The Tint

Experimenting with the composition and functional aesthetic aspects of substrates in our aquariums is a fascinating endeavor. We’re starting to see interesting, tangible results from the work being done in this area. What kinds of breakthroughs are possible with a different point of view on this stuff?

Our botanical-style aquariums are anything but “static.” They are constantly changing, evolving, and “operating”- much like the natural habitats they seek to replicate! Let’s look at this from a “functionally aesthetic” perspective!

We sure do a lot to get our fishes to spawn, don’t we? There are as many techniques to get fishes to spawn as there are fishes! However, they often resist our best efforts...Yet, sometimes, the conditions we provide in our botanical-style aquariums yield incredible “coincidental” spawnings.. well, ARE they coincidences?

Let’s examine the interesting idea that was the undergravel filter, a fascinating idea that sort of reminded me of a solution in search of a problem, or.. something like that..

The majority of the wild habitats we emulate in captivity are among the most stable on earth. Sure, seasonal variations, weather events- and more often, mankind’s intervention challenge stability. Fishes can only handle so much environmental fluctuation... here some thoughts on stability and the means to achieve it in Our aquariums.

The dynamic world of the botanical- style aquarium is amazing. It’s a world of contact change, growth, decomposition- and aesthetics unlike any other. What can we learn from the cycles of water clarity, decomposition, and, yeah- environmental stability- which impact these aquariums?

Kat is one of the hobby's real treasures! A one-woman force of Nature, she's an awesome aquarist, industry personality, and social media strategist all rolled into one! Her agency, Brand Kat, provides social media strategy for aquatic industry businesses. Kat has worked with some of the best known brands in the aquarium hobby, and is an expert at coordinating social media influencer programs. In t...

Our work on aquariums is truly amazing. Yet, many of us are our own worst enemies- our biggest critics and detractors. You’re really great- if you allow yourself to listen to your inner voice; to let Nature guide your work. To let your aquascape breathe...

We might be blissfully unaware of a whole bunch of things about our aquariums because we’re just “too in the game” and don’t see what the casual observer might. Here’s a look at what some of those observations might mean- and why we should take heed of them!

If you’ve been in the hobby a while, you’ve seen all sorts of ideas come and go.. some start as “trends” and evolve into “best practices..” Some are simple evolutions of older practices... for example, how we feed our tropical fish fry.. we have some ideas...

It’s interesting to look at some of the aquascaping concepts that are becoming “trends” and to go beyond the “art” aspect.. to think about the function.. and how these types of concepts can be applied to represent natural habitats in the aquarium...

Got your attention, huh? The art and science of botanical style aquariums is evolving. We have some recommended practices, however...Preparation and careful addition of these materials to our aquariums is always the right thing to do...let’s focus on these important steps in the process...

Four years into this botanical world here at Tannin Aquatics, and we still have to prod our friends to play with these unique aquariums.. and that’s okay! Here are a few “talking points” you can share with your hesitant fellow aquarists to make them take the plunge to “the dark side!”

Is there anyone in the hobby who hasn’t heard of or seen the work of George Farmer? Known to tens of thousands of hobbyists worldwide, George has a passion for the hobby and a deep love of Nature. In this engaging episode, we cover a myriad of aquascaping subjects, from the utterly practical to the deeply philosophical. One of the true gentlemen of the aquascaping world- and perhaps the most inspi...

If you’ve been in the hobby long enough- you’ve no doubt seen it: Self-appointed “gatekeepers” telling you that you CAN’T do something.. and they tell you this without any personal experience... they’re simply “regurgitating” something they’ve heard elsewhere; “towing the party line”- and hindering the progress of the hobby. We offer a frank discussion about this phenomenon and how to overcome it....

Seems like almost every fish we keep in the hobby is somehow labeled as “adaptable to keep in tap water conditions”- even though they have evolved over eons in very specific environments! Conditions that we often only try to replicate in our aquariums when we want to spawn them! What gives? Is there an advantage to giving them “throwback” conditions on a full-time basis?

Yes, I’m obsessed about aquarium substrates. Most of us aren’t. You pour in a bag of your favorite decorative sand and call it a day. However, what if you tried “enriching” the substrate with other materials- botanicals, sediments, etc.? What benefits are there to be had? Let’s talk about it!

A lesson from Apollo 12 teaches us the value of taking note of this little things we do in the hobby to get us through problems...seriously!

Those of you who follow the aquascaping world are no doubt familiar with Cory Hopkins! His unique approaches and fresh ideas have been featured in contests, magazines, and demos worldwide. Cory share his interesting views on the world of aquascaping- as an art and as a competitive endeavor!

It’s easy to get carried away and add tons of botanicals and leaves to our aquariums! There’s so much natural material to choose from! Yet, there is a certain beauty- and, indeed- many benefits from exercising what we call “Selective Aesthetic Restraint..”

We can all contribute to the success of fellow hobbyists- and to the hobby in general- when we make an effort to recognize the signs of a hobbyist who’s headed in the wrong direction....

I developed a sort of paranoia about doing anything that would disrupt my carefully managed aquariums. It was a bit of an ice-reaction, I think.. because the reality is, as an 8 year-old eloquently stated, “...fishes don’t break so easily...”

“Detritus” and “mulm” send shivers down the spines of many aquarists.. they’re metaphors for “sloppy”, “dirty”, and “undisciplined”, right? Well, not really. In our view, it’s more like their metaphors for “food source”, “biological filtration”, and “part of a healthy aquarium...” yeah, let’s re-think this stuff!

While you can hurry Nature, you CAN manipulate things a bit. Of course, when you do, there are trade offs and compromises and different outcomes. As I’ve learned- particularly with natural, botanical-style tanks- there is no substitute for patience.

Seasons change... so should the way we replicate our aquarium habitats to meet them...