The Tint

A sort of “companion” to our last piece- in this episode, we examine how there is a beauty in randomness within our aquariums!, and how we can foster it for our fishes’ advantage!

Instead of viewing botanical materials as “decorations” to be arranged into some sort of “composition” in the aquarium, we should see them as active participants in building the habitat itself! In Mature,,botanical materials don’t simply occupy a habitat- they help create it!

Sport has its heros. Music has its legends. Hollywood has its idols. The aquarium hobby has…gadgets. Gadgets which transcend time and have made generations of hobbysits have a better experience! Let’s take a quick look at some of my fave all-time aquarium gadgets- including the one that I think is truly the GOAT!

One of the central ideas behind botanical method aquariums is that the aquarium itself becomes the “filter.” Hers a fresh look at this idea, and why you might actually have more in common with a reef aquarist than your “ run-of-the-mill” freshwater aquarist!

A little discussion about water quality, pH and other water manipulation frontiers in the botanical method aquarium!

Today is one of those days that I just need to rent a bit. We-especially content creators- have a responsibility to share deeper information instead of drivel. There, I said it. 😆

We all enjoy the aquarium hobby for different reasons t reasons. It took me decades to realize this- and when I did, everything got a whole lot more fun!

We set up aquariums to represent all sorts of natural habitats… Yet, we seldom see aquariums set up to replicate seasonal aspects of these habitats. Why not? I think the benefits of doing so would be incredible!

Wine has it. Coffee has it. Terroir- Environmental conditions- specifically soil and climate, which give grapes and coffee beans unique flavors and aromas. Does this same idea apply to the aquatic habitat which we admire- and to the botanical method aquariums that we create to replicate them? I think so!

In this installment, another plea to get you to consider a botanical method BRACKISH WATER aquarium! A little rant about why most current brackish water aquarium ideas suck, and other stuff likely to piss you off!

The aquarium hobby is filled with risks. Aquarists who take calculated risks are often rewarded, and those who flagrantly ignore Nature’s laws get spanked.. sometimes!

Welcome back to The Tint podcast! Let’s ease back into things with a little discussion about something I’m really good at: Doing NOTHING when your tank doesn’t quite look the way you want, or as it’s evolving…Let’s get into this and celebrate patience and observation!

Yeah, another obsession of mine... I’ve poured through scientific literature, hoping to find a live bearing fish which naturally comes from a blackwater habitat... and here are some of my top candidates! This was the last “Tannin aquatics”-branded episode of “The Tint”! My New “v2.0” episodes will drop soon! Enjoy!

There is something amazing about going to the LFS and stumbling upon fishes that you’ve read about for years, but have never seen.. or just acquiring that fish you’ve been coveting for so long.. hers to the “romance” of our hobby…

When we create aquariums based on that idea in our heads- or that natural ecosystem that we’re enthralled by, we sometimes need to grasp restraint. We need to hold ourselves back.. let’s discuss this and other great ways to bring your dream tank to life!

We as a hobby don’t do enough to share the basics.. there, I said it. We’re too caught up in making cute social media posts without disseminating more than superficial information. There’s a real hunger- and need- for us to go beyond the basics…

Reversing course, changing direction, and rethinking our aquariums are par for the course in the hobby. When is it appropriate to hold on.. or to switch direction?

I have thousands of tank ideas. Why am I not able to find execute on them?

People ask me all the time how Tannin started; what the ideas that drove- and do tie to drive it- are. How lessons I’ve learned along the way validated thoughts I had, and challenged me to improve. And we look at how the mindset I’ve learned on my journey can help you with yours..

As botanical method aquarium fans and vendors, we tend to speculate quite a bit about what exactly is in those botanical we use. One thing we don’t speculate about is what they do ecologically when they’re in our tanks…

Of all of the habitats we play with in botanical method aquariums, few are as compelling as tropical streams. Let’s take another look at streams and the opportunities they offer to replicate them in aquariums..

When we eschew ecology, we’re setting ourselves up for difficulties with our aquariums. It’s a lesson learned throughout hobby history. One which, as botanical method aquarium lovers, we need not be destined to repeat!

There is always risk to trying new stuff in the hobby. There is risk in collecting your own botanicals. Hell, there’s risk in keeping an aquarium, for that matter. Don’t be overly risk adverse!

I’ve pounded it into your heads before: Our botanical method aquariums are little microcosms; beholden to Natural processes just like their wild brethren. And how we manage them and indeed, perceive them, is as important as anything else we do in the hobby.

Your botanical method aquarium is an elegant, simple to manage, yet complex ecosystem. It can run with a minimum of intervention on your part. They key is to understand what’s happening, why it’s beneficial- and to make the mental shifts necessary to make it all work.

For some reason, a lot of people in the aquarium hobby seem to feel that you need to have a large aquarium to be considered a “serious” hobbyist- or a “successful” one. Where the hell did THIS idea come from? Let’s discuss…

How do hobby practices develop? What makes us do things the way that we do? And why are we sometimes hesitant to change, to learn, to evolve? What kinds of changes have we made in the hobby- and what kinds of changes will we do tie to make?

We do this incredible thing- we replicate the function of natural aquatic habitats in our aquariums. And we’ve had to adapt, evolve our techniques, and take criticisms from others to do it. Yet, it’s all worth it.. we just have to look at the “how and why” of what we do sometimes to appreciate it!

Yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve talked about tearing fry a more natural way. Fish breeders won’t like this, I’m sure, but for “casual” breeders like me, the idea of incorporating a botanical method aquarium to feed young fish fry is amazing!

The beauty of our approach to aquariums is that they are perfectly optimized for operating indefinitely…if we manage them in a way that’s consistent with our understanding of their ecological function…

We at the stage in our aquariums so to speak. We deliver a “stage” for Nature to perform Her work. We shouldn’t resist this.

We have been preaching for almost a decade about the concept of “functional aesthetics”- an appreciation for the function of natural habitats , understanding that the function contributes to the aesthetics. And it’s time once again to elaborate on my theory..

It’s amazing how adaptable fishes are, isn’t it? However, I’m more convinced than ever that, just because fishes CAN adapt to conditions that are easier for us to provide, doesn’t mean that we should force them to. Let’s discuss..

Okay, it sounds like a bad sci-fi movie, but it’s just a designation given to one of my aquariums..a system that changed my practice and evolved my thinking about botanical method aquariums. Everyone likely has their own “Project 18”- that tank which pushed boundaries for them. Let me share what this tank did for my aquarium hobby practice… then please reflect upon yours…

Our fishes have evolved to consume all sorts of foods. And they often shift their feeding habits throughout the year, as a response to seasonal changes, abundance, etc. And our botanical method aquariums, with their leaves, seed pods, etc. are fantastic producers of supplemental nutrition…

Okay, sounds a bit 1960’s psychedelic, right? But it’s a good descriptor of where we are in the aquarium hobby when it comes to approaching low pH aquariums. By “low”, I mean below 6.0ph. A “frontier” that we as a hobby largely have no experience with. Yet, I think we’re getting to the point where creating and managing low ph systems (ph in the 5’s and 4’s) might become practical. We just have to understand these environments chemically, and grasp the ecology which drives them. It’ll require a new approach and way of thinking about how we do stuff…Are YOU experienced?

Today, in a special expanded episode, I have a great discussion with Mark Chen of Nature Design Studio here in So Cal. You've probably seen his videos on Instagram and Tim Tok, showcasing his beautiful work. Mark and his partner create amazing custom aquarium displays which incorporate his unique take on the natural aquatic environments of the world. Mark has a gift for being able to infuse his design assets and a deep understanding of atheistic into creating different natural worlds and environments within aquariums. We cover a lot of ground in our discussion, including how Mark creates some of his amazing displays, and what techniques, philosophies and design approaches he uses to construct them. He even shares some tips from his experience which's everyday aquarists can leverage to create our own unique work! Mark is incredibly smart, gifted with a talent for sharing abstract concepts in a relatable manner. Follow him on Instagram (tmk_aquarist) to see some of his amazing work. A great listen! _

We love to control everything in our aquariums, don’t we? We’ll, it seems like a good idea, but the reality is that we don’t have to. The idea of throwing your materials into your tank and letting Nature sort it out isn’t laziness. Not some crazy, alternative approach. It’s a slightly different take on what hobbyists have been doing for generations. It’s a way to create a truly dynamic ecosystem in your tank by letting Nature get to work immediately. Taking a longer, less conventional road may unlock tons of secrets that we can use to our advantage!

For Alan soy as long as we’ve done this podcast, I’ve talked about flooded forests, fallen trees, and the unique habitats which arise from them. There is something fascinating and compelling about the idea of replicating one in an aquarium. We just need to overcome our fear of taking up precious water volume with big pieces- or a lot of pieces- of wood…let’s discuss…

I keep getting asked: “can a beginner in the aquarium hobby start right out of the gate with a botanical method aquarium?” Well, my first thought is to say “No!” However, the reality is that, if one is willing to take the time to get past the superficial aspects of what we do, and learn the methodology, the “how’s and whys”- the craft- it is possible. Of course, you need a few philosophical anchors, too…

When did you know you had that “thing” for aquariums? Was it a gradual transition from other hobbies and interests, or was it this thing that just hit you one day? What kind of impact does aquarium keeping have on your life. Deep thoughts…

In this edition of "The Tint', I chat with hobbyist Tyler Wells (better known as "Inland Reef" on Instagram and hobby forums0. Tyler and I met on Instagram because of our mutual passion for mangroves (although he's probably forgotten more than I'll ever know!). We talk about his hobby journey, and his incredible, inspiring work with mangroves, macroalgae, and high biodiversity saltwater aquariums. If this episode doesn't make you want to start a saltwater aquairum, I"m not sure what will! NOTE: We had a few tech glitches that forced me to break up the episode into two segments, and I awkwardly edited together the best that I could...Hang in there and enjoy!

A botanical method aquarium is more than just a display or “scape.” It’s an amalgamation of numerous life forms, working together to form the basis of a closed ecosystem. What happens if you let Nature go unchecked?

Okay, I admit.. for a lot of my fish keeping “career”, I wasn’t the relatively calm, we’ll adjust aquarist you hear everyday. I was a bit of a nervous wreck.. almost a “drama queen” about stuff with my tanks. Then, I turned to the botanical method aquarium and things changed…

The aquarium hobby progresses constantly- borrowing from past discoveries, techniques, and technology. It’s how the hobby moves forwards. Think about some of the stuff from the past that still drives progression in the hobby today…

Our hobby has an amazing history. A history formed by thousands of unnamed hobbyists plying their craft- and by a few legendary “players” making breakthroughs that transcend time. Who are your hobby “influencers? What did they teach you which resonates with you?

Sometimes, unexpected stuff happens in our aquariums. Stuff way beyond our current skill set of body of experience. Stuff which pushes us- and shapes us.

The foundation for all that we do is ecology.. And the systems that we create in our aquariums are absolutely dependent upon an “operating system” which a nature creates and manages. We need to play nice with Her…

Most of us know what to expect when getting into botanical method aquariums. Some of us don’t.. and this one’s for you.

With all of the new exposure of botanical method aquariums in our world, we keep getting questions from this unfamiliar to our practice about the “cleanliness” of our botanical method tanks. Let’s clarify it!