it starts with understanding what's going on in Nature, and how we can replicate it on a more realistic level in the aquarium. Like no other time in the aquarium hobby, the information, equipment, materials, and techniques are starting to converge and create a very interesting opportunity for all sorts of hobbyists to advance the state of the art of the hobby.

Nuances. Micro-influences. Subtle steps. 

All part of "bringing up the biome", right?

Studying the influences of Nature on aquatic environments, and how to replicate and incorporate these influences into our aquariums is the key. Building a specialized aquatic microcosm in our tanks will unlock so many secrets and lead to amazing breakthroughs with our fishes- and a greater understanding of the precious natural habitats from which they come.

Stay involved. Stay excited. Stay inquisitive. Stay diligent. Stay resourceful. Stay informed...

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Algal praise?

As aquarium hobbyists, we're sort of "programmed" to freak out about the appearance of algae in our systems, aren't we? It's like the "default" to go "ape-shit crazy" when algae appears in our tanks.

I haven't touched on one of the more interesting "benefits" of a botanical-style blackwater aquarium that many of us have experienced: The fact that the occurrence of nuisance algae outbreaks seem to be relatively uncommon in these systems.  Not a rarity- just not all that common. 

Or, is it?

While it would be intellectually dishonest (and just plain untrue) for me to assert that blackwater/botanical aquariums aren't susceptible to algae outbreaks, it is sort of remarkable that we simply don't have massive algae issues in these types of aquarium on a regular basis. At least, none that anyone talks about!

I have to admit, that I have never had one of those nightmare algal blooms in a blackwater aquarium...unless my goal was to intentionally create one. And of course, in the interest of pushing the state of the art of our practice- I have succeeded at creating some algal blooms!

Yea, I did. And, as you'd imagine, it's not all that difficult. Blast the damn thing with light, and, well, yeah. Algae farm.

I mean, algae likes "fuel", right?

Our tanks feature a lot of botanicals and their associated materials decomposing on a near-constant basis.  As we know, some of this material is utilized by fishes for supplemental food. Some of it is processed my crustaceans, bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. And yeah, some of the compounds produced by it as it decomposes (nitrates, phosphates, trace elements)  is utilized by algae.

I rather fancy the stuff, actually.

Damn.

And the simple fact is- algae will bloom and proliferate wherever and whenever the proper conditions- nutrients, light, flow, and lack of heavy consumers- combine in the aquarium environment. And quite honestly, it's not that amazing, right? We know this.

 Yet, when we have darkly tinted water and maybe not a ton of lighting over our tanks, it seems just a bit less common- usually!

And of course, Nature provides the example.

I read a study from the University of Georgia, which tested the idea of algae growth in blackwater streams, to determine if the limiting factor was chemical (nutrient) or light driven...and lo and behold, the study concluded that it wasn't necessarily some magic stuff in tannins and blackwater, as much as it was light limitation! Light-limiting effects of the blackwater itself were discovered to inhibit algal growth in coastal plain streams. As light penetrates the water, high DOC concentrations and suspended solids can scatter and absorb light, impacting algal growth significantly. 

Okay, sounds like a bummer if you want to believe blackwater is "magic", but the study also concluded that blackwater systems were somewhat nutrient-limited, which also affected the growth of algae- although this was not concluded to be the primary factor which inhibited algae growth.

In fact, another study I perused about the Rio Negro concluded that it was found that there is a relatively small difference in "respiration rates" between "whitewater" and "blackwater" rivers, and that the presumption that blackwater systems are more "sterile" is sort of...overstated.

Interestingly, the study also concluded that higher incidence of algal growth occurred in areas in Amazonia where water movement was minimal, or even stagnant, suggesting that, all things being equal, light limitation and water movement are possibly more significant than just higher nutrient concentrations alone!

And that makes sense, if you consider the long-held belief within the aquarium hobby that most plants don't do well in blackwater aquariums "because they don't get enough light!"

Yikes! 

So the long-held aquarium attitude about blackwater having some algal-inhibiting properties is really based on the fact that it's...darker? I mean, every blackwater tank I have ever owned does have some algae present. Although, being a reef guy at heart, every aquarium I own has good water movement.

I know that in leaf-litter-dominated aquariums, which I love, I still keep a good amount of flow going. You'll often hear that depressed CO2 levels are instrumental in creating algal outbreaks, like the dreaded "black beard" algae.

Good flow is important. You don't have to have a wicked, jacuzzi-like flow. Just good, steady, movement and a bit of surface agitation.

This whole thing about even being able to limit nuisance algae in our tanks is interesting, because you'd think a tank dominated by decomposing leaf litter would be an algae farm, right?

And yet, I've experienced no more occurrence of algae in the leaf litter/twig substrate tanks than I have in other setups. On the other hand, regardless of what type of system I work with, I'm fanatical about husbandry and nutrient control/export...obviously, another key factor.

And since a lot of blackwater/botanical-style tanks are "hardscape only", with little or no plants, the lighting we are employing is typically strictly "aesthetic", right? So, you're not blasting a tank with decomposing pods and no plants with 14 hours of full spectrum light...Well, that certainly can be part of the reason why this type of tank often "magically" has essentially little to no nuisance algae despite all of the leaves and stuff, huh? We pin both the praise and the blame for algae on the wrong suspects, I think! 

Man, this deserves more study...a lot of it.

And with more and more hobbyists playing with planted blackwater tanks, we'll have a greater "body of work" from which to draw. For that matter, more botanical, blackwater tanks in general means more material to analyze! 

An here is another thing: As we've beaten into your head relentlessly, in our truly "natural style" tanks, we don't really care if there is some algae in there. We've made that "mental shift" that says it's okay to have some decomposing botanicals, brown water, biofilms, and yeah...algae. Because natural habitats do, too. So it's not so bad, right?

Let's think about algae in the aquarium to begin with...No, not the boring old "This is how algae problems happen in our aquariums..." lecture that you've read on every website known to man since the internet sprung to life. Yes, it smothers plants, which sucks if you like plants. You can find all of that that stuff everywhere. Rather, let's think about how we, as a group, mentally are opposed to the stuff in our tanks.

I mean, yeah, I know of no one that really enjoys a tank smothered in algae. It looks like crap, and is a "trophy" for incompetence, in the eyes of most aquarists. In fact, I remember reading once that more people quite the aquarium hobby over algae problems than almost anything else.

Yuck!

Well, sure- algae problems caused by obvious lapses in care or attention to normal maintenance, like overfeeding, lack of water changes, gross overstocking, etc. are signs of...incompetence. The occasional algae outbreaks that many hobbyists suffer through have all sorts of other potential causes, and can often be traced to a combination of small things that went unchecked, and are typically controlled in a relatively short amount of time once the causative factors are identified.

Yet, as a group, us hobbyists freak out about algae in our tanks. I can show you a hundred pics of algae and biofilm matrixes in the Amazon and the Rio Negro and say, "See it happens here too! Natural!" and the typical hobbyist will still be rendered speechless with horror.

And I can't even tell you what it would do to one of those "natural aquascaping" contest freaks or judges! People might die. You could be charged as an accessory to murder! 

Do you want that on your conscience? 😆

So, not everyone gets it. Just like brown water.

Algae is the foundation of life, blah, blah, blah. Yet, it's also the foundation for a "cottage industry" of devices, chemicals, and treatment regimens designed to eradicate it. 

I say, we can embrace it and understand why and how it forms and proliferates...and even embrace it for being an elegant- if aesthetically under appreciated- part of the botanical-style aquarium.

So, the round-about conclusion here is that:

1) Although there are many beneficial substances in blackwater, such as humic substances, tannins, etc., it's inconclusive if they alone are the reason (or even part of the reason) why we seem to have less incidence of algae in our blackwater aquariums. Some research suggests otherwise.

2) The light penetration limitation imposed by blackwater definitely has been shown to decrease algal growth.

3) Proper nutrient control and export mechanisms employed by the hobbyist can go a long way towards controlling excessive algal growths in the aquarium.

Okay, maybe not altogether earth-shattering revelations...Yet, important points to consider.

Yeah, we have a lot of work to do when it comes to understanding all of the dynamics of the "algae equation" in botanical-style aquariums.

Stay curious. Stay diligent. Stay engaged. Stay thoughtful...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Answering Nature's call. Talking points for the "botanical beginner..."

Our world of botanical-style aquariums has been, for want of a better world- evolving- and rapidly. 

We have experienced a large influx of hobbyists into our specialty niche in the hobby- a remarkable trend that has started to bring out the idea of botanical-style aquariums from the shadows and into the mainstream.

And we receive lots and lots of questions from hobbyists new to our world; our way of thinking...And, as a proponent of the botanical-style aquarium approach, I think we still need to communicate our philosophies, the practices...the expectations to those interested in playing with this stuff.

Perhaps you- our regular reader/listener- doesn't need this "pep talk"; however, maybe someone you know is considering venturing into this area, and you want to give them a little dose of "reality" before they take the plunge?

There's still a lot of confusing and, quite frankly- outdated- information out there.

Hopefully, this little piece (in addition to referring them to our hundreds of blog posts on every aspect of this stuff! 😆) will give you a sort of "track" to run on when discussing botanical-style aquarium keeping with a fellow hobbyist who's contemplating such an aquarium.

And to you, the hobbyist considering who's jumping in to the "tinted" world, and who hasn't quite "pulled the trigger"- there is a starting point:

It starts with questions for yourself!

I suppose, if I were asked- and I am- the question about whether or not a hobbyist should try a botanical-style aquarium, I'd basically start with a single question:

Are you up to the task?

I know, it seriously sounds weird; even challenging or "off-putting." Kind of like I'm being an asshole, huh? That's certainly not the intent here. 

However, it's an important question-a fundamental question to ask ourselves when contemplating setting up a botanical-style aquarium.

Why?

Because, when you start adding botanical materials to your aquarium, not only are you sort of "buying in" to a very different approach to aquarium-keeping than what you've been exposed to in the past- you're "signing up" to accept a completely different aesthetic than we are traditionally accustomed to as well.

Yeah, we are "opting in" to techniques  which are somewhat contrary to what you've likely embraced before. You're accepting an aesthetic which deviates strongly from the traditional aquarium "look" that we have been accustomed to for generations. And it doesn't stop with the looks of the tank...

It starts with the way we look at Nature.

Once we visit, or look at a photo or video of a natural underwater habitat where tropical fishes live, and remove our hobby-contrived preconceptions of what it should look like from the equation and simply observe it as it is- we have to ask ourselves if this is how we want our tank to look...

That's the first mental shift.

Like, can you handle this stuff?

It's the ultimate "essence" of our philosophy.  A way of capturing aspects of Nature in our aquarium in a manner that accepts it as it is, rather than how we want it to be.

And if we say "Yes" to the question, we then need to ask ourselves if we're okay accepting the rather unorthodox thinking and practices that are required of us to get an aquarium to that place.

You know, like adding seed pods, leaves, soils, etc. to an aquarium in an effort to capture the form and function of these natural habitats. To facilitate and embrace biofilms, fungal growth, detritus, and decomposition...To adopt a philosophy that  says, "It's time to take inspiration from the reality of Nature, not just its essence."

It's about accepting the appearance of biofilms, murky water, algae, decomposing botanical materials, and acknowledging that these things occur in our aquariums, too, and can be managed to take advantage of their benefits. You know- to provide supplemental food sources, "nurseries" for fry, and as interesting little ways to impart beneficial humic substances and dissolved organic compounds into the water.

Just like in Nature.

Realizing that the very act of adding natural materials like seed pods and leaves fosters the development of biofilms, less-than-crystal-clear water, and detritus...

And that this is what you actually WANT.

Another mental shift.

Understanding once and for all accept that things are not aesthetically "perfect" in Nature, in the sense of being neat and orderly from a "design" aspect.

Understanding that, yeah, in nature, you have branches, rocks and botanical materials scattered about on the bottom of streams in a seemingly random, disorderly pattern. Or..are they? Could it be that current, weather events, and the processes of physical decomposition distribute materials the way they do for a reason?

Could we benefit from replicating this dynamic in our aquariums?

And, is there not incredible beauty in that apparent "randomness?"

I think so.

Do you?

On a practical level, there are some things that you need to accept:

-You have to prepare all of the botanical materials you intend to add to your aquarium.

-You need to add them slowly, gauging the impact of their additions as you go.

-Your water may have a slight "haze" to it. This is likely caused by "fines" from the surface tissues of the botanicals after submersion, and possibly- from a "bloom" of bacteria resulting from their addition to the aquarium.

-The botanicals and leaves will start to develop stringy biofilms of bacteria on their surfaces. These will be present for much of the time that they are in the aquarium.

-The water will tint up slowly, and to a degree determined by the type and quantity of materials you add, as well as a number of other factors.

-You must be very patient as the aquarium breaks in.

-The materials that you added to the aquarium will begin to soften and break down after a few weeks, ultimately decomposing slowly. They should be replenished regularly.

-Detritus will begin to accumulate in your aquarium as the botanicals break down. You might want to keep it in your system.

-You need to accept a different definition of what a "clean" aquarium is, aesthetic-wise.

-The look of your aquarium will evolve over time as the botanical materials break down and are moved about by the fishes in the aquarium.

Can you handle all of that?

Yeah, it's different.

Well, a lot of it is, anyways. But not all of it.

Although botanical-style aquariums are not "set-and-forget" systems, they don't require maintenance or husbandry practices that are so much complex than what we do with any other systems. It's about water exchanges, cleaning and replacing filter media, monitoring water parameters, and observation.

The nitrogen cycle is the nitrogen cycle. No escaping that. And yes, our aquariums are not "open" natural systems- but they do respond and adapt to many of the same changes and inputs and influences that natural habitats do.

Some of this IS stuff we all know how to do and work with already.

It's a matter of marrying this stuff with a new mindset.

Yes, most of the adjustments and shifts we have to make are mental ones. The techniques we use are simply contextually-adapted versions of the same stuff we've been doing for generations in the aquarium hobby.

Ceding some of the "heavy lifting" to Nature is an uncomfortable, perhaps even scary thing for many hobbyists. It's not what we've been taught to do over generations in the aquarium hobby. We're taught to manage, control, dictate- not to accept.

As we've discussed before, a botanical-style aquarium has a “cadence” of its own, which we can set up- but we must let Nature dictate the timing and sequencing after that.

You kind of know the sequence here already, right? The sensory expectations and processes...

It starts with an empty tank. Then, there's lush fragrance exuded by crisp botanicals during preparation. The excitement of the initial “placement" of the botanicals within the tank. Taking it all in. 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.

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 of the "big picture stuff."

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. Stuff like that.

However, it's all about creating conditions for optimized function and evolution in our aquariums...

We "set the stage", so to speak.

Nature does the rest.

Much of the success and enjoyment that you will derive from a botanical-style aquarium is based on accepting and allowing Nature to do what She does, and continuing to embrace and appreciate her work in your tank.

Yeah, mental shifts abound in this hobby specialty; they're "foundational"- they're a huge part of what we need to accept in order to be successful with it. It's not "difficult" to create one of these tanks...once you've made those mental shifts.

If you're about to decide on creating a botanical-style aquarium, ask yourself the most basic question:

Are you up to the challenge? Will you answer Nature's call? 

Still interested?

I hope that you are. We certainly could use you in our world.

Stay open-minded. Stay curious. Stay diligent. Stay creative. Stay observant. Stay undaunted...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Manfiesto 2.0: The experience...

Someone just had to do it. 

Someone asked me about the underlying philosophy and "concept" behind Tannin and my interpretation of the place that the natural, botanical-style aquarium occupies in the aquarium hobby.

So, I took the bait. Here's the answer, J.C. It's sounding a lot more like a "manifesto" of sorts, but I suppose it's what I'm feeling today, lol.

Because you asked. 😆:

There is something very pure and evocative-even a bit "uncomfortable" about utilizing botanical materials in the aquarium. Selecting, preparing, and utilizing them is more than just a practice- it's an experience. A journey. One which we can all take- and all benefit from.

Right along with our fishes, of course.

The energy and creativity that you bring with you on the journey tends to become amplified during the experience. We don’t want everyone walking away feeling the same thing, quite the opposite actually. 

That uniqueness is a large part of the experience.

The experience is largely about discovery.

I believe that all aquarists are wildly curious about the natural world, but that they tend to "overcomplicate" what is unknown, not well understood, or outside of the lines of "conventional aquarium aesthetics and practices"-and literally "polish out" the true beauty of Nature in the process-often ascribing "rules" and "standards" for how our interpretations of Nature must look. 

Such rules, in my opinion, not only stifle the creative process- they serve to deny Nature the opportunity to do as She's done for eons- to seek a path via evolution and change to forge a successful ecosystem for its inhabitants. When we seek to "edit" Nature because the "look" of Her process doesn't comport with our sense of aesthetics, we are, in my opinion, no longer attempting to replicate Nature as it is.

Suffice it to say, there are NO rules in rediscovering the unfiltered art beneath the surface. Our "movement" believes in representing Nature as it exists in both form and function, without removing the very attributes of randomness and resulting function that make it so amazing.

We are utterly inspired by this.

The only "rules" that should be embraced are those which Nature has laid down over the millennia. Rules that govern the function of the natural aquatic environments of the world. "Rules" that dictate how biological processes work. 

We are about the preservation of biofilms, decomposition, and that "patina" of biocover that exists when terrestrial materials contact water.  The change in water color and chemistry as tannins and humic substances from leaves and botanicals work their way into the milieu.

Understanding that these materials physically break down and influence the environment...and that this process doesn't always conform to our hobby interpretation of what is "beautiful" leads to a greater appreciation of the ephemeral, the transitional. 

#blurthelines

It's a sexy hashtag that we've embraced over the years for Tannin- it sounds cool. Yet, it's one which, in my opinion, captures the ultimate "essence" of our philosophy.  A way of capturing aspects of nature in our aquarium in a manner that accepts it as it is, rather than how we want it to be. Understanding that, by allowing Nature to do what she does, we are truly blurring the lines between the wild aquatic habitats of the world and our aquariums.

Indeed, fostering a true slice of the natural world in our homes- in all of its splendor.

Simplicity. Complexity. Creativity. Transience. "Randomness."

We receive so many PM's, emails, phone calls, and other inquiries from hobbyists when we run pieces featuring pics and discussions about natural environments as topics for modeling our aquaria, excited about the details, and how they can be replicated in an aquarium.

This is a really cool thing.

Yet, sometimes, someone will pose a question like, "How does what you talk about differ from the concept of the "biotope aquarium" idea that you see so often in the hobby?"

It's a good one.

The answer is, it doesn't differ all that much, with the exception being that biotope aquariums, even though they seek to replicate much of the look and environmental conditions of a given habitat, yet seem to eschew some of the "functional" aspects. Like, they'll often incorporate some of the same materials that we do. They can nail the look and the pH and flow and light and such.

Yeah, many use leaves and botanicals beautifully. However, they're typically used more for the appearance-sort of like "props"- as opposed to facilitating decomposition, the growth of biofilms, microorganisms, fungal growths, etc. It's a bit less "functional" and a bit more "aesthetic", IMHO.

The difference between what they do and what we do us subtle. It's in the management; the nuance.

Although we might also make "geographic transgressions" and incorporate materials from different parts of the world to recreate the aesthetic part without apologies. We won't obsess over making sure that every twig, leaf, and seed pod is the exact type found in a given region. "Generic tropical" is okay by us when it comes to materials we use. Because we're about creating the function as much as-if not more than- the form. We're all about the overall picture. "Inspired by..." is our mantra.

We're seeing a greater understanding for the random beauty of Nature- in bother wild habitat images we study and the aquariums that we create.

And the cool thing that we've noticed is that every aquarium pic that is shared  by our community, which incorporates botanical materials and other elements of nature in a similar matter is studied, elevated..often celebrated- as a representation of the genius of nature in all of its random glory.

It makes sense.

We've made a collective "mental shift" as a community.

In my own rebellious way, I can't help but think that part of this enthusiasm which our community has for this stuff is that aquarium hobbyists in general have a bit of a "rebellious streak", too, and that maybe, just maybe- we're a bit well, "over" the idea of the "rule-centric", mono-stylistic, overly dogmatic thinking that has dominated the aquascaping and biotope aquarium world for the better part of a decade or two.

Again, my encouragement to you:

Maybe it's time to look at nature as an inspiration again- but to look at nature as it exists- not trying to sanitize it; clean it up to meet our expectations of what an aquarium is "supposed to look like."

And by the same token, understanding that not every hobbyist wants to-or can-go to the other extreme-trying to validate every twig, rock, and plant in a given habitat, as if we're being "scored" by some higher power- a universal "quality assurance team"- which must certify that each and every rock and branch is, indeed from the Rio Manacapuru, for example, or your work is just some sort of travesty.

I find that a bit too restricting for my taste.

Not that there is anything "wrong" with this pursuit, or that I take any issue with talented hobbyists who enjoy that route. I identify with them far more than the "high concept aquascaping" crowd for sure! I simply believe that there is a "middle ground" of sorts, where the celebration of the function of Nature is the primary influence, and accepting it and its function, while attempting to replicate it "as it is" -becomes the goal.

It's at the delta- the intersection of science and art.

It's where we play.

It's where we're most comfortable. 

Not everyone is. 

And, if you want to get really "meta" about this shit, think about it this way: The botanicals themselves already have a certain "feeling" and an "energy" to them. Everything we’ve done with them in our aquariums has been in response to using the botanicals as both the "armature" and "conduit" of the experience.

What happens next is in the hands of...Nature.

I'm pretty comfortable with that. 

I suspect that many of you might be, too.

Stay brave. Stay proud. Stay open. Stay diligent. Stay observant. Stay humble...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

More love for Mangroves...

Yeah, time to talk about that salty stuff again... 

When we launched "Estuary by Tannin Aquatics", our foray into the "botanical-style brackish aquarium", it was driven by an obsession with the functional and aesthetic aspects of this unique ecosystem. With a heavy emphasis on substrate, decomposition, and all of the good stuff that us "Tinters" seem to love, this more "honest" interpretation of the brackish water aquarium is proving irresistible to many of you!

It's something we're all sort of familiar with- yet it's all kind of new.

And it's starting to catch on...

Of course, when we are talking about brackish aquariums, we'd be completely remiss if we didn't mention the "stars" of this habitat, the Mangrove trees! In our practice , we'll focus on the readily available, reasonably hardy "Red Mangrove", Rhizophora mangle. 

Hardly what you'd call an "aquarium plant"- I mean it's a tree.

That being said, the Mangrove is an amazing tree that certainly has applications for aquariums- specifically, brackish aquariums. Now, without going into a long, long, recap of what mangroves are and how they function (You can Google this stuff and get hundreds of hits with more information than you could ever want), let's just say that mangroves are a group of trees and shrubs which live in the coastal intertidal zone, in areas of warm, muddy, and salty conditions that would simply kill most plants.

They possess specialized organs within their branches, roots, and leaves which allow them to filter out sodium, absorb atmospheric air through their bark, and generally dominate their habitats because of these and other remarkable adaptations.

There are about 100-plus different species, all of which are found between tropical and subtropical  latitudes near the equator, as they are intolerant of cold temperatures. Mangroves put down extensive "prop roots" into the mud and silt in which they grow, giving them the appearance of "walking on water." These root tangles help them withstand the daily rising/falling tides, and slow the movement of the water, allowing sediments to settle out and build up the bottom contours of the local ecosystem.

And of course, the intricate root system not only protects coastlines from erosion, it plays host to a huge variety of organisms, from oysters to fungi to bacteria  to fishes. The fishes use mangrove habitats as a feeding ground, nursery area, and a place to shelter from predators.

Okay, you get it. But how do we use these trees in the aquarium. And wait a minute, you're talking about a tree? WTF?

I have no illusions about using live Mangrove plants (available as "propagules") to serve as "nutrient export" mechanisms as they do in nature. You've seen this touted in the hobby over the years, and it's kind of silly, if you ask me. They just grow too damn slow and achieve sizes far beyond anything we could ever hope to accommodate in our home aquarium displays as full-grown plants with large-scale nutrient export capabilities. We've played with this idea in saltwater tanks for decades and it's really more of a novelty than a legit impactful nutrient export mechanism.

Mangroves can and will, however, reach a couple of feet or so in an aquarium over a number of years, and they may be "pruned" to some extent to keep them at a "manageable" size, similar to a "bonsai" in some respects.

Oh, and before you start going off on me about their unsuitability for aquariums or some ethical implications for their "removal" from the wild, let's talk for a second about how we acquire them and how they grow. First off, removing a growing mangrove tree or seedling from the natural environment is damaging, unethical, illegal in most areas, and essentially idiotic.

NO one should even consider doing that. Period. Propagules are readily, legally available, easy to sprout, and should be utilized by any hobbyist who is contemplating playing with these trees.

And of course, part of the attraction of mangroves is the biome in which they occur.

Mangrove communities tend to accumulate nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as some heavy metals and trace elements which become deposited into estuarine waters from terrestrial sources. These communities become sort of "nutrient sinks” for these materials.

And of course, Nature has a plan for this stuff: Mangrove roots, and the epiphytic algae often found on and among them, as well as bacteria, microorganisms, and a wide variety of invertebrates that reside there, take up and store the nutrients in their tissues.

Mangroves also function as continuous sources of carbon, nitrogen, and other elements, as their living material (i.e.; leaves and epiphytic organisms and plants) die and are decomposed. Tidal flushing assists in distributing this material to areas where other organisms may utilize it.   

And here's the other cool thing:

Leaf litter is extremely important in a Mangrove ecosystem! Other materials, including twigs, branches, and other botanical items, is a major nutrient source to  many creatures which function as "consumers" in these ecosystems.  A study conducted in the 1970's by Pool et al, showed that the leaf litter in brackish Mangrove ecosystems is composed of "...approximately 68 – 86 % leaves, 3 – 15 % twigs, and 8 – 21 % "miscellaneous" material."

Thanks for the  leaf litter "recipe", scientist friends! I mean, could we ask for more?

Now, let's be clear- Mangroves are different types of leaves than we are currently using in our blackwater tanks, but the concept is entirely familiar to us, right? (Oh, and by the way, it's totally okay to use mangrove leaves in your freshwater botanical-style blackwater aquarium!)

Once fallen, leaves and twigs decompose fairly rapidly in these habitats. As you might imagine, areas which have high tidal flushing rates, or which are flooded frequently, have faster rates of decomposition and export than other areas. Studies also found that  decomposition of red mangrove litter proceeds faster under brackish conditions than under fresh water conditions.

Oh, and as the researchers so eloquently stated, some of these habitats have "brownish-colored water, resulting from organic matter leaching from the mangroves."

Algal growth, biofilms, brown water...at 1.005 specific gravity. Does it get any better?

So, let's think of this for just a minute, in terms of "that thing we do"- botanical-style aquariums. Just change up the "media" from "blackwater" to "brackish water", with a specific gravity of 1.005-1.010. We collectively as a community  have a lot of experience managing higher-nutrient blackwater botanical systems, containing large numbers of leaves and other botanicals, right? Can this experience be applied to the brackish game? 

Of course it can!

Like our "conventional" (Shit, that's funny to say, huh?) botanical-style systems, the brackish system embraces the same use of decomposing leaves, wood, and botanicals, with the added variables of a rich, "sediment-centric" substrate and the dynamic of specific gravity to contend with. 

Interestingly, however, this type of system runs much like the blackwater, botanical-style systems that we are used to, with the exception that it is far more "nutrient rich" than the blackwater tanks. The dynamics of decomposition and the ephemeral nature of leaves and such in the water are analogous in many respects, as well.

Fungi and bacteria in brackish and saltwater mangrove ecosystems help facilitate the decomposition of mangrove material, just like in their pure freshwater counterparts. Interestingly, in scientific surveys, it's been determined that bacterial counts are generally higher on attached mangrove leaves than they are on freshly-fallen leaf litter, and this is kind of interesting, because ecologists feel that attached, undamaged mangroves leaves don't release much tannin, which, as we know might have some "anti-bacterial" properties. However, it's also been found that materials like humic acid, which are abundant in the mangroves, stimulate phytoplankton growth there. 

Interesting, right?

Well, to me it is, lol.

The leaves of mangroves, as they break down, become subject to both leaching of the compounds in their tissues, as well as microbial breakdown. Compounds like potassium and carbohydrates are commonly leached quickly, followed by...tannins! Fungi are the "first responders" to leaf drop in mangrove communities, followed by bacteria, which serve to break down the leaves further.

So, in summary, you have a very active microbial community in a brackish water aquarium!

And yeah, the water in a brackish system "configured" in this manner is decidedly tinted- largely a function of the mangrove branches and roots, which, as they break down, release a significant amount of color-producing tannins from their tissues.

It's hardly a secret that mangrove wood, leaves, and bark are loaded with these tannins! In fact, Red Mangrove bark is one of our favorite "secret weapons" for producing incredibly deep tint in all types of botanical-style aquariums!

Now, the management of a botanical-style brackish tank is really surprisingly similar to that of a typical blackwater aquarium. The biggest difference is the salt and perhaps a greater interest in a deep, very rich substrate. Now, one parameter I changed since the system began was to increase the specific gravity from 1.004 to 1.010 This was done because it is a sort of "sweet spot" that many of the fishes which I am interested in (gobies, rainbow fishes, chromides, mollies, etc.) seem to fare quite well at this slightly higher S.G.

Also, I've made no secret about a desire at some future point to do a brackish system where I slowly push things all the way up to like 1.021 (on the low end of natural seawater specific gravity) and incorporate corals and macro algae into the display, along with marine fishes! And, if I do execute this, the "creep" towards this higher S.G. will be made over a very long period of time (close to a year), so it will be advantageous for the resident fishes to adapt to full-strength marine water slowly. 

So, yeah, you're playing with salt...And, small concentrations of salt. Accuracy in measurement is essential.

HOT TIP: Get a digital refractometer. Pay real money and don't get a piece of shit toy. Consider it an essential tool to your hobby that you'd be foolish not to own. 

Do it. You won't regret it at all. Seriously.

And sure, managing a system that "floats" between two realms (freshwater and marine) seems like a bit of a balancing act, I know..because it is. However, it's not difficult. You simply apply the lessons you've learned playing with all of this crazy botanical-style blackwater stuff we talk about all the time.

Yes, you might kill some stuff, because you may not be used to managing a higher-nutrient brackish water system. You have a number of variables, ranging from the specific gravity to the bioload, to take into consideration. Your skills will be challenged, but the lessons learned in the blackwater, botanical-style aquariums that we're more familiar with will provide you a huge "experience base" that will assist you in navigating the "tinted" brackish water, botanical-style aquarium.

Now, this IS a different type of approach to brackish aquariums. 

However, it's likely not "ground-breaking", in that it's never, ever before been done like this before.

I just don't think that t's never been embraced like this before: Met head-on for what it is- what it can be, instead of how we wanted to make it (bright white sand, crystal-clear water, and a few light-colored rocks and seashells...A perfect example of Nature "edited" to our aesthetic "standards"). Rather, it's an evolution- a step forward out of the artificially-induced restraints of "this is how it's always been done"- another exploration into what the natural environment is REALLY like- and understanding, embracing and appreciating its aesthetics, functionality, and richness.  

In my opinion, the key to our "evolved" brackish-water aquarium approach is looking at the substrate- and the other materials which accumulate on the bottom of the aquarium- as an essential and highly important component of the system.

The bottom of this type of habitat is covered with a thin layer of mangrove leaf litter- and of course, that's part of the attraction here! This will not only provide an aesthetically interesting substrate- it will offer functional benefits as well- imparting minerals, trace elements, and organic acids to the water.

Mangrove leaf litter, like its freshwater counterpart, is the literal "base" for developing our brackish-water aquarium "food chain", from which microbial, fungal, and crustacean growth will benefit. And of course, these leaves will impart some tannins into the water, just as any of our other leaves will!

And you can play with many different types of substrate materials, ranging from sand to mud and everything in between. The richer the better, as far as I'm concerned. 

Again, a different approach, fro ma different angle.

The biggest headache. Fishes.

And of course, no brackish water aquarium is complete without brackish-water fishes...And traditionally, that has been a bit of a challenge, in terms of finding some  "different" fishes than we've previously associated with brackish aquariums. I think that this will continue to be a bit of a challenge, because some of the fishes that we want are still elusive in the hobby.

New brackish-water fishes will become more readily available when the market demand is there. In the mean time, we can focus on some of the cool fishes from these habitats which are currently available to us.

I think that the key, as always- is more and more hobbyists getting involved in this unique hobby specialty area.

I'm proud to have pushed this type of approach, and even prouder that many of you have been inspired to try it as well! Keep pushing outwards. Keep trying new approaches to things that might have been a bit "under-served" in years past...

Our work is cut out for us in the brackish world, for sure. 

Yet, this is so damn fun.

Stay fascinated. Stay bold. Stay diligent. Stay creative. Stay observant...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Startup and beyond...

There is something exciting about the earliest days of an aquarium, isn't there? After the initial "construction" work is done, there is that time when you sort of look back and allow the "dust to settle..." 

And that's just the very beginning...

The "startup phase" is NOT those first hours after you fire up the tank. Nope- it's a much longer affair...Like, maybe the first 6 weeks or so of the aquarium's existence. Yeah, these are the critical parts of the "startup" of an aquarium. 

I mean, there is a LOT of change that happens in a brand new tank over the first six weeks of its existence!

That's not to say that the very first moments of a new tank aren't the most exciting and even challenging, of course. There are problems to solve, adjustments to make, and observations to note.

I find the most "stressful" part of setting up a new aquarium to be those initial 24 hours after you set it up. You know, that time when the focus is on making sure that everything is up and running fine. It's also an "educational" time for you as a hobbyist, when you can sort of familiarize yourself with the way your aquarium operates.

It's a time when you learn to "read" your new tank...to recognize every sound the tank makes...to know what is a "normal" sound versus one that you don't want to hear. It's a time to make sure that the operating level of the water is optimal. A time to "dial in" your heater, pumps, etc.

And we tend to obsess over our tanks at this time, don't we?

Okay, at least I know that I do!

You know, making sure everything is running correctly- that tank isn't leaking...A time to make sure that the plumbing connections are tight, light and heater settings are correct, etc. 

But that's just the "mechanics" of your aquarium.

Getting those things buttoned up is important...And then the fun really begins.

You know, making the tank come alive.

Bringing it from a clean, dry,"static display" to a living, breathing microcosm, filled with life. This, to me is the most exciting part!

And how do we usually do it? I mean, for many hobbyists, we've been more or less indoctrinated to clean the sand, age water, add wood, arrange plants, and add fishes. And that works, of course. It's the basic "formula" we've used for over a century.

And it works...

Yet, I'm surprised how we as a hobby have managed to turn what to me is one of the most inspiring, fascinating, and important parts of our aquarium hobby journey into what is more-or-less a "checklist" to be run through- an "obstacle", really- to our ultimate enjoyment of our aquarium.

When you think about it, setting the stage for life in our aquariums is the SINGLE most important thing that we do. If we utilize a different mind set, and deploy a lot more patience for the process, we start to look at it a bit differently.

I mean, sure, you want to rinse sand as clean as possible. You want make sure that you have a piece of wood that's been soaked for a while, and..

Wait, DO you?

I mean, sure, if you don't rinse your sand carefully, you'll get some cloudy water for weeks...no argument there.

And if you don't clean your driftwood carefully, you're liable to have some soil or other "dirt" get into your system, and more tannins being released, which leads to...well, what does it lead to?

I mean, an aquarium is not a "sterile" habitat.

The natural aquatic habits, although comprised of many millions times the volumes of water that we have in our tanks- are typically not "pristine"- right? I mean, soils from terrestrial geologic activity carry with them decomposing matter, leaves, etc, all of which impact the chemistry, oxygen-carrying capacity, biological activity, and of course, the visual appearance of the water.

And that's kind of what our whole botanical-style aquarium adventure is all about- utilizing the "imperfect" nature of the materials at our disposal, and fostering and appreciating the natural interactions which take place in aquatic habitats. Understanding that descriptors such as "crystal clear" and "pristine" only apply to some aquatic habitats, and that there is real beauty in all types of aquatic habitats.

Indeed, the real "magic", in many instances, occurs in the more murky, turbid, not-so-crystal-clear waters of the world. And if we understand and accept this, we're likely to start our aquariums with a bit less concern over absolute sterile perfection.

We can embrace the mindset that every leaf, every piece of wood, every bit of substrate in our aquariums is actually a sort of "catalyst" for sparking biodiversity and yes- a new view of aesthetics in our aquariums.

I'm not saying that we should NOT rinse sand, or soak wood before adding it to our tanks. What I AM suggesting is that we don't "lose our shit" if our water gets a little bit turbid or there is a bit of botanical detritus accumulating on the substrate. And guess what? We don't have to start a tank with brand new, right-from-the-bag substrate.

Of course not.

We can utilize some old substrate from another tank (we have done this as a hobby for years for the purpose of "jump starting bacterial growth) for the purpose of providing a different aesthetic as well.

And, you can/should take it further: Use that slightly algal-covered piece of driftwood or rock in our brand new tank...This gives a more "broken-in look", and helps foster a habitat more favorable to the growth of the microorganisms, fungi, and other creatures which comprise an important part of our closed aquarium ecosystems.

In fact, in a botanical-style aquarium, facilitating the rapid growth of such biotia is foundational.

It's okay for your tank to look a bit "worn" right from the start.

In fact, I think most of us actually would prefer that! It's okay to embrace this. From a functional AND aesthetic standpoint. Employ good husbandry, careful observation, and common sense when starting and managing your new aquarium.

But don't obsess over "pristine." Especially in those first hours.

The aquarium still has to clear a few metaphorical "hurdles" in order to be a stable environment for life to thrive.

I am operating on the assumption (gulp) that most of us have a  basic understanding of the nitrogen cycle and how it impacts our aquariums. However, maybe we don’t all have that understanding. My ramblings have been labeled as “moronic” by at least one “critic” before, however,  so it’s no biggie for me as said “moron” to give a very over-simplified review of the “cycling” process in an aquarium, so let’s touch on that for just a moment! 

During the "cycling" process, ammonia levels will build and then suddenly decline as the nitrite-forming bacteria multiply in the system. Because nitrate-forming bacteria don't appear until nitrite is available in sufficient quantities to sustain them, nitrite levels climb dramatically as the ammonia is converted, and keep rising as the constantly-available ammonia is converted to nitrite.

Once the nitrate-forming bacteria multiply in sufficient numbers, nitrite levels decrease dramatically, nitrate levels rise, and the tank is considered “fully cycled.”

So, in summary, I suppose that you could correctly label your system “fully cycled” as soon as nitrates are detectible, and when ammonia and nitrite levels are undetectable.

This usually takes anywhere from 10 days to as many as 4-6 weeks, depending on a number of factors. In my experience, there are certainly some “cheats” you can use to speed up the process, such as the addition of some filter media or sand from a healthy, “mature” aquarium, or even utilizing one of the many commercially available “bacteria in a bottle” products to help build populations of beneficial bacterial populations. I hate cheating...but I kind of like some shortcuts on occasion!

So we have at least, for purposes of this discussion, established what we mean in aquarium vernacular by the term “fully cycled.”

With a stabilized nitrogen cycle in place, the real evolution of the aquarium begins. This process is constant, and the actions of Nature in our aquariums facilitate changes. 

And our botanical-style systems change constantly.

They change over time in very noticeable ways, as the leaves and botanicals break down and change shape and form. The water will darken. Often, there may be an almost "patina" or haziness to the water along with the tint- the result of dissolving botanical material and perhaps a "bloom" of microorganisms which consume them. 

This is perfectly analogous to what you see in the natural habitats of the fishes that we love so much. As the materials present in the flooded forests, ponds, and streams break down, they alter it biologically, chemically, and even physically. 

It's something that we as aquarists have to accept in our tanks, which is not always easy for us, right?Decomposition, detritus, biofilms- all that stuff looks, well- different than what we've been told over the years is "proper" for an aquarium. And, it's as much a perception issue as it is a husbandry one.  I mean, we're talking about materials from decomposing botanicals and wood, as opposed to uneaten food, fish waste, and such.

What's really cool about this is that, in our community, we aren't seeing hobbyists freak out over some of the aesthetics previously associated with "dirty!" 

It's fundamental.

And it's not like we've told ourselves that it's acceptable to not change water, siphon detritus, overstock, or overfeed. Nope. We can still perform excellent regular husbandry routines on botanical-style aquariums. We're still diligent aquarists. And we still might have so-called "dirty" looking water!

And, that's kind of what Nature wants, right?

Always remember that Nature plays by her own rules, developed over eons. When we accept Her rules, embrace Her aesthetics...and make a mental shift to something that the rest of the world might call messy- we can truly appreciate its real beauty.

We have made a collective mental shift. We've evolved, right along with our aquariums.

And it all begins right at the startup.

Stay patient. Stay ambitious. Stay curious. Stay excited. Stay diligent...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Adding to the "knowledge base"

In the aquarium hobby, we see progress in many ways. Sometimes, it's a straight-up breakthrough- like the spawning of a fish once thought impossible. Or, perhaps it's something incrementally more subtle- like figuring out a way to re-create a natural habitat previously ignored by the hobby. Maybe it's even more subtle than that...

The other day, I  took a longer-than-usual amount of time to sift through my Instagram feed, which of course, is littered with aquarium people, specifically, those who do aquascaping, biotope aquariums, etc.- stuff that's "right up my alley", as they say. 

As I looked at the posts, I saw many amazing things, ranging from the most base ("Buy our product! It's great!") to the work of amazing aquascaper-phlilosopher-types showing a pic of a single rock or twig in a cube-shaped tank, pondering "What's next?"

And it got me thinking.

What IS next?

What's the next thing we're going to do in the hobby?

What's the next "big breakthrough" that will be made? Will it be breeding that previously "impossible" fish? Will it be the creation of a new aquascape that inspires a generation? Or will it simply be a steady  progression of many things that make the hobby easier for all of us?

If you look at the "high concept" aquascaping world, it becomes obvious that the "next big thing" is definitely some evolution of the layout of an aquarium. Some different way of arranging rock, wood, and plants in a way that captures both our aesthetic sensibilities and our need to create living art in a way not previously attempted. A way to distill nature into something abstract, yet pragmatic. Perhaps still under Amano's shadow, but searching for its own identity, the aquascaping world moves ever forward.

If you look at the "mainstream hobby" world, it's definitely about acquiring and breeding new species of fishes...about reproducing and making more commonly available fishes which were previously considered too difficult to persuade to reproduce in our tanks. I think it has been for some time, and will continue to be.

And that's never a bad thing. 

This contrasted so powerfully with what I've seen in the reef aquarium world which I come from. It's a very different thing. 

Yeah, to me, it seems like it's this never-ending quest to achieve...something...with that next piece of high-tech gear or revision of husbandry, the hopes of the hobby's futures are pinned to attaining something different than what we are achieving now...maybe its spawning coral. Maybe it's simply acquiring different stuff...I suppose I'm deeply critical of this world, having devoted much of my life to it in the past couple of decades. I think the jury's still out on this one.

And of course, my mind moved on to what we do here at Tannin...

In our world of blackwater, decomposing botanicals, and more natural vibes, what is the next "breakthrough?" 

IS there a "breakthrough?" 

I don't think so.

Nope.

Rather, I think what we'll be seeing is progression. I think that the initial "breakthrough" has been simply the more popular acceptance of the blackwater/botanical style aquarium. That "mental shift" we've spoken about so often here.

When you take out the part about us "accepting the aesthetic" and the impact on the aquatic environment, it's simply about execution. We are in a phase now where the previously "freak-show" classification has been removed from blackwater aquariums, and they're now more popularly seen simply as another approach to aquarium keeping.

I think we are not seeing a particular, distinct "breakthrough" of any sort; Rather, the entire concept of playing with botanicals and blackwater aquariums is really a sort of "evolution" of sorts...a series of incremental successes based on experiments and bold attempts; governed by a type of change to our mindset. And a learning of technique.

Validating theories we might have had about stuff...or proving them invalid, as the case may be. It's about learning.

We are understanding the "capabilities" of botanicals, and how they impact the water chemistry. We're educating ourselves and reminding each other that they can't "soften" water, but they do have impact upon the pH and TDS of our systems. Part of what we do is to dispel rumors and assumptions about stuff that has been hanging around in our hobby "mindset" for decades... 

I'm not certain how this idea that botanicals can "soften" water emerged. This is a big "mental hurdle" for a lot of hobbyists. Overcoming the perception that just tossing in some Catappa leaves or other botanicals into the aquarium will somehow "soften" hard water is a real "thing" that a lot of people have had in their heads for some reason!

Realizing that the "look" is just that- the look- not indicative of  an aquarium's water parameters.

It's been a "mission" of sorts for me to help change this misconception...In the process, I think I've convinced a lot of enthusiasts to purchase RO/DI units over the years, lol! (RO manufacturers, please send your royalty checks to me...)

I think we're in an "execution" phase, getting to understand the regular workings of blackwater/brackish botanical-style aquariums- understanding the processes which occur in our tanks, and how they impact our fishes.

And yet...

We have so much to learn. 

I mean, sure, we know all about the aesthetics of tinted water...we know generally what tannins are and how they are present in water...However, we don't even know which of any dozens of possible tannins that the leaves, wood, and botanical materials we use produce, and which ones are found in the natural habitats we obsess over.

Gallic acid? Phloroglucinol? Flavins? Chlorogenic acids? Ipecaucuanic acids? Perhaps its enough to just have "tannins" in the water! However, perhaps the next evolution will involve specific types/classes of tannins produced by botanicals. What if we find out that specific tannins from specific plant materials influence fish health, color, or reproduction in specific ways?

Will that constitute a breakthrough? Or just an evolution in our understanding? Will it even be important, in the grand scheme of things? Will the mid 21st century commercial "blackwater extracts" actually be specific types of tannins and other substances derived or synthesized from botanicals from various materials found in the natural environments of our fishes, rather than just boiled bark and such? "Targeted" materials, rather than just a "brew" of assorted botanical extracts of as yet undetermined origin or effectiveness?

One could hope, right? 

Are we still "shooting from the hip" throwing in various leaves and botanicals and sort of "impacting" our closed aquatic habitat in a sort of generic manner, not really 100% certain if what we're adding is effective or not at achieving our desired goals? Just thinking to ourselves that, "...if the water is brown like it is in The Amazon, something good is happening?"

I think so.

I mean, we've come along way- but we have a long, long way to go until we really have a serious understanding of this stuff, and how to use it in the most optimum and efficient manner in our aquariums. Reminds me a bit of the first attempts at making synthetic saltwater. It's not simply a matter f throwing in some various salts and major/minor ions and POW! You've got a reef environment. Rather, there are trace elements, organic materials, etc. to consider...

A real "thing" to understand. 

Pretty exciting, really. From an aesthetic, environmental, and even commercial standpoint.

And we haven't really done ANYTHING yet on botanical-style, tinted brackish water aquariums...a whole new thing to play with.

As far as I'm concerned, our real understanding of the whole blackwater, botanical-style aquarium specialty is in its infancy, really.

I know, hobbyists have been playing with "blackwater aquariums" for decades; however, I think it has only been very recently that they've been viewed as more of an "approach" to maintaining fishes than they have as simply an unusual novelty of sorts. What's been fueling the growth is not just a fascination with the aesthetics, but a desire to understand the tangible benefits to our fishes. A desire to recreate a natural habitat. And a longing to do better than we have in the past.

Another evolution, really.

We're still at that exciting phase where we are working out the "hows and whys" of all of this stuff. We have many essential "best practices" more-or-less agreed upon, such as the idea of preparation of botanicals. We're digging the funky aesthetics...We have the mindset of going slowly, monitoring water chemistry, and studying carefully the impact of everything we add into our closed aquatic environments.

Of all of the things we do in our niche, perhaps what I'm proud of the most is that for our community, it's not simply "dump and pray" botanicals...Rather, it's study, prepare, plan, measure, observe, and adjust. Those who become part of our "tribe" know this, and impart this stuff to newcomers. 

Amazing.

What I find equally interesting is how we are seeing more and more hobbyists who breed fishes of various types (which come from blackwater habitats in nature) under more natural conditions provided by use of botanicals. Now, again, this is not a "new thing"- environmental manipulation.

However, it is a sort of acceptance that the use of botanicals and such to create conditions optimal for certain fishes to thrive and reproduce in is a good way to go. A sort of realization that yes- the stuff works for this purpose.

What's next in our botanical world? 

Refinement. Assessment. Adjustment. Study. Application. Failures. Successes.

Understanding...

And each and every one of us is contributing to the body of knowledge that is the blackwater botanical world. 

Yes- we're ALL part of "what's next." We all have an opportunity to contribute to the burgeoning "knowledge base" in our area of hobby obsession.

Isn't that exciting?

I think that it is!

Stay enthusiastic. Stay engaged. Stay excited. Stay curious. Stay patient...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

The "green" component of our brown world...

One of the most common questions and points of discussion we receive and engage in here at Tannin is, "Can you keep aquatic plants in blackwater?"

And of course, the answer is 100%, unequivocally "YES!"

I'll be the first to admit that I am not an expert on aquatic plants by any means, and any discussion on plants which I present is by nature rather superficial and limited.  Like, I enjoy plants, but I"m hardly obsessed with them! However, I did do a lot of research, read a number of scientific papers, and had some good discussions with those "in the know" about which aquatic plants are commonly associated with these habitats over the years.

The interesting common denominator about this topic- like so many others when it comes to blackwater, is that there is simply a lack of good information and an abundance of speculation, assumption, and downright misinformation floating about out there in cyberland...

So, yeah, a lot of 

I think the misconception that plants can't grow in blackwater partially originates from the long-standing opinion in the hobby that "Blackwater aquariums are unstable/hard to manage/dark and foreboding", and merges with the well-trodden and partially factual "narrative" that says that, since many parts of say, the Rio Negro essentially have no aquatic plants, that "plants can't live in any blackwater habitats."

I was able to glean some information that might be of use to you in this regard, and with all of the interest, it seems like an appropriate time to be discussing this stuff!

First, let's just clarify the "plants in Amazonia" thingy real fast.

There are two primary areas of interest in our particular botanical-centric habitat focus, besides just the better-known blackwater rivers, such as the Rio Negro, where plants are found.

The Varzea are seasonally-flooded forest areas, which are inundated by pH-neutral "whitewater" (ie; not significantly stained by tannins), and can reach significant depths, whereas the Igapo are generally shallow, blackwater environments with relatively low nutrient content and acidic soils. Varzea forests are extremely rich, which leads to a very rich aquatic ecosystem when inundated, and tend to have greater density of aquatic plants. Várzea forest soils have high nutrient contents because they receive high loads of sediment (from the Andean and pre-Andean regions) from the whitewater rivers nearby.

Igapó forests, by contrast, do not receive this seasonal influx of sediments , which is why they have relatively inorganic nutrient- poor soils. Igapo waters are acidic, with a pH ranging between 4 and 5, and are rich in organic materials- particularly humic and fulvic acids. It is also thought by scientists that the seasonal inundation of the Igapo soils creates anoxic conditions, limiting plant growth in general. Low concentrations of nutrients associated with acidity typical of areas of igapó are the main factors which explain the low quantity of aquatic plants in these systems. Floating Species are rare, also.

So, you CAN keep aquatic plants in blackwater aquaria intended to replicate, to some extent, either of these botanically-influenced habitats. Obviously, the Varzea-type flooded forests are more conducive to aquatic plant growth.

And here is the part which probably feeds into the "you can't grow plants in blackwater" myth: 

The other important factor affecting plant growth in these aquatic habitats is light; or specifically, light penetration. This affects diversity of both the terrestrial grasses and aquatic plants present in the waters. In the blackwater Igapo areas, light only penetrates down to depths of  1-2 meters, and many submerged grasses and terrestrial forest plants simply die back from lack of light. And the forest canopy adds to the shading in some areas, further reducing the amounts of light available to plants. Varzea tend to be more "open", and a greater abundance of light, and therefore, light penetration, occurs.

Of course, you can grow Amazonian plants in blackwater aquariums, such as the broad-leaved dwarf Amazon sword plant (Echinodorus quadricostatus), which prefers the dim conditions of blackwater rivers. And, other plants- particularly floating plants, such as Water Hyacinth (Eichornia), Salvinia, and others, such as Cabomba, Ludwigia, Nymphaea, Heteranthera, Myriophyllum, Lilaeopsis, just to name a few.

Now, there is one area which comes to mind immediately when we talk of blackwater habitats with aquatic plants: Southeast Asia- particularly, Borneo.

And when we think of Borneo, what comes to mind more than the darling of the plant world, Bucephalandra? And of course, my personal fave family of plants, Cryptocoryne. If ever there were "poster children" for blackwater-native/tolerant aquatic plants, either of these two genera would be the ones.

Interesting to me is the use by many hobbyists of low pH substrates and leaf litter in their culture ( a lot of the blackwater Crypt. "players" use Catappa, etc. in a ground up form, almost like a "mulch" of sorts...A cool use for our "Mixed Leaf Media" and "MLM2", I'd say! ).

Interestingly enough, many of the so-called "blackwater Crypts" also tend to "melt" if they are in soils that are too nutrient rich...There's obviously some "happy medium" here that we need to consider. This is where we can really lean on our friends I the planted aquarium community. Lots to take in here, but a lot which plays right into our fascination with botanical-style blackwater aquariums!

And what about Africa? It's more than just Anubias... You have the popular and sexy Bolbitis, and a few others...

I think that a considerable amount of time needs to be spent by members of our community simply reaching out to our friends who are into aquatic plants...the knowledge and commonalities are remarkable. We simply need to discuss and understand the realities of keeping plants in blackwater versus the more "traditional" " clearwater" aquarium.

In general, there are a few issues we should consider when it comes to aquatic plants in blackwater aquariums..the primary one being that theme we've touched on before:

It's a known fact that light doesn't penetrate as effectively in the tinted water of blackwater environments. That's ONE of the reasons you typically don't see a lot of algae in many blackwater systems. And floating plants, of course, tend to do well-because you don't really have the "light penetration factor" influencing them as much as say, rooted plants. Light penetration is a limiting factor, other things being "more-or-less" equal, right? 

Well, yeah...you can compensate with brighter light...the beauty of LEDs, right? And of course, just having light in our tanks isn't enough.

The other big issue to consider when keeping aquatic plants in blackwater aquariums is that, to some extent, the well-trodden opinion that blackwater may be described as more "nutrient poor", and having much lower ionic concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium than clearwater environments.

So how do you overcome this?

You fertilize your tank- just like you do in a "clearwater" system. You'll probably have to adjust your doses to compensate for the near lack of the above-referenced major ions, but it's pretty much that simple, in my experience. You'll use more fertilizers. And if you're growing plants that rely on rich substrates, like Cryptocoryne, I've found that you really don't have to do all that much differently than you do in a "clearwater" tank. Like, use rich substrates and fertilize supplementally as required.

Easy.

Well, in theory, right?

One thing you won't hear me talking about is the use of CO2. Not because I don't recommend it or believe in it- it's simply because I don't personally have a lot of experience with using it... I mean, I understand using CO2 with calcium reactors in reef tanks; of course, not being a plant guy, I don't use it in freshwater tanks.

That being said, I have many friends who use CO2 in blackwater tanks with a tremendous degree of success...

I think the job I'll continue to take on here at Tannin will be to encourage aquatic plant enthusiasts, and those who want to keep aquatic plants in blackwater aquariums- to go for it and do great work! There is significant potential to create blackwater aquariums that are designed around plants! 

The simple reality is that you absolutely can keep a lot of different aquatic plants in blackwater tanks, with tremendous success. It's simply a matter of compensating for the environmental parameters which need to be augmented (ie; lighting, fertilization...), and doing what you already know how to do.

If you're into environmental/biotopic authenticity, you'd want to look at what plants are found where, of course- but the bottom line is that the variety of plants that you can keep in generic blackwater aquariums is  surprisingly significant!

I think the job I'll continue to take on here at Tannin will be to encourage aquatic plant enthusiasts, and those who want to keep aquatic plants in blackwater aquariums- to go for it and do great work. 

The simple reality is that you absolutely can keep a lot of aquatic plants in blackwater tanks, with tremendous success. It's simply a matter of compensating for the environmental parameters which need to be augmented (ie; lighting, fertilization...), and doing what you already know how to do. If you're into environmental/biotopic authenticity, you'd want to look at what plants are found where, of course- but the bottom line is that the variety of plants that you can keep in generic blackwater aquariums is significant!

Areas to explore here include the continued "enrichment" of the substrate and overall aquatic environment with botanical materials, use of varying light intensities, and- once again, CO2.

There is a fair amount of "catch-up" work that we as botanical-style aquarium hobbyists have to do when it comes to aquatic plants

So...the answer is that you CAN. The challenge is that you SHOULD. The exciting part is that you WILL help dispel the "you can't keep plants in blackwater" myth once and for all...

We just need to stay at it, observe our tanks carefully, and share our experiences.

Stay diligent.Stay excited. Stay curious. Stay bold. Stay observant...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

The continuous evolution of aquatic habitats: In Nature and the aquarium...

Some of the most amazing comments we receive after sharing underwater pics of the wild habitats of Amazonia and elsewhere are from hobbyists who, at first, thought that some of these pics were from someones' aquarium! In a few instances, some of the close ups of botanical-themed aquaria are virtually indistinguishable from wild scenes!

That says a lot. 

What an incredible dynamic!

Blurring the lines between nature and the aquarium, at the very least, from an aesthetic sense- and in many aspects, from a "functional" sense, proves just how far today's hobbyists have come...how damn good you are at what you do. And how much more you can do when you turn to nature as an inspiration, and embrace it for what it is.

I'm not telling you to turn your back on the modern popular aquascaping scene; to disregard or dismiss the brilliant work being done by aquascapers around the world, to develop a sense of superiority or snobbery, and conclude that everyone who loves this stuff is a sheep...

Noooooo.

Not at all.

I'm simply the guy who's passing along the gentle reminder from nature that we have this great source of inspiration that really works! Rejoice in the fact that nature offers an endless variety of beauty, abundance, and challenge- and that it's all there, free for us to interpret it as we like. It's not all perfect "rule of thirds" or flawless layouts and such.

Some of us just happen to like things bit more "natural" than others...

Blur the lines.

And, part and parcel in this philosophy is the practice of evolving your aquarium in ways that you may not have initially envisioned. 

Huh?

Okay, let's say that you're kind of over your Southeast Asian Cryptocoryne biotope, and ready to head  out to South America. So, rather than tearing up the entire tank, removing all of the plants, the hardscape, the leaves and botanicals, and the substrate, you opt to remove say, only the plants and perhaps the driftwood/rocks from the tank; exchange a good quantity of the water. 

You leave the botanicals and substrate intact and move on from there...

Woooah! Crazy! You're a fucking rebel...

I know. I know. This isn't exactly earth-shattering. 

Yet, in our world of the botanical-style aquarium, the idea of leaving the substrate and leaf litter/botanical "bed" intact as you "remodel" isn't exactly a crazy one. And conceptually, it's sort of replicates what occurs in Nature, doesn't it?

Most underwater habitats emerge, accumulate, populate, evolve...and change.

Constantly.

Yeah, think about this for just a second...

As we almost constantly discuss, habitats like flooded forests, meadows, vernal pools, igarape, and swollen streams tend to encompass terrestrial habitats, or go through phases where they are terrestrial habitats for a good part of the year. Or, perhaps they're different types of aquatic habitats at different times of the year.

In these wild habitats, the leaves, branches, soils, and other botanical materials remain "in place", or are added to by dynamic, seasonal processes like current, weather, and cyclical leaf drop from trees. For the most part, the soil, branches, and a fair amount of the more "durable" seed pods and such remain present during both phases.

The formerly terrestrial physical environment is now transformed into an earthy, twisted, incredibly rich aquatic habitat, which fishes have evolved over eons to live in and utilize for food, protection, and complex, protected spawning areas. 

I cannot stress how insanely cool and important it is to recognize this dynamic and its impact on fishes. We've talked about this endlessly here- but each time I think about and play with the idea, my mind goes crazy with inspiration! 

All of the botanical material-shrubs, grasses, fallen leaves, branches, seed pods, and such, is suddenly submerged; often, currents re-distribute the leaves and seed pods and branches into little pockets and "stands", affecting the (now underwater) "topography" of the landscape.

Leaves begin to accumulate. Detritus settles.

Soils dissolve their chemical constituents- tannins, and humic acids- into the water, enriching it. Fungi and micororganisms begin to feed on and break down the materials. Biofilms form, crustaceans multiply rapidly.  Fishes are able to find new food sources; new hiding places..new areas to spawn.

Life flourishes.

The habitat has evolved- transformed by unstoppable, constant natural processes.

Sooo...

When you remove much of the hardscape, plants, etc. from the aquarium as you "evolve" it into something else-some other idea- yet leave the substrate, some of the hardscape, leaves, etc. intact, you're essentially mimicking this process in a most realistic way. In fact, in an absolutely natural way, really.

Sure, a "makeover" of an aquarium can be a seriously disruptive event.

On the other hand, if you take the mindset that this is a "transformation" of sorts, and act accordingly, it becomes more of an evolutionary process.

Okay, I might just be torturing this simple idea to death- I admit this point that I'm probably not adding much more to the "recipe" here; likely simply being redundant and even a bit vague...However, I think we need to think about how interesting and indeed, transformative this simple practice is.

And yeah, I'll concede that we probably don't have every answer on the processes which govern this stuff.

For example:

The most common question I get when it comes to taking out a fair amount of this material and then "continuing" the tank is, "Will it cycle again?"

And the answer is...It could.

On the other hand, here is my personal experience:

Remember, I keep a sort of diary of most of my aquarium work. I have for over three decades (gulp...). Just random scanning my "diary", I see that I have executed this practice dozens of times in all types of aquariums, ranging from simple planted aquariums to hardscape-only tanks, to botanical-style, blackwater and brackish aquariums, to reef tanks.

Not once- as in never- have I personally experienced any increase in ammonia and nitrite, indicative of a new "cycle."

Now, this doesn't mean that I guarantee a perfect, "cycle-free" process for you.  I'd be a complete asshole if I asserted that.

On the other hand, by leaving the bulk of the substrate material intact, and continuing to provide "fuel" for the extant biotia by leaving in and adding to the botanicals present in the aquarium, this makes a lot of sense.

I personally think our botanical-style systems, with their diverse and dynamic biology, rebound quickly. Much like the natural systems they purport to represent.

Sure, I have in place a mindset and husbandry practices that assure success with this idea.

Personally, I don't think that botanical-style aquarium are ever "finished." They simply continue to evolve over extended periods of time, just like the wild habitats that we attempt to replicate in our tanks do...

The continuous change, development, and evolution of aquatic habitats is a fascinating, compelling area to study- and to replicate in our aquaria. I'm convinced more than ever that the secrets that we learn by fostering and accepting Nature's processes and dynamics are the absolute key to everything that we do in the aquarium.

They're by no means difficult to learn- if we give Nature the chance, observe closely, and don't attempt to "polish out" or "edit" every aspect of Nature that we find a challenge to our aesthetic sensibilities...

Push yourself.

Embrace  all of the dynamics that Nature can bring. Push yourself beyond the traditional "comfort zones" that the aquarium hobby has imposed on us for generations. Break free. 

Blur the lines...

Stay observant. Stay diligent. Stay creative. Stay open-minded. Stay challenged...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Jumping' into Jackfruit leaves!

As a long-time practitioner of the the botanical-style, blackwater aquarium, I've devoted many years to studying sourcing, and utilizing all sorts of botanical materials for use in my tanks. Sometimes, it hits me how incredibly geeked-out I am about the idea of playing with leaves and stuff.

I admit, it makes me smile when I realize that I've brought a level of geekiness to something as esoteric as "twigs, nuts, and 'dirty water' aquariums" (as one of my reefing buddies gleefully pointed out) for my fellow hobbyists to enjoy. It's satisfying to have built a business based on this weird obsession!

I mean, I can talk for hours about this stuff!

As you know, it's kind of an ongoing mission of ours here at Tannin Aquatics to seek out, research, and experiment with all sorts of botanical materials and leaves in our aquariums.  (Damn, that sounded very" Star Trek" of me, huh?) Over the first several years of our existence, we've been privileged to have access to a variety of botanical materials which have not previously been used in aquariums. 

Every one in a while, I have to highlight some of my favorite botanicals- not out of some self-serving desire to push what's "hot", or not selling, or whatever...Rather, to celebrate, elevate, and share my love of some of them with you, "Tint Nation", because they're so damn cool!

And because, as my wife says...I'm a geek.

So be it. :)

And of course, you're no doubt shocked to hear that the botanical we're talking about today happens to be a leaf. ("WTF is it with leaves and Fellman?")

When it comes to leaves for aquarium use, I have tried quite a few types over the years, and one of my faves has to be the leaves of the Jackfruit tree (Artocarpus heterophyllus).  It's one we've offered for some time now, and it's always been sort of the forgotten stepchild of the more popular leaves we offer, which don't seem to get the level of love and devotion as Catappa and Guava, so I thought I'd share my love for them with you today!

Now, this tree is very common in some parts of the tropical world, such as Southeast Asia and India, and the fruit and leaves have been utilized as a food and used in traditional medicines for centuries. They are particularly abundant in India, and that's where our experience with them began. Jackfruit trees are often found overhanging rivers in India, dropping leaves into the water, and of course, imparting a brownish tint as they decompose! SO, right from the start, here's a leaf doing in Nature what we want it to do in our aquariums.

Cool.

Not surprisingly, Jackfruit leaves have been used by fish geeks in India to impart tannins into their aquarium water, much in the way Catappa, Guava, or other leaves are. A friend of ours, author/photographer/awesome fish breeder, Sumer Tiwari, told us they worked great with his killies and Dwarf Cichlids! And if you've seen his award-winning fishes, you'd give this a lot of thought and listen to the guy!

As a lover of botanicals, and leaves in particular, I was immediately interested, of course, and was able to lock down a terrific source for these unusual leaves, and began playing with them in my own tanks! Dutifully impressed with the results, we released them for sale to you, where they have become a "regular" in our lineup of botanical goodness!

And to our knowledge, at the time (around 2015) they hadn't really been that available regularly outside of their native regions for aquarium use before, and we were, of course, thrilled to be able to offer them to hobbyists!

Now, like all sorts of botanical materials we work with, Jackfruit and its leaves do contain compounds which are known by science to be beneficial for human health. 

It's long been documented by nutritional scientists that Jackfruit itself contains phytonutrients, such as lignans, isoflavones, and saponins, that have health benefits that are wide-ranging for humans. (Notice I'm emphasizing the "human" part yet again here?). Too many aquatics vendors are too quick to ascribe every human-related benefit from botanicals to fishes or shrimps, and I think that's kind of "reaching" a bit. I mean, sure, some of these things likely do "translate" to fishes, but I think it's a bit irresponsible to state absolutely that this is the case...

There is some conflicting data regarding jackfruit's antifungal activity. However, the leaves may exhibit a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity. In traditional medicine, these leaves are used to help heal wounds as well. Now, this is sort of similar to the attributes ascribed to Catappa, and there is probably a lot of "wiggle room", in terms of what they really can do and what we'd like them to do!

And, as we've said before- what some of these materials can do for humans, they may not necessarily do for fishes.

That being said, there are some things that we are aware of- mainly that they are durable, attractive leaves, which definitely can impart tannins into the water, giving it a nice tint! As mentioned above, we are not aware of any scientific studies that have been completed to correlate "medicinal" or "prophylactic" benefits of Jackfruit leaves specifically- to fishes or shrimps, one way or another- so for now, we're content to utilize these leaves for their aesthetics, biofilm "recruitment", durability, and proven ability to impart a tannin "tint" into aquarium water!

We do know that many of the chemical compounds contained in the leaves, as outlined above, are similar to those contained in Catappa leaves, and studies done on Catappa leaves do indicate some potentially anti-fungal properties in fishes...so... yeah.

From an aesthetic standpoint, these are nicely-shaped, high quality leaves that bring a very nice "tropical" aesthetic to the aquarium, as well as that tint we love so much around here! Jackfruit leaves look amazing as part of a mixed leaf litter bed, and are "strong enough" aesthetically to stand on its own, too! 

They will last a pretty long time- not quite as long as say, Magnolia, Mangrove, or Live Oak, but much longer than Catappa and Guava, in our experience.  And they hold their shape really nicely, sink rapidly after minimal prep, and stay down- all prerequisites for successful deployment underwater in an aquarium!

They will recruit biofilms on their surfaces, which, as most of you know, shrimp love to feed on (as well as consuming the leaves themselves as they soften). I've see my characins, dwarf cichlids, and small catfishes "grazing" continuously on their surfaces, making them a great candidate for any mixed leaf litter bed, IMHO!

Although our Jackfruit leaves are collected for us in an area that is free from pesticides or other contaminants, it's just good common sense to prep them before using in your aquarium. As with the other leaves we offer, we recommend that you rinse and/or steep them in boiling water before use, and add them gradually to your aquarium, so that you can gauge for yourself the impact they have on your water.

Our experience shows that they have a "tint capability" somewhere in between Guava and Catappa, although your results may vary, of course. This is a highly scientific assessment, of course (tongue firmly planted in cheek...)

As I talk about on a near-continuous basis here, the practice of adding terrestrial dried leaves and other botanicals to our aquariums for the purpose of influencing the environment and health of our fishes is growing and evolving daily. We're learning the good, the bad, and the erroneous attributes and implications of our craft.

Sometimes, it's just nice to take a minute or two to look at the materials that we've already had at our disposal, so that we can get a better picture of how they might fit into our next aquarium setup! (or vivarium or paludarium, as well! ). I hope this little love note to the Jackfruit leaf encourages you to give these guys another look when considering a mix of leaves for your botanical-style aquarium.

Until next time...

Stay curious. Stay experimental. Stay creative. Stay observant. Stay resourceful...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics