The Tint

(Another installment of an occasional series about, well- reef aquariums!) so many of you have told me you want to hear me talk a bit more about reef tanks, and my years of experience playing with them. I thought it might be a nice thing to talk about now and then, especially because I’m a few months away from building my first reef tank in like 6 years! Today, let’s hit you with a little reality...

Yes, I’m talking about adding stuff to your substrate again! Why? Because a substrate composed of stuff besides just “sand” creates a fascinating addition to the ecology of your aquarium!

How long can you keep a botanical-style aquarium running? A LONG time. Like, indefinitely. How? Let’s talk about it!

There are tons of fishes that we never keep in aquariums. Largely, this is because we don’t find them in stores. Many get huge, yet have fascinating habits and behaviors that make them ideal for botanical-style tanks. If only there were smaller versions of them! There ARE! We just have to keep an eye out for them!

Patience is the most underrated- and least-discussed aspects of aquarium keeping. Accepting the fact that our aquariums take time to evolve is so very fundamental to what we do. Let’s celebrate patience.

The idea of aquariums as a microcosm is not new. However, the idea of managing them as little ecological systems has not always played out in our tanks. I think we spend too much time trying to siphon out the stuff we feel is detrimental to our tanks. The irony might be that our overzealous “maintenance” might be the detrimental factor! So often, what we deem as “trash” ( ie, detritus) might actua...

Not a week goes by where I don’t hear from some hobbyist who lament the fact that fewer and fewer new people are entering the hobby. I think I have some opinions on why this is… and how we can all help fix it!

The botanical-style aquarium approach, although yielding a rather unorthodox-appearing tank, is optimized to “run on autopilot” now and again. If “life happens” and you miss that water exchange, or forget to feed your fish… you won’t experience a “crash.” Your tank has got your back!

I think that, in our zeal to “correct” what we see as “problems” in our aquariums, we sometimes create new ones! The idea of looking at “problems”, their root causes, and the way that we approach them requires some fundamental perception shifts in our hobby. As usual, I think the botanical-style aquariums that we embrace here provide the “education” we need to look at many so-called “problems” thr...

The idea of a “botanical-style” brackish water aquarium is not only compelling- it’s the logical extension of the work we do in the freshwater world. The key to creating more unique brackish water systems is to apply our “function first” mindset to the game. Here’s a little “primer” to get your creative juices flowing!

Doing things differently requires us to be bold. To take on risk. To face criticism. Some of it is constructive- some not nice. Yet it goes with the territory when you go against what is common and accepted. Be brave.

New to the botanical-style aquarium world? Perhaps a little discussion about what to expect is just what you need!

We love the fact that so many hobbyists are trying botanical-style/blackwater aquariums. Yet, that term “blackwater” seems to mean different things to the hobbyist that it does to the scientist? What’s it mean? What do we call every tank with tinted water a “blackwater aquarium?” What can we learn here?

Few fish are influenced as deeply and profoundly by their environment as killifishes are. They’re the perfect “case study” for the concept of “environmental intimacy”, and a perfect group of fishes which can garner more popularity if we explore their husbandry with a different mindset!

Substrates are perhaps one of the most dynamic aspects of an aquarium. They are not just there for looks; rather, they foster an enormous amount of biodiversity, and okay a huge role in the evolution and function of the botanical-style aquarium.

The idea of employing “filtration” in botanical-style aquariums makes perfect sense. You can use all sorts of filters. However, when we think of the very aquarium and the micro biome it contains as the “filter” in our aquarium, not only does it mess with our head- it starts changing the way we think about “filtration”

It’s been 6 years since Tannin Aquatics has launched, plowing the unknown seas of this unique botanical-style approach to aquariums. Thanks to you being fearless, and making mental shifts, this little hobby segment is more popular than ever!

For ages, aquarists have been advised to “cure” wood outside of their display tanks. I suppose the rationale is sound. However, when you think about it, there might be some unique advantages to letting this “curing” process occur within the display tank! Let’s dig down on this idea!

In the aquarium hobby, we love referring to Nature and how our tanks resemble it. Are we deluding ourselves? Sometimes we might be. We need to think about what “Nature” and “Natural” mean in the context of what we do…

WARNING: This is a full fledged rant! Let’s talk about the responsibility that goes with being a “content creator” or an “influencer” in the hobby. There is a bit too much drivel out there right now, and we need to face it. If I didn’t scare you off, have a listen…

Our botanical-style aquariums are strongly ecologically-driven. They relay on a myriad of life forms of all sizes- some very familiar to us, and others a bit less so. However, they all provide valuable “services” for our miniature ecosystems. Say “hello” to our little friends in the micro biome!

Changing stuff up in our aquariums is something we all engage in from time to time. Some of us more frequently than others. Changes can be disruptive, chaotic- even catastrophic. However, they can also be beneficial, evolutionary, and game changing.

A “pep talk” for you innovators and bold travelers in the aquarium hobby…

A lot of things happen in our aquariums that we like to call “problems.” Stuff that goes against our expectations, or our understanding. Are they really “problems?” Or, are they opportunities for advancement or growth? I think that Nature doesn’t give us “problems.” I think we need to make some more mental shift here to understand what we’re really looking at…

Materials within our aquarium’s ecosystem change over time. They recruit periphyton, “biocover” , and produce detritus. What happens if you let it accumulate, instead of rushing to remove every drop of it?