The Tint

Everything evolves.

Have you ever noticed that aquariums tend to accumulate more "stuff" the longer they're around? Wether it's an accumulation of botanical material, decomposing or otherwise, or simply an "accumulation" of color in the water. Stuff seems to accumulate, doesn't it?

Yet, it's truly amazing- the stuff you find. 

We generally don't add all sorts of different materials to our tanks on a continuous basis-most of us tend to find our "favorites" and replenish them as needed. However, we do see things sort of "accumulate" in those corners of the aquarium, don't we? For example, plants that send off runners where we don't expect them. Rocks which fall into crevices within the wood pieces in our hardscape. Botanicals which might have been partially buried in the substrate over time.

Now, this is sort of a real "non-issue" for most of us- I mean, you keep an aquarium set up long enough, "stuff" just sort of "appears", right?

Or, could you say that every tank actually "evolves" to some degree during its lifetime? 

I think that's more of the case here. 

Every tank changes, both physically and environmentally, as it ages.

Sure, tank will often become sort of "cloudy" right after they're set up, and most of this stuff will settle out over time.

This is not something new or previously unconsidered by the hobby, but it's something we don't give much thought to, I think. We just plug along, feeding our fishes, doing water exchanges, and growing plants. We tend to our aquaecapes, and watch things grow. Over time, even the most diligently-maintained aquarium tends to look significantly different than when it was first assembled. It's how natural systems go.

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

This is extremely analogous to what you see in the natural habitats of the fishes that we love so much. 

And this is as much a perception issue as it is a husbandry one.  I mean, we're talking about materials from decomposing botanicals and wood, as opposed to uneaten food, fish waste, and such.

Now, one could make the argument that water quality is water quality- nitrate is nitrate, phosphate is phosphate- regardless of source. Can't really argue with that. Water with a "haze" or cloudiness has come to be recognized almost universally as a sign of lax husbandry in the hobby. (As it should be, by the way.)

Yet, this is kind of interesting to me:

Some of the times I've experienced water with a "haze" to it, particularly when using certain types of wood (ie; mangrove), further inspection revealed...nothing really detrimental! No foul smell. No algae blooms. No detectible nitrate or phosphate.

All of the "hobbyist-grade" indicators of good water quality. 

Now, it's funny, because clarity and "clean appearance" have always been pretty reliable visual cues of water quality. With the rise of the botanical-style blackwater/brackish aquarium, we will see color. Tint. "Haze." Decomposing botanical materials.

And that's considered "normal" fo this type of tank. In fact, it's a big part of the beauty and appeal of it.

We have made a definite mental shift. 

Now sure, the vast majority of blackwater, botanical-style aquarium have crystal clear water and may even look spotlessly clean. And that's cool, too. What's even cooler, IMHO, is that we aren't seeing hobbyists freak out over some of the stuff previously associated with "dirty." 

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

However, it doesn't bother us anymore...

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

Everything evolves.

And that is kind of cool!

Today's simple thought...

Stay open-minded. Stay curious. Stay intrigued. 

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Old ideas. New obsessions. A "Lesson from a Leaf?"

One of the most enjoyable things about our blackwater, botanical-style aquarium obsession is that you can try so many different things and create completely different looks, environmental conditions, and potential outcomes by merely changing stuff up a bit.

As one of those who is knee-deep in the business of bringing all sorts of new and different botanicals to market (someone called me "The Podfather", lol), I am in the unique position of being able to test everything that I offer. Not only is this a responsibility that I happily bear, it's a helluva lot of fun, too!

Now, there are many, many botanicals which I've worked with that, for one reason or another, don't "speak to me" and will likely never end up being a permanent part of any of my aquascapes. Some, like Alder Cones, Birch Cones, and Casuarina Cones, are purely "functional", in that they are utilized as "water conditioners" (sic) or  "grazing vehicles for shrimps.

Not a part of any aquascape I would do. 

Yeah, some of the stuff I offer will not end up in my tanks- at least, not where you can see them!

Or, will they?

My mind set has evolved somewhat.

A recent case in point: Our Texas Live Oak leaves, which I was alerted to by Cory Hopkins, have really captivated me of late. And apparently, many of you, too! And it's easy to see why: They are small, have a very interesting look, which makes them what I like to call "generic-tropical" in appearance.

This essentially means that, once submerged and in the 'scape with other leaves, they look more-or-less like "any old tropical leaf" you'd find in natural aquatic habitats. 

That's a huge thing for me.

Like, have you noticed that I don't carry other types of Oak leaves, even though many are perfectly suitable for aquatic use? I have a lot of people who've offered to supply us with them, but keep passing. And it's part of my own mishegas (insanity). It's really because- well- this sounds kind of dumb, I suppose- they look too much like...Oak leaves! 😂

Yeah.

So that's like one of those things I consider. I mean, in the end, everything we toss in our tanks starts to break down, and ultimately you can't really tell that you're using a White Oak leaf from California in your Southeast Asian stream aquarium, but I  have this weird mindset which tells me that can't start things that way, if you know what I mean?

Of course, I'm the guy who loves the decidedly-NOT-biotopically accurate Magnolia leaves, right? So there is some hope for me. 

That's just me.

Plant of hobbyists do, with terrific results. 

And I suppose, that's where I sometimes jump on the "biotope-purist" crowd a bit- like, really- you can tell exactly what leaf came from where once it's submerged and breaking down? And you're positive the leaves in that award-winning "Amazonian Igarape" tank are from the Amazon? Trust me, no vendor in the world has some of the leaves you'd see in say, the Amazonian region (I'm working on it, though!), so almost every leaf you see in even the most well-liked biotope aquarium is (usually) biotopically incorrect.

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, IMHO.

Oh, back to the Live Oak leaves...See, I got sidetracked again! 

They are truly remarkable botanicals, in that they also tend to sink after jus ta few minutes of steeping in boiling water, last a long time submerged, and are the right "scale" for even smaller aquariums. When you combine them with Yellow Mangrove Leaves (one of my other more recent obsessions), they form the basis of a rather "exotic-looking", long-lasting, and "properly-proportioned" leaf litter bed! 

And they add a wonderful tint to the water. All in all, a great leaf to use in almost any blackwater aquarium display. 

See, this little leaves taught me a BIG lesson: Just about any botanicals that we work with can create some pretty incredible looks, if you give them a chance! Being open to working with different materials is a good thing!

And I think this has been instrumental in my evolution as an aquarist and aquascaper. Accepting the possibilities that each botanical offers; trying to utilize different botanicals for different looks has opened me up to all sorts of different experiences with my aquariums.

Stuff that definitely helps create aquariums which replicate, to some extent, the appearance and processes which occur in natural aquatic habitats.

The other thing that is fun is how just a simple tweak here or there- switching up a few types of leaves or botanicals- can create an entirely different type of aquarium. I can't tell you how many times that a hobbyist has approached me and told me that they wanted to try that new botanical, adding it to their tank, only to end up creating a completely different type of aquarium experience in the process!

Allow yourself the opportunity to indulge and create new obsessions! 

THAT is pretty exciting to me!

Sooo...

Be open to trying just about anything that you find interesting. Enjoy the challenge of making "alien" materials work for the look you're trying to achieve in your tropical aquarium 

Most important- stay open minded.

Stay creative. Stay excited. Stay innovative...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics  

Saving the fish store..or simply giving it the credit it deserves!

Isn't there something wonderful about the immersive experience of going to your local fish store ("LFS")?

A few weeks back, I was driving through an area where a tropical fish store was in operation for many years. It was one that I used to go to when I was a kid. Being in a sentimental mood (and having a growing interest in setting up a new small aquarium in my office!), I decided to drop in and see what was happening in the old shop! At first, you’d think, “Why is this owner of an internet-based speciality aquarium product company dropping in to a local fish store?”

It’s an easy question to answer: Because I’m a hobbyist, and as a hobbyist, there are few better places in the world to go than the local fish store! It’s one of the best things that we can do! And I wasn't disappointed - I seldom am. 

Yet, in this postmodern, internet-enabled hobby world, it seems that the venerable local fish store (“LFS”) is under constant attack. Online vendors, hobbyist garage-based start-ups, group buys, eBay, Amazon, Craigslist, and even frag swaps and club auctions are but a few of the challenges facing the brick-and-mortar fish store’s very existence. These guys get it from all directions! Our hobby changes constantly and quickly. What was hot 3 months ago is yesterday’s news. Trends and shifts in interest happen so quickly in this internet-based world that the LFS barely has time to source that hot new item and get it into their inventory before it fades into memory!

Add this to the fact that many “dialed in” hobbyists seem to enjoy bashing the “guy at the LFS”, and you’ve got a big-time assault on one of the hobby’s most endearing institutions. Why is this so? What created this unfair stereotype? Does being active in a forum or buying only online make you somehow cooler? Does everyone who owns works for an online vendor have some special “instant cred” because they have  a fancy logo and an email address? (Wait, don’t answer that..LOL).

But seriously, what gives? 

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again- it’s time to re-think the much-maligned LFS and take a look at what it does so very well. Believe it or not, the LFS has significant advantages over many other forms of aquatic businesses.

First, think about convenience. For most hobbyists, the LFS is convenient, close and quick, especially if you know what you want.  If you need a pack of frozen food, a replacement filter cartridge, or a length of tubing, you can get it the same day. No worries about shipping, lost packages, and weekend delivery delays.  And, you have the chance to check out some cool livestock while you’re there! Sure, you can do that on line- I hope you do- but there’s nothing like seeing that hot new Pleco swimming right in front of your face!

 Sure, the LFS will not have every item that you see on line, but neither do many on-line sources. You’ll need to do some legwork to find the more exotic things. Many good LFS owners will try to source specialty items for you if they can. Remember, the LFS owner has different overhead to cover, and his/her business model is quite different than an online business. 

That trendy LED light or ultra-hot protein skimmer that’s all the rage on the forums will sit on the shelf at the LFS for months or longer before it’s sold, so you’re more likely to see more well-established products with broader appeal at the LFS. Notice I said “broader appeal?" The LFS, by virtue of what it is- has to cater to a far wider variety of customers than your typical e-commerce business, which, with less overhead, and the wonder of drop-shipping, can typically offer more obscure products much more easily.

Yeah, it would be awesome to have a shop that just sells, say, Apistos..but I just don't see that as a viable business model. It’s just unfair to expect the same from the LFS that we do of online vendors. They sell what works, because they have to. And you know what? There is room for both in this hobby.

And guess what? The really great stores will order that obscure skimmer or pump for you, and you'll have it in three days, just like you would if you purchased it online. You need to ask. 

In my travels, I’ve met many really cool LFS owners and visited some amazing stores. The great ones are always run by passionate, committed, and knowledgeable people, and they are clean, well stocked, and thoughtfully configured. The really great ones become what I call “destination” stores – businesses you’ll gladly drive an hour or more to visit, schedule a layover to see, or take every out-of-town fish geek to.  There are plenty of ‘em out there, too.

A common knock on the LFS is the stereotype of the “ignorant employee”. Hobbyists on forums love to share stories of the  LFS employee that sold that Catalaphyllia to the hobbyist as an anemone, or the one who sent the beginner home with a Nano Cube, two baby Oscars and a sprig of Bucephalandra at the same time. Let’s be honest here- ignorant fish people are not limited to the LFS. After perusing forums and message boards for decades, I’ve seen far more absurd “advice” and stupidity online than I ever have in the local stores.

 And quite honestly, some of this "stupidity" is from hobbyists who should know better, and simply respond almost reflexively to an article, proffering "advice" after literally only reading the title. As a rather prolific blogger, I see this often. It's actually kind of funny...well, sad, but funny.

Some online “vendors”  (I will be frank here, ‘cause I've never been one to hold back) are some of the stupidest hobby people I’ve ever met.  It's really prevalent ion the reef side of the hobby more than anything: Just because someone can buy a cheap coral from Indo, hack it into 3 pieces, color-shift a pic of it via PhotoShop and sell it on a hobby forum under a trendy name for an obscene price does NOT make them more qualified to dispense hobby advice!

In fact, I’d sometimes take the advice I’d hear from the 17 year old passionate reef geek or cichlid fanatic working behind the counter at the LFS than I would from the “expert” at the online “coral chop shop.” At least the 17-year old is physically working with fish and corals daily, and his work-good and bad- is obvious to all those who see. He’s not hiding behind a URL or fancy logo.

OK, yeah I just bashed on my own industry sector. Is NOTHING sacred, Fellman?

Nope.

Advice from ANY source in this hobby should always be taken with a grain of salt. Whether you’re buying leaves on line or buying at the fish store down the street, caveat emptor applies! The ultimate responsibility for bad decisions is that of the hobbyist. A little reading and talking to more experienced hobbyists before making that purchase will go a long way towards greater success. There is so much out there that there is simply no excuse for taking any one individual's word as "gospel" , right? Read more than the simple product description/summary or headline on a blog. Even mine.

READ. 🤓

 The LFS is a “breeding ground” for hobby/industry talent. Many great hobby movers-and-shakers got their start at the LFS. I vividly recall the first time I ever saw captive-bred Cardinal fish many years ago at my LFS. The enthusiastic teenage employee proudly pointed them out to me and lovingly showed me how he fed them, etc. An amazing accomplishment at the time-and the kid was just over-the-top stoked!  I never forgot his enthusiasm, and neither did he! His name is Dustin Dorton, who is now President at a little aquatic business in Florida called ORA. Yeah- that one...the pioneering and arguably the premier coral and marine fish propagator in the world.

He’ll be the first to tell you that it all started at his LFS, where he gained valuable experience that you just can’t gain through other retail avenues. Who knows what  future hobby “superstars” are out their right now, netting Neon Tetras for customers while experimenting with the next great hobby breakthrough in the back room?

Let’s face it: Even in this Facebook-optimized, Twitter-enabled, Instagram-powered  world, there is no substitute for face-to-face interaction with other fish geeks.  The idea of 140 characters being able to communicate all that you need to know to make a buying decision is just...stupid. There, I said it again: I think that some of the social media platforms we embrace (and yeah, I embrace them wholeheartedly) and hold up as a “better way” to reach consumers are…well…not always the best way to interact. They're amazing tools for an online business...incalculably valuable, really.

Yet, there is something about a "face-to-face" that's always the best, right?

And really, to play "devil's advocate" for a second, if I may- who is stupid enough to make a buying decision based purely on an Instagram pic form someone you've never heard of?  Okay. don't answer that. Seriously  though, are today’s consumers too dumb, too busy, or too important to read more than a few words about something they supposedly love?

I think not.

What’s wrong with a conversation with an LFS employee before you buy? Or, is it better to “dumb down” the message? Who is the benevolent, apparently “godlike” patron of the marketing world who decided that consumers don’t like to actually understand what they are purchasing? I mean...

Calm down, Fellman….

The LFS is, and hopefully always will be, a “watering hole” for local hobbyists. A place to swap stories, exchange experiences, offer wisdom to beginners, and to keep the love and lore of the hobby alive.

When you’re at the LFS, you’re among friends. It’s our tribe. You can’t always get that from a keyboard and monitor. I mean, we do our best, and there is huge value in fostering an online community- especially for those who don't have an "LFS" to go to.  For those who do have access to one, there is something wonderful about that crowded, musty-smelling LFS, isn't here?

YOU BELONG.

It’s one of the delightful intangibles that the LFS can offer in a way that no other hobby source can. 

So, hobbyists need to stop trashing the LFS.

Enough.

Finally, there is the…wonder. I remember seeing my first Sea Anemone at the LFS when I was a kid, and I never forgot the thrill. My first pair of Discus with fry. It seems like every time I visit my LFS, there is some kid just like me, with his face pressed up against the glass as he squeals with excitement at seeing a real “Nemo” for the first time.

I still enjoy seeing fish that I’ve only read about, right there in front of me. Just because I'm in "The Industry", have a successful website and a traveling hobby lecturer “career” doesn’t mean I’ve seen it all. For many of hobbyists, their first brush with the wonders of aquatic life was at the LFS, and it launched a passion that changed the direction of their lives.

And I still get excited when I go to my LFS. Yep. Always have. Always will.

I don't think the local fish store needs "saving", really. It needs the adulation it deserves as the most venerable of aquarium hobby institutions.

For the above reasons, and for hundreds more that I didn’t even think to touch on, the LFS must- and will- endure. Support your LFS- encourage it, and participate in the culture that it perpetuates, just like you do on Facebook.  Think about the many benefits that the LFS  offers, and think about what it will mean to our children to have this precious hobby resource, and to the generations of children as yet unborn. 

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it yet again! Long live the LFS!

Until next time...

Stay supportive. Stay loyal. Stay enthusiastic. Stay engaged...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Iterations. Revisions. Edits. Changes. Whatever you call 'em: A return to the flooded forest floor...again!

Okay, so I'm like one of those aquascapers (I use the term "aquascaper" sort of loosely, really) who tends to find what works and sticks with it for...Well, for a long freaking time! I've never been one of those kinds of guys who has to change up a tank every 3 months- you know, like the well-known 'scapers. I'd NEVER be a competitive 'scaper (not just for that reason, of course...there's this thing called "skill" that I am lacking...).

I rarely changed stuff up.

Well, until quite recently.

To my own dismay, an often to that of my friends, lately I'll get in a sort of "zone" where I try to achieve a certain "something"- whatever that is- and I might set up a tank with a decent aquascape, only to do an almost immediate "edit" and add or subtract some element that gets me closer to the original "vision" I had. Almost like a child playing with blocks, I sort of "figure shit out as I go."

I realize that, on a purely "meta" level, a lot of my "restlessness" lately was out of a crassly commercial sensibility- a desire to showcase our botanicals in a variety of different situations and "looks."  And lately, I've been on this bewildering tear of "aquascape revisions" on my home blackwater tank. And I sort of rationalize it by telling myself it's for the greater good. You know, we are (self-annointed) "purveyors of inspiration", so...

So, back to the present...

Sometimes the idea comes by studying my creation. Sometimes it's from going surfing or sipping my fave coffee, or a glass of that oh-too-sweet white wine I'm fond of. Other times it's from gaining additional inspiration from elsewhere (usually, natural habitat videos and pics, in my case), and still other times, it's sort of a "happy accident" that I stumble on something that works!

Something that triggers...something.

Yes, sometimes you have "happy accidents" which result in something coming out far better than you expected. And more on point with your idea. 

Ever experience that? I'll bet that you have.

I experienced the "happy accident phenomenon" recently when playing around with "Spider Wood" in my 50-gallon home blackwater tank, which was recently chronicled almost ad nasueum, as I do with most of my recent adventures.

Not to bore you, but I sort of came up with this configuration that, although more "stylized" in appearance, was really cool to me...For like 7 days, until I happened to look at another one of those "underwater igarape" videos and realized that, no matter how much I like "stylized" scapes, my first love is the random, wild, natural look of "biotope-inspired" (notice I didn't say "strictly biotopic?") aquariums.

And I was like, "Fellman- this tank is sooo not you. It's gonna suck."

I knew that, try as I might, I owed never be happy with a purely "artistic" aquascape at this point. I so appreciate them. Secretly covet them. But they're just not me. And like many of you- I just can't be what I'm not.

Self-awareness. God, I have it in droves.

So, for an unprecedented 2nd tie in one week, out came the drop cloth and the towels, I ripped out the wood and "had at it."

And damn it was fun!

And with a renewed, honest sense of purpose, I just sort of went for it, not really knowing how the scheme would look right away- and not giving a crap, either. This time, allowing myself to stop, look at it, and maybe wait a day or tow to get the look I wanted...which- let's face it- is a flooded forest floor, in all of its random "dirtiness"- and a vibe so "anti-design" that it actually looks like a design!

Sort of.

I mean, a large percentage of you re going to look at my "edit" on my design and be like, "Really Fellman- looks almost the same as before..." 

I admit, it's not a super-radical redesign, but it is pretty apparent in person- and will become much more so as it evolves over the next few weeks.

Now,  I wanted a certain "flow" to the wood stack; something that reminded me of the little aggregations you find in the flooded forest areas- bends and patches of exposed roots that curve around a bit.  Kind of nuanced, but based on these natural features.  I also wanted some "negative space" for fishes to aggregate and shoal. I realized that the dimension of this aquarium lend themselves to keeping some of the space intact for a bigger "feel."

And I realized that the fishes themselves would be the real "stars"...and that I wanted a lot of vertical space for them to aggregate and swim. The key seemed to be finding wood and hardscape which had the right sort of random, tangled look, while still leaving significant "vertical" for the fishes to shall over. Kind of like a reef, actually. I still have two pieces of wood to add to the right rear of the wood stack, so you'll see a difference in the next pics I share of this tank.

I said it before and I'll say it again, that Spider Wood, which I dissed for so long,  is actually pretty good for this sort of thing!  And the "nano-sized" pieces that we select for you at random are every bit as nice- and useful- as the slightly larger WYSIWYG ones that we offer! Added bonus? It saturates and sinks quickly, and It tint's the water wonderfully!

In smaller tanks with say, Tucanoichthys tucano, or maybe some Ruby Tetras, I could see a tiny, but killer biotope-style tank coming to life with this stuff...When this tank is ready, I'll ask my friend Johnny Ciotti to shot some pics and video and I think you'll see what I mean. Although he's so talented, he can even make my hack jobs look good, so...

And I really took another good, hard look at Mike Tuccinardi's underwater videos of igapo habitats and just stared, virtually frame by frame- at the rather intricate detail that one can glean from this habitat. After years of doing this, I believe that the key to really re-creating a flooded forest floor aquarium is to constantly remind your self that what you're attempting to replicate is...a forest floor, which just happens to be covered with, say, a meter of water!

And it makes more sense when you 'scape.

Typical forest floors have lots of aggregations of leaves, branches, seed pods, and other material from the trees and shrubs in the area. And if you notice, leaves tend to aggregate in little pockets under the roots and branches, and in the flooded areas, decompose "in situ."

Oh, back to the "Spider Wood" one more time, for just a second...

My recent "re-imaging" of my home blackwater tank was to make use of "Spider Wood", which, quite frankly, I avoided using for a long time, because  a) I hate those goddam, stupid "artificial moss trees" that some scapers drool over (Sorry, guys), and b) the tangled look of each piece was almost "too much", lol.

However, what I ultimately realized (and f-ed up royally in my first iteration of this!) was that if you sort of slowly work them together, you can create a sort of "contiguous structure" of what looks like exposed roots...perfect, because that's what the damn things are anyways...Yes, a really good representation of the habitat I geek out over is possible with this stuff. 

And what's cool is that you can let some leaves and botanicals aggregate among the tangles, creating pockets very reminiscent of the igapo! And in my instance, the relationship very low "vertical" of the wood achieved a sense of scale and openness that I have previously missed in attempts to replicate this habitat.

I mean, the real wonder of it all is that- again- it's literally (OMG, I sound like a Khardassian!) a forest floor that has been inundated with a meter or so of water...so it makes perfect sense!

(Notice I keep telling myself that, lol)

Despite the chaotic aggregations of botanical materials you find in this habitat, the bulk of what you see are... wait for it... leaves. And I think that, in the cozy confines of a modest-sized aquarium, you simply don't want too many elements competing for your attention. Oh, shameless plug: For sexy smaller leaves, you can't beat the Texas Live Oak Leaves and Malaysian Yellow Mangrove Leaves!

I think that I will limit my botanicals to a scant few varieties- smaller ones, or types which fit the scale and "feel" of the scape. We'll see as we go here. 

That means...more figuring it out as I go. More "edits." More iterations. More indecision. More self-doubt. More revelations.

More fun.

Through this whole seemingly annoying practice and the ensuing commentary, I realized one thing: I love playing with my aquariums. 

Can it get any better than that?

I don't think so.

It's my hope that this sort of "stream of consciousness" update on my aquatic activities resonates with some of you who go through similar journeys with your aquariums. If not, it least gives you some idea of the mindset of the kooky guy behind Tannin Aquatics! 

Scared yet?

Until next time...

Stay creative. Stay inspired. Stay curious. Stay motivated. Stay relentless...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

A quick look at some...looks...

Those of you who follow our blog know that I have thing about "evolving" aquarium and leaving them to their own devices for extended periods of time. Now, as a vendor, that certainly is at odds at time with my desire to show some new looks to inspire our community and demonstrate new ideas, concepts, and products.

New looks.

The first iteration of a blackwater/botanical-style aquarium that we created here specifically for Tannin was the "botanical zone" tank back in 2016, using some manzanita and river stones as the "base hardscape", and an assortment of seed pods, leaves, and other botanical items as an integral part of the aesthetic.

This was a fun scape, because it was actually remarkably simple to execute, used some long-lasting botanicals, and was a basis for evolving into something different and hopefully, inspiring over time.

It was fun to incorporate a variety of leaves into the scape, and allow them to "accumulate" among the Manzanita branches. The fishes, particularly my APisto collection- really enjoyed this!

Of course, all things evolve, and thanks to a gift of Polygonum cuttings from our friend, the talented Luis Navarro, we decided to "toss some sprigs" into this milieu. And lo and behold, they grew, and looked kind of cool in this 'scape.

This was a lot of fun, as well as helping show our new and growing community that it was entirely possible to grow plants in blackwater/botanical-style aquariums.

And the growth WAS substantial, and this was significant, because, quite honestly, no special "accommodations" were made for the plants, vis a vis fertilizer, increased lighting, etc.

And of course, we developed and shared our routines for replenishing leaves and keeping the aesthetic going via these additions. We were seeing the results oaf a patient, steady practice...a recommendation we've made for some time to our community.

This tank was so stable; so easy to maintain...a real joy. And like all good hobbyists with more ideas than aquariums, we decided it was time to rip it apart and play with some new stuff- 'cause thats what fish geeks do, right?

It's no secret that I have an obsession with Mopani wood. I not only love the look of this wood- I LOVE the fact that no one seems to like the damn stuff. That makes it irresistible to me. I mean, if everyone hates it, it's time to double down and do an entire scape based on it, right?

And it was also about this time that my friend, Tai Strietman, got me really into the idea of using palm fronds in our botanical-style tanks. Having seen his brilliant aquariums, I had no choice but to incorporate them into my 'scape!

This was sort of a "transitional scape" for us...I never intended to keep it up for a long period of time. Rather, it was one of those "proof of concept" things I was playing with to incorporate some elements that I thought would be fun to see in action in an aquarium together. I liked it, and kept it going a lot longer than I thought I would! 

And naturally, being as much a "purveyor of inspiration" as I am a reseller of botanicals, it was time to play with a new look!

This time, I wanted to play with mangrove wood. Mangrove is interesting, because it has a very unique look, and an interesting impact on the overall appearance and ecology of the closed aquatic environment, particularly in the blackwater niche.

Like Mopani, it tend to impart a surprising amount of color into the water, and- because it's what I call a "dirty" wood- one with a lot of organic material bound up in its tissues, triggers the growth of a lot of biofilm, "infusoria", and other organisms. And it created a sort of almost "thick" look to the water for a while that was incredibly natural and just beautiful to look at! And the color was gorgeous...

Of course, this iteration evolved a bit, from just utilizing the heavier mangrove roots to playing with the lighter branches, as well, for a more complex look and experience, not unlike the flooded South American forest floors that I obsess over!

This dark, "rich-looking" 'scape really captured the vibe I was seeking, and being in my home, enhanced the overall aesthetic of the room in which the aquarium was situated.

Never content to simply sit back and enjoy, within 6 months, it was time to "iterate" again. I wanted to show how you could take a more "biotope-type" look and sort of  blend it with a higher-concept, more "contrived" 'scape. Some of the heavier pieces were removed, and we only used the lighter branchy pieces, creating a more "negative-space-positive" look.

And of course, it was a lot of fun to just keep playing with ideas, and the urge to work more with this "fusion idea" of biotope-inspired and "artistic" that I had to evolve the tank again, switching ti up entirely, utilizing a new type of wood.

So-called "Blonde Spider Wood" is an interesting type of wood, one which I haven't played all that much with in the past. It's a light, very gnarled, "root-derived" wood that is easy to work with. However, it is a bit challenging to utilize it in a way that looks more natural, and less derived, IMHO. So the challenge was irresistible to me!

I fell into a configuration that was common in many reef aquariums I've kept...sort of a peninsular look. By "weaving" a few peices of wood together, the goal was to see if, once the biofilms and leaves and such start forming and decomposing, that a somewhat more natural-looking scene could be created. There idea here was to create a stylized version of the little bends you see I streams, where leaves and botanical materials accumulate within the "matrix" of wood.

And, with some mangrove and Live Oak leaves "installed" in toe matrix, the evolution has begun! And man, the one observation I've made is that this combination produces some seriously tinted, almost "orange-ish" water!

And, we're looking forward to seeing where this 'scape takes us- where it evolves to. And how long it lasts, lol!

As a vendor, I enjoy showing you  different looks that you can achieve with the spectrum of materials we offer. And it can occasionally be contrary to some of my personal obsession with "set and evolve" 'scapes which remain untouched to do their thing for long, long periods of time! Well, with my brackish tank, I've decided to leave it be for at least year or so before even contemplating any major changes, so it's fun to see it truly evolve!

And through all of these changes and iterations, I sometimes wonder: What has evolved more? My personal tastes? My skills? The aquaecapes themselves? Or my mindset, learning to "let go" in the interest of inspiring others with lots of new looks?

Hmm...

Of one thing I am certain:

I need more aquariums!

The aesthetics my change, but one thing never really does:

Our love of deeply tinted water.

Keep evolving. Keep striving. Keep playing. Keep sharing...

Stay active. Stay involved. Stay creative. Stay innovative...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

The call of brackish water, v. 2.0

As many of you know, our other botanical-style aquarium obsession is brackish water. The most interesting thing about the brackish water aquariums is that the hobby has sort of left it to do...well- not much. And I mean that in a most gentle way, sort of.

Brackish water (arguably possessing a 1.005-1.010) is a sort of "middle ground" that for decades in the hobby has been well-travelled. And widely mis-understood. I've played with brackish water for almost two decades, in between reef keeping and my blackwater stuff, and in researching both the hobby work that has been done and the scientific materials out there on the wild habitats, have sort of made this conclusion that it's simply been an afterthought, at best for aquarists.

Although there is a good amount of information on brackish-water habitats from which brackish water fishes come, in the hobby, (with the rare exception of some biotope enthusiasts) we've sort of distilled brackish water aquarium aesthetics down to white aragonite sand, a few rocks, and maybe some hardy plants...and it's been mired in that aesthetic hell for decades.

And then there is that "perception" thing...

I think that the perception among many aquarium hobbyists was that brackish is more tricky to keep than freshwater, and easier than a reef tank, yet offers little in the way of excitement on first glance. I mean, the fish selection and availability has not been exactly stellar, with many dealers hesitant to stock brackish fishes for simple lack of demand and interest.

And quite frankly, many fishes that have been perceived to be "brackish" by hobbyists are either actually from pure freshwater habitats (I'm thinking about certain Glassfish and some Rainbows), or have some populations that are from brackish (which are seldom imported). And then there are those fishes, like Mollies. which are Euryhaline (capable of tolerating a wide range of salt concentrations), with the majority being found in pure freshwater. Salt, in many cases, is simply used for health purposes.

(P. sphenops by Hugo Torres. Used under CC by 2.5 es)

Oh, and I can't even begin to tell you the challenge I went through to source a group of Bumblebee Gobies that were actually collected from a brackish water habitat! And even then, the species ID on mine is not 100%; with a few hobbyists insisting that mine are a pure freshwater species...and of course, when I do the research, I discovered that there are populations from both pure fresh AND brackish,,,Arrghhh!

So yeah, what we are faced with, in many cases- difficulty in sourcing fishes, lack of good information on husbandry, and a misunderstanding of the wild brackish habitats, and minimal inspiration from hobby work. Now, I"m not trying to disparage the work that has been done- there have been some beautiful brackish water aquariums, and some articles and such on the topic...but trust me, you have to look good and hard for them!

I say, enough of that!

Okay, I've pretty much poured cold water on the brackish thing, spending 2/3's of this piece outlining why brackish water tanks have sucked for so long..."Gee, great, Scott! That's super helpful, 'Mr. Buzzkill!' How about some positive ideas here?" 

Okay.

My obsession led me to launch Estuary by Tannin Aquatics- a line within the Tannin brand dedicated to the art and science of brackish water aquariums. When we launched this lien, I knew full well that there would be like 27 hobbyists in the world who would have ebbed a whiff of interest in the topic, and that was just part of the challenge. I realized that, much like when we launched Tannin and attacked blackwater aquariums with a different mindset and approach, it would take tiem to catch on.

And I'm pleased to see that it IS catching on!

Now, first off, the hardest thing we've had to do- and continue to do- is to change the perception among hobbyists that brackish water biotopes are stark white sandy places with a few rocks. Noooooo! Actually, many brackish water estuaries and lagoons are way different than we've portrayed them in our aquariums over the years; They are often turbid, brown-tinted waters, with muddy, rich bottoms covered with decomposing leaves, lots of micro and macro algae, some plants, and often dominated by Palms and  Mangroves. 

And I've heard the "warnings" from people on attempting to replicate this in the aquarium:

"It won't work in a brackish tank! It will create anaerobic conditions! Too much nutrient! Ionic imbalance...Tinted water means dirty!"

Etcetera...

Man, this sounds oddly familiar, doesn't it?

Witness the rise of the botanical-style brackish-water aquarium.

A system that embraces natural processes and functionality...And just happens to have a different aesthetic, too! Less emphasis on "sterile" white sand and crystal-clear water, and more emphasis on a functional representation of a tropical, brackish water ecosystem: Muddy, nutrient- rich, filled with mangrove leaves, and stained a bit from tannins. Beautiful in a very different, yet oddly compelling way.

Enter the age of the "tinted" brackish-water aquarium.

Yep, tinted. As in "brown." As in- not your father's brackish-water aquarium. It's not about limestone rocks, quartz sand, and pieces of coral skeleton. Rather, we will use combinations of fine sands, muds, and other materials to create a rich, dark, sediment-filled substrate. Possibly creating higher nutrient conditions than typically associated with brackish tanks. 

Step back from the "doom and gloom" forecasts of naysayers for just a second, okay?

This is not only familiar to many of us I the blackwater, botanical-style aquarium world...it's almost second nature by now!

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

It's not "ground-breaking", in that it's never, ever before been done like this before. I just don't think that t's never been embraced like this before...met head-on for what it is- what it can be, instead of how we wanted to make it (bright white sand, crystal-clear water, and a few rocks and shells...). Rather, it's an evolution- a step forward out of the artificially-induced restraints of "this is how it's always been done"- another exploration into what the natural environment is REALLY like- and understanding, embracing and appreciating its aesthetics, functionality, and richness.  

Figuring out how to bring this into our aquariums. That sort of thing.

And one thing that you will love:

The bottom of this type of habitat- and aquairum-is covered with a thin layer of leaf litter. Specifically, mangrove leaf litter. This will not only provide an aesthetically interesting substrate- it will offer functional benefits as well- imparting minerals, trace elements, and organic acids to the water. Mangrove leaf litter, like its freshwater counterpart, is the literal "base" for developing our brackish-water aquarium "food chain", from which microbial, fungal, and crustacean growth will benefit. And of course, these leaves will impart some tannins into the water, just as any of our other leaves will!

And you can play with many different types of substrate materials, ranging from sand to mud and everything in between. 

And then there are mangroves. Not only the live mangrove propagules, which you can sprout in your brackish water aquarium, but the dried mangrove roots and branch pieces, which can create an amazing aesthetic!  And the epiphytic life forms (algae, crustaceans, etc.) which grow on them will perform many of the same functions that they do in nature...

Functional.

And different.

And wide open for experimentation, innovation, and enjoyment. And the biggest obstacle is the act of forgetting our preconceptions about what this type of aquarium HAS been, as presented to us in the past, and looking at what it COULD be when we try this more realistic approach.

Obviously, we should look at tanks that have been created by other hobbyists for inspiration- and I'll keep putting out pics of my tanks to offer some. Yet, I also encourage you to spend a lot of time looking at nature for your inspiration- observe the nuances, the "dirt", if you will- and the potential for replicating it all in the aquarium.

And the fishes? Well, that will be a challenge until suppliers/breeders/collectors see a demand for them. We're helping to create the market for this stuff, even if we don't look at it from that perspective. And its not just about buying and selling stuff...It's about learning how to care for, spawn, and rear fishes and other animals from this unique environment.

Looking for a new challenge?

Stay excited. Stay innovative. Stay diligent. Stay observant...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Keeping yourself "in the dark."

One of the more common questions we tend to receive around here (besides how we became so freaking cool and sexy, of course) is how you can maintain the nice, tinted look to your aquarium water without dropping "mad coin" at Tannin Aquatics every other week!

And yeah, it's a good question!

How far we've come, huh? I mean, it isn't that many years ago that a tank with brown water and decomposing leaves would elicit sympathetic responses and offers to "help you out" of your situation...It's really like a mind set shift in the perception of what's "normal" in an aquarium, and the more and more we see blackwater/brackish botanical-style aquariums popping up, the more "aspirational" they become for a bigger portion of the aquarium hobby.

Okay, maybe "acceptable" is a better descriptor?

I mean, I have to be realistic here. Not everyone is into this decomposing leaves and brown water vibe . Nope.

So, enough of my "state of the hobby" report here...on to the topic at hand.

One of the "keys" to getting your color that lovely brown is to select the right types and quantities of botanical materials to assist. I'll be the very first to raise my hand and call BS on anyone who claims to have a perfect "recipe" for how many Catappa leaves per liter or whatever you must use to achieve a specific color. Yes...there are simply so many variables in the equation- many which we probably haven't even considered yet-that it would be simply guessing.

That being said, there are a few things you can do to help "set the stage" to take maximum advantage of the tint-producing capabilities of your botanicals in your aquarium. One of the easiest is to start out by reducing or eliminating most chemical filtration media, like activated carbon, which excel at removing discoloration from water. Now, I've told you many times that I do use stuff like activated carbon, Poly Filter, or Seachem's ReNew on a more-or-less continuous basis, once I get the color I like in my water.

The other "stage setter" IMHO is to take advantage of the tannin-releasing properties of wood. I know it get's boring hearing me relate to you my sadistic delight about reading those planted aquarium forums and seeing the posts by hobbyists desperate to get rid of the tinted water that their new piece of "high-end" driftwood is producing in their so-called "natural aquarium..."

Tragic for them, but a really good tip for us:

Wood like Mopani, Malaysian Driftwood, and Spider Wood tend to release significant amounts of tannins into the water, particularly when newly introduced, and my attitude is, "Why fight it?" Wood can be your "base tint provider" for your tank for many, many months. In fact, newly-submerged wood can release so much tannins that, depending upon the water volume of the aquarium, you might not need to supplement it with too much in the way of botanicals for the specific purpose of providing "tint" to the water from the outset.

Yeah, simply embracing the readily-aviailable and abundant tannins naturally produced by most aquatic wood is possibly one of the biggest "hacks" in our practice, if there is such a thing!

Of course, you may not be using wood in your tank, or you might be utilizing a piece that you've had for 7 years which has essentially "exhausted" much of the tannins bound up in it's external tissues, so you need to find botanicals which color up the aquarium nicely.

In no particular order, here are my dozen personal favorite botanicals and leaves that are notable for imparting significant color to the aquarium water:

Catappa Bark

Sappanwood Pods

"Ceu Fruta"

Coco Curls

"Rio Fruta"

Alder Cones 

Banana Stem Pieces

Encontro Pods

Magnolia Leaves

Catappa Leaves

Mangrove Leaves

Guava Leaves

And then there are "maintenance materials", like "Fundo Tropical", Birch Cones, "Mini Mariposa", and such, which can be kept out of sight in a filter media bag inside your canister filter or other power filter, or simply left in a media bag the sump or some other innocuous place where they have regular contact with the water, to passively impart color into the tank.

And of course, there are dozens more, and new materials being added to our selection all the time, each with unique characteristics just waiting to be discovered and utilized by hobbyists worldwide!

And a quick general note- you can usually get some indication as to what color and how intense the color a given botanical will impart into your water when you prepare it...That initial burst of tannins and other coloring compounds is immediately obvious and probably quite helpful in determining the color "palette" to expect!

Really, IMHO the top botanical item for consistently and effectively producing "tint" is Catappa Bark. I LOVE this stuff. We have three different varieties- that's how much I love the stuff! (I see botanicals as others see coffee, with many factors creating unique differences in ones from various locales).

No, it isn't the cheapest material out there. It never will be. We're bringing in a lot more of the stuff to help lower the price a bit, but it's simply never going to be "cheap." It requires more labor on the part of the people who harvest and prepare it, and they have to manage the resource carefully to avoid damaging their trees by taking too much, too fast. 

That being said, scientific research indicates that Catappa Bark seems to have a very concentrated quantity of tannins and other compounds bound up in its tissues, which means you don't need to use a ton of the stuff in most aquariums to enjoy the benefits of its capabilities. I personally feel that it "lasts" a long time (several weeks, at least) in terms of imparting color into the water. And it looks cool. Yes, it actually has an incredible aesthetic that makes it even more attractive from multiple standpoints. 

We talked recently about botanical "layering", and I still recommend that progression as the way to "stock" your blackwater/brackish, botanical-style aquarium. It also give you the opportunity to evaluate your scape and the impact of the materials you're using at each and every step along the way.

Since we really can't effectively "test" for tannins in a way that is meaningful/helpful/relevant to our practice just yet (there ARE tannin test kits, BTW, but interpreting the results in our context needs work), we tend to focus on the visuals, and having a sort of process like "layering" gives you that opportunity to evaluate with the means that we have at our disposal at this time. 

In terms of longevity of materials, we've long advised that (no surprise here) most of the more "woody', dense materials will last a lot longer than the more "ephemeral" ones like leaves and softer, thinner seed pods and such. Some of these, by virtue of their hard dermal layer, like "Jungle Pods" and "Savu Pods", tend to not impart a lot of visual color into the water, but last a very long time. Others, like "Monkey Pots", last a long time, and tend to leach out more material via their outer layer of tissues for longer periods.

Replacement of botanicals, as we've pointed out many times, is largely a subjective thing, and the timing, frequency, and extent to which materials are removed or replaced is dependent upon multiple factors, ranging from base water chemistry to temperature, to the types of aquatic life you keep in the tank (ie; xylophones like certain Plecos will degrade botanicals more quickly than in a tank full of characins and such).

It's never a bad idea to keep an extra supply of some of these "tint producers" on hand...

The other practice that can help you maintain the tint, as we've touched on many times, is to steep some botanicals or leaves in your makeup water, thus ensuring ga "base level" of color at all times, topped of when you do your regular water exchanges...

Many of the less durable botanicals will last several months, at least "structurally", but might be far more limited in terms of their  impartation of color to the water- perhaps a few weeks in many cases.

This is the part of our hobby that is as much an "art" as it is a "science". 

Monitoring pH, visual tint, nitrate and phosphate are but a few of the things you should undertake as part of the active management of a blackwater aquarium. To me, that's a huge part of the fun. We offer general guidelines and "best practices", but really, each tank is a "one off", and more customized approaches are the way to go. Again, this is what makes our little sector of the hobby so compelling, IMHO.

So the real key to "keeping yourself in the dark" with botanicals, is to experiment and observe. Since there is no real "plug-and-play" aspect to natural, botanical-style, blackwater/brackish aquariums.

It's all about doing.

Get out there and do! And enjoy.

Tint the world.

Stay creative. Stay innovative. Stay curious. Stay bold...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

The refreshing thrill of "spontaneous scaping..."

Every one in a while, I love to just totally "go rogue", and completely switch up what I'm doing with one of my aquariums. Part of it is because I'm a restless fish geek, the other part is because, as an aquatics vendor, I need to switch it up once in a while and show some new looks to inspire our community and customers.

That's been cool, too, because it pushes me to do better...

And the real reason, is because it's just plain old fun!

Case in point:

Yesterday, upon returning fro ma morning down at my local beach, for no apparent reason, the "muse" hit to simply lay waste to the current aquascape in my 50-gallon home blackwater aquarium and just do something 360 degrees from what I had been doing.

Just...because.

And lay waste, I did!

One of my "signature moves" when doing a tank overhaul is to just get EVERYTHING out as quickly as possible, so as to quell any desire to retreat and revert...It's a way that I will keep going- a metaphorical casting off of the life jacket, so to speak.

I had absolutely no plan in mind.

The potential for disaster was high.

And so was the potential for something cool!

And oddly, I was totally comfortable with that.

I just wanted to do something different than what I had currently.  

My "planning" for this process consisted of throwing down a plastic drop cloth, grabbing an assortment of my fave fish towels, and making sure good music was sued up on my iPhone. I iterally grabbed an assortment of different wood types, without much consideration except, "Will they fit in the aquarium?", looked 'em over near the tank, and just started...playing. 

And it was incredibly fun. Liberating, almost. Because, perhaps for one of the first times in years, I really couldn't care less what I came up with. I allowed myself literally the rest of the day, if needed, to just do. Now, I'll be the first to confess that, at least lately, I will hit that "I'm done" moment after a few hours- lots less time than in years past! 

Well, it was nice to give myself the latitude.

After "previewing a few wood varieties, I settled on one that I've used only a handful of times over a lifetime of fish keeping- "Spider Wood." The so-called "blonde" variety, specifically.

Now, I've always liked this stuff, but just never got around to using it in anything other than a small tank. I never even considered using it in something mid-sized, like my 50 gallon.

We've pretty much always sold this stuff as "WYSIWYG", until fairly recently...and I sometimes think that selling it as "Hand-Selected Pieces" (ie; random ones we pic FOR you!) is just as good.

I mean, they ALL pretty much have unique attributes and almost every piece looks good from one or more angles. You almost can't go wrong, really.

Sure, there are a few particularly large, outstanding pieces that we fall into now and again, but they never seem to sell, lol I grabbed the lone "big guy" in my inventory for just that reason! :)

And oddly, I told myself the only "rule" I would follow is that I wasn't trying to specifically represent a natural habitat this time...Rather, it was tp be more of a "contrived" or "derivative" scape inspired by nature, not necessarily trying to replicate it. Coming up with a hardscape that was more fun and interesting that it was "natural-looking", later to be complimented by leaves and botanicals...

A pleasant departure for me.

Now, I'll be the first to tell you that "Spider Wood", although stupidly easy to work with, has it's own set of quirks. First, most of the ones we work with are smaller. Cool, but the peices are rather challenging to "fit together" if your goal is to make it look like they are part of one "organic formation", if you will, so you really have to use some forward vision if that's your goal and you're using the little peices.

I mean, if you look closely at a lot of displays that use this wood, they look sort of like a bunch of little peices all stuck together. Which, I suppose, is part of the "charm" of the stuff. You have to envision it after a month, covered with a "patina" of biococver, surrounded by decomposing botanicals...

My understanding that what the aquatic trade refers to as "Spider Wood" is the roots of Rhododendron (aka Azalea), a genus of over a thousand woody plants found in Asia and North America. Like everything else in the aquarium hardscape trade, the exact species or origins are kept shrouded in a sort of deliberate mystery. That being said, it's no mystery why the stuff is popular! It looks pretty cool...once you figure out how to use it! 

And, as an added "bonus", this stuff releases a lot of nice, water-tintitng tannins...something that freaks the f--- out of most hardcore aquascapers (much to my sadistic delight, as you know), but something that our tribe just loves! Oh, and the plant (and I think likely by extension, the roots) is known to offer possible anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities which may be due to the antioxidant effects of flavonoids or other phenolic compounds and saponins the plant contains...

If you recall, some of these same substances are known to occur in Catappa leaves, and there are documented fish health benefits of catappa, validated in scientific research. SO...hmm...maybe?

Holy detour, Batman! Okay, so back to the scraping thing...

So, I started grabbing pieces...and just sort of "plunking them down" into the tank. I tried a few "stacks" which, every time I stepped back, looked a lot like, well- stacks of random wood. "Okay. enough of this shit...go back to that reef aquascaping thing you know..", I told myself...And in the back of my mind, I recalled an old pic of a tank that my friend, James Sheen of our sister company, Blackwater UK, did a while back that stuck...And things started progressing more quickly from there.

And...a scape emerged.

 Now, the skeptic in me says, "The freaking thing still looks like a #$^&%@ bunch of peices stuck together!" But hey, it kind of works...

And the cool thing to me is that it kind of got me out of a sort of "comfort zone" I've been in for some time, sort of going more towards a "contrived" aquascape with this one. And that's part of the fun, too! Stepping out of my comfort zone, opening up all sorts of interesting options.

 The fun part is going to be figuring out what types of botanicals and leave that I'm going to use in this scape; how I'm going to give this a more "evolved" sort of look, versus a "pure design" sort of thing.

And I think the point of my little "How I spent my Sunday" thing is to just show how we can all stand to be a bit spontaneous now and again. I have to say, I love how this thing is starting to turn out, and I think that the potential is really cool. 

And it all started by simply...doing.

Perhaps a tiny lesson in there for you, but a bigger one for me!

Stay open-minded. Stay adventurous. Stay creative. Stay spontaneous...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

In the grand scheme....

Have you ever given any thought to some of the collateral benefits of having your aquarium? Now, I'm not going down the path of "It's good for your health because it reduces stress", or "It beautifies your home..." or "An aquarium teaches us about nature."

The obvious ones, sure.

I mean, all of those are important, spot-on, super valid collateral benefits- but I'm thinking a bit differently...

I'm thinking about the aquarium as an object of inspiration.

Yes, something which inspires you to be more creative, productive, or feel otherwise amicable to the creative process. Much like art or music, an aquarium can create a sense of aesthetic, comfort, or overall atmosphere in the room in which it resides. 

It sets the vibe. The tone. The atmosphere.

You know this already, of course, regardless of wether or not you've thought about it in this particular context before.

"Vibe." Tone. Atmosphere. All are important when you need to be creative, right?

Yeah.

I know for a fact that having an aquarium in my office is not only welcoming, it's vital to the creative process. It keeps me focused, on even the busiest days- on what we're all about: Helping hobbyists create unique, natural aquariums.

Fostering my own creativity to help others act on theirs.

Trust me, it's a lot easier to develop a new product or figure out a blog post or marketing program when you're surrounded by this stuff.

And it's also easier to do the accounting, pay the bills, or the other less-exciting minutiae of running an aquatics business when you hear that peaceful trickle of water, and just cock your head ever so slightly to see that wondrous thing you've created with the very products you offer to clients all over the world.

Cool.

It's obviously the same at home.

Sure, it all sort of fits nicely into the "well-being" thing, but I believe that having an aquarium does create a space- however small- within the home that enables creativity. Because you're required, by the very nature of the animals which reside within it- to create a miniature ecosystem, drawing from science, technology, art and practicality while doing so.

Once you set it up, and aquarium sort of does it's own thing, to some extent: Plants grow. Fishes thrive and reproduce. The look sort of "evolves", as we like to say. And it's not "set sand forget", right?

It requires your support.

Your observation.

Your interaction.

An aquarium rewards your diligence by giving you a unique insight into the natural world.

That's inspiring. That would no doubt spur you to do more. Do better.

Well, it certainly keeps my head in the right place. In life's grand scheme, being inspired by life itself is pretty cool.

Another look at the obvious, from a different angle.

Enjoy your Sunday. 

Stay relaxed. Stay diligent. Stay productive. Stay inspired.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Relaxing a practice...accepting an evolution.

You know how your thoughts on stuff changes over the years? And how you sometimes get into a mindset that the way you're doing something really is the best way?

Yeah?

Well, that was me for the longest time in regards to preparation of leaves for aquarium use.

I've been messing around with botanical in aquariums for well over two decades, and now running Tannin for 3 years (Wow! Can you belief it?), and I'd like to think that my set of "best practices" on how to use botanicals has evolved quite a bit. 

It has.

Especially with leaves.

When we first started Tannin, I was really a huge fan of recommending boiling and soaking leaves before using them in the aquarium as a matter of course...My biggest concern was that someone would dump a bunch of leaves in their tank without cleaning them in any way, leading to some sort of massive influx of polluting materials...and that an "extinction level" even would ensue in their aquarium...

A sort of paranoia. I never wanted that email saying, "You never told me NOT to add all of these leaves at once..Now my whole Discus collection is dead!" 

Or something like that. 

I mean, I still worry about that a bit. People tend not to read or follow recommendations sometimes. We really have to drum some things into our heads. Being a business person makes you a bit paranoid, I suppose. And, when you're going to new places, as the old expression goes, usually you're seen as an ass before you're seen as a "pioneer." (I think I might have been labeled both simultaneously, however, lol)

However, I'd like to think that, after three years, thousands of conversations, social media posts, blog posts, product descriptions, magazine articles, etc., that hobbyists would get the idea that at least SOME preparation of leaves should be undertaken before adding them to their aquariums.

And I think everyone kind of gets it. I mean, they definitely do with the botanicals. Look at all the cool "Botanical boiling" videos and pics we see from our community! It's kind of the fun ritual for us...A useful ritual, at that!

People tend to be a bit more relaxed with the leaves than the botanicals, however. The reality of the leaves that you purchase from us are that they are from sources around the world which I have very carefully vetted. They are not exposed to pesticides and other pollutants, and are generally quite "clean" ( I mean, as far as dried leaves got that is...).

So I'm less concerned about the leaves bringing some nasty pollutants to your aquarium to create an "End of Days" kind of thing.

I'm still concerned about the newbie to our botanical-style aquarium practice going too fast- dumping a huge amount of botanical materials into an established, relatively stable aquarium, and causing a massive increase in CO2 and a level of organic material that overwhelms the ability of the resident denitrifying bacteria population to break down the organics. 

The human element.

That sort of thing is always still possible. And it's within our control. That's what you read blog after blog written by me urging you to go slowly. To observe your tank and fishes. And to test the water regularly...and do regular water changes as part of your husbandry regimen.

The usual stuff.

And fortunately, we've had very, very few of these scary things happen over the years. And they have typically been attributable to, ahem- "human error", rather than some "defect" in the "product." But we're learning. Together. And nature, although perfect...is unpredictable. And filled with variables...and stuff happens when we try to put nature into a small box of water, and that's why we have developed our well-known  and well-discussed "best practices." It's why we have that whole section on how to prepare botanicals for aquarium use.

And it's also why I have decided to "relax" my previous recommendation about boiling leaves. My new recommendation and personal practice is to prepare all dried leaves that we offer for aquatic use is to give them a quick rinse in fresh water, followed by a 10-15 minute steep in recently boiled water. 

This is not earth-shattering.

Nor is it really different than what most of you are likely already doing. It's just that I'm saying it's recommended, lol. (as if I am some "high priest" of botanical-style aquariums...). However, it is an evolution of sorts from our previous recommended practices. I know many of you just toss the leaves into your tank, too...no prep..without any problems, ever.

Well, I'm not quite there yet, in terms of a recommended practice, anyways!

A 10-15 minute steep in boiled water is, in my experience, sufficient to soften, saturate, and clean even the most durable of the leaves that we offer (I'm thinking Artocarpus and Jackfruit, for example), and to release any surface dirt and contaminants from their tissues. And you won't lose massive amounts of the tint-producing tannins and desired humic substances and such produced by the leaves.

Again, this is not some earth-shattering thing...but an incremental change in our recommended prep practices, based on the confidence gained years and years of great result from both ourselves, and from hobbyists worldwide.

So yeah...an evolution. 

And a big deal for me, because it shows how far we've come as a hobby. It shows how far "Tint Nation" has come as a community. It's no longer some obscure oddity of a practice. Now, the idea of blackwater/botanical-style aquariums has become a sort of "thing"- I mean, it's always been a "thing"- but now, perhaps, a more generally accepted (albeit tinted!) thing.

And the confidence I have as both a hobbyist and business person in what we are doing has increased continuously. A dynamic, growing, worldwide community has found its way- found each other...and helped move the hobby forward. Every single day.

And evolution, yes.

But a very cool and profound one!

Thanks to all of you for pushing the state of the art.

Stay bold. Stay open-minded. Stay practical. Stay romantic. Stay diligent...

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics