The Tint

There are people in this hobby who grab on to an idea so tightly that anything that seems to deviate from what they know and love is blasphemous. They’re “fanboys”- and they fee the need to attack! Well, I’ve got some advice for them..

Lately, I’ve had some amazingly talented and successful hobbyists tell me that they can’t figure out why they’re not enjoying the hobby any more. I think I’ve figured it out; they’re over-specialized! Let’s discuss this...

A question we receive a lot lately: “do you need to aerate a botanical-style aquarium?” Hmm.. let’s look at this in more detail!!!

The relationship between fishes and the habitats that they come from is fascinating. The implications for aquariums are too numerous to mention.. if we study these close ties more, we’re very likely to find things that can lead to hobby breakthroughs!

It’s okay to be inspired by the work of others. It’s okay to replicate aspects of it. However, you don’t HAVE to do it exactly like they did in order for it to be successful. Let’s beat up this awful misconception once and for all!

Our old “frenemey”- detritus. We’re always scared about this stuff. We shouldn’t be. Let’s talk about the upside to having some in your aquariums. Again.

There is something incredibly compelling about giving even domesticated fishes aquarium conditions which are similar to those which their wild brethren reside in. Let’s think about this idea some more!

We’ve talked about substrates before, and how impactful they are on the overall aquatic ecosystem. Let’s dive deeper into the idea of creating dynamic, “bottom-centric” aquatic displays!

There is a sort of common thread among the biotope-inspired aquariums that we play with. There is so much to explore- so much to learn.. and a lot of fun to be had!

With all of this botanical-style aquarium discussion, it's only natural that more questions would arise about our substrates, and their place in an aquarium containing aquatic plants..Let's chop it up a bit on the interesting topic of "CEC!"

In nature, terrestrial and aquatic habitats merge- utilizing materials from both environments to create fascinating, rich ecosystems. This kind of “merger” is perfect for replication in aquariums, isn’t it? Yeah, it IS!

Today’s simple thought... spending time to take into account the details within our tanks is worth it! You gain new perspective and a different sense of how things work. Yeah, there’s beauty in the details!

A quick thought- we should strive, in our botanical-style aquariums, to recruit and support a variety of life forms besides just the fishes- ranging from microorganisms to small crustaceans, to aquatic insects...life, on many levels.

In this installment, Scott Fellman and Johnny Ciotti discuss some of the finer points of the botnaical-style aquarium, it's nuances, differences, and the philosophy behind it. We talk about practicality, management, expectations, and authenticity. And we answer some of YOUR questions, too! Despite a few tech glitches, this episode has a little something for everyone who's into "The Tint!"

“Floating leaf litter banks?!?” Yup. Talk about an unusual habitat to replicate in your aquarium! This one’s right up our proverbial alley, so to speak. I’ll fill you in on the details of this cool natural feature, and drop a few ideas how to accomplish this in your own aquarium!

Botanical style aquariums are different. They don’t look their best right after they’re set up. In fact, they don’t look good in a week- or even 6 weeks. Nope, they take months to reach their aesthetic and functional “prime.” A different sort of dynamic- an amazing one- dictates by the steady hand of Nature.

Ideas are what drive the aquarium hobby. Ideas excite, educate, and inspire other hobbyists. However, when you don’t try to execute on them, they’re not all that useful, right? Time to execute on that idea that’s been percolating in your brain!

There is something wonderful about the first dishes we kept as children. For many of us, they launched a lifelong love affair with the hobby. They bring a sense of nostalgia, fun, and comfort. They draw a direct line to our childhood- and to generations of hobbyists who came before us. This episode is an homage to a few of my “comfort fishes!”

Sometimes, the hobby challenges you. Sometimes, we will challenge you. A story of education, hard knocks, and valuable - if not painful- realities. 

In this super special expanded edition of “The Tint”, we welcome back our fave aquascaper, George Farmer! We talk about his upcoming book, the state of the hobby, answer some listeners’ questions, and was philosophical! An episode packed with something for everyone!

There is something irresistible about the idea of evolving old techniques! Remember when culturing “infusoria” was all the rage in fry rearing? How about an evolved version of the classical practice- with a “botanical” twist?

The most literal title yet.. and the most detailed answer we could give to this super commonly-asked question about Tannin Aquatics!

One of the great things about our hobby is how stuff builds on developments that occurred before.. evolution!

CONTROVERSY AHEAD! Yeah, the aquarium hobby is not the cheapest, fastest, easiest thing you can get into. Sure, there ARE some good ways to save money or do stuff easier. Yet, they carry a trade off... one which we might not like. Because the hobby is pricy.

Every once in a while I get lucky- and this podcast was one of those. Not only did I get to spend some time with the "Aquarium Guys", whose fabulous podcast is a lot of fun- they actually produced it for me- which means the production quality is light years beyond anything that I could have done! Filled with fun conversation and humor- as well as some great ideas- you're gonna LOVE this one!