The Tint

Avid listeners of “The Tint” probably recall me obsession, several years ago about finding blackwater livebearers. We talked about this- looked into some intriguing candidates, debunked a few others- yet never found the one we were looking for. Yet, I never let up.. and more recent research might yield some tantalizing leads! Yeah, I’m obsessed….

The natural world is literally filled with thousands of unique aquatic habitats which no one has ever thought to replicate in an aquarium before. Perhaps they seem so unachievable that they’ve literally scared us off from trying. Let’s not let “weird” keep us from pushing the limits of what’s possible in the aquatic world!

The botanical method aquarium isn’t difficult. It’s not some mystery; some exclusive enclave of the “cool kids.” However, it requires a certain mindset- a discipline; and understanding. If you go into this world with the wrong expectations or mindset, you’ll likely hate it. So, our advice to you? Just..don’t!

Botanical method aquariums are a journey.. a slow, methodical evolution. The idea of “finished” is just a human construct. We need to reprogram ourselves to understand an appreciate this. Moving along the road on an enjoyable and never ending journey…

We all want to provide the best possible conditions for our fishes. However, we also want to make our work easier…So, isn’t adapting fishes to environmental conditions that are easier for us to provide a better thing? I mean, fishes breed in conditions dramatically different from those in which they evolved, so isn’t that a good thing? Likely.. however…

“Biotope Aquarium.” A term which shouldn’t rally any hard feelings among hobbyists. But, you know.. it does. And sure, I need to chime in with my two cents worth…a rant for sure..

As you know, I come from the alluring world of reefkeeping. Before there was a Tannin Aquatics, that was my main jam. And in decades of playing with corals and reefs, I learned a few “sacred truths.” Stuff that I really need to share with you before you give in to the social media hype and jump in to the splashy world of reefkeeping. It’s fun, and rewarding.. but it’s also humbling. Just like bota...

Botanical method aquariums offer us a lot as hobbyists- challenge, education, interest… and they ask us to make mental shifts to accept the work of Nature. Yet, the also provide some unique benefits for our fishes- benefits which we may not have previously thought about….

Sometimes, we look at things that happen in our botanical method aquariums with the wrong point of view- out of context. And we convince ourselves that there is something wrong with our tank. The reality is it’s usually just a case of “Nature being Nature…”

We love technology. And we love using tech to make our hobby easier.. but does it? In our quest to employ technology to make stuff easier- have we actually made it more complex and difficult? Let’s look at the “art” of making things more simple…

The idea of working with natural materials to “operate” our aquariums is very appealing and interesting...And it can lead us to replicate some unique aquatic habitats that we may not have considered before. Let’s look at how what we do as part of our process replicates the dynamics of some interesting aquatic niches in the wild!

We can plan, execute, and manipulate our aquariums all we want, but the reality is that Nature is in charge. Wether you like it or not, She calls the shots. She can teach you, challenge you, and flat-out school you. Yet, she’s the best partner an aquarium hobbyist can have…

There are so many things that we can learn from simply observing the way natural aquatic ecosystems and their processes work. There are so many different approaches we can try to replicate them in our tanks…so many philosophical revelations. Let’s review some fundamentals of the botanical method, and even draw on some grand experiments with corals to drive home the point that the aquarium is “the...

One of those “reviews” we get into now and again- taking into consideration how we keep our fishes- as solitary specimens, small groups, schools, or shoals-and what the distinctions between them are…

We can and should cross over the “salinity line” in our hobby. Both fresh and marine sides of the hobby benefit from the skills and experiences of the other. There’s never been a better time to “cross train” in both worlds!

It’s important to research, ask questions, and ponder. To push beyond our own self-imposed boundaries.. here’s why.

Yeah, it’s editorial time again. I’ve been talking to a lot of “hobbyists” lately who seem to be enchanted with the idea that they can “bypass” Nature’s rules and hobby fundamentals in their quest to achieve a “finished” aquarium as quickly as possible. You know where this is going- but it’s worth a listen!

The often mis-applied label of “blackwater aquarium” is something many of us would do well to learn more about. Just because our botanical method aquariums have deeply tinted water from an aesthetic standpoint, they’re not “blackwater” in the ecological sense. And that’s okay, but we all need to understand this. However, if you’re really wanting to create a blackwater aquarium, you’ve got some stu...

As experienced hobbyists, setting up a new aquarium is an exciting time…yet, it’s easy to overthink, over worry, and stress out over ridiculous things. After all, we have all of that past experience and knowledge to draw from- stuff that, for better or worse- influences how we do stuff. Perhaps- maybe- beginners in the hobby have it better. Maybe we know too much?

You can’t always have what you want in this hobby- despite your ability to pay for it. A little lesson from my aquarium industry past…

As aquarists, we really tend to hyper focus on a few things in our aquariums- we know what’s “normal” for them. And we often freak out at any deviation from what we consider “normal.” It’s a mixed bag of emotions- and something that we should think about more closely now and then

As we dove deeper and deeper into the world of botanical method aquariums, it’s more important to understand a little more about the botanicals themselves, and what it is about them which influences the environments they’re found in…

The tiny Otocinculus catfish is an outstanding consumer of algae. Yet, it’s much more of a fish than just a “utility player.” Unfortunately, it’s been relegated to this unfair role for many years. Too many years- with the unnecessary loss of too many of these fishes in aquariums. Let’s rethink this one…

I ponder stuff... There are millions of aquarium hobbyists worldwide. And hundreds and thousands of aquariums...countless millions of fishes are produced, collected and sold each year. WHO has them all? Where do they go? I can't help but wonder!

Oh yeah, it’s time to talk more about brackish water aquariums and the fascinating wild habitats they can replicate. It’s time once again to look at brackish differently. It’s time to push further on the call we first made to you back in 2017 for our re-imagined interpretation of brackish. Let’s throw it out there and get back at it!