The Tint

The beginning. The startup. The earliest phases of our botanical method aquarium’s existence- is a fascinating, wonderful time. And we have to opportunity to create a magical, productive habitat for our fishes by just deploying a few simple tricks and a whole lot of patience!

Yeah, it’s been a few weeks since we’ve had our last episode of “The Tint.” What have I been up to? What’s Tannin up to? Why have we been so quiet lately? What are we going to do and say in 2023 and beyond? What do I think needs to happen in the aquarium world this year? The answer to these and other questions are laid out in this “comeback episode!” Yeah, the usual opinions and hypocrisy that cha...

We're often asked if it is possible for a brand new aquarist to create a botanical method aquarium as his/her first tank. After playing with this stuff for decades, and seeing lots of other hobbyists doing it, too, I think that it IS possible...if you make an effort to understand aquarium fundamentals, manage expectations, and employ patience... However, it requires a community effort from all of...

It’s kind of fun to see those fishes, plants, and corals which you kept as a kid, still playing a prominent role in the hobby. They are more than juts nostalgic to us- they transport us back to what made us fall in love with the hobby in the first place!

Yeah, we talk about aquariums as a little microcosm of life- a place where ecological processes play out to the benefit of our fishes. Yet, I think we need to do more than just give in “lip service…” we need to REALLY make the effort to understand why our botanical method aquariums look and function the way they do.. it’s the “secret” to big progress and evolution in the aquarium hobby.

What happens if you miss a water exchange or a filter media replacement once in a while in your botanical method aquarium?

Yeah, I noticed something not so good again: A stunning lack of patience in the hobby. It’s been evident in the reef world for a while and it’s creeping into the FW world as well. We can and should stop it. By examining how it’s occurring, how it manifests, and what the results could be, I think that its time for a renewed effort to teach the fundamentals in our hobby- along with a healthy dose of...

A little “quick hit” addressing the dilemma many hobbyists face- wether they should intervene or not when something seems “different” in their tank..

One of the things that we’ve noticed over the years is how our aquariums embrace common elements from Nature- a literal “through line” from Nature to aquarium- one which, if we make the effort to understand- has profound implications for us as hobbyists.

Yes, we keep coming back to the bottom… The incredible influence of substrate on the overall aquatic environment is endlessly fascinating. The wild aquatic habitats of the world are filled with compelling, highly functional substrates comprised of all sorts of materials. They’re ripe for replication in the aquarium.. let’s discuss these natural features and their potential in our tanks!

The idea of "failing" at something in the aquarium hobby sounds so horrible, doesn't it? The reality is that what we deem "failures" are actually some of the most valuable experiences that we can have as aquarists. Really!

The idea of changing our tanks up periodically is as old as the aquarium hobby itself. However, you don’t always have to make big changes to evolve your tank…

The aquarium hobby is filled with opportunities, challenges, and chances to develop breakthroughs. However, to get through many things in the hobby requires us to educate ourselves; to understand what’s going on in our tanks, and to tolerate things that might make us uncomfortable. To draw parallels between what we’re seeing in our tanks and what occurs in Nature. How do we do this? We need to com...

Yeah, every once in a while, with so many newcomers to our world- it’s important for me to touch on some basic stuff. Today, let’s talk about the elegant, under appreciated biofilms-one more time!

Inspiration in the hobby takes many forms. It comes from many sources. I think that we as a group tend to take more inspiration from other people’s tanks, and not as much from Nature. We need to flip that around a bit…

Patience is one of those “intangibles” that is incredibly important in the aquarium hobby. It’s something not all of us have in droves, but we should. It’s something that helps us all have to best possible outcomes when we apply it…

We’ve been obsessed with botanical method aquariums for decades. We’re collectively, as a hobby, advancing the study of these aquariums more than ever. Yet, a lot of people will ask “Why do you do this stuff?” Today, a simple bunch of talking points for you to share with others when asked this question. Or, perhaps it’s the push that YOU need to try one?

As everyone gets ready to enter those international aquascaping contests, or to contemplate what they’ll do next year, it’s time for me to get on my soap box and trash conventionality- again. Time to urge you to act on the craziest of the ideas floating around in your head. Time for “weird”- done well!

When does a botanical method aquarium reach a "finish line?" When does it start looking "mature?" Why do hobbyists even ask this question? We spend a lot of time pondering when our tanks will hit some magical point where they have "arrived." I think that we need to focus on a different part of the equation here...

Ever gotten into one of those online disagreements about some hobby topic? Was it an all-day, tit-for-tat drag- out? A thoughtful debate? Was it just plain nasty? And did it even matter? Here’s a story from one of my “online discussions” that may make you chill a bit.. or not.

Perhaps in no other aquarium hobby speciality other than the botanical method do we even think much about the color of the water in our tanks. And that means accepting not only a different function- but different aesthetics…

Utilizing different materials in our substrates is a “foundational approach to botanical method aquariums.. we need to keep working with them and pushing the limits!

We don’t talk enough about light and it’s importance to our aquariums. And, although we’ve shared a lot of planted botanical method aquariums with plants, there is still a lot of confusion and trepidation about keeping plants in tinted, botanical method aquariums…Let’s talk about light, plants, and botanicals!

Yeah, we’re talking about leaf litter in the aquarium yet again. Why? Because there’s a bit too much talk lately about leaves as “set pieces” for creating “cool looking aquascapes!” And that is selling them sooo short- missing all of the ecological benefits of using leaves in aquariums. They’re not aquascaping props… they are a huge and important part of the ecological system in our tanks…

We do a lot of things with our aquariums, but the idea of literally “operating” them to replicate seasonal and other changes which. Occur in the wild habitats is a fascinating one. What kinds of things can we “operate” in our tanks- and what will the positive impacts on our fishes be as a result?