The Tint

Yeah, it sounds a bit “Star Trek-y”, but it’s an important thing to discuss: The idea of truly trying stuff in aquariums that hasn’t been tried before. Questioning “them” and your reasons for ever hesitating. Questioning “conventions” of aquarium practice...not just to be rebellious- but to push the state of the art in aquarium keeping for the benefit of the hobby, our passions- and our fishes!

The idea of “operating” our tanks via environmental manipulation and other practices is not new to fish breeders. However, to the biotope-inspired aquarist, these practices go beyond just recreating a “look”- they’re perhaps the ultimate expression of an aquarium which functions like Nature does...

Fungi. Reviled. Feared. Hated by anyone who’s ever cured a piece of driftwood for their aquarium. We need to change our thinking on these absurdly important and beneficial organisms. We need to get beyond their “looks” and understand them for the elegant and valuable organisms that they are!

We’ve been talking about the “Urban Igapo”- recreating seasonal inundation that occurs to forests and grasslands in South America- for years now. And the idea is catching on- lots of you are playing with this! Amd of course, there are a lot of questions as we explore this fun and fascinating approach to aquariums! Today, in the first of what will likely be many podcasts on the topic- we’ll address...

Natural aquatic ecosystems provide an enormous diversity of foods for our fishes. Their diets adapt to seasonal abundance, and include a wide variety of stuff that we can provide them in our botanical-style aquariums!

We’ve talked about and shared some very different ideas over the years. We’ve talked about mental shifts, unusual aesthetics, and executions. Let’s share a few of our faves here that YOU should run with!

The funniest thing in the aquarium hobby, in my opinion, is that we constantly talk about how we treasure Nature- yet try to “edit” her processes and products at every opportunity. We need to understand, study, and observe.. we need to have more faith in Nature. Because Nature’s got our back

“How do YOU” use botanicals in YOUR tanks, Scott?” Well, good question! Let’s tackle this in part 2 of our series “This is How I do it!”

An aquarium is not just a static thing. Sure, we “build” it- or part of it. Yet, it’s a process- a slow, deliberate one- in which Nature takes the lead. To try to rich things is to deny our aquariums the chance to evolve as Nature intends them to...

Yeah, in 5 plus years of doing “The Tint”, I never did a series on how, specifically, I personally start and manage my botanical-style tanks! Let’s change that and start this party! We’ll literally start at the bottom- substrates, and my approach!

Okay, I’m no chemistry guru, but I do have a slight working knowledge about the topic as it relates to our botanical-style aquariums. Let’s touch on a couple of common water chemistry questions that we receive here...

It’s fundamental. Adding botanical materials to our aquariums is a way to replicate many functional aspects of Nature. We know this. The general hobby needs to know this.

We’ve all seen and encounters them: Those aquarium hobbyists who always seem to have it out for you. Those who are ready to offer all kinds of “advice”, or “suggestions” those who genuinely want to help. And those who will steer you down some weird path, just because.. here our concise guide to taking stuff in the hobby with a grain of salt!

We’ve all had it happen. You score that incredibly rare fish at the LFS, show, or auction.. and it was sold as something far more “common.” Yeah, you scored! Feel guilty? Exhilarated? Or just content? How’d it work out?

These is something about brackish water aquariums that I just can’t pull myself away from. Maybe it’s the salt? Perhaps it’s the Mangroves! Likely, it’s the “ecosystem” approach- the botanical-style brackish water aquarium. An idea who’s time has come!

We in the aquarium hobby glorify the perfect. The polished. The finished. We’re seemingly afraid to share anything which doesn’t meet some preconceived notions of how a tank is supposed to be. What a shame.

Don’t call me am aquascaper! Maybe I’m Nature’s “interpreter” or something. But I’m definitely not an “aquascaper” in the “traditional sense!”

We can and should question the way things are done in the hobby...and why they are done that way. We can explore what Nature does. Understand Her. However, we should never try to “outsmart” Her. We can’t. And that’s okay.

Yeah, even the most basic maintenance processes in botanical-style aquariums have natural analogs- and require accompanying mental shifts that help us see things a bit differently.

Yes, once I get started on some fish geeky tangent, I seldom give up. Back in 2019, I shared with you my obsession about finding a livebearer which is naturally found in blackwater. We had a few candidates, but not much else. Fast forward to 2021, and we may have found our fish!! Prepare to geek out!

I don’t know about you, but I never tire of finding out those fish I placed in my botanical style aquarium just happened to spawn. Nothing intentional- just the by product of giving them the best possible conditions!

Yeah, once again, I’m compelled to talk about the many unique alternatives that you have for aquarium substrates. There are some amazing functional and aesthetic alternatives.. we just need to make some mental shifts to embrace them!

The idea of leaves in our aquariums is no longer an alien concept to most hobbyists. However, there are so many questions about there use, how long they last underwater, etc. let’s chat about it just a bit!

Why not examine a different aquatic habitat as a subject for a unique aquarium? Enter the morichal, a fascinating and remarkably diverse habitat, where you’ll find some of our fave aquarium fishes?

Yet another attempt to Ian through the large amount of “noise”-often incorrect- that we hear about the use of leaves and botanicals in our aquariums.