The Tint

Ways to tint..Thoughts on various ways of deploying botanicals...

As we continue on out third year of existence as a brand, and we've seen a lot of amazing work from our community...and we've heard and seen all sorts of unique ways to "deploy" them in our tanks. Each technique results in interesting effects and potential benefits. And of course, each one has it's pros and cons, in the eyes of the hobbyist.

Let's take a very quick look at the most popular methods for utilizing botanicals in your aquariums! 

You can add the botanicals directly to your aquariums.

Of course, this is the clear fave and most popular (and visible!) way to add botanicals into your tank! With their unique aesthetics and "structural-functional" benefits as discussed here many times, the opportunity to create attractive, interesting, and beneficial aquascapes featuring botanicals is irresistible to many of us!

Of course, not everyone likes the look of botanicals (oh, the horror!) and the idea of them recruiting biofilms and decomposing in their aquariums. Yet, a lot of you want the benefits of the humic substances and the look of tinted water created by tannins. What to do? Well, there are actually a few methods!

First, you could employ the botanicals by placing some of the more "reactive" ones, like Alder Cones, Catappa Bark, leaves, etc. into a mesh filter bag, and locating it in either a canister filter, outside power filter, or simply passively in the tank, sump or filter compartment (in the case of those "all-in-one" style tanks), where water can flow through the bag.

This type of "deployment" of botanicals is really useful in situations where you have a lot of tanks to "tint" and simply want to keep things simple and clean. Breeders, for example may want the aforementioned and often-discussed environmental benefits of blackwater, without the hassle. 

Another great way to play with botanicals where their direct presence in the tank is not desired is to employ a "reactor"- which his essentially a vessel, typically constructed of acrylic, which directs water into the until to pass over the media contained inside. Many of the dedicated reactors employ small pumps to keep the media in motion (we call it "fluidization"- as in "fluidized reactor'). And the "media", in our instance, would be leaves, cones, or other botanicals which react with the water. 

Super planted-tank/aquascaping nerds also might like this type of botanical application, because 1) You guys love keeping a clean aesthetic, and 2) You guys like gadgets, like "drop checkers", CO2 infusers, "Lilly Pipes", etc. This makes you a prime candidate for the aforementioned fluidized reactors, which you can use externally from the aquarium. And of course, that makes it easy to access them for cleaning or to take them off line as desired.

I think- actually, I KNOW- that these last two applications are really fantastic and filled with lots of potential for real progress. That being said, there are a couple of more "advanced" applications that you might want to consider.

The first would be to employ a "refugium" of sorts... 

Now, the idea of a "refugium" is not at all new to the reef aquarium world, although you see less of them these days than you did in the early 2000's..a shame, because their benefits are numerous. Yet the idea has been little discussed in the context of freshwater, other than a scant mention or two in Discus discussion groups that I've stumbled on. Essentially, a refugium is a dedicated space (typically a vessel separate from the aquarium), which performs multiple functions to support the display aquarium it's associated with.

These include nutrient processing via plant or macro algae growth, or organisms such as worms, copepods, etc. which consume uneaten food and act upon organics (nutrient export). A refugium, as its name implies, provides a "safe haven" for life forms which would otherwise be consumed by the resident fishes in the display aquarium. And, these animals will often reproduce, and some of them are swept into the main aquarium, providing a natural food source. Typically, a reef refugium employs live rock and sand, as well as macro algae. Being essentially another aquarium, a refugium also adds to the stability of your display by adding overall capacity to the system, and can provide additional circulation and oxygenation.

Now, in a blackwater, botanical-style system, I can think of a number of cool uses for a refugium, playing on the theme above, but thinking it through a bit further. For instance, you could throw all of your pods, leaves, and other stuff into the refugium, and let them do their thing, influencing the environment in the main aquarium. 

You could also use it for keeping some specialty fishes which might otherwise be lost in the main display. For example, if you like small "Darter Characins" which live among the leaves, and would be lost or in danger in your 120-gallon cichlid display, a refugium could provide the perfect place for you to keep them. Or to keep Neocaridina shrimp, which would otherwise be a part of someone's meal plan...

And the whole "food culture" idea utilizing a refugium is awesome to me! I mean, you could grow Daphnia, copepods, worms...all sorts of aquatic crustaceans that are tasty supplements to your fish's diets. And, with an abundance of botanical materials present, they will reproduce rapidly.

And then there is that idea of "deep botanical beds" in the aquarium...

How about some more investigation into how substrates, perhaps consisting of shallow levels of very coarse pebbles and finer sand, interspersed with a deeper bed of a few types of botanicals and leaves- or just "all botanical" aggregations- the so-called "deep botanical beds" function?  Besides perhaps putting to rest long held hobby concerns about the "dangers of detritus", what else could experimenting with such substrates unlock? Well, a sort of "cadence", for one thing.  

We know from experience that adding a lot of material to any tank at one time is a recipe for problems. In fact, virtually every bad outcome (and we have only seen/heard of a very few) we know of has been caused by adding a lot of material all at once to an established system. It seems that, even when building a deep botanical bed, you need to do it slowly. We know a few things, for sure- many of these materials will recruit fungal growth and biofilms. Many aquatic creatures, from shrimp to Plecos, will actively forage among such an aggregation of materials. 

Oh, the ideas...And those are  just a few of them. And we're considering offering products that support these different applications of botanicals; we'd love to hear more about your experiments, interests, and needs in this area!

What methods are YOU interested in exploring to "deploy" botanicals in your tanks?

Stay excited. Stay curious. Stay innovative. Stay resourceful...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Telling it like it is...

Ever get this urge to- well, sort of speak your mind, or whatever?

That's kind of where I'm at today. It's not that it's bad or anything...just rather..blunt. As you might imagine, I receive a lot of questions about a lot of different things. And many of them require some introspection and thought. Others require me to do some research.

Still others make me draw on my experience and rather slanted opinion, and simply share those thoughts I've had about the hobby from a lifetime in it. Some of them are pretty direct. Almost "tough love" sorta. And, yeah. There is just no sugar-coating some of this stuff. I’m gonna tell it like it is. Some of the questions I receive simply require a direct answer.

Oh, man.

Here are some of my favorites:

If it’s dying- get it out of the tank…Yeah- that sounds bad, and it almost sounds like I’m endorsing a “euthanasia”of sorts.. I’m not. I admit, however, that it does sound harsh. I’m not endorsing “terminating” sick fishes…I AM endorsing the idea of getting them out of the display aquarium to a treatment tank…fast! Before they can infect others, if that’s possible.

NEWS FLASH: A sick fish won’t “spontaneously cure itself” without some intervention on your part…”wishing” things will get better doesn’t work. Trust me. I’ve tried. You need to be decisive and move aggressively to curtail the problem. It doesn’t rule out compassion. It just means you need to be decisive. I credit this decisiveness to my years spent in the coral farming game. When you grow corals in a propagation system, if you have a struggling frag that might have flatworms, "red bugs", or some other pest/disease, you simply can't risk letting it take down other frags. That’s your business, right there. And its the same in a display freshwater tank, IMHO. Remove sick or dying fishes and plants immediately. You HAVE to. ’The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one…” (OMG did I just quote Mr. Spock from Star Trek? Yeah, I did.)

Keep some “negative space” in the rock and wood work your tank. Not just for aquascaping…I mean, yes, you should have some open space not covered by rocks and wood. Why? For several reasons. One, it gives your plants a chance to spread out and grow. Second, it DOES have a good aesthetic thing going for it…We all like to allow our eyes a place to rest from the busy “fruit-stand” appearance of a typical packed aquarium.

Let’s be honest, even with all of the emphasis on artistic, competition-oriented aquascapes, you still see plenty of tanks so packed with plants that the fish can hardly turn around. I mean, the fishes are the afterthought. It’s like “tiring” to look at, IMHO. And finally, having some extra space gives you room to…expand your collection! Yeah, that’s right..I said it! You can have some room for future impulse buys! A salute to consumerism (and of course, a tip of the hat to my fellow aquatic vendors!).

 Ditch really bad ideas…quickly. Yup, kind of like the Facebook corporate mantra of “move fast and break things”, I think it’s time we tell ourselves to let stuff that doesn’t work go. Life it too short. I am not saying to disregard patience (Heaven knows, I’ve written a crapload about that over the past few years right in this forum). All I’m saying is that you need to let go of ideas that simply aren’t working out, taxing time, energy, money, space, and “mind power.” Better to have tried and failed than not to have tried at all…But better to let something that was failing die a quick death than to have it function as a “black hole” of your hobby energy (and budget!). Harsh words coming from me, but they’re true. If it doesn’t work- Kill it. KILL IT! 

Seek advice and counsel from other hobbyists, but don’t talk anyone’s word as THE ultimate. Because the reality is, there is plenty to learn in this hobby from a lot of people. There are people out there in “Aquarium-Keeping Land” doing stuff you never even heard of, and maybe they are having great results. Does that mean you should listen to everything they say and try to replicate their efforts, or embrace all of their philosophies without question? Of course not. No way. Take everything- from everyone in this hobby- even me-with a grain of salt. Learn to evaluate aquarium-keeping strategies in the context of, “Will this work for ME?” Far better than to just blindly follow ANYONE. 

If you want something on your tank done right…do it…the right way? Yeah. Doesn’t matter if you’re the guy doing it, or if you hire someone else. Just make sure it’s done correctly. Forget ego or pride. Even the thought of saving “a few dollars (or pounds or Euro) by doing it yourself when you simply don’t have the time, skill, interest, or knowledge is, IMHO sort of problematic. Trial and error is educational in this hobby,  but only to a point. I’m not saying don’t push yourself or acquire new skills. I’m just saying not to make your “learning curve” part of your new “dream tank” build! The money you think you’ll save by doing it yourself when you’re ill-prepared is often absorbed quickly when you end up having someone re-do it for you the second time. FACT. 

I’ve seen so many people put time and effort into aquatic projects that were not only doomed to fail, but they simply couldn’t work by virtue of design, function, skill, or even budget. This sort of dovetails with my third point about killing bad ideas…Okay, it’s an addendum, really: If you’re not going to do something the right way, just don’t bother. Really. It sounds negative and kind of not-so-nice, I know- but you’ll be much happier in the long run, trust me. "Half-assed" is just stupid.

Oh, and in defense of some product lines: I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard aquarists tell me that “(Insert product here) doesn’t work. I’ve tried it. It sucks.” Upon further investigation, it turns out that the aquarist was using the product, but either not in the correct manner, or using it without other components of what was intended to be an integrated system. If you’re using a regimen or system that needs to have multiple components or systems working together, use them! You can’t expect a complete result out of a partial effort.

Okay...that's pretty much enough for now. A whole lot of "directness" at one time!

I told you this might not be easy to take, but I think there are a few pearls of wisdom there for you from my lifetime of fish keeping…and mistakes!

Stay diligent. Stay curious. Stay consistent. Stay alert. Stay honest...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Just like in nature? Sort of? Yeah...

Have you ever considered that an aquarium is, at best, a facsimile of a natural system? I mean, at the very least, we are getting pretty good at making our tanks look like many of the natural systems that we admire...but it goes even deeper than that- and we may not even consider how we in the blackwater, botanical-style aquarium community take it to another level.

It seems like we talk a lot here about the idea of "food webs" and "holistic" aquariums, but I think that's an important pair of concepts to think about. For decades, the aquarium hobby has been about establishing a tank by allowing the benefcial bacteria to colonize the filter and substrate, so that they can perpetuate the nitrogen cycle. 

We all more-or-less get that. 

However, I think where we tend to differ from the masses in the hobby in our botanical-style approach is that we are replicating- wether we know it or not- another part of the dynamic tropical ecosystems: Some aspects of the "food web." Now, I say "aspects of", because it's awfully difficult- perhaps even impossible- in the confines of a closed system to have a completely self-sustaining cycle of food production without some external inputs.

But that's perfectly okay...Because what we do in our botanical-style aquarium 
"practice" is almost exactly like what happens in a natural flooded forest or jungle stream: External sources (weather, etc.) deposit leaf litter and plant material into the system, spurring the growth of organisms which break it down, as well as depositing food.

Just like in nature...sort of.

At the very base of these food chains are the decomposing fungi. They help soften and begin to break down the leaves which are deposited into the water. These, in turn, are fed upon by chironomids (you know, Blood Worms!) and other small organisms, which colonize the litter.

Fishes are usually a little late to the party, but they show up in surprising numbers in these high diversity, low biomass systems. And these systems, just like our aquariums- are constantly changing and evolving, both in terms of their physical structure and the population of fauna. And they are, much like many aquariums, somewhat ephemeral, with more-or-less limited life spans.

 An interesting passage in a paper by P.A. Henderson mentions the dynamics of fish populations and the structure of the leaf litter systems themselves in Amazonia: 

Just like in nature.

School of rocks...Or, how geology influences blackwater habitats (in the wild AND the aquarium!)

As we delve deeper into the world of blackwater aquariums, I think it becomes more and more important for us to understand the wild blackwater habitats of the world.

Specifically, how they form, and what their physical characteristics are. It's easy for us to just "cliche' it" and say that blackwater is water "...which has a low pH caused by dissolved organic materials and looks the color of tea." You know, the standard line used for decades. Not untrue, but not really all that helpful in understanding exactly what it is, IMHO.

And more important, understanding why it has these characteristics.

Well, it starts with the study of rocks...Geology.

Yep.

I should first start of by freely admitting that I sort of- well, dozed through the limited number of geology classes I took in high school and college, and never knew that the time I spent in those classes drawing pictures on the back of my notebooks would ever come back to haunt me decades later, when I'd have to re-familiarize myself with all of this stuff! So, my understanding is limited, but I'll convey what I DO know to you here...

Blackwaters in areas like Amazonia (one of our fave locales, of course!) drain from an area known to geologists as the "Precambrian Guiana Shield", which is comprised of sediments include quartz, sandstone, shales, and conglomerates, stemming from near the formation of the earth some 4.6 billion years ago. As a result of lots of geological activity over the eons, a soil type, consisting of whitish sands called podzol is formed.

Podzols typically derive from quartz-rich sands, sandstone, and other sedimentary materials in areas of high precipitation. (Hmm, like The Amazon!). Typically, Podzols are lousy for growing stuff, because they are sandy, have little moisture, and even less nutrients!  A process called podzolization (of course, right? WTF else would you call it?) occurs where decomposition of organic matter is inhibited. Numerous microbes and plants consume some of the nitrogen, and while eaten by other organisms, convey what's left to the even lower-lying forest habitats.

The Amazonian blackwater rivers are largely depleted in nutrients, having passed through the lowland forest soils as groundwater, from which weathering has already occurred. As a result, layers of acidic organics build up. With these rather acidic conditions, a deficiency of nutrients further slows down the decomposition of organics. So, yeah- lousy soil for growing stuff...But guess, what? They form the basis of the substrate in pretty much any Amazonian aquatic habitat! 

And the water which flows over this soil is what we call "blackwater",  which achieves it's unique color from a really high content of dissolved full and humic substances- poor in nutrients and electrolytes. It's characterized by having sodium as one of it's major cations (ions with fewer electrons than protons, giving them a positive charge), which means it has low alkalinity. Typically, the pH and electrical conductivity values are less than 5.0 and 25 μS cm–1, respectively (pretty freakin' low!).

So, to make a very long story short, the physical charachteristics of blackwater habitats are  influenced as much by the geology as anything else!  That is to say, all of the dissolved humic substances which give these bodies of water their unique look are "enabled" by the geological properties of the region. And from the "trace element perspective (the reefer in me), only Fe, B, Sr, Pb and Se present consistent concentration variabilities to influence the chemistry of these waters...Like, this water has very low concentrations of trace elements.

Now, this is probably more than you will ever care to know about how sand works in your fave blackwater habitats, but I think it's important to understand that it's all kind of related. In fact, it makes it a lot easier to understand how blackwater systems came to exist and function when you consider this "big picture" stuff!

And of course, we're a lot more interested in the "decaying vegetation" (you know, the leaves, twigs, seed pods...stuff like that!) which influences the waters. And, if we're really into creating realistic substrates, can't help but think that we'd have to source a podzol-type material to use as the base...And I am not aware of a commercial product that is podzol based which is available in the hobby as an aquarium substrate (entrepreneurs- here's one for you!)...Shit, I just give away some of my best ideas, huh?

Until such time as a substrate like that becomes available, I'll keep using the available aquarium substrates which don't impact pH and alkalinity as the literal "base" for my blackwater aquariums. The reality is that just having an awareness of what goes on in the natural aquatic habitats we love gives us a nice "leg up" on this stuff. You're obviously not going to use a strongly buffering substrate like aragonite or whatever to do the job in your low pH and alkalinity blackwater aquarium, right?

And then there is that question about utilizing rocks in your "igapo" aquascape...Why don't you find rocks in these habitats? 

As you know from my long-winded description above, I'm no expert-or even a novice- on geology or geochemistry, or anything in that subject area, for that matter....However, based on my research into this stuff, as related above, it goes without saying that these are hardly conditions under which rocks as we know them could form. Oh, sure, you might find the random rock in the igapo that was washed down from the Andes or some other high-country locale in these forests, but it's a pretty safe bet that it did not evolve there. This also helps to explain why the blackwater habitats are generally low in inorganic nutrients and minerals, right? 

So...if you're really, really hardcore into replicating an igapo, you'd probably want to exclude rocks- especially if you're entering one of those biotope aquarium contests, astute judges would (rightfully) nail you on scoring for falling back on your natural inclinations as an aquascaper and toss some in. 

I personally, of course, would be a bit more forgiving, but you won't find rocks in my igapo tank!

Nope.

So much to consider in our tinted world, isn't there? Especially when it comes to rocks, sand, and the stuff it influences...

A little "deep-diving"into these seemingly obscure topics can sometimes give us some clues that can influence our aquarium practice.

Stay curious. Stay diligent. Stay informed. Stay inspired...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

The ephemeral pace of the botanical-style aquarium...

As we all know, nothing lasts forever.

And it's especially true with our botanicals.

Those of us who play with botanical-style blackwater/brackish aquariums find out in the earliest stages that each aquariu  moves at its own pace. Each one establishes itself, evolves, and matures differently than any other one. There is a real "pace", a process- to what occurs when they are utilized in our aquariums.

And a good part of it is dictated by the natural degradation, change, and decomposition of the materials we utilize in our tanks. From the minute you prepare a leaf, seed pod, stem, or other botanical for use in the aquarium, it begins to soften and break down. It's definitely the embodiment of "ephemeral." 

The processes of hot water steeping, boiling, or prolonged soaking start to soften the tissues of the leaves or seed pods, release bound-up surface pollutants, and begin the gradual, inevitable, and irreversible process of breaking them down, at a pace, which nature determines.

As botanical materials break down, more and more compounds (tannins, humic substances, lignin, bound-up organic matter) begin leaching into the water column in your aquarium, influencing the water chemistry and overall environment. Some botanicals, like Catappa leaves, break down within weeks, needing replacement if you wish to maintain the "tint level" you've started to achieve in your aquarium.

Others last a much longer time.

Knowing when to replace or add to them is sort of a subjective call, at least initially. Once you get used to working with them in your aquariums, you may be able to notice pH increases, TDS changes, or other environmental/water chem indicators/phenomena which can clue you in that it's time to replace them.

On the other hand, many types of seed pods and other botanicals will last much longer periods of time than leaves in most aquariums, yet may not impart their tannins and other substances as quickly as say, leaves, simply because their very structure is different than the softer, thinner leaves. Many will hold their form for a very long period of time, yet may not be releasing quite as much tannins or humic substances as they were initially.

Again, it's sort of a judgement call. As much of an instinct and "art" as it is a "science."

Without the ability to measure the levels of the specific substances that botanical items are imparting into your tank (and, quite frankly, knowing just what they are, and what is considered "normal" for the system!), it's really about "nuancing it", isn't it? Like so many other things in this hobby, you sort of have to take a "best guess", or go with your instincts.

Yeah, I know- it's hardly the precise, scientific, "boiler plate" advice some of us might like, but that's the reality of this kind of tank at this point in time. It's not like, our example, a reef tank, where we have detailed chemical baselines for seawater parameters, and 32-component ICP-OES tests to establish baselines and measure deviations from them.

Nope. It's about nuance, observation, "feel"... finesse. 

Obviously, you need to obey all of the common best practices of aquarium management, in terms of nitrogen cycle management, water quality testing, nutrient export, etc. in a botanical-style blackwater/brackish aquarium. However, you have to also apply a healthy dose of the above-referenced "emotional elements" into your regimen as well!

And you need to keep yourself in check, too. Remember, anything you add into an aquarium- wood, sand, botanicals, and of course- livestock- is part of the "bioload", and will impact the function and environment of your aquarium.

A foundational, important thing to understand.

I see some new botanical vendors getting into this game lately (which is cool), and they're just sort of "peddling the look" without even discussing the very real biological/functional considerations that come with working with botanicals in an aquarium. It worries me a bit. I love competition. Anyone can sell you some leaves and such, but there's more to this than sexy pics of botanical stuff.

Way more. 

I guess that will still fall on Tannin Aquatics to keep top of mind those additional considerations!  We need to discuss the practice as much as we need to share the cool pics. We'll continue to do both.

Yes, we'll happily continue to oblige.🤔

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, a quantity, a "cadence" for adding stuff, so that the closed environment of your aquarium can assimilate the new materials, and the bacteria, fungi, and other organisms which serve to assimilate the bioload and break them down can adjust.

Rapid, dramatic environmental shifts are never a good thing for any type of aquarium, and a system like we run, with lots of organic material present, is just as susceptible to insults from big moves as any other- perhaps even more. Again, I worry that as the idea-the look- become more popular, people will jump into the game without understanding that there is a consideration for everything we do- each item we add...and that it influences and affects our fishes' lives.

The real the key here is that pace- and an understanding that the materials that we add need to be added-and replaced- at a pace that makes sense for your specific system. An understanding that you'll have a front row seat to the natural processes of decomposition, transformation, decay...and accepting that they are part of the beauty of this style of aquarium, just like they are in nature, where water is seldom crystal clear and the surroundings perfectly arranged.

Those of us who have been maintaining these types of tanks for some time now really get this, understand the way water and botanicals interact..and have a great "feel" for how our tanks run in this fashion.

Again, there is no "plug and play" formula to follow- only procedure.

Only recommendations for how to approach things. Many of them are grounded in basic husbandry and the ability to keep control of our human instincts to be impatient or make rash adjustments. It's a mindset shift. We sound a bit like the proverbial "broken record"; however, like so many things in aquarium-keeping, our "best practices" are few, simple and need to be repeated until they simply become habit:

1) Prepare all botanicals prior to adding them to your aquarium. 

2) Add botanical materials slowly and gradually, assessing the impact on your aquarium environments and inhabitants.

3) Either remove botanical materials as they break down (if that's your aesthetic preference), or replace them when they reach a point where they are no longer providing the aesthetic and environmental conditions that you desire.

4) Observe your aquarium continuously.

If you noticed, the first practice is simply logical.

You need to employ it...if there were ever a "hard and fast rule in the botanical/blackwater game, this would be it.  It makes little sense, in the closed confines of an aquarium, to just toss something in without at least cleaning it. Number 2 is all about the pace...the real "secret sauce", if you will, which sort of sets up everything else. There is simply no need to rush this process.

And, by observing and assessing, you'll get a real "feel" for how botanicals work in your aquarium.  And #3 is the real "finesse" part of the equation...the nuance, the subtle, yet noticeable adjustments and corrections we make to keep things moving along nominally- sort of like pruning in a planted tank, a reef aquarium, or cultivating a backyard garden...it's a process.

In fact, the entire experience of a blackwater, botanical-style aquarium boils down to a process and a pace that helps foster the gradual, yet inexorable "evolution" of the aquarium. It embraces patience, and the ephemeral nature of things.

And let there be no doubt- a botanical-style aquarium does "evolve" over time, regularly and steadily changing and progressing. As we've mentioned before, it might be the perfect expression of the Japanese concept of "wabi-sabi", popularized by Takashi Amano, which is the acceptance of transience and imperfection.

The "ephemeral pace", if you will. A slow, beautiful journey into the wonders of nature.

And it's all held together by you- the aquarist, applying as much emotion and instinct as you do procedure- all done in the proper time...at the right pace.

All the while, understanding that nature will follow her path- with minimal intervention on our part- just as she's done for eons.

Stay observant. Stay patient. Stay calm. Stay diligent. Stay measured...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman                        

Tannin Aquatics

Origin stories.

I’m often surprised during conversations with some hobbyists who are thoroughly convinced that it’s important and beneficial to the aquarium hobby to have adapted fishes to our captive conditions, even to breed under them, rather than attempting to accommodate their needs by recreating, at least to some extent, the environmental parameters from the habitats from which they come.

In other words, fishes which, for eons have evolved to inhabit soft, acid waters are being “acclimated” to, and even bred under hard, alkaline tap water conditions. We often don't consider their "origin stories" and what they can teach us.

Sure, fishes can accommodate our needs... 

On one hand, I can certainly see how this can be beneficial to the industry. I mean, not everyone wants to invest in RO/DI units and steeping source water in leaves and such just to keep their Neon Tetras happy. More fishes are sold because, well- it's easier to keep them under "tap water" conditions. More fishes=More people=More business.

Yeah, I get that.

The "con" to me is that when we evolve fishes to conditions which work for US, not only might we be affecting the health of the fishes over the long-term (I'm not talking about a few dozen, or even a few hundred generations here), it's my opinion that we find ourselves giving less appreciation and consideration to the wild habitats from which they come. Less attention to these environments, some of which are critically endangered by human activities, means less effort to conserve them. Not out of any malevolent intent, mind you...It's just that, when we don't consider the habitats, we don't think about them as much. "Out of sight, out of mind..."

I am the first guy in favor of captive bred fishes and propagated corals. It's super important and vital to the future of the hobby and to the natural environment. However, I also think understanding where they come from and why they come from specific environmental conditions is equally important- and interesting. The last thing I'd want to see is the sort of cliched' mindset that we apply to food: "Where do those carrots come from? The supermarket!" 

How long will this work before something gives? 

The idea of "repatriating" fishes which come from soft, acidic blackwater habitats from our "tap water" conditions back into the water in which they have evolved, and learning how to manage the overall captive environment is by no means new or revolutionary. Lots of fish keepers have done this for decades. It's just that the hobby has sort of taken a collective mindset of "it's easier/quicker for US" to adapt them to the conditions we can most easily offer them. Just because they can "acclimate" to wildly different conditions than they have evolved to live under doesn't mean that they should.  

I mean, it's not about us. Right? The consistently successful serious breeders have understood this for a long time, and we all should, IMHO. As we’ve demonstrated in our community, it's not at all impossible to provide such conditions as a matter of practice…

Pat yourselves on the back. You're a bit different than the masses. You study the "origin stories" of your fishes. It’s a lesson learned early in the “modern era” of fishkeeping, some 100-odd years back, which has enabled landlocked hobbyists in frigid climates to be able to successfully keep delicate tropical fishes from exotic locales in their living room. It’s what has enabled an entire industry of dedicated professional fish breeders and coral propagators to grow enough fishes and corals to someday meet the demands of the entire market, perhaps making it unnecessary to exclusively harvest from wild habitats. 

It’s what’s enabled even the neophyte hobbyist to be able to enjoy the wonders of the tropical streams, rivers, and oceans in his/her first aquarium. 

We don't have to do this "cold turkey", all at once, forcing radical change on the entire culture and technique of the aquarium world. And responsibly-collected/managed collection of wild fishes not only can continue to help indigenous populations manage their resources and benefit from them without damaging them. And then, we as hobbyists can learn more and more about he environments from which the fishes come from and make it part of our "routine" to replicate them more closely.

Win-win, IMHO.

And it's not about making sure that every stick, leaf, and rock is from the exact place every fish we keep comes from..No. It's about studying, introducing, sharing, and celebrating the wonders of nature. Replicating some of the factors that we can, even if it's a bit different and challenging at first. It's about demonstrating to others how different and amazing  things can be when we adopt a different mindset, learn more about the world, and the needs of our fishes.

Accommodating the organisms we want to keep. NOT the other way around. A valuable lesson that the entire aquarium community could learn from. And it’s just “the way we do stuff” around here. The cost of admission. It's kind of what we like to do.

Stubborn, perhaps. 

However, that's the kind of stubbornness I can get behind!

Stay stubborn. Stay inquisitive. Stay dedicated. Stay excited...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Pleasant surprises in the botanical world...

If you've been I the aquarium game for more than, oh, say 6 months, you realize that you will be graced with some "suprises" along from time to time. And, unfortunately, they usually come in the form of stuff like disease outbreaks, heater failures, wet carpet, and lighting timer malfunctions...stuff like that.

However, every once in a while, you're visited by some things which exceed your expectations or surprise you in the most pleasant way: Unexpected fish spawning, the supposedly complex, stubborn filter which ends up going together easily,and working right out of the box, or the fish reputed to be hard-to-feed which gobbles up pellets minutes after being released from the bag.

As hardcore hobbyists, we don't take these surprises lightly, either!  And, in our world, in addition to many of the warnings and caveats that we've featured here about potential disaster and the virus of going slowly, we are encouraged daily by so many exciting and pleasant discoveries and surprises. Here are just a few of our faves:

Texas Live Oak Leaves last a loooong time! Like, in many instances, two months or more before breaking down to any significant degree. This was definitely a surprise to me, as I was convinced they'd turn to mush in a couple of weeks at best. Obsessed with them! 

"Substrato Fino" preps easily and doesn't turn your water into a muddy mess. Now, I had my feelings about the stuff from the earliest experimental days, and concerns that all it would do is create a muddy mess..However, it's been demonstrated again and again that this coconut-derived stuff sinks right to the bottom, imparts minimal cloudiness to the water, and is easy to rinse and reuse as needed. Oh, and annual killies love to spawn in the stuff! 

"Blonde Spider Wood" turns a really "natural-looking" darker brown color over time...Yeah, I heard all of the negatives about the stuff and how "overplayed" and "unnatural" (lol, can wood be "unnatural?") it looks when you use it in a 'scape...but I like the twisted morphology, And low and behold, after a month or so, it looks a hell of a lot more like driftwood than it does like Azalea Root, or whatever it's alleged to be...It takes on a nice weathered "patina" and an unexpectedly rough texture...You just need to be really patient! 

Yellow Mangrove Leaves can be used in blackwater aquariums. Yeah, despite their origin as predominantly brackish-water-occuring trees, and the initial  concerns of us fish geeks, the leaves do not appear to release any measurable amount of salt into the aquarium water. I've tested batches of them steeped in pure RO/DI water with a digital refractometer, and never detected any salt. I've used them in water with no measurable carbonate hardness and low pH, without any  issues. They impart significant "visual tint" into the water (they're known by science to be strong tannin-producers), are really long lasting, and look amazing!

"Savu Pods" are readily utilized by a wide variety of fishes for shelter and spawning sites. Well, we had a feeling...Most fishes can't resist a good cave, right? And these little pods from South America are just another "cave" to a whole bunch of Apistos, loaches, and even certain wild Betta species! We receive pics almost weekly of clutches of fry and adult fishes hunkering down in, one, and around these popular pods. Oh, and they look cool, too.

"Concha Pods" are actually consumed by many species of ornamental shrimp. Not just "grazed upon", but eaten. Now, this is actually true for a number of botanicals, but these pods seem to be particularly tasty to them for some reason! They're definitely worth including in a shrimp aquarium!

Mangrove Wood will accumulate a lot of biofilm initially. Well, we love a good "patina" as much as the next guy, but were unprepared for just how much this wood can produce! If you're looking for an ultimate, natural biological "seeding" material which happens to look pretty good as well, mangrove wood is really great stuff! I like to call it "dirty" wood, because it seems to really recruit this material on it's surfaces during its initial weeks of submersion. Fishes will continually graze on this wood and it will become a "hub" for biological activity in your aquarium. 

Tinted brackish water aquariums are surprisingly easy to maintain. Yeah, the richly-colored water and earthy vibe of our botanical-style brackish aquarium concept is not only stable and easy to keep, it's a really interesting basis for a biologically active system. With a surprisingly rich substrate, decomposing leaves, and growing mangroves, the more natural approach to brackish water aquariums is much more interesting than the white/grey, bleak-looking versions that were preferred for so many years in this arena!

Palm Fronds are a great part of the botanical-style aquarium. With their unique look, structure, and utility, the idea of incorporating palm fronds in our aquariums just makes a ton of sense. I can't take credit for this one. My friend Tai Strietman was really the biggest "influencer" in this area. His use of fronds in his aquariums and their incredible aesthetics, along with his encouragement, inspired me to try them. They gradually break down under water and encourage growth of microorganisms, and other life forms, just like in nature. They add a completely natural, very realistic dimension to our BWBS-style aquariums! You've done some incredible stuff with them, and they've become a popular "staple" of our offerings for the past couple of years!

You can run perfectly successful and beautiful botanical-style aquariums without the tinted water. Yeah, use of chemical filtration media, like activated carbon, etc. will make your water crystal clear, even while filled with a significant array of botanicals. This is something that opens up the use of botanicals to a wider audience of people, who might be really into the idea of a botanical-filled aquarium, but not the tint and earthy vibe that we love so much. And if you are one of those "everything must be pristine" kind of hobbyists, you simply remove/replace the leaves and botanicals as soon as they start to break down. Easy.

Many plants will grow just fine in a blackwater aquarium. Sure, many blackwater habitats in regions like Amazonia have little in the way of aquatic plants, others, such as Asia and Africa, have an enormous variety of species which live and thrive in blackwater habitats. For a long time, hobbyists have been very hesitant to experiment with many varieties of aquatic plants outside of Cryptocoryne and a few others. Now, we're seeing bold and successful planted blackwater tanks with everything from Bucephalandra to Rotala...and we're really just getting started. Try a planted blackwater aquarium today! Think of the possibilities.

And that's what we think about the world of boatanical-style aquariums. Possibilities. Blackwater, brackish, planted, clear water, hard water...marine...So many ways to enjoy the unique aesthetics and utility of these wonderful natural materials in a variety of aquariums! We're intrigued and excited every day by the amazing ideas and body of work that we're seeing from our rapidly-expanding global community of adventurous, forward-thinking aquarists.

Pleasant surprises and exciting breakthroughs, tempered, of course, with some caveats and potential dangers- but worthwhile and exciting nonetheless for the bold, experimental, observant, and methodical aquarist!

Stay forward-thinking. Stay excited. Stay creative. Stay thoughtful...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Sorting through substrate and pushing out of the comfort zone...

Have you noticed that some of the things that we do and materials that we utilize in our aquarium paractice have remained largely unchanged for many decades? I mean, we as a hobby tend to fall into the "comfort zone" afforded by stuff that gives the widest variety of aquarists the best possibilities for success and replication. 

It makes sense, of course, from both a hobby and a commercial standpoint. 

That being said, it's nice to experiment and push the outside of the envelope periodically with things that may not be 100% tried-and-true, right? 

One of the things I've had a fascination with in the aquarium hobby is the substrate materials that we've used on the bottoms of our aquariums. It's funny, but looking back on my hobby "career" (really, spanning virtually my entire lifetime), the choices we've had for many decades were surprisingly...well, dull. And actually, kind of "unrealistic", actually.

I mean, the old standby,"#3 Aquarium Gravel" is not exactly reminiscent of the materials found in most of the tropical aquatic environments of the world! Yet, over the decades, this ubiquitous material became THE standard for aquariums. Why? Well, "back in the day", the medium particle-sized gravel was anointed  "easy to maintain", as it tends not to accumulate a lot of uneaten food and organic debris. A siphon or "gravel vac" could easily penetrate the surface layer, picking up the debris while leaving the substrate itself essentially undisturbed. In addition, many of the gravel materials tend to have some buffering capacity, which is good for many fishes, specifically those like African cichlids, etc.

It's only been in recent decades where we've seen a wholesale "migration" to different materials. I see two primary reasons for this: The rise in popularity of planted aquariums, which necessitated the development of specialized substrates, and reef aquariums, which require specific types of aragonite sands for buffering and such.

Many of the newer commercial products are specifically formulated to provide minerals, trace elements, etc. for plant growth, lower pH, etc. That's really cool- what I call "smart substrates" are, I think, the wave of the future. And of course, we are fascinated by the people who play with so-called "dirted substrates" in their planted tanks... similar in many respects to the ideas we are intrigued with.

As we talk about so much here, what we call "functional aesthetics" is the name of the game here. And of course, these specialized substrates are fantastic and far more realistic, in my opinion, than gravel for a broader variety of habitats. You can create some really awesome looking (and functioning) substrates. 

And that's where we come in...

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 other bodies of water, which tend to be influenced as much by the surrounding flora (mainly forests and jungles) as they are by geology.

Now, a unique class of substrate, the"Podzols" -are soils characterized by a whitish-grey subsurface, bleached by organic acids. They have an overlying dark accumulation of brown or black illuviated humus. These soils support the rainforests surrounding blackwater streams, yet are the most infertile soils in Amazonia. 

Interesting.

And of course, my obsession with botanical materials to influence and accent the aquarium habitat caused me to look at the use of certain materials for what I call "substrate enrichment" - adding materials reminiscent of those found in the wild to augment the more "traditional" sands and other substrates used in aquariums.  And in some instances, to replace them entirely.  

We have sourced materials which we feel recreate some of the appearance, texture, and function of the tropical streams and rivers that we obsess over. Some, like "Fundo Tropical" and "Substrato Fino" are coconut-derived, and will not only "tint" the water, but will impart those humic substances and such that seem to be so beneficial for many fishes. And then we have our more "leaf-centric" materials, such as Mixed Leaf Media and "MLM2", which provide a different look and function.

The texture of these materials tends to facilitate the growth of small life forms, like  bacteria and higher organisms (like worms, creatures like Gammarus, and other crustaceans) can thrive and reproduce, processing uneaten food and other materials, which providing the occasional "snack" for foraging fishes. 

I suppose the "cons" of incorporating these types of materials would be that you could overdo it. You know, 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- perils that are well-known to most in our community. Working with ideas like this always requires that we proceed slowly and cautiously- looking at the potential for issues as thoughtfully as we do at the opportunity to do "evolutionary" things.

And then there is that curious, nagging "thing" I have in my head about the ability 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.

With our embrace of "detritus" or "mulm" as a source of "fuel" for creating active biological systems within the confines of 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. For blackwater aquariums, which tend to be less plant-focused, establishing the "ecosystem" is very important.

And the idea is not THAT crazy- it's long been practice to add some sand or filter media from established aquariums into new tanks to help "jump-start" necessary biological processes.  It makes sense, and the overall concept is really not that difficult to grasp. And we probably shouldn't get too crazy into understanding every single aspect of this practice. Suffice it to say, something about this practice works, for reasons which we already tangentially understand. 

The biochemical interactions and such can and should be explored by those with the proper backgrounds, but for most of us, simply experimenting with and observing our aquariums and the way they operate can yield a surprisingly large amount of information. 

Interested? I sure am!

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 about experimentation and observation. It's a way of looking at what's already working and trying to figure out the "whys" as we go. 

Building a botanical-style aquarium system is not simply about a different look. It's about creating a biological system optimized for the blackwater environment. With a substrate comprised of botanical materials which specifically compliment the overall aquarium, the possibilities for success with these unique systems are significant!

We are committed to experimenting and learning more about the role of botanical substrates in our aquariums, and are really excited about the future!

Who's in?

Stay excited. Stay curious. Stay observant. Stay creative...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Shallow shorelines and deep inspirations...

The interactions between water and land are something we've thought about and discussed fairly often here in "The Tint", and it's a topic which continues to hold my fascination. A lot of the research I did before I started my brackish water aquarium centered upon this land/water interaction and the flora and fauna that exist there. 

In the case of brackish water estuaries and such, you have mangroves and palms. An interesting palm is the Nypa Palm, Nypa fruticans, from which a number of our favorite botanicals come from, by the way, such as "Rio Fruta" These are interesting palms because they are ecologically adapted to growing in wet substrates with salt content, like mangrove swamps!

And then, there are those peat swamps...

I was looking at some pictures of a Southeast Asian "peat swamp" the other day, and I noticed some of the plant growth along the shoreline. I was particularly fascinated by the tangles of what, our want of a better word, appeared to be "reeds." I saw these plants extending into the water in massive thickets...and of course, I thought to myself, "I'll bet a ton of fishes live among those! I'll bet that would make a cool aquarium feature, too"

And they do. Fishes like Betta, Rasbora, Gouaramis, and others are found in these thickets, all part of a rich and surprisingly diverse little ecosystem!

Now, the term "reed" is a pretty broad descriptor, and refers to any number of tall, grass-like plants which inhabit wetlands around the world. As you might surmise, wetlands in and of themselves are really interesting habitats, and include such obsession-inducing ecological niches as mangrove swamps, varzea, and  the aforementioned peat bogs!

Wetlands may be saturated with water either seasonally or permanently, and are home to aquatic AND terrestrial plants. They are among the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems- and as such, are a really fascinating subject for our aquarium work, right?

The water chemistry and biodiversity of wetland habitats is dependent upon the source of the water and the geological material which it flows through. The soils support biological activity and diversity within the aquatic ecosystem, and provide not only a literal "foundation" for plant growth, but a zone in which various microorganisms, insects, worms, and other life forms thrive, forming the basis of a food chain.

Many  of these habitats are inundated year-round, although some wetlands are ephemeral in nature, such as the varzea in South America, or even some of those temporary pools you find in the plains of Africa, which are home to some of our favorite annual killifishes, such as Nothobranchius.

 So, if you're thinking what I'm thinking...and I know that you are- the fact is, there are numerous ways to replicate these types of environments in the aquarium!

And the creative options are many and varied. You can construct something as faithful to the real thing as possible, really trying to be biotopically correct- or you could go for something inspired by these habitats.

Those peat swamps from Southeast Asia keep calling me...They're a very interesting and distinct ecological niche. With a little research, and use of the right plants and materials, many of which are readily available- really authentic representations of these habitats can be made!

Of course, you have regions in South America, such as the Pantanal, in which many grasses and other plants grow together to create a very unique habitat. And there are a LOT of cool fishes that live there!

(Photo by Alicia You, used under CC BY-SA 3.0)

Of course being the aquarium geek that I am, I felt it would be important to source materials which would work to help create the "reeds and grasses" associated with these habitats. When this bug hit a while back, I hit up a few of my favorite suppliers in Southeast Asia to see if they had any materials which would be useful for this type of aquarium...And of course, one of them came through with some interesting stuff in the form of Lotus stems!

Well, I've been testing them for a while, and discovered that they are like ultra lightweight, and really not the most long-term durable materials to use in an aquatic situation, but they are authentic! We'll see how well they hold up under submersion for a bit longer before deciding if they're worth releasing for sale, but I admit it's not looking all that promising thus far, lol. 😂 

In the mean time, you can use other stuff, like bamboo sticks in your aquascape. These have been used before, and are definitely an authentic component of these habitats. Bamboo has been used for many years in aquariums in a variety of aquascaping applications, and is obviously appropriate in these types of habitats. 

And of course, we have other types of stems and "reed-like" elements you could use to help recreate this habitat, stuff like Coco Palm stems, which may be used in a "vertical" format. Now, these are not reeds and grasses, of course, but they could evoke the feeling of this niche.

Of course, the idea of grasses just won't leave my head...In those flooded iagpo forest floors of Amazonia, you see terrestrial grasses holding on throughout the year, creating a fascinating biotope.

I think that the intrepid hobbyist could likely source some grasses, like Spartina,  which could help recreate the function and form of these habitats. 

I am positive that Spartina and other grasses would be amazing in an aquarium setting, if you could source them and work with them in rich aquatic soils, of which there are many commercially available for planted aquariums nowadays. If you're up to the task, the materials you need are out there!

So, we hope that  all of this talk about some of the unique land/water habitats of the world and their interactions inspires you to do some more research, and perhaps create an aquarium featuring this unique ecological component!

Stay creative. Stay resourceful. Stay experimental. Stay excited...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Evolution. Inspiration. Simplicity. Tint.

You know what is really gratifying?

To hear from fellow fish geeks that something you do has inspired an influences them in their own aquarium work! Interestingly, my little "P. simulans Igapo nano aquarium that I set up in the office, even in its most early phases, has garnered a lot of attention and interesting from people in our community. We're trying to update "real time" as we go.

We've already talked about how this tank was  beautiful pivot from an original idea...a little killifish biotope. As discussed previously, I immediately went to "Plan B" and this obscenely simple aquarium is becoming one of my fave tanks ever! Weird! Judging by the number of PM's and emails I'm receiving about it, I think it has struck a chord in a number of you!

First off, everyone seems to want to know the botanical selections.

They could not be more simple: 2 packs of Texas Live Oak Leaves, 1 pack Malaysian Yellow Mangrove Leaves, and 1 "Twenty Twigs" pack. The wood is three small pieces of Spider Wood. The substrate is a 1/4" /.635cm layer of CaribSea "Sunset Gold" sand. (my "go-to" substrate for my BWBS tanks). It really nicely represents the podzol soils common to this region of the world.

This simple combination of materials has really created a realistic-looking representation of the igapo with very little effort. What's nice about the leaves that I've incorporated into this setup is that they are two of the longer-lasting leaves we work with, meaning that they'll "hold form" for a good length of time. Oh, and they're "to scale" with the small size of the tank.

And the oak twigs are really perfect for what we're doing here. Remember, and igapo is literally a terrestrial forest floor that is seasonally inundated by water. What you'd find on the forest floor (like, leaves, twigs, tree part, etc.) is exactly what we're using here. 

A quick note on the "Spider Wood"- I believe this well-known aquarium wood to be Azalea root.

After prolonged submergence, it looses the orangeish color and smooth texture and becomes much darker and more roughly textured, much to my delight! I experienced this nice transformation in my home blackwater aquarium, which uses this wood as the exclusive hardscape in the tank.

The only downside to this wood is that it is among the most "fungus and biofilm-inducing" wood types you'll ever see, recruiting significant amounts of the gooey stuff during it's early submersion phases! You just have to stay on the removal process and it will pass after a few weeks!

One of the latest obsession I have with flooded Amazonian forest floors is to find out the plants which are commonly found there and survive and even grow during the period of inundation. 

One of my goals is to find either the seeds or some sprouting versions of some of these plants. It's not easy, although I might of found a few sources for seeds of one of the fruit-bearing plants of the region, Jaboticaba,  Myrciaria sp.. In one study I found about the plants which grow in the inundated igapo habitats, the most common species are Eugenia inundata, Sphinctanthus stmflorus and Securidaca longifoliaare. These are found most frequently in the water during the inundation. 

Now, obviously, many of these are (in no particular order) too large, too slow to grow, and too damn hard to find... It might be a matter of finding substitutes of plants which function as facsimiles. Sure, we've all played with Philodendron and such, which root in water without substrate, and many hobbyists incorporate them into their aquariums.

Cool, but not the real affect I'm looking for. I'm trying to achieve the look of plants growing out of the soil, partially submerged, as opposed to a plant simply rooting in water. Make sense?

See the palm in the igapo pic by Mike Tuccinardi above? I don't know the species. However, I have  sort of similar-appearing potted "Cat Palm", Chamaeodorea cataractarum in our home, which I've taken cuttings from at various time for this type of experimentation. t's from Mexico and never is found as far south as Brazil, but it kinda looks the part! 

It throws of little plants now and again, and seems to have even rooted in water without substrate in tests I've done. Palms don't typically root in water- they need substrate, so this was truly an anomaly. Oh, and they don't root from "cuttings"- you need to actually utilize either a small specimen that already has established some roots. So, of course, I had to include the little "water-rooted" cutting that I had going...let's see if it survives, let alone grows! 

The other plants, along with some grasses which have North American analogs, are fascinating, and are ones I'll have to source at some point.

My goal has been to use this tank as a sort of "test bed" for what I hope to do o na much larger scale in the future. It will be fun to try some different plants to see what gives me the look and function I'm trying to achieve! I think one of the first issues will be to simply provide a deeper substrate! I can't do this in the tiny ADA 60F I'm using, but in a larger aquarium, it will be easy to do!

We'll be continuing to document the evolution of this simple, yet remarkably engaging little tank. My fondest wish is that it not only provides a few ideas and answers for me, but that it inspires and motivates YOU to try some similar experiments, which will make a huge impact on our community!

Stay excited. Stay engaged. Stay bold. Stay creative.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics