The Tint

Guest Editorial: "The Nature Aquarium Isn't Truly Natural!" By Jonny Archer

Beyond the botanical: Along came a...Kurrajong Pod!

When we curate botanicals for including in our collections, we look at stuff like the overall "utility" of the botanical  it's ability to affect the physical environment of the aquarium  and yeah, how it looks! Periodically, we'll stumble on a botanical that not only "checks all the boxes"- it tends to become an interesting "staple" to our botanical-style aquarium "practices" along the way.

Either the Kurrajong Pod.

This unique pod comes from the Kurrajong, or "Bottle Tree", Brachychiton populneus. These pods have a nice little opening and a hollow interior cavity that is just large enough for small fishes or shrimp to hang out in! I suppose it's what you'd end up with if you crossed a "Jungle Pod" with a Cariniana Pod! 

Well, maybe.

The Kurrajong Tree is native to Victoria, Queensland, and New South Wales in Australia. However, it has been distributed as an "ornamental" tree throughout the world because of it's hardiness and noteworthy drought resistance. In fact, the tree utilizes its extended trunk as a water storage "device" for survival in a warm dry climate. In fact, the aboriginal tribes of Australia discovered millennia ago that water could be obtained from the tree roots by boring a hole in the trunk and squeezing the wood, making it an important supplemental resource in arid climates!

And of course, the Kurrajong Tree's usefulness doesn't end there. It has been noted that the seeds located in a seed pod were often removed and cleaned of the fine hairs within the seed pod (more on these little bastards later...) and were often roasted and eaten. And it was also documented by researchers that the seed pods themselves were used as rattles for children! I love the resourcefulness of these indigenous people- nothing is wasted.

Sometimes Brachychiton populneus is also known by the names "Lacebark Kurrajong" and simply as "The Bottle Tree"- particularly in North America, where they are often employed as ornamental trees in parks and other open spaces as part of the landscape.

Originally classified in the family Sterculiaceae, which is now within Malvaceae, it's an evergreen tree, which grows up to 40 feet (12 m) in height. They flower in late spring, and this event is followed by the appearance of the woody, brownish seed pods that we treasure so much!

As mentioned before, these pods contain seeds that are covered in stiff hair that penetrates the skin and hurt like a mother------! In fact, the genus name Brachychiton comes from two Greek words, meaning "short", and "tunic", an allusion to the bristles surrounding the seed in the fruit! (for those who must know, the species name, populneus, comes from Latin and means  "poplar-like"; as the the leaves resemble those of Populus species.)

Fortunately for our customers, we go the extra mile and make the effort to remove the seeds from the pods before we offer them for sale. It's an important and rather prickly practice, but it ensures the safety and usefulness of the pods for our purposes!

They're super nasty little seeds, but easy to remove. It's just a pain, but I've actually gotten pretty good at it over time.

Now, the preparation for these seed pods doesn't stop with the removal of the little seeds...These are "super lightweight" pods, yet have a hard, woody exterior, and will require some boiling to get them to saturate and sink. Usually, this can be accomplished in about 45 minutes or so.

They might occasionally "close up" a bit over time after submerged, but the opening is easily pried back open with a tweezers. They tend to darken up, yet last a good long time, holding their unique shape for many months, in my experience.The specimens in the pic below were in one of my tanks for about 4 months when they were removed for this pic...

Like many of the botanicals we offer, they have what I like to call "generic botanical flexibility"- another one of my fun, made-up expressions for something that is a great stand-in for materials which you might find on the substrate in any tropical aquatic habitat. Small fishes and shrimps tend to use them as a foraging area and even as a little "cave" to hide in.

The likelihood of these particular botanicals ever being actually found in an underwater habitat is probably next to nil. It is frequently found in dry scrub areas and occasionally extends into the edges of the nearby rainforest. Although, according to at least one description, it occurs, "...in the upper catchments of rivers and on rocky hilltops" throughout its range, it seems unlikely to me that you'd find these pods in water where tropical fishes reside in nature.

(Image by Philmarin, used under CC BY-SA 3.0)

That being said (and now that I burst your bubble), I think that these are really cool for our purposes!  That little "taco shell" opening has a certain appeal for small fishes, and the overall look of these botanicals definitely adds a little "something" to your botanical-style aquarium!

Until next time...

Stay curious. Stay smart. Stay experimental. Stay creative...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Scheming. Executing. Evolving. A Day in the Life..

One of the things I've resigned myself to do (oh, darn!) is to re-do my personal aquariums from time to time to give you some new looks; execute some new concepts, create some interest, and stimulate new ideas. Now, as I've shared with you before, I tend to be slow to change. I've never been a big fan of just changing up tanks. That being said, it IS pretty fun to play around and switch stuff up now and again, particularly when it's a theme or approach that I haven't played with in a while.

The other day was such a day. My good friend and Tannin's Creative Director/world class aquascaper/enabler Johnny Ciotti and I tackled a re-do of my home blackwater aquarium.There was no doubt what I wanted to try this time: A planted, Southeast Asia-themed planted blackwater aquarium. Not a "biotope" by any stretch- just a fun tank with a few different fishes that I've wanted to keep in a blackwater tank for a long time!

Now, I admit, it's been a while since I've personally done a planted aquarium of any type, let alone, a blackwater one! The "concept" for my tank was pretty straightforward: I wanted to do an interpretation of one of my "go-to" 'scaping ideas- an aquascape built up around the idea of an old tree stump, partially buried by sediment and overgrown by aquatic plants. I've done it before, but not with a planted blackwater execution.

I think I love the idea of something "old and submerged", randomly covered by natural growth! Call it "wabi-sabi", call it "cliche"- call it whatever you want, but I think it's a wonderful expression- in a planted tank sort of way- of our philosophy of "evolving". That is to say, letting a certain degree of "randomness" in terms of plant growth, decomposition of leaves, etc.

Sooo.

We used some different materials this time. Specifically, the "medium" Asian Driftwood pieces we now offer. If I may drift into sales mode for just a second- if you are looking for some nice-sized, gnarly (LOL) and really attractive pieces for your next scape, these babies are strong contenders!

I don't know why I chose to call 'em "medium", because they are all like 15"- 20"/38.10-50cm. or more. (well, to ME that's on the large size, lol). And they're reasonably-priced for sizable peices, too. Sure, the name "Asian Driftwood" isn't as straight-up sexy as "Old Japanese Forest Wood" or whatever the "flavor de jour" is this month among the aquascaping fanboys and girls; however, it's an accurate description of what it is and where it comes from. And it's, well- "kick ass" stuff!  

Trust me on that.

After it gets through that brand-new wood" phase and gets that certain "patina" and loses that "cleanness", this wood will look truly incredible, with a really terrific vibe.

So, after deciding on the pieces we were going top utilize, it was  on to the assembly process. And of course, it was about this time that John, who among other things, is my social media "ass kicker", whipped out his cel phone, stuck it in my face, opened up Instagram, and was like, "Dude- we're live. Talk." 

And of course, with the experience and bravado borne of 15 years of speaking at clubs and conferences coursing through my veins, it was time to "light it up" with my brilliance. And basically what I did for an hour was just talk semi-coherently about whatever nonsense we were doing, and answer questions when I could, with John providing the "color commentary" on the planted stuff which he knew so well.

Total fun, and I promise to do this regularly. I'll only get better at it the more I do it. Maybe we'll even do "The Tint" in a video "live" format! Good times.

As you likely surmised, we left this tank essentially intact, in terms of the substrate  water, and filtration. This practice always makes transitions like this one a lot easier to execute, because you have what amounts to a pretty biologically functional tank from day one.

We decided to use some rock in this tank- partly to hold down the substrate and wood, and also to provide the desired stream aesthetic. We selected a rock called "Golden Stone", which has a very complimentary color and interesting texture.

For plants, we went with some of my faves- Cryptocoryne parva, which is almost "Saggitaria- like" in appearance, Nymphaea, and Cryptocoryne wendetii "Brown". I have a "one off" Crypt species (Cryptocoryne i-don't-know-what-the-hell-it's-called). The idea is to have a nice mass of green/red/brown spreading out over the wood and rocks and substrate. We started with a fair amount of plants, and I need to add several more little Crypts...Again, the idea was to achieve a very "old" look as soon as possible.

Now, with all of my new tanks, I am excited at the "settling in" process. I can't wait until that "patina" of biofilm and algal turfs forms on the wood and exposed rock (it won't be exposed indefinitely). As you have surmised by now, I strongly dislike the "sterile" clean aesthetic that is so popular these days in scapes. I like the established, "old-looking" vibe that strong growth, biocover, and tint bring!

And of course, we haven't really discussed the botanical aspect of the tank yet! Of course, there will be leaves. For the bulk of the leaf litter, we'll be enjoying my new fave, Texas Live Oak leaves, with a mixture of small Guava Leaves and Yellow Mangrove Leaves thrown in for good measure.

Other botanicals that will be in this 'scape will be Borneo Catappa Bark pieces and something a bit different- "Mini" Coco Palm Bracts, which form a sort of "semi-permanent" bottom cover; a supplement to the more ephemeral leaf litter. It's a mix I haven't played with before, so it will be interesting to see how it plays out on the substrate!

For fishes, we started with the insanely cool "Kubotai Rasbora", Microdevario kubotai. This fish is a perfect inhabitant of this type of tank. It's colorful, though not over the top, incredibly peaceful, and ceaselessly active! 

The other fish that is "in house" at the moment is the "Snakeskin Barb", Desmopuntius rhomboocellatus, which has really become my fave Barb over time. This fish is a fantastic, surprisingly calm Barb that is plant-friendly, community-friendly, and colorful, too! 

The next phase of fishes will likely include another species of Rasbora, Trigonostigma hengeli, which will be a fantastic contrast with the other guys. I'm also thinking very strongly about a group of Pearl Gouarami, Trichopodus leerii. I have always loved this fish, and have long wanted to do a tank around their unique "look." 

Finally, I want very badly to include a few Loaches- perhaps one of the most under-represented groups of fishes in the hobby, IMHO. Which species, I'm still pondering...Any suggestions? With an open-top, and a proclivity for jumping, it may be one of those gambles. However, with the large number of hiding places my 'scape will provide, it's a risk I might feel worth taking.

We'll see!

So, that's where we're at now. I'll probably hop on Instagram Live at some point today to show you the addition of the leaf litter/botanicals, and give a little update. It will be a lot of fun to see this tank evolve towards that "aged" look and biological maturity. Always open to your questions, comments, and suggestions!

Fun to have you on for the ride!

Stay engaged. Stay excited. Stay creative. Stay patient...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Mixing, enriching...and learning...The dynamics of the botanical substrate...

One of the things I've always been a fan of in my aquarium keeping work is to allow nature to take its course in some things. I have this "thing" about not wanting to mess with stuff once it's up and running smoothly. Like, I will engage in regular maintenance (ie; water exchanges, etc.), but I avoid any heavy "tweaks" as a matter of practice.

In particular, I tend not to disturb the substrate in my aquariums. I think that it's because I imagine the substrate as this magical place which fuels all sorts of processes within our aquariums, and that nature tends to it in the most effective and judicious manner.

We talk about the concept of "substrate enhancement" or "enrichment" a lot in the context of botanicals (we tend to use the two terms interchangeably). We're not talking about "enrichment" in the same context as say, planted aquarium people, with materials put into the substrate specifically for the benefit of plants.

Rather, "enrichment" in our context refers to the addition of botanical materials for creating a more natural-appearing, natural-functioning substrate- one which provides a haven for microbial life, as well as for small crustaceans, biofilms, and even algae, to serve as a foraging area for our fishes and invertebrates. There is something oddly compelling to me when I look at both aquariums and natural biotopes with a diverse, interesting bottom structure.

I'm fascinated by alternative substrates in our aquariums.  Not just for plants, mind you, but for creating more realistic representations of what we find in nature...We've talked a lot about the composition of substrates within the waters of the natural habitats we love so much. And I keep coming back to it. I played around with this idea a lot in my brackish water aquarium, and it's fascinating...and fun!

It's funny, the planted aquarium world has made enormous strides in areas like lighting, fertilization, development of nutritive soils, and tissue culture of plants, but it seems to me that everything is geared around aggressively planted tanks, as opposed to stuff for the overall aquatic environment. I think this is an area where we as botanical-style aquarists can borrow from and contribute to with our work.

What has been lacking, IMHO, is development by manufactures of substrates based on the the materials found  in wild niche habitat, like flooded forests, seasonal streams, rivers, etc.- where so many of our fishes actually come from.  I think it's an area where we as hobbyists can make some real strides! 

If you've seen pictures and videos taken underwater in tropical streams (again, I'm pulling heavily from the Amazonian region), you'll note that there is a lot of loose, soil-like material over a harder mud/sand substrate. Obviously, using an entirely mud-based substrate in an aquarium, although technically possible- will result in a yucky mess whenever you disturb the material during routine maintenance and other tasks. You can, however, mix in some other materials with the more commonly found aquarium sands.

They are diverse harbors of life, ranging from fungal and biofilm mats, to algae, to epiphytic plants. Decomposing leaves, seed pods, and tree branches compose the substrate for a complex web of life which helps the fishes we're so fascinated by flourish. And, if you look at them objectively and carefully, they are beautiful.

I'm fascinated by the different types of soils or substrate materials which occur in blackwater systems, and how they influence the aquatic environment. Keep in mind that many of the habitats we obsess over, like Amazonian "igapos" and "igarapes" are seasonally-inundated forest-floor features, so it goes without saying that the terrestrial soil composition and associated biomass have significant influence on the aquatic environments that emerge during the wet season.

Would the use of terrestrial planting mixes and vivarium-style substrates be a more realistic representation of the types of substrates encountered in many of the ecosystems we attempt to replicate in our aquaria?

I think so! 

Remember, in general, blackwaters originate from sandy soils. High concentrations of humic acids in the water are thought to occur in drainages with what scientists classify as "podzol" sandy soils. "Podzol" is a soil classification which describes  an infertile acidic soil having an "ashlike" subsurface layer from which minerals have been leached.

That last part is interesting, and helps explain in part the absence of minerals in blackwater. And more than one hobbyist I know has played with the concept of "dirted" planted tanks, using terrestrial soils...hmmm.

When we started Tannin, my fascination with the varied substrate materials of tropical ecosystems got me thinking about ways to more accurately replicate those found in flooded forests, streams, and diverse habitats like peat swamps, estuaries, creeks, even puddles- and others which tend to be influenced as much by the surrounding flora (mainly forests and jungles) as it is by geology.

And of course, my obsession with botanical materials to influence and accent the aquarium habitat caused me to look at adding materials reminiscent of those found in the wild to augment the more "traditional" sands and other substrates used in aquariums to foster biodiversity and nutrient processing functions.

Now, adding things like crumbled leaves, fine-particles coconut-derived materials, and such does have pros and cons. The benefits would be that you have "in situ" release of tannins and other compounds into the water column, a rich and diverse substrate in which bacteria and higher organisms (like worms, creatures like Gammarus, and other crustaceans) can thrive and reproduce.

Of course, there is always the potential danger of adding too much too soon, possibly overwhelming the resident bacteria population in an established aquarium. Potentially rapidly reducing pH or even oxygen with excess enthusiasm! It's possible. Stuff that decomposes in our tanks is bioload, right? 

Yet, I have this irresistible curiosity about the potential of botanical-influenced substrates to foster denitrification. With the diverse assemblage of microorganisms and a continuous food source of decomposing botanicals "in house", I can't help but think that such "living substrates" create a surprisingly diverse and utilitarian biological support system for our aquariums.

I think that the idea of an "enriched substrate" will become an integral part of the overall ecosystems that we create. Considering the substrate as both an aesthetic AND functional component- even in "non-planted" aquariums, opens up a whole new area of aquarium "exploration."

I envision that the future of mainstream aquarium practice may include creating such a substrate as simply part of "what we do." Adding a mix of botanical materials, live bacterial and small organism cultures, and even some "detritus" from healthy aquatic systems may become how we establish systems.

It's not some amazing "revolution"- it's simply an evolution of practices that we've been playing with peripherally for decades in the hobby. It's a way of looking at what's already working and trying to figure out the "whys" as we go. 

And with 2019 as the "Year of the Planted Blackwater Aquarium" (it IS- I checked 😜), I think it's more appropriate than ever to explore these "crossover" concepts and see where they take us!

Brown, green...and pretty damn exciting! 2019 looks to be an interesting year!

Stay innovative. Stay curious. Stay experimental. Stay busy. Stay bold...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Beyond The Botanical: The Dysoxylum Pod, Versatility Encapsulated...

When it comes to botanicals, there are some which are just incredibly attractive to look at, rendering them perfect "hardscape components." There are others which are purely for "utility" purposes...And then, there are those "in between" ones, which have elements of both.  

Enter our friend, the Dysoxylum Pod.

We've talked a lot about the concept of allochtonous input in tropical flooded forest and stream ecosystems- the processes by which food from external sources- typically, trees and shrubs, falls into the water, providing supplemental food for the resident fishes. 

This botanical is a "dead ringer" for many of the aforementioned materials...

Hailing from the family, Meliaceae, this pod has an interesting "back story" and etymology. Like so many botanicals, the Latin name of the genus describes important characteristics of the plant from which it comes. In this instance, The etymology of its genus,  Dysoxylum derives from the Greek word ‘Dys’ -meaning "bad"- referring to "ill-smelling" and ‘Xylon’ meaning "wood."

So, "stinky wood." Awesome! (Have you noticed that the Latin roots of several of the botanicals we've covered so far refer to bad-smelling stuff? Yeah, I have.)

There are about 80 recognized species in this genus; we're officially in love with just one of them, Dysoxylum binectariferum, which is found in the forests of tropical India, but ranges as far afield as Vietnam. It's found in in alluvial soil conditions (clay and sand) and along rivers and streams...right up our proverbial "alley", huh?

In India, it is also known by many other names such as, "Indian White Cedar", "Bili devdari", "Bombay White Cedar", "Velley Agil", "Porapa", "Vella agil", and "Devagarige."

But "stinky." Really?

That being said, there is nothing stinky about the botanicals which come from this tree. The tree is an important component of tropical rain forests, typically from India, but found in other regions.

The tree grows to height of 120feet/40 m height, has bark which is greyish-yellow in color, with inner bark a creamy yellow color. Its leaves alternate or "sub-opposite", and are what botanists refer to as "abruptly pinnate." The tree has interesting  flowers, which mature during February–April. They are greenish yellow in color and bisexual. The fruits that ripen during June–July are capsules.

In India, apart from its economic importance for building and furniture making, it is an important ingredient in traditional medicine. The fruit has a chemical composition known by the name “ashtagandha”, which means "fragrant smell", and is used for making incense sticks that are commonly used for worship.

Interestingly, compounds derived from the tree are also known by modern medical researchers to have extremely valuable medicinal properties...

Dysoxylum binectariferum bark was identified as an alternative source of CPT, through  a process of bioassay-guided isolation. Camptothecin ( known to clinical researchers as "CPT 1") is a potent anticancer product, which led to the discovery of two other clinically used anticancer drugs, Topotecan and Irinotecan. 

Rohitukine is another compound that accumulates in a significant amount in seeds, trunk bark, leaves, twigs, and fruits of D. binectariferum. Rohitukine is an important precursor for the synthesis of other potential anticancer drugs

Wow!

And all I wanted was some cool-looking seed pods for aquariums! With all of those medicinal uses, has anyone ever used them before in aquariums before we started playing with them for this purpose?

I'm doubtful, but you never know...

Now, what we call a "pod" is really the woody fruit capsule of  Dysoxylum binectariferum. Botanists will tell you that the fruit capsule is 5-8 x 6 cm in length, red, "obovoid", depressed at the apex, and smooth in texture.

We'll tell you that it really looks like the kids of fruits and seed pods that you'd find in a flooded forest of South America, although its geographic distribution would make the case for it being a great addition to an aquarium representing Southeast Asia!

One thing that is cool about this botanical is that the outer surface remains quite firm, while the inside will soften and ultimately attract significant biofilms once submerged. We've found over the years that ornamental shrimp, in particular, really take a liking to these pods, devouring the soft interior and the resulting biofilms which it recruits over time.

"Stinky" it most definitely is not. Useful, interesting..and apparently tasty (if you're a shrimp), it is!

Preparation is pretty straightforward..Dysoxylum pods require boiling in order to get it to saturate and sink. This serves the dual purpose of softening the interior a bit, rendering them more easily consumed by the aforementioned creatures who graze on them. You'll have to boil these for at least an hour to get them saturated enough to sink. Even longer, sometimes- as they are surprisingly buoyant! 

For interest, utility, and sheer "appropriateness" for inclusion in the aquariums we work with, it's hard to imagine a better pod than this one!

And that's more than you've probably ever heard about this little botanical rock star! And there is always just a bit more to learn when we go "behind the botanical", isn't there?

Until next time...

Stay creative. Stay thoughtful. Stay fascinated. Stay diligent...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

More wood. More ideas?

Wood is definitely a focal point of our aquaecapes. It gives power, depth, texture, contrast, and a certain "presence" to our scapes. And many of you are absolutely incredible at 'scaping with wood! Most of the best aquascapes in the world incorporate wood to varying degrees.

However, have you ever noticed that most of the wood we tend to use is more of the "branchy" type, and not anything reminiscent of say, a tree trunk or very large branch? And we tend to leave a lot more negative space in our scapes as a result? 

And this always strikes me as a bit odd, because in nature, it's a lot more common to see streams and rivers filled with fallen trees or larger branches.

And it's not uncommon at all for small (and large) trees to fall in the rain forest, with punishing rain and saturated ground conspiring to easily knock over anything that's not firmly rooted. When these trees fall over, they often fall into small streams, or in the case of the varzea or igapo environments in The Amazon, they fall and are submerged in the inundated forest floor during the wet season.

And of course, they immediately impact the (now) aquatic environment, fulfilling several functions: Providing a physical barrier or separation from currents, offering territories for fishes to spawn in, forage among, and hide in. An entire community of aquatic life forms uses the fallen tree for many purposes. And they will last for many years, fulfilling this important role in the aquatic ecosystems they now reside in.

What happens when a tree falls into the water? It's a familiar story to us as aquarists, right? Shortly after falling into the water, fungi and other microorganisms act to colonize the surfaces, and biofilms populate the bark and exposed surfaces of the tree.  Over time, the tree will impart many chemical substances, (humic acids, tannins, sugars, etc.) into the water.

The tree literally brings new life to the waters.

The materials that comprise the tree are known in ecology as "allochthonous material"-  something imported into an ecosystem from outside of it.  (extra points if you can pronounce the word on the first try...) And of course, in the case of fallen trees, this includes includes leaves, fruits and seed pods that fall or are washed into the water along with the branches and trunks that topple into the stream.  

Ahh...sounding familiar, huh?

These materials are known as “coarse particulate organic matter”, and in the waters of these inundated forest floors there is a lot of CPOM.  The community of aquatic organisms (typically the aforementioned aquatic insects and crustaceans) has a high proportion of “shredders”, which feed on the CPOM and break it up into tinier bits called...wait for it... fine particulate organic matter.

And of course, some fishes directly consume fallen fruits and seeds as part of their diet as well, aiding in the "refinement" of the CPOM. Other organisms make use of the fine particulate matter by filtering it from the water or accessing it in the sediments that result. These allochthonous materials support a diverse food chain that's almost entirely based on our old friend, detritus!

And, although the forest floor receives substantially less sunlight than open rivers, the nutrients and available light are utilized by algae, which may colonize the surfaces facing up into the sun. Algal mats which arise from these fallen trees form an important food source and grazing area for many fishes.

And of course, the tree will gradually decompose over long periods of time. Hollowed-out sections will be inhabited by fishes and exploited for the shelter they offer throughout the duration (many years) that the tree is present in the water.

And interestingly, when you do some research, you'll find that scientists have learned that fish movement and species richness- and population- are all affected by the physical and biological influences of fallen trees! And, in the wild, the deep beds of leaves that may be "corralled" by the fallen trees- a sort of natural "dam"- will actually limit some fish species, which cannot tolerate the lower oxygen concentrations found in these areas.

Other fishes take advantage of the physical barrier that a fallen tree presents to shelter from predatory species. Many adaptations have taken place over eons to allow fishes to exploit these changes in their environment caused by fallen trees!

It's pretty hardcore stuff.

So, as aquarium hobbyists, what does this all mean to us?

Well, for one thing, I think it's a call for us to employ some bigger, thicker pieces of wood in our tanks! Now, sure, I can hear some groans. I mean, big, heavy wood has some disadvantages in an aquarium. First, the damn things are...well- BIG- taking up a lot of physical space, and in our case, precious water volume. And the "scale" is a bit different. And, of course, a big, heavy piece of wood is kind of pricy. And physically cumbersome for some.

Of course, you can use a few smaller pieces of wood to create a single large structure...Lots of ways to be creative and economical.

Yes, a big piece of wood or aggregation of wood pieces in an aquarium does create some challenges, but most of them are in our head. And of course, a large aggregation of wood relative to water volume has a chemical and physical impact on the aquatic environment that is...hey- sort of similar to that which occurs in nature, right?

Yeah.

Try a fairly large piece of aquatic wood (or several smaller pieces, aggregated to form one big piece) some time. Arrange it in such a way as to break up the tank space and give the impression that it simply fell in naturally. Let it create barriers for fishes to swim into, disrupted water flow patterns, and small pockets where leaves, botanicals, substrate materials, and...detritus can collect.

Yeah. encourage it.

Populate the system with food organisms, like Daphnia, Gammarus, and the like, weeks or months before you add the fishes. Enjoy the biofilms. And select a population of fishes that can exploit the variety of new habitats that the "fallen tree" creates.

There are many distinct "zones" which a larger piece, or pieces of wood create, if you really take a good look at it- and lots of fishes make use of them.

So, yeah.

Trying what might appear to be a big, somewhat awkward piece of wood filling much of the tank can be a challenge to our aesthetic sensibilities at first. But guess what? You'll get over it when you simply enjoy the setup for what it represents- not for a "typical" aquascape. And, when you populate the tank correctly, with fishes that can utilize the interesting ecological niches within the tank, you'll realize that "conventional" aquascaping is not the only way...

Of course, hobbyists have been throwing big old wood pieces into tanks for decades...But I don't think that we've "played it out" in a manner that took advantage of the relative uniqueness of the concept. That is, we haven't really thought through the idea that a big, gnarly tree trunk or aggregation of large pieces in our tank functions not only as an aesthetic component, but more important- as an ecosystem, which supports not only an abundance of life, but provides a tremendously interesting study in adaptation and the resourcefulness of nature.

Maybe off ratio. Maybe a bit more "crowded looking." Maybe a bit different.

A mental shift. Just a little bit.

Try it.

Stay curious. Stay adventurous. Stay inventive. Stay unconventional. Stay undaunted.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Behind the Botanical: When in the jungle...Act like a monkey; sort of: Meet the "Monkey Pot"

Back in the really early days of Tannin Aquatics, when global domination of the botanical/blackwater aquarium movement was just a cool ambition ('cause there was no movement to dominate...), I spent large amounts of time scouring references and finding suppliers worldwide for unusual botanicals to test and offer to our customers- you know, to build up our selection.

In my studies, I kept hearing about these big 'ol botanicals called "Monkey Pots." 

My frog and herp friends patiently pleaded with me for months to source the cool, elusive, but highly coveted "Monkey Pot!"  They'd be like, "Trust me- you'll LOVE them- and so will your customers!"

How could I NOT try to source these?

(My friend Paul Dema from Vivariums in The Mist knows a thing or two about Monkey Pots!)

After a few months of searching, and a few false starts, we found a great sustainable international source for these awesome botanicals! And boy, those frog and herp guys really knew what they were talking about!  These pods are "as advertised"- big, durable, and really useful.

Oh, and they look cool, too!

Bring on the "Monkey Pots!"

Yeah, this is a sort of ridiculous name...However, it's one which us fish geeks can't be blamed for.

Nope. Not THIS time.

You know my new-found contempt for stupid, made-up names for botanicals is starting to catch on with some of you, hopefully setting a standard, and leaving would-be "competitors" still using their ripped-off versions of our original made-up lame-ass names for their stuff and scratching their heads as Tannin accelerates forward (Oh, no vitriol there, right? Umm...).

However, in this instance, this is what the damn thing is actually called by pretty much everyone in the region from which they come (South America). In the local languages, the name is castanha-de-sapucaia.

In fact, there is a real legit story behind the name...a proverb, actually- with a lesson for us all, perhaps:

"A wise old monkey doesn't stick its hand into a pot.". 

This proverb is in reference to how a young monkey may plunge its entire hand deep into the pod in an attempt to grab all of the nuts at one time, and not be able to remove a whole fistful of exposed nuts through the opening...whereas an older, experienced individual will remove the nuts one at a time. Patience.

Damn smart, those monkeys. Some of 'em would make great aquarists, huh?

And, yes-  it's technically a fruit capsule, produced from the abundant tree, Lecythis pisonis, native to South America -most notably, the Amazonian region. Astute, particularly geeky readers of "The Tint" will recognize the name as a derivative of the family  Lecythidaceae, which just happens to be the family in which the genus Cariniana is located...you know, the "Cariniana Pod?" Yeah...this family has a number of botanical-producing trees in it, right?

Yes.

Hmm...Lecythidae...

Ahh...it's also known as the taxonomic family which contains the genus Bertholletia- the genus which contains the tree, Bertholletia excelsa- the bearer of the "Brazil Nut." You know, the one that comes in the can of "mixed nuts" that no one really likes? The one that, if you buy it in the shell, you need a  freakin' sledge hammer to crack?

Yeah. That one.

More useless Brazil Nut trivia? Check this out: Because of their larger size size, they tend to rise to the top of the can of mixed nuts from vibrations which are encountered during transport...this is a textbook example of the physics concept of granular convection- which for this reason is frequently called...wait for it...the "Brazil Nut effect." (I am totally serious!)

Okay, end of my tangent on Brazil Nuts. 

So, hey-next time you're lamenting that my Catappa leaf prices are a dollar more than some nameless person on eBay or whomever, remember that Tannin Aquatics gives you way more useful information and value about our botanicals than anyone out there. I mean, it's really important to know a bit more about the "twigs and nuts" you toss into your aquarium, right? Isn't that worth something?

Okay. Don't answer that.

Back to the tree...

It's a really freakin' tall tree. It grows to about 98 ft./30m in height, so you pretty much have to be a monkey to get up into them!

And, as you have surmised by now, these large, woody, gourd-like fruits are a favorite of...well- monkeys, which reach in and yank out the nutritious fruit inside, discarding the hard outer nut...Fortunately for us, monkeys are not aquarists, or they would have figured out a way to sell these directly to the consumer at really high prices, instead of just tossing 'em down to the forest floor.

They're big, too! The fruits are "globose" or oblong in shape, and woody, averaging around 2.5"-6" ( 6.35 to 15.24 cm) long, and 3" to 8" (7.62 to 20.32 cm) or more wide.

And let me tell you, the fruits of Lecythis pisonus are...well- "a tough nut to crack" as they say! The pericarp- or more specifically, the "exocarp"- the outer layer of the fruit- is rock-hard and extremely durable, which challenges both humans and primates in their quest for the edible fruit inside. 

The pericarp can be up to 1.2" (3cm) thick, and has a tight-fitting "lid" that bursts open when they mature releasing the fruit. The fallen, empty nuts dry out and are collected and used for a variety of purposes, including utensils, bowls, etc. by the indigenous peoples of the region...Also, infusions of the bark and pericarp are used in local medicine for treating liver complaints.

Sad side story- and my final primate reference in this piece: Native hunters would allegedly bait young monkeys with tempting food items placed in the empty shells.  From Hooker's comprehensive Journal of Botany (1849) comes this charming description of how they whack the hapless monkeys who fall for this trick:

“The mouth of the capsule, it will be observed, is narrower than the inside; this being filled with sugar, and laid in a place frequented by monkeys.The monkeys grasp the sugar, and by this means enlarge the paw so as to be unable to extricate it, while their greediness forbids the opening of the paw and loss of the sugar.
The heavy fruit of Lecythis prevents the escape of the animal, who is pursued and taken into the monkey trap.”

Shit. It sucks to be a monkey in some places, huh? Urghh...How could they fall for that? And note the use of the word "greediness?" Well,  I also suppose that some monkeys, like humans, are lazy...and if ever there were an example of how laziness literally can kill- well...

(A wiser, older Capuchin monkey. Pic by David M. Jensen-cc-by-sa-3.0)

Wow, what a downer, huh? Especially if you're a monkey!

Let's think about happier, less depressing uses for them!

For the fish or frog geek, they're great looking and have plenty of uses: In the vivarium, you can use 'em as a water vessel, or even a little planter. In the aquarium, the uses are manyfold:  Hiding space, breeding cave, etc., etc., etc. I think that they are a solid natural "stand-in" for the venerable clay pot for fish spawning. They have a certain "look" that I think is far, far sexier than an inverted flower pot. I mean, that's just my opinion, but...

It's another one of those botanicals which compels us to ponder if they perform a similar role in nature as they do in the aquarium. Indeed, their habitat is known to include "fertile flood plains in the rainforest, and in more dense, primary forest."

Yeah. Liking the sound of THAT!

I mean, it is totally conceivable that these forest floors in their native range are subjected to seasonal inundation...and if a Monkey Pot just happens to be lying on the (now submerged) forest floor, wouldn't YOU use it as a cave or spawning site if you were a fish that swam into the area?

Yep. I would!

As you might assume, there is some preparation needed if you're going to use them in an aquarium. Fortunately, they are relatively easy to prepare: You simply boil and/or soak the living shit out of them until they saturate and sink! I mean, it could take 20 minutes or two hours...Patience.

Will they leach out tannins and such and tint your water? Well, sure, there might be some tannins in the exocarp- like there are in most other terrestrial botanical materials, but rest assured, the Monkey Pot will never be one of the botanicals which we recommend specifically for "tinting" your water! 

This is one we pretty much know that you're really gonna love, if you haven't played with it before...And they last a really, really long time, which makes them a great value, too! Like, I've literally had specimens down for over 2 years, with no loss of "structural integrity" noted!

Durable.

Like, really freakin' durable.

You can use them over and over again, in my experience. For all sorts of stuff. Literally hundreds of possibilities! 

Just- don't get your hand stuck in them...Ok, bad joke.

Until next time...

Stay curious. Stay educated. Stay creative. Stay patient...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Under the influence of botanicals...

Any discussion of lower pH and "tinted" water always seems to draw me back to that "archetype"of a blackwater system, the Rio Negro. Specifically, just how it became a "blackwater" system in the first place can give us some clues and ideas on managing our own captive blackwater, botanically-influenced systems.

And part of the game here is understanding what it is that makes this a blackwater river system to begin with. We often hear that blackwater is "low in nutrients." 

What exactly does this mean?

One study concluded that the Rio Negro is a blackwater river in large part because the very low nutrient concentrations of the soils that drain into it have arisen as a result of "several cycles of weathering, erosion, and sedimentation." In other words, there's not a whole lot of minerals and nutrients left in the soils to dissolve into the water to any meaningful extent!

Perhaps...another reason (besides the previously cited limitation of light penetration) why aquatic plants are rather scare in these waters? It would appear that the bulk of the nutrients found in these blackwaters are likely dissolved into the aquatic environment by decomposing botanical materials, such as leaves, branches, etc.

Why does that sound familiar?

Besides the color, of course, the defining characteristics of blackwater rivers are pH values in the range of 4-5, low electrical conductivity, and minimal mineral content. Dissolved minerals, such as  Ca, Mg, K, and Na are negligible. And with these low amounts of dissolved minerals come unique challenges for the animals who reside in these systems.

How do fishes survive and thrive in these rather extreme habitats?

It's long been known that fishes are well adapted to their natural habitats, particularly the more extreme ones. And this was borne out in a recent study of the Cardinal Tetra. Lab results suggest that humic substances  protect cardinal tetras in the soft, acidic water in which they resides by preventing excessive sodium loss and stimulating calcium uptake to ensure proper homeostasis.

This is pretty extraordinary, as the humic substances found in the water actually enable the fishes to survive in this highly acidic water which is devoid of much mineral content typically needed for fishes to survive!

And of course, botanicals, leaves, and wood typically have an abundance of these humic substances, right? They are useful for more than just an interesting and unique aesthetic effect! There is a lot of room for research about influencing the overall environment in our aquariums here! I think we've barely scratched the surface of the potential for utilizing botanicals in our aquariums.

Now, lots of people ask about utilizing leaves and other botanicals to lower the pH in their aquariums. There seems to be a fair amount of misconception about what botanicals can and cannot do to your water in your aquarium. We field a fair number of questions asking stuff like "How many ____________ Pods do I need to lower the pH and hardness in my Betta tank?"

Ahhh. If only it were so simple!

Nature offers few "plug and play" solutions.

As you are no doubt aware by now from my rantings, many of these natural materials do release substances such as tannic and humic acids into the water, which can acidify it- IF the water has a low enough carbonate hardness (aka "KH"). Most botanicals won't do much to significantly reduce the pH if you start with hard, alkaline water, as the KH will prevent the acids released by these materials from reducing the pH.

In general, it's fairly safe (gulp) to state that soft water is usually acidic, and "hard" water is usually alkaline.

Oh, and the color of the water is no real indication of pH or hardness. 🤓

(Now, before we get too far, I'll dispense with the necessary disclosure that my knowledge of water chemistry is quite basic, and I'm not preferring that anything discussed here is even close to being the "last word" on the subject. It's an explanation of some facts and ideas based on my limited college chemistry and understanding of these things from being a practicing aquarist.

At a certain point in discussion about this stuff with really knowledgable people, my eyes start to glaze over...There are plenty of you out here who could "school me" on this stuff, and I encourage your input on these more esoteric, yet very important aspects of the hobby. We will all benefit.)

Ahh, back to that bit on carbonate hardness...

This is one of those terms, along with "general hardness" (GH), that we see bandied about all over the internet and in books and hobby discussions...It's super-confusing to me, as there are multiple ways of determining the hardness of water (in general, but for us it's for aquarium purposes). "Hardness", is essentially a measure of the total concentration of specific minerals dissolved in the water, including calcium and magnesium, as well as other minerals like potassium and sodium. It is said that the concentration of these minerals in a given quantity of water contribute to the "hardness."

There are a few ways of measuring this. As a reef hobbyist, I was long ago indoctrinated to utilize KH (from the german word "karbonate") to measure the carbonate and bicarbonate ions in a given aquatics system, which function as "buffers", and keep the pH from dropping.

And KH is a component of GH, to make matters more confusing (KH can never be higher than the "general hardness" of the water because of this fact). And a lot of test kits will measure both...as if a guy like myself needs more confusion in his life...

Bottom line: If you really want to create soft, acidic water, invest in a reverse osmosis/deionization unit. Then, your botanicals will have a lot more "play" in terms of how they can affect the pH in your aquarium. Botanicals alone will NOT affect KH. End of discussion.

Okay, the head-spinning part of this blog is over!

One of the things we've noted is that many aquarists are actually surprised by is just how little the pH is typically impacted by botanicals! Even with pure RO/DI water, like I use, and lots of wood and botanicals present, I've found that the pH in my tanks tends to find a range (within like .1 or .2, BTW) and stays there. In my instance, it's about 6.5-6.6. In fact, It's tough for me to get it much lower.

I think I have a hunch about why this is.

I think that the use of substrate materials, such as sand and rocks, may provide significant enough "buffering capacity" to keep the ph confined to a narrow range. Now, many of us have started experimenting with purely botanical substrates, creating a different and potentially more "aggressive" pH influence capacity...something we can come back to in the future!

Now, all that talk about low nutrients and dark water and such doesn't discourage me from making my big prediction for 2019:

2019 Is the year of the planted blackwater aquarium.

Yeah, it's painfully obvious that this is wide open for experimentation and breakthroughs. As we've discussed before, you might not see aquatic plants in areas like the Rio Negro region, but blackwater habitats worldwide do have a lot of aquatic plants growing in them. Think about Africa and Southeast Asia. Think about mosses, and plants like Cryptocoryne, Bucephalandra, Taxifolum, Nymphea, etc.

There are a LOT of different plants which come from blackwater habitats, and will thrive in such conditions in the aquarium. And I personally think that with the use of readily available nutrients, substrate enrichment, CO2 injection, and high intensity LED lighting, it's possible to keep a tremendous variety of plants in botanical-style, blackwater aquariums.

I'm not sure what was keeping this from becoming a "thing" in the hobby for a long time. Now, sure, hobbyists were experimenting with this from time to time, but not to any significant extent. I think that it was just a part of the whole "blackwater is dark and dirty and uncontrollable" mindset that existed in the hobby for years before- well, before we came along and tossed all of this stuff in your face every day!

Yeah, it's a mindset. A mental shift. A collective hesitation on the part of the planted aquarium community to step outside of the "comfort zone" to try something that seems "risky" or whatever.

I can't help but wonder if some of the advantages of botanicals in blackwater aquariums will spill over to aquatic plants. I am not aware of specific studies or research on tannin and humic substances and such in regards to the needs of aquatic plants, but I would imagine that many of the concepts of "substrate enrichment" that we play with for blackwater fish systems will have some benefit for planted systems as well.

And the light penetration issue is, IMHO, not really much of an issue anymore, IMHO. We have perfectly capable high intensity LED lighting which can be adjusted and customized for a variety of situations. Sure, in the wild, light penetration into blackwater habitats does indeed limit plant growth. However, in the cozy confines of the aquarium, it's entirely possible to get a lot of plants to thrive! It's not much different from the work we've done for years propagating corals, compensating various parameters to offset any possible detriments.

In other words, there is a lot of good experimentation and work to be done here! I think we are going to see more and more beautiful and "functionally aesthetic" aquascapes with aquatic plants and botanicals showing up worldwide. The opportunity to create compelling, highly unique, and utterly successful planted aquariums in this realm is ripe for breakthroughs!

So, it's really all about understanding what exactly botanicals can do in the context of impacting water chemistry, and what types of parameters we want to provide our fishes and animals in our tanks. And of course, what kinds of aesthetics and effects we are trying to achieve. We can be as experimental or realistic as we'd like. It's all about getting out there and DOING.

So, when we contemplate the influence of botanicals and their impact on water chemistry and our ability to grow aquatic plants, spawn touchy fishes, and rear fry, there is so much to work with! Having a basic working knowledge about water chemistry in the blackwater aquarium can help us conduct some interesting and productive experiments in this ever-expanding area of the aquarium hobby!

Stay informed. Stay excited. Stay experimental. Stay educated. Stay open-minded...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Giving 'em what they want and letting them "do their own thing." Another case for Nature?

Okay, it's probably me: I think that fish breeders are pretty much some of the coolest people in our hobby. They have a patience and skill set that leaves me in awe...Yet, for some reason, the allure of breeding fishes never really hit me hard to the point where it became a hardcore obsession of mine. 

Now, don't get me wrong..

I love the idea of fish breeding. I have bred fishes like livebearers, Apistos, killies and tetras and such over the years. I still play with killifish because they're fun; however, I never got to that "I want 60 different aquariums just for breeding fishes" stage. 

I might have deviated a bit into wanting more tanks to experiment with attempting to replicate the natural environments of fishes...And breeding was a sort of "collateral benefit!" 

One of the most important things that we can do in the hobby is uncover what it takes to get our fishes to reproduce. It becomes one of the great accomplishments in the hobby. When you provide a fish with optimum environmental conditions, food, etc. and they do what they've done for eons..Well, isn't that the ultimate acknowledgment of our skill as aquarists?

I don't believe that fishes reproduce in our tanks because of "luck." I mean, sure you will occasionally happen to have stumbled n the right combination of water temp, pH, current, light, or whatever- and BLAM! Spawning. However, I think it's more of a cumulative result of doing stuff right. For a while.

I often wonder what is wrong with the idea of a permanent setup- a setup in which the fishes are provided a natural setting, and left to their own devices to "do their thing..."

Now, I realize that a lot of hardcore, very experienced breeders will scoff at this- and probably rightly so. Giving up control when the goal is the reproduction of your fishes is not a good thing. Practicality becomes important- hence the employment of clay flowerpots, spawning cones, breeding traps, bare tanks to raise fry, etc.

Yeah, I totally get that.

The part that I find fascinating is trying to figure out what kinds of environmental conditions a fish needs in order to reach the point where it is comfortable reproducing in an aquarium. 

I guess my personal approach to fish breeding has always been, "If it happens, great...If not, I want the fishes to have an environment that mimics the one they're found in naturally." And that works to a certain extent, but I can see how many hobbyists feel that it's certainly not the practical way to do systematic, controlled breeding. 

Yet, isn't their something wonderful (for those of us who are not hell-bent on controlling the time and place of our fish's spawnings) to check out your tank one night and see a small clutch of Apisto fry under the watchful eye of the mother in a "Jungle Pod" or, a bunch of eggs of your fave Cory adorning the substrate, or whatever? Perhaps not as predictable or controllable as a more sterile breeding tank, but nonetheless, exciting!

I can't help but ruminate about this "non-approach approach" (LOL)

Not a "better spawning cone,"breeding trap, or more heartily-enriched brine shrimp. Rather, a holistic approach featuring excellent food, optimum natural water conditions, and...a physical-chemical environment reminiscent of the one they evolved in over millennia.

Won't the fishes "figure it all out?"

Yeah, I think that they will. 

And my point here is not to minimize the work of talented fish breeders worldwide, or to over-simplify things ("Just add this and your fish will make babies by the thousands!").

Nope.

It's to continue to make my case that we should, at every opportunity, continue to aspire to provide our fishes with conditions that are reminiscent of those what the evolved under for eons. I think we should make it easier for the fishes- not easier for us. Sure, Discus can spawn and live in hard, alkaline tap water.

However, is it really possible that a couple of dozen generations of captive breeding in these types of unnatural conditions could undo millions of years of evolution, which has conditioned these fish to live, grow, and reproduce in soft, alkaline, tannin-stained waters, and that our tap water conditions are "just fine" for them? I mean, maybe it's possible...Hey, I am no scientist, but I can't help but ask if there is a reason why these fishes have evolved under such conditions so successfully? And if embracing these conditions will yield even better long-term results for the fishes?

I just think I'm kind of right about that.

So, again, I think it is important for those of us who are really into creating natural aquariums for our fishes to not lose sight of the fact that there are reasons why- and benefits to- fishes having evolved under these conditions. I think that rather than adapt them to conditions easier for us to provide, that we should endeavor to provide them with conditions that are more conducive to their needs- regardless of the challenges involved.

Something to think about, right?

Have a very Merry Christmas. And enjoy your day!

Stay fascinated. Stay curious. Stay diligent. Stay dedicated...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Replicating Nature by Understanding Nature...

A simple thought for today...

When you really think about it, we as practitioners of the botanical-style blackwater aquarium are in a most unique position to learn first hand about how the fishes interact with- and benefit from- their physical environment.

We control many of the variables, such as the influx of new structural materials (ie; leaves and botanicals), the nutrient inputs and exports (ie, feeding and water exchanges), and the introduction and population density of fishes in the environment. 

A blackwater, botanical-style system is quite analogous to the natural systems which depend on allochthonous inputs- food and nutrient sources from outside of the aquatic environment.

The allochthonous inputs in our instance are the addition and replacement of botanicals, such as seed pods, stems, leaves etc....in reality, "food" for multiple classifications of animals that reside in our systems.

The additions of these materials directly spur the growth of new and existing fungal and microorganism populations, supply supplemental food for some fishes (like detritivores and certain catfishes), and enhance the physical environment of the aquarium by providing additional hiding space and territories.

Part of the game, as we've discussed ad naseum here, is to understand, appreciate, and ultimately embrace the way the aquatic environment is influenced by the fungal growths, biofilms, and decomposition which occurs when botanicals are added into our aquariums. 

And, as we often say, that means making a mental shift to accept the unique aesthetics of a botanical-style aquarium: Brown water, stringy biofilms, and decomposing leaves and botanicals. All have their place in our world. The most challenging part of starting and managing one of these "functionally aesthetic" systems is to appreciate not only how they function, but to understand why the way they look the way they do.

To those of you just jumping into this world, I assure you it's like no other aquarium you've ever maintained. Botanical-style aquariums embody the art of observation and study. Much like managing any type of aquarium, the successful botanical-style aquarium is about understanding a balance.