All Episodes
The Tint — 731 episodes
Cracks in The Pavement: The Allure of Ecological Niches in the Botanical Method Aquarium
Natural “Architecture”: Letting Botanicals Do The Work!
Chasing the GOAT
Curator. Botanical Method Aquarium Geek. Reefer. They’re All Sort of The Same!
It Must be the Water!!
The Hobby is not THAT difficult. But it’s not simple.
Any Way You Want It
Slipping Through The Seasons…
Terroir…Nature’s Secret? Or, The Key to EVERYTHING?
Just Add Salt!
Getting Away With It…Or Not!
The thrill of doing…Nothing!
The continuing allure of “blackwater livebearers”- if they exist, that is!
The Romance of the Aquarium Hobby
When is Enough, “Enough?”
The journey is the fun part…
Changing Course or Staying Put?
Tanks…A LOT
“Lessons learned on the road to global domination…”
Where the magic lies…
Streaming along…
Ecology First.
The Risk of the New?
Like What Nature Does
It’s not “dirty”- it’s Perfect!
IS bigger “better?”
The Change is Here..
What we do is cool.
A big idea for small fishes?
Keeeping a good thing going: Thoughts on Long Term Management of Botanical Method Aquariums
Wherever Nature Takes Us…
Beyond the “sexy looks”…again!
Who’s accommodating who?
“Project 18”: The Turning Point
A Steady diet of…
The “Acid Trip”
"The Tint" Special Edition with Mark Chen of Nature Design Studio- "The Ultimate Beauty Resides in Nature"
Letting Nature Sort it Out
More wood in our aquariums? Why not?
Fools rush in…
Origins and Evolutions…And You.
Of Mangroves and Macroalgae with Tyler Wells (aka "Inland Reef")- EXTENDED SPECIAL EPISODE!
It’s a “Jungle” in There! (And What’s Wrong With THAT?)
Existential Crises… of My Own Making?
Past Perfect. Future Fantastic!
The Wisdom of the Ages
Events which Shape Us
Considering the “a biological Operating System” of our Aquariums…
The “Expectation Refresher”- Yet Again…
Good Clean Fun?
Tempting Fate…Rolling the Dice..Trying to Beat the Rare “Sure Things” in our Hobby!
“Attitude Adjustments?”
Power from the Palms!
Constantly Changing. Persistently Evolving.
My confusing delusional obsession…
The Intersection of Function, Form…and “Weird” Ideas…
Just…Don’t…
Steps along the way…
Yes, you can! But, should you?
Call it what you want to Call It…
So, you’re thinking of starting a reef tank? Can we talk first?
More than just the obvious…
“Fixes” for “Problems” that are Not Problems!
The Complexity of making the Hobby “Simple”
Playing with the Dynamics of Botanical Method Aquariums
Nature… Your Partner
Grand experiments, revisited. Ideas which create “unlocks…”
One fish, two fish…Or, is that fishes?
The benefits of aquarium “Cross Training”
Why we question things…
Thwarting a regrettable hobby “trend…”
Stumbling in the dark: Facing our fears while learning the ways of “blackwater!”
The burden of knowing “too much?”
The man who Brought Darkness Into the Land- And What We Can Learn From Him!
Focusing…and Freaking Out! Or not.
“Environmental impacts” and Botanicals
Wake me up before you “Oto”- The case for caution with a so-called “algae eater…”
Where DO all of the fishes go?
A slightly salty obsession of mine…
Leaving safe harbor…
A reasonable facsimile, indeed!
Treasuring every fish…
Bringing it home?
Bringin’ it home.. deeper dives into creating for functionally realistic aquariums…
Disrupting the Fish Food game.. A Plea to Budding Aquarium Industry Entrepreneurs!
Yay! You just purchased some new fishes! Now what? Confessions of a Traumatized Fish Geek…
Oh, those stupid names…A little story from Tannin’s history…
Full stop? Or just a little detour?
My greatest mistake?
This is how I do it ( Pt.3) : Establishing a botanical method aquarium- mindset and methodology
Green Meets Brown.
Botanicals: “Classified”
Serendipitous Spawning? Or, simply approaching fish breeding from a different angle?
Only the bold move forward.
Fishing…
A quick thought for rainy days.
What’s the rush?
“Operating” your botanical method aquarium to simulate seasons…an idea whose time has come?
Working the web of life…
Thinking like a fish; thinking about fishes…
Let’s hear it for… algae!
When we start…
Something old. Something new. Something…Gone.
The”rock question” again!
“Opportunistic Habitats”
How much of…What? The befits and pitfalls of “speculative biochemistry”
Set and Forget?
A return to the flooded forest: A review of the “Urban Igapo” approach
A “Shot across the bow..”
We “wood” eat it if we could!
In the mix…
Shattering a Botanical “Myth”- and Shaping The Future…
It’s all gonna be okay… With the amazing Jennifer Williams!
The outer limits…
An easy partnership
The mood and the mindset…
Beyond the Superficial
Brown Crush
Hahnel knew it…
Oak:The “one stop shop” for botanical method aquarium enthusiasts!
The "Detritus Dilemma"- again!
Waiting for "the quiet storm" of life...
Life is too short to compromise.
As the seasons pass…
“Geographic transgressions” and other Forgivable Sins…
“Blackwater Livebearers”: My obsessive search continues…
Relationships
Inception.
Back…From Nowhere…
Starting at...The beginning?
The ones which take you back…
All of that “stuff…”
Letting go…For a while, anyways!
Thwarting a chilling hobby trend..
Nature takes Her course…
The “Through Line”
At the bottom of tropical waters…
What's it mean to "fail" in the hobby, always?
“The evolution will be…managed.”
Compensating Factors
The gooey, slimy, and sometimes wowed-looking cycle of life in our aquariums…
Inspiration.
Staying the course…
We DO “dream in water…”
“Weird” done well…
How Soon is "NOW?"
Before you hit “return”: The importance of being thoughtful in online discourse!
Living color…
Why you should be playing with “alternative substrates” in your aquariums…
“The Light Stuff…”
Leaves..Again!
“Operating” your botanical method aquarium….
The “art part” of the equation…
Addition by subtraction…
“The operating system…”
Into the niches and backwaters
At the bottom of tropical streams…
The worlds we create.
The Power of “aquatic Cross-Training”, and a call to be Better…
The whole picture…
Your fishes call it…food.
Thinking like a fish!
The really long game…
Welcoming the unexpected…and Resisting the urge to Overthink!
“Perpetual Darkness?”
Fresh and New…And YOU.
The “Crowd?” or, just the Community?
Finding your own lane: The real “mental shift…”
The filter you use…The filter you have.
A fine “mess.”
Is it “good enough?”
Quick Hit: The “School of rock?”
Working with “The Establishment”
Walking Away- a Study in Mental Toughness
Heading to the bottom.. again!
How it all works.
A “Clean Start?”
More “early days” musings…
Your first look at the botanical method…
Evolution. Patience. Time. The first Mental Shift.
Growing, maturing…Evolving!
“The ephemeral pace…”
“Field Work”
Because you asked…Stuff I despise in the hobby…
How Scott got his groove back…
Tips and tricks? Sure, why not!
Bending the rules?
Hahnel knew it.
Tangible benefits?
Everything you need for your reef tank?
What causes that “haze” in botanical method aquariums?
“Permission” to evolve?
The color of water…
Tradecraft.
Changing it up…
The function. The form. The contest?
Any way you want it…
The craziness of planning?
Who is the best “aquarium designer?”
Subtle “suggestions” and “rhetorical questions” from non hobbyists!
What’s so “radical” about patience?
Random- or not?
What’s going on? Some of the “expectations” to have when starting a botanical method aquarium
Quick tint tips!
Just…maintain!
10 common traits among successful hobbyists- and their aquariums!
“Transitioning” a botanical method aquarium: A case study
The Process: The “how? and why?” Of Botanical Preparation..Again!
When I’m asked to just talk about fish stuff…
A beautiful Mess: Detritus and its role in aquariums…AGAIN!
The common thread of my “fishy obsessions!”
Along the way…
For the love of weird substrates…
Botanical method musings- the startup and beyond…
The beauty of “the ignorance bubble”
On to the next?
Specialized diets, “Leopard Frogs” and rethinking assumptions.
The “Fungal Filter!”
Aquarium practice rooted neither in culture nor tradition…”
On occasion, I get restless…
Why leaves make lousy “hardscape pieces!”
The”meal plan.”
What we’ve been told
Don’t keep up the fight!
Easy Going
The importance of doing…Nothing.
Approaching brackish water aquariums with a different mindset…
The Joys of Allochthonous input!
A World Full of Botanicals
"The Tint" Special Edition with Thomas Minesi: An Expedition to the River Fwa
Just can’t stay away… Or can I?
The breakthrough.
The mindset behind the aquarium: One-on-one with Alex Franqui
"The Tint" Special Edition with Jen Williams: Exciting developments in the aquascaping contest world!
Throwing more light on blackwater!
The “Nutritional Dynamic” of Botanical-Style Aquariums
The hobby is easy, right?
Accumulating Botanicals- And Mental Toughness!
The Benefits of Disruption?
Pushing Through
The Dynamics of “The Urban Igapo”
Yeah, THOSE people!
Susceptible to manipulation…”
The “Unholy Trinity” and the mental shifts we need to make in the hobby…
Under the Influence?
Fuel
Methodology
Inspiration from the Morichal
“Functional aquascaping” and the feeding habits of our fishes: A different direction?
Debunking the “Reef Mystique”
The Commendable Power of Restraint
When in the jungle, act like a monkey! Well, sort of…
Reefkeeping Reality: Because You Asked!
What’s the alternative?
“Extended Operations…”
Fishing Around…
Stying on course.
“Trash” or “Treasure?”
The “diagnosis” of what’s wrong with the hobby? Or just a biased observation?
Let go.. it’s okay!
Eliminating the “Positive?”
Blowing up Brackish!
Radical approaches, risk, criticisms, and the challenges we take on…
Botanical expectations…
Does your “blackwater aquarium” contain “blackwater?” A case study in hobby responsibility…
“Environmental Intimacy” and The Case for Killifishes
What’s the big deal about substrates?
“Filtration” and The Botanical-Style Aquarium
Nostalgic thoughts- or a nod to the Future?
“The Cure”
What Nature Does…
To the “creators”
Say “Hello” to our little friends!
The Game of Change…
When the waters get tough..
What’s the problem?
Accumulation.
Risk.
Movement.
The Mangrove Mystique- Mud and Mental Shifts
Tangled Twigs, Strange Substrates, and Dynamic Processes!
The Tint Special Edition: Jake Adams of Reef Builders: “Aquarium hobby ‘Cross-Pollination”
Ideas that move us forward: A personal journey of sorts..
"The Tint" Special Edition with Jennifer Williams: Jen and Scott talk about Everything!
The Tint Special Edition with Chris Englezou: Aquariums and The Natural World
"The Essence"
The Best- Not the Brightest!
What every Tetra knows
Botanical prep…AGAIN!
Where’s all the algae?
The fishes that hook the human: A couple of my faves!
The Slow(er) road to Success with Fish Stocking.
Letting go.
Expanded Ecology?
Fostering a relationship.
We dream in water..
The Elegance of Simplicity
Don’t Fear the Reefer!
Edits, iterations, pivots, and detours!
The “Immortal Aquarium?”
Clouds on the horizon...or in your aquarium?
Behind the Botanical: Meet the Kielmeyera Pod!
What’s the problem with “realism?”
Stuff we need to do...
Risk.
It’s only a “fail” if you make it one!
Sorting it out...Naturally
Fish, fish, and more Fish! A "tint" Special Edition with Scott, Johnny, and Special Guest Sumer Tiwari!
“The Curse of the Kissing Gourami”- a Tale from My Youth...
“To Bee or Not to Bee?” The Surpriskg Bumblebee Goby!
(Almost) everything I learned about life, I learned from my aquariums!
The Tint with Special Guest, Thomas Minesi of Congo Nature Photography- "Aquatic Habitats of The Congo"
“Situational Awareness”: Understanding some of those crazy hobby personalities!
The Endless Dance
“Weird” Done Well: A Challenge
Mentally Shifted
The adaptability of mangroves- A key player in unique Botanical-Style Aquariums!
The botanical-style aquarium: A Brief introduction.
“Off the Grid” with The Zebra Danio
The botanical-style aquarium: A “filter” of its own, and other biological musings
A slice of the bottom? Or a figment of our imagination?
Botanical Materials in The Wild- And in The Aquarium
Supplemental? Primary? Or both?
"The Tint" Special Edition with Scott Fellman and Johnny Ciotti
"The Tint" Special Edition with Tai Strietman!
Evolving techniques
Transitioning.
When dreams come alive...
Baggage?
So, what really happens when a leaf falls into a stream?
Natural habitats that we should replicate more!
Blackwater in theory and in practice
Aquarium “Yoga”, Session #5
Degrees of Difficulty: Working with “Challenging” Fishes...
The aquarium as an ecosystem: An old idea that’s somehow always new.
Cool Places
In celebration of the Ephemeral
The “Scavenger Syndrome”: it’s about “Otis” and more...
What our fishes eat: The wonder of food webs
It’s okay to let go.. for a while, anyways!
Attacking the accommodation approach!
Just read the instructions...Sort of.
The natural “intangibles” of botanical materials...
The right fish for the right aquarium: A case study of sorts...
The mystique of the “Salty Cichlid” - The Orange Chromide.
Stuff we’ve been told to fear...
Transitional Habitats- A new aquarium hobby frontier?
It’s about wood. It’s about form. It’s about function.
Someplace like...home?
Fun with Filtration!
No expiration date.
Evolving with your aquarium on the long road to success
My Mangrove Obsession. Could it be YOURS, too?
Hell? Or High water? Questions and answers about the “Urban Igapo” concept...
The contrarian embrace of decomposing “stuff” in our aquariums...
Blowing up the Barbs! The hobby’s most under appreciated fishes?
The philosophy of transience..
The Joys of Randomness
“R” is For Risk
Absolutely...Not?
The Bloom
Natural processes and the mental shifts we need to make!
Keeping it together- the beauty of “buttress roots” and their function in the flooded forests...
It’s kind of my fault. The power of words- and the need to THINK more!
My fave fish for botanical-style tanks- part I of like, many!!
New Start. New Approach.
Getting to the bottom of the “sedimented substrate thing!”
The BIG arguement for smaller aquariums!
From the depths of our imaginations to the shallows of streams.
The surprising benefits of being flexible...
Piling up.
Where no one has gone before?
“Operating” our aquariums- replicating Nature!
Our friends, the fungi!
The “Utban Igapo” in practice
The abundance.
Challenge
Nature’s got our back
“This is How I do it” (Pt.2): Botanicals
Why it’s okay to go slowly
This is how I do it. Pt 1: Substrates
Fun with water chemistry- Part 1,500!
The call of leaves.
Hobbyists who can steer you wrong?
“The Score”- An “urban aquarium myth?” Or just part of the game?
The continuing saga of my salty obsession!
“In between days”
Realizations, affirmations, interpretations, and the way I create aquariums
It’s okay to question things...
Changing your water- and your mindset
The continuing sage of my search for a blackwater livebearer. Episode III: A New Chance
The romance and allure of “casual fish breeding”
You’re still using sand for your aquarium substrate? How passé!
How long do leaves last underwater?
The ever growing inspiration of the Morichal!
Catappa leaves, botanicals, and the stuff they can-and can’t do!
Filled with inspiration- The many wonders of stream habitats.
Trees of life.. literally!
From the bottom up: Living with your substrate.
Building Blocks to "The Big Idea"
Tough questions and interesting answers with Scott Fellman and Johnny Ciotti
Making a scene: The subtle players
Land and water, working together: Embracing the transformation
Food production: The ultimate “collateral benefit” of the botanical-style aquarium?
U-turns, detours, and changes in direction.
The same old song: The “universality” and “reliability” of botanical materials.
Too much is never enough...or IS it?
Edits, iterations, and big moves: Evolving your aquarium over time.
Look out below!
What’s so funny about peace, love and tinted water?
Now the Future starts... The 2021 Preview with Scott and Johnny
The sheer audacity of it all.
Notes from The “Idea Shelf”
The experimental mode.
“That pH thing” again, and the annoyance of assumptions
Amateur geology, sand, rocks, and blackwater. And putting it all together.
Streams- in form and function
Letting go, intentionally?
Getting to know “old friends.”
Beyond the micro biome.
“The Tint” Special Edition with James Sheen of Blackwater UK- “Aquatic Inspiration and More”
The legacy of leaves.
Beyond the tint: Working with water in the botanical-style aquarium.
Thought leadership and the responsibility that accompanies it.
Chasing numbers.
What we do?
The pace.
Sustenance- Where the food comes from
Transforming the biotope aquarium.
Do you “Igapo?” Or, are you more or the “varzea” type?
Excuse our dust! Well, not! The sedimented substrate thing is here!
The little Tetra that can.. a deeper dive into the habitat of the “Green Neon Tetra”
The “Pasta Sauce Analogy” and Aquarium Substrates.
Approaches. Observation. Management. Algae?
Fishes of my childhood: The Kuhli Loach
Permission.
Exercises in functionality- making a mess- or building a microcosm?
Under Cover? Or all over? Meet the Karsts!
The usual suspects? Doing “common” fishes in an “uncommon” way!
Chasing The GOAT
Fueling the process...
Explaining the Swamp!
Embracing the “natural” part of Nature. Rebellion? Or philosophy?
Lessons Learned as the waters recede...
Tint Special Edition with Scott and Johnny: Maintenance of the botanical-style aquarium- and More!
Transitional habitats-from the underwater perspective.
Learning curve.
A brackish water trip...
Embracing the few. And the influential.
From the woods...
Shrimp and “Anecdotal Nutrition”
The start of the journey...
When you’re stuck...
Real “natural foods”- Epiphytes, Macrophytes, and Mental Shifts
Back to the “C” word!
Mixing it up in the leaf litter...
The smallest allies...
Under Cover...
Holding the line...simple thoughts on evaporation, and strategies to counter it...
Eschewing the prep process- and the audacity of stubbornness.
Mixing it up- going against what we know: The “substrate edition...”
Doing Nature more Naturally- A "Tint" special edition with Tai Strietman
Disruption? Or simply a nature’s process for change?
Killifish and their terrestrial connections- questioning convention.
The only “hacks” worth doing!
The “players” behind the process...
Another "botanical-style aquarium cocktail" with Scott and Johnny!
Back to the mud holes!
A certain (water) quality...
The “baseline”
Roads less travelled: A different take on the “same old thing?”
The “terrestrial approach.” A different sort of start?
Variety: The stuff of...confusion?
Love, life...Leaf litter...
The real “live stream!”
From “idea mode” to the long term.
The “end of the beginning...” Where the magic really begins!
When fanboys attack!
The danger of “over-specialization...”
Just breathe...
Close ties...
Do it yourself. FOR yourself.
Is there an “upside” to detritus?
The allure of “throwback” consitions
Building a microcosm, starting from the bottom!
Common threads and functional aesthetics!
The Substrate you stick with...
A combination of elements
There’s beauty in the details
Life in many levels
The Tint: Deep Thoughts with Scott and Johnny
An idea that’s been floating around in my head...
The waiting game.., part of the journey.
The value of ideas.
The fishes of our childhood.
I dare you
The Tint special edition with George Farmer and Johnny Ciotti!
“Green water”. Meets brown water! The idea of botanical- style fry rearing- revisited!
Why you won’t find everything on our website!
Evolution- a most important concept in the hobby
The hobby is pricy.
A "Tint" Special Edition with "The Aquarium Guys!"
Transitioning to “The Tint”- Slowly!
The worlds we create.
"The Tint" featuring Special Guest, Jen Williams!!!
You’re not just an Aquatics businessperson- you’re a “bricoleur!”
“Passive Management” amd the evolving aquarium.
Considering the Seasons
The impact of The Land. The concept of terroir- and the Nuances of Nature.
“Any old Log...”
Don’t even think about it!
We told ya...Really! Or DID we? I THINK so!
Q and A with Johnny and Scott, and exciting news about “Shade!”
A good facsimile? The value of “aquatic analogs”
“Guarantees” in the aquarium hobby- and dissing the “Aquarium Gods”- Some words you the wise!
Going BIG! Well, “bigger”, at least!
Stocking “in sequence?” An approach to creating more natural aquariums...
Talking “tint” with James Sheen of Blackwater UK!
Water, soil, weather, fishes.
How to succeed at botanical-style aquariums without really trying....
Brackish water beckons....
Really- we can explain!
Fortune favors the bold.
What goes down must come...out? The imperfect art of leaf litter bed maintenance.
What goes on down there?
From idea to microcosm
Beyond the tint: Clearing the waters about botanical-style aquariums
Another place and time...
“Substrate Confidential!” Another look at the “stuff on the bottom!”
During the dry season
Just what makes those botanicals tick?
Healthy obsessions- unhealthy Detours, and the joy of New Experiences.
Breakthroughs? Or mental shifts?
Contributing to the abundance of the “aquarium biome!”
It’s all about the fishes! With special guest Mike Tuccinardi!
“Cheating?” Or simply working with what you’ve got?
Tank side Chat: Found Joy in the Aquarium, with Johnny Ciotti!
The complexity of “nuances”
Replication...or inspiration?’
Is THIS the true “Golden Age” of the aquarium hobby? Scott and Johnny chop it up!
Homage to a beloved botanical- The Cariniana pod!
No magic here.
Opposite directions: Two little “case studies” on the influence of underwater nuances!
The difficult decision to make decisions...
The breakdown on...The breakdown!
You’ve got the look. What about the function?
Bringing up the biome.
Startup and beyond.
The continuous evolution of aquatic habitats in Nature and the aquarium...
Water quality, botanicals, and the outer limits of our abilities...
Brown water and red flags...
Splitting hairs and pushing boundries
Laying it all out...
The beauty of humility in the aquarium hobby...
Welcome (Back) to “The Jungle!”
The best version of yourself
Pushing Twigs
Bending the rules?
“Mulm’s” the word. Or, is it “detritus?” Or is it food..or?
Editing, iterating, and refining the “functional aesthetics” of our aquariums.
The allure of ephemeral aquatic habitats- and the fishes which reside in them.
The transition-The approach, process, the myths, the unknowns, and the “art...”
Tint, turbidity, mental shifts- and that certain “look” we all want...
Stuff I suck at...
Where we are: Innovation, patience, and enlightenment.
Wading into the “Urban Igapo...”
Africa- a case for compelling niche habitats and killifishes!
No “magic elixir...”
The “Dynamic Botanical Substrate”- Nature unleashed!
Shortcuts, “hacks”, and processes...
The opportunities of “micro habitats...”
Brackish water aquariums- from the bottom up!
Falling trees. Rising ecosystems. New approaches.
The botanical-style aquarium “conversation starter!”
The mystique of Mollies...
The annoying thing about “labels”, “rules”, and overly-rigid thinking...
Free your mind and the detritus will follow!
The benefits of a “mental rewind”
The wonder of the weird. The Tannin 2020 mission.
A leap of faith...
The “art” and science”- or is it the “science and the art...?”
Radical departures. Interpretations of Nature. Mandatory mental shifts.
The “bottom up evolution” is here!
The “continuous” aquarium...
Going long. Really long.
Density. Diversity. Function.
The elusive goal of “perfection...”
Respect for the decomposers!
The aesthetics behind “natural...”
Faith in Nature. Sustenance from within.
Tinted shortcuts? Or just “shortcuts?”
Botanicals and their “environmental impact”: A closer look...
The “wood” part of the natural aquarium “equation”
All that sparkles: Notes from my “Sparkling Gourami” tank ideas...
The “why” part of the botanical equation, and the importance of “firsthand” observations...
The perfect blend...
The details of decomposition...
Getting real. Like, REALLY real...
“Aquariums are awesome, Scott! I want one!” Oh, sh-t- now what?
My personal Hell- The fish selection process...
Crossing “the gauntlet...”
The “cerebral side” of botanical-style aquariums...
Compelling questions...detailed answers
Like- just going for it!!
Permission to have...Fun?
Returning to the beginning...
Immerse yourself.
What about the function?
The “startup phase” and it’s natural analogs...
Botanical nuances-keys to replicating wild habitats on a deeper level? Or just really good guesses!
That certain “something...”
Let’s get real...
The tale of the Tucanos
Not in too deep.. the allure of shallow stream habitats...
On the hunt...
Getting away with it...
Water quality and the botanical-style aquarium: Practices, potential...and speculation.
Mad about... Magnolia!
Are you up to the challenge?
Nature’s “Operating System”
Homage to an old (botanical) friend...
The “Tinter’s Palette...”
Going, going...Gone
The stability factor.
An “embarrassment of riches?”
What’s better for Bettas?
“Spontaneous miracles”, hacks”, comprehending- and evolving patience!
On the trail of the Amazonian Shrimp!
Yeah. We sell “lawn trash...”
“The First 48” and beyond...
Something old. Something new. something...tinted!
Johnny Ciotti: Do what you love. The inner game of aquascaping.
Not so fond farewells. Bad places. Honest confessions. Realizations.
There must be SOMETHING in the water, right?
Ceding some of the work to Nature..
“”Authentic” Nature?
“so, a rock and a leaf fall into a stream...”
Part of the dance...
When we’re forced out of our comfort zone...
Short-term lapses...Long-term successes!
Downstream thinking!
The Power of “Generic Tropical”
Hangin' with a legendary fish geek: Rachel O'Leary!
The “Aesthetic Primer” revisited...
Continuity, renewal, stability...and evolution...
A salty “sayonara”- or a shift to the future?
Keeping it real...
Setting the stage...
A most intimate relationship
I killed it.
The nature of “Nature” in our aquariums...
Let them eat...botanicals!
“Bottom-up evolution!”
The dynamics of the Botanical-Style Aquarium
Beyond coincidence?
Beating the $&@# out of an old friend...
It’s the one thing
The strange phenomenon of “cyclical occurrences”- “Quirks”, processes, and mental shifts...
Social Media for Aquatic Industry Brands and Influencers with Kat Dhawan (aka MetroKatNY)!!!
Letting it breathe
“Suggestions” from the uninitiated...
“Botanical Baby Food”- evolving a classic approach!
“A most unconventional way...”
All in all, it’s a good idea NOT to kill your fishes!
Seriously...Why?
Aquascaping from a different perspective with George Farmer (2 parts)
The scary hypocrisy of regurgitation...
Those “domestic issues”...again!
Bouncing off the bottom- my continuing geeky obsession with “substrate enrichment!”
“Try SCE to AUX”- or, the power of remembering obscure stuff in the hobby!
“The music of aquascaping” with special guest, Cory Hopkins!
Replicating Nature via “Selective Aesthetic Diversity”
Points of failure- and how to counter them!
“Fishes don’t break so easily..”
Accumulating “detritus” , “mulm”- or whatever the hell you want to call it!
Changing for the better? Or just... changing?
Weather? Or not?
Inspiration from The Pantanal, with special guest, Tai Strietman!
A push towards The Pantanal...
Contemplating the stereotype of “the scavenger...”
Faith in Nature
For the love of rock...
Tradecraft.
Shifting with the Seasons, Pt.2
Slipping through the seasons...
The REAL “one percenters...”
How many leaves does it take? Hint- we’re f——ing CLUELESS!
The “Guardian of The Spring”
Easing into it...
Can you begin in the hobby with a botanical style aquarium?
Waiting for... The package!
The “art” of the art- Easing into blackwater, botanical-style aquariums...
The “physical/structural” aspect of aquascaping (Or, “thinking like a fish!)
Tinting the world with special guest, James Sheen of Blackwater UK!
Deeper, Stronger, Longer- Working on your “tint!”
Saving the local fish store.. or just giving it the credit that it deserves!
Beginner’s luck?
Celebrating the transience of Nature.
To those drifting in the current...
It’s raining life in “the urban igapo...”
Can’t there just be an “owners manual” somewhere?
Filtering through the facts on filtration!
Back to biofilms.. again!
Moving forward boldly.
A word to the unwise
The killifish conundrum
In a whole new light...
It’s a seasonal thing...
The long term...
Living off the Land...Sort of!
Next Level.
Grab n’ go! Collecting your own botanicals...
“Low tech?” Or “high concept.?” The “Walstad Method” rides again!
Philosophy, tint, and transience
Lost in romance?
Something old. Something new. The concept of “Sozo Haishoku” and the botanical-style aquarium...
The concept of “terroir” in our aquariums...
“A most persistent myth...”
Stay...Or go?
“The Lost Tribe of Amano?”
Clearing up some stuff...
A world of Confessions.
Natural aquatic features that we don’t replicate enough!
Interpreted Nature- A different approach to brackish aquariums.
The limits to what we can do.
The First Mental Shift.
Do your Tetras know?
Unfiltered Nature.
Cooking with Botanicals: The art of Botanical Preparation, Part 236...
One Person’s “Trash...”
Nature at The Controls...