The Tint

The magic when wood meets water....

Wood is one of those things we kind of take for granted in aquascaping. 

A lot of thought will typically go into the selection and placement of wood in our scopes. There are probably as many different opinions on which wood is best as there are aquascapers who use it.

However, one thing that we don't see a lot is discussions on how wood "behaves" upon submersion, and what to expect from different types of wood when used underwater. Now, I don't claim to be the world's leading authority on using wood for aquascaping, but I do have some experience working with the stuff...and a pretty good feel for how terrestrial materials interact with the aquatic environment. 

First off, this is not going to be a piece on how to choose the best piece of wood for your next aquascape, nor a review of available wood for aquascaping. Rather, it will be a discussion on what happens when we place wood in water...

First off, let's think about where our wood comes from.. It doesn't take much to figure out that the most important thing is that the wood must be…well, DRY! It can’t be “live”, or have any greenwood or sap present, as these may have toxic affects on fishes when submerged. Sap can be toxic, even when dry, so if you see a piece of wood- even dry- that’s displaying some sap- it might be a good idea to take a pass. In our experience, it’s a better idea to purchase your wood from sources known to offer “aquarium safe” wood, and not worry about suitability, toxic concerns, etc.

For the sake of this discussion, let's just assume that you're working with wood that's been properly collected and is suitable for aquarium use.

When you first submerge wood, a lot of the dirt from the atmosphere and surrounding environment comes off, along with tannins, lignin, and all sorts of other stuff from the exterior surfaces and all of those nooks and crannies that we love so much. And of course, there are the tannins. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm always amused (it's not that hard, actually) by the frantic posts on aquarium message boards from hobbyists that their water is turning brown after adding a piece of driftwood. I mean- what's the big deal? Oh, yeah, not everyone like it...I forgot.

The reality, as you probably have surmised, is that driftwood will continue to leach tannins pretty much for as long as it's submerged. As a "tinter", I see this as a great advantage in helping establish and maintain the blackwater look, and to impart the humic substances that have been proven to be very beneficial to the health of almost all freshwater fishes. It's a unique aesthetic, too.

What I'm more concerned about are the impurities- the trapped dirt and such contained within the wood. As you probably know, that's also why I'm a staunch advocate of the overly conservative boil and soak approach to the preparation of botanicals as well. A lot of material gets bound up in the dermal layer of the tree where the wood comes from. The bulk of the dry mass of the xylem (the "network" within the tree which transports water and soluble mineral nutrients from the roots throughout the plant, and comprises what we know as "wood.") is cellulose, a polysaccharide, and most of the remainder is lignin,  which is a sort of complex polymer. 

Why the botany lesson? Well, because when you have some idea of what you're putting into your tank, you'll better understand why it behaves the way it does when submerged! In a given piece of driftwood, there is going to be some material bound up in these structures, and it will be released (gradually or otherwise) into the water that surrounds it, with a big "burst" happening on initial submersion. This is why, during the first couple of weeks after you submerge wood, that the water often becomes dark and even cloudy. There is a lot of "stuff" in there!

It's far better, in my opinion, to take the time to start the "curing" process in a separate container apart from the display aquarium. This is not rocket science, nor some wisdom only the enlightened aquarists attain. It's common sense, and a practice we all need to simply view as necessary with terrestrial materials like wood and botanicals. You may love the tannins as much as I do, but trust me, your tank could do without the polyscaccharides and other impurities from the outer layers of the wood. The potential affects on water quality are significant!

It's pretty plain to see that at least part of the reason we see a burst of new algae growth and biofilm in wood recently added to an aquarium is that there is so much stuff bound up in it. Algal and fungal sports can literally "bloom" during the initial period after submersion, and this alone is great reason to take the long, slow approach to wood prep. In fact, I've long made it personal practice to submerge wood which I intend to use in my tank a couple of months before I set up my tank. This will enable a good percentage of the bound-up contaminants and unwanted organic materials to be released before the wood ever graces your aquascape! And it goes the wood a chance to saturate and sink, too!

Patience.

Boiling? Well, sure, boiling can hasten the process somewhat. The biggest problem is that most of us don't have a kettle or other large enough container in which to boil a big old piece of wood, so the long-term "pre-soak" is the optimal approach. 

And let's face it, even with preparation, when you combine water, light, and organics, you're likely to get some algae and biofilms for some period of time. Some algae and biofilms are to be expected in the earliest days of "submersion. These tenacious life forms will exploit available nutrients and conditions that are appropriate for their survival. I remember deliberately NOT pre-soaking the wood in my office tank (I love torturing myself, apparently) just to see how nasty this could be. (oh, the things I do for you in the interest of sharing knowledge!)

It literally took about 4-5 months before the wood stopped producing biofilm and attracting hair algae.

Eventually, the familiar "patina" of harder algae came to prominence.  And minor biofilm on the softer parts of the wood will still pop up on occasion...Just like it does in nature. 

And of course, along the way, you can incorporate some "biological helpers", like algal and detritivorous-consuming fishes (I used Spotted Headstanders, Chilodus punctuatus, 'cause I'm a characin kind of guy...) and even snails (yikes!) to help out. 

If you recall my article on my quest for "blackwater-compatible livebearers" a couple of days back, the idea of keeping some for a continuous "assist" in algal and biofilm "management" in a blackwater tank is what prompted me...

And of course, good old-fashioned aquarium husbandry and stepped-up maintenance practices never hurt, either!

And having a good, soft-bristled toothbrush on hand can help with the "day-to-day" upkeep, if needed.

Obviously, happy endings typically will happen with aquarium wood, given the passage of time and perhaps a bit of assistance from the fish geek, but it's important to understand WHY the algae and biofilms appear on wood, and how to react when they happen. Like so many things in a truly "natural" aquarium, they may not meet our aesthetic standards, but if we have a greater understanding of just what they are, who they appear, and how to address them (or not..), we can make that mental shift that you hear me ranting about so often on these pages.

Embracing a new paradigm of what a "natural" aquarium really is. One that doesn't cause us to rush off, headless, screaming into the night (or onto Facebook) when some algae or biofilm appears! Goes with the territory.

In the end, wood use has been, and likely always will be a part of aquascaping practice in aquariums. And with a bit of understanding about some of the stuff you can expect- and why it occurs, you'll not only develop a better appreciation for your beautiful finished product- you'll develop better personal practices and protocols for handling wood in the future. You might even learn to love the amazing things that happen when wood meets water!

Until next time.

Stay patient. Stay observant. Stay calm. 

And stay wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Who are these children...?

If so, you're downright heroic to me. Really. People don't do this enough.

I'll come out and say what I'm thinking at the moment. It won't endear me to some people. And that's okay.

And please...it's not a knock against anyone or any organization. It's an opinion that I've developed as an observer, a fan, a student of the aquarium world. It's MY opinion, and it probably will not resonate with many: 

I think that the current state of aquascaping is...stagnant. 

It just is, in my opinion. Sorry.

The aquascaping world has some amazingly talented people. Yet, the works being produced and elevated in contests and media are, in my opinion- afloat in a "sea of sameness." Everyone sticks to the "tried and true formula" of the moment, or some derivation thereof. Seemingly afraid to deviate at all. Think I'm full of it? Look at the typical aquascaping contest website. 

Entries from all over the world feature amazingly beautiful aquascapes; magnificent work from passionate aquarists. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that they are "no good", "stupid", or whatever. I'm merely saying that they hardly seem differentiated from each other these days.

Oh, there are some different tanks out there being entered into these contests. Don't get me wrong. There is a huge pool of talented aquascapers producing magnificent work.

Yet, in my opinion, much of the work seems to fall into a few categories:

1) "Fantasy" scapes, which are essentially "dioramas" with aquatic plants, created to look like underwater mountain ranges, waterfalls, beaches, etc. These require enormous talent and discipline...not to mention, really good photography. And of course, a "title."

2) Over-the-top moss-and-plant-covered wood, looking for all the world like a terrestrial old-growth forest. These are compelling, achingly beautiful, often meticulously crafted aquariums, taking many, many weeks to create, manage, and photograph. And they need a "title" as well.

3) Everything else. You know, "biotope" aquariums, palludariums, vivariums, river tanks, etc. Some are executed brilliantly; others are a "work in progress", still growing in, etc. All are unique. Created by "unknown", passionate hobbyists who simply want to share their work. Most have no "titles." These are amazing tanks that undeservingly serve to create a rather vivid "supporting cast" for the beloved categories above.

4) The "fringes."  Pure hardscapes that don't follow a garden-type formula. Semi-palludariums, minimalist sand and rubble scapes. Monospecific planted tanks. Blackwater, botanical style tanks. Biotope-inspired displays. Species tanks. Cave aquariums. Concept tanks. These are the true "outliers." This is the realm of the "discomfort zone." The hobbyists who work this magical place don't generally give a damn about "winning" the contests. They know that they won't, because they're doing stuff that not everyone gets or thinks is "cool." Stuff that goes decidedly against the grain of what's "acceptable." Just showing up and creating a "disruption"- although it's typically unintentional. And maybe, just maybe inspiring someone else is their goal.

I'm fascinated by outliers.  And what's weird is that there are a fair amount of them out there. Quietly doing what they do; occasionally popping up on the radar, perhaps garnering a curious peek by the "establishment", before retiring to the shadows.

I had this idea in my head not long ago of "sponsoring" an aquascaper. You know, kind of like companies do with Football teams, race teams, etc., etc.

Hardly a novel concept, even in the aquarium world, I suppose. 

Yet, I wasn't contemplating just any talented 'scaper. There are a lot of supremely talented people in the aquascaping world. 

Rather, I was thinking about someone really different. Although, I wondered, would bringing such a person's work to light "corrupt" the real "soul" of what we're talking about? Create a giant, obnoxious hypocrisy of sorts?

I don't know. I don't claim to have the answers. But I don't think so. The aquascaping world needs an injection of the unusual right now, in my opinion. And it needs special type of person to do it.

An outlier. Someone who gets it. Someone who's not only not afraid of going against the prevailing trends...a person who simply does their own thing because it gets them excited. Fearless. Not afraid to face criticism from those who don't get it, like it, or appreciate it. The kid who wore black all through high school; maybe seemed a bit "weird" to others who didn't understand him/her.

I had this vision of supporting an aquascaper who felt something deeper...Finding a person who has a unique dynamic. An artist? Sure. A poet. Sure.  A surfer? Possibly. A writer? Maybe. A "sage?" I don't know. An "old soul." A musician. Perhaps even a philosopher, of sorts.

Someone who brings something different to the homogenized, prepackaged, formulaic aquascaping world. Someone who can talk emotionally to you for a very long time about the 10 gallon hardscape they just created...and leaves you wanting to hear more.

Someone with a deep passion. A spark. A very different orientation. Someone who asks "Why?" Someone who wants to create a "ruckus", because they care about pushing the boundaries of "conventional" thinking and expression in the aquatic world. Someone who looks at things from a totally different angle.  Not to "be cool", mind you. Simply because that's how they look at stuff. A person who feels that his/her work is not just a creative expression, but an instrument of change. 

Just because it's time for one.

The hobby, in my opinion, needs such a person.

Yeah.

Who is that person? Where is that person? Are there more? Who are these children....?

I'll keep asking. I'll keep looking.

My request to you, the people who make this great hobby what it is:

Stay on the search. Stay true to yourself. Stay humble. Stay inspired. Stay proud.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Blackwater livebearers? The search continues...

Have you ever noticed that we tend to "pigeonhole" and over-generalize stuff about certain types of fishes in the hobby? 

In other words, we often make broad statements that appear applicable to an entire group of fishes, and then create a sort of cultural norm within our community that accepts without question that "this is how it is..."

I find this phenomenon as interesting as it is damaging. Interesting, because with the power of the internet, you'd think that good information could spread quickly and widely enough to help dispel some long-held, largely over-generalized, and often downright incorrect ideas. Damaging, because some of these misconceptions actually prevent talented hobbyists from not only attempting to do things, but even from discussing or "thinking out loud" about them! It's important to dig further when you have a hunch.

An example of this was when I took it upon myself to find some fishes that would work well in our acidic blackwater environments and might consume some of the occasional algae that appear in these types of aquariums. Of course, there are the typical catfishes, barbs, etc., and to a lesser extent, some species of Characins, like Headstanders, Metynis, etc., etc.- which are known to consume some algal and plant material and come from soft, acid waters. However, I wanted something a bit more unusual, a bit more "wild-looking..." 

What about some form of wild livebearer? 

Yeah, why not? I mean, some are known to consume detritus and algae, and they come from a wide range of habitats. Don't they?

However, when I delved into my initial research, almost instantly, I saw discussions amongst hobbyists that said, "No, you wouldn't want to keep these guys in soft, acidic water! Livebearers need hard, alkaline, and brackish water!" Of course, this type of extreme over-generalization is just the sort of challenge that I like to research for myself.

Now, I do understand that this is not typical of the environments from which the majority of these fishes hail, with a few possible exceptions (See "The Mystery Molly of The Amazon?" in a previous installment of "The Tint." Remember that one? Turns out it wasn't from the Amazon, but the name, oh...).

Sure, some of these fishes may be adapted to these types of environments, but they represent a small fraction of the group that are possible candidates for blackwater, botanical-style tanks. And are there any that truly inhabit soft, acidic waters in the wild?

My interest was piqued about the possibilities of finding some livebearing fishes that might come from soft, acidic environments in nature. I started doing a lot of research, in both aquarium literature and scholarly articles, corresponded with a few people who study some of the members of this group, and found a few candidates that are both interesting and perhaps even a bit surprising!

It turns out, there are some species that come from South American environments which are know to be softer and more acidic, as well as the more traditional hard and alkaline waters they're popularly known to inhabit. A few of the cool ones that I've focused my research on are:

Brachyraphis terrabensis (AKA Pseudoxiphophorus terrabensis, Gambusia terrabensis) is a possible candidate. It hails from Western Central America, like Costa Rica and Panama, in ditches and creeks, typically with water that is 7.0-7.5 pH with a hardness of 5 dGH or less...an interesting candidate, because this is at least on the lower end of the "alkaline, hard water" scale...

Phallichthys amates, also known popularly as the "Merry Widow" Livebearer ( I say "popularly" because at least the damn fish has a "popular" name..it's still somewhat obscure...and not exactly "stunning" in appearance to most, but...). This one is an intriguing possibility, because it is known to come from "shallow waters with mud or litter substrata" (per fishbase.org)...we're talking "stagnant waters and creeks.."- that's real encouraging (did you see that I underlined the "litter" part?)! And the fish is known to live in waters with pH between 6.0-8.0; it seems rather variable in it's habitat, although it may have been introduced into some of these more acidic waters. Hmm...

Alfaro cultratus hails from Costa Rica, Panama, and Nicaragua, and is found in Creeks and ditches waters with an average pH of 6.8, and a hardness of around 5dGH... I know a number of livebearers specialists who swear that this species does better and looks better in softer, more acidic water...particularly its reddish highlights in the scales and fins. And it does have a certain "look" that would make it fit in with those flashier fishes, doesn't it?

Of course, there are no doubt many others which come from, adapt to, and may even thrive in a blackwater environment, but these are some of the more intriguing ones I've managed to track down. Are they ideal choices? Hmm, that's hard to say. Responsible experimentation may be the best (and really only) way to determine if these fishes can truly work in our systems. Yet, it is a fun concept, isn't it? 

And let's face it, none of these are real "lookers", in terms of their bright colors or flashy behaviors. These are fishes you keep because they have a subtle beauty, an intrigue...a special "something"- like the fact that they might be a bit out of the normal, and are "off perception" for most hobbyists.

Again, I can't say with 100% certainty that these are definitely the best candidates, or even that they are great candidates for such a project, but they do seem pretty good, based on my research and the individuals with whom I've spoken who have worked with them before.

So it's time for me to hit up some of my wild livebearer-enthusiast friends and see what they're up to. These kinds of fun, speculative projects are what keep the hobby fresh and interesting to me. I may be "barking up the wrong tree" as they say...but there is something invigorating, fascinating, and even a bit inspiring about the pursuit to me...

And my advice to YOU?

Stay hungry.  Stay a bit outside the norm. Stay encouraged. Stay responsible. Stay excited.

And stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Meanwhile, back in the flooded forest...

If you're a regular reader of "The Tint", you've no doubt seen my posts on some of the many different environments that involve fishes, botanical materials, and blackwater. One of the ones I keep coming back to for inspiration and pure fish-geek study is the "Igapo",  a blackwater-flooded Amazonian forest, which occurs near rivers and lakes. I touched on this in an installment a few months back, and a lot of you wanted a bit more on creating on in your aquarium! Rather than focus on the fishes, which we've done before, let's talk more about the actual environment and some thoughts on replicating it in your home aquarium!

These bodies of water are "seasonally inundated" by the significant rainfall common ottos region; some of these forests may be submerged for almost half a year...that's a LOT of water! Like, 3%-4% of the water in the Amazon Basin at any given time...And these are precious, diverse natural treasures, so replicating one in the home aquarium is another way to learn and teach more about them, isn't it?

Igapo forests have a pretty significant amount of trees; one study found that over 30 species of trees are found in these areas, creating coverage of something on the order of 30%, and are known to have soils that are acidic in nature, yet low in nutrient content (because they don't receive a seasonal influx of nutrients like regions called "varzea", which are flooded by sediment-laden "whitewater" rivers). The water depth can vary from as little as 6-8 inches ( 15.24cm- 20.32cm), to almost 20 feet (6.96m)!  And of course, they have a lot of tannin and humic substances in them from all of the soil and plant materials.

Remember the riparium plant Cyperus that we've talked about before? Well, this species is actually fairly common on the margins of these bodies of water, so you could conceivably create a cool display with this and other riparium plants, to simulate an igapo, complete with the AquaVerdi Riparium Planters...we're just sayin'...

So, getting  back to the subject of aquarium replication of this habitat, it's important to note that you're simulating a forest floor, so take some cues from that habitat to think about things like aquascaping materials and contours. Obviously, there are trees...which you can't really include in at typical aquarium, right? However, you can simulate the trunks and branches of trees with various types of driftwood pieces. In this type of aquarium, I'd tend to favor a darker, denser, "heavier" wood, like Mopani, or the so-called "Amazon Wood" (Azalea root), which gives an overall more "dense" feel than say, Manzanita. And there are no doubt others ("Blackmoor Wood" and so-called "Bog Wood", to name a few). Of course, you can incorporate Manzanita if you want.

As far as arranging the wood, I'd tend to go with a lot more "vertical" orientation, in order to simulate the roots and even trunks of smaller trees. You can "plant" the wood as densely as you'd like it, taking into account the need for circulation, access, and water volume in an aquarium, of course!

And it can't hurt to place a few random pieces i na horizontal position, to simulate root tangles and fallen branches, like you'd see in a rain forest!

For substrate, you can use a variety of materials. Sure, for true authenticity, an acidic soil, such as those used for planted tanks, could do the trick, but since you're really not going to be including aquatic plants in this setup (extremely rare in the "igapo" environment), you're better off, IMHO, using a fine, inert aquascaping sand, perhaps a darker-colored one if available. 

For overall layout and contour, you won't see a lot of variation in substrate depth; however, there are channels and "meanders" within igapo areas that do have some slight buildup of substrate caused by "damming" from fallen branches, etc.  You'd see a little of this on a rainforest floor, of course.A really good way to think about the appropriate underwater "topography", in my opinion, is to look at pictured of a typical rain forest floor.

Even better yet...take some inspiration from our vivarium friends, and literally consider creating the "hardscape" portion of  a vivarium display (without the plants), and then "flooding it" with blackwater. A realistic analog to what actually occurs in nature, right?

(Beautiful vivarium with contour by Shaun Johnson)

Think, for a moment, how materials like leaves, wood, and roots are "distributed" on a forest floor, or in a well though-out vivarium.

(Vivarium pics by Jeff Senske Aquairum Design Group)

As an aquarist looking to replicate this habitat can take comfort in knowing that there are a lot of great vivariums from which to draw inspiration! And, the materials are readily available to create them!

(Vivarium and pic by Sean Elliston)

From a botanical standpoint, you can obviously include leaves...a fair number of them. And I'd go for variety, both in terms of the type of leaves, as well as the sizes...aiming for a mix of small to very large ones!

 Of course, the types of botanicals you could include run the gamut of just about everything that's available. However, if it were me...I'd show some restraint and not go for too much diversity with pods and such.

Rather, I'd limit the variety to say 4-5 types...maybe a half-dozen at the most. This will create a more "cohesive" look and avoid making your display look just too "busy" or haphazard. Remember, the more "permanent" elements, like the wood and sand, should, in my opinion, take precedence over a huge diversity of botanical items, many of which would wash away during periods of inundation in nature, being replaced by just the materials which fall from the tree canopy above. Restraint is good!

The "igapo" habitat can really help you flex your creative muscles, offering the dual challenge of creating something unique, while holding back and not going too crazy with tons of detail. Rather, a fewer, stronger elements, punctuated with some smaller details provided by the botanicals, can create an engaging, mysterious, and inspiring display!

And did we forget to mention, enjoyable? Yeah, that's the key part of the whole thing!

I ope today's brief review has given you a few ideas to help get started. Remember, the diversity of aquatic environments is legion, and there is virtually no limit to what you, the creative hobbyist, can achieve with some time, effort, and imagination!

Stay inspired. Stay resourceful. Stay creative.

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

How much is enough?

As you probably imagine, we receive a lot of correspondence here at Tannin about a myriad of topics. It's one of the coolest thing about being in business...or, as one of our customers asserted recently, a "thought leader." 

Cool.

One of the questions we receive a lot around here usually starts out something like this: "I really like the idea of a blackwater aquarium. I'm starting up a 50 gallon (200 L) aquarium, and I want to use a bunch of botanicals along with a big piece of Mopani wood, and..." The email typically ends with, "How many ______ do I need"

Wow. That is actually a really tough question, isn't it? I mean, there are a ton of factors to consider when utilizing botanicals in an aquarium. Most notably, stuff like just how much "coverage" you want in the tank with the botanicals. In the case of leaves- how many do you want to see? How dark do you want your water? The immediate response I generally give is, "What kind of fishes are you into? How "full" do you want the display to look? What type of effect are you trying to achieve? And what part of the world are you interested in replicating?"

The fact of the matter is, fishes from blackwater environments encompass many different families, not just the obvious Tetras, dwarf cichlids, and catfishes. 

The interesting thing is botanical materials are found in pretty much every body of water that fishes live in. Even swift-moving streams have branches, leaves, and the occasional seed pod or two in the mix.

Most of our "variety packs" have been created to give you a "baseline" group of botanicals to give decent coverage for task up to about 30-50 US gallons ( approx. 113-189 L), yet the variables, as briefly outlined above, are so numerous that it makes such "stocking levels" debatable at best. 

From an environmental standpoint, adding a lot of material to your tank could increase it's boiled, as these botanical materials start o break down..so adding a lot of stuff at once to an already established tank is not the best idea. Slow is better...

You could always purchase more stuff than you initially need, as botanicals should be looked at more or less as "consumables", needing replacement as they break down over time. This will not only keep the aesthetics where you want them, but in the case of leaves and cones, will help keep water parameters (ph mainly) more consistent over time.

People ask about how many leaves or botanicals it would take to drop the pH in their tank, and that is yet another one of those "It depends" questions...Many factors, such as the starting pH and general hardness of the water influence this. Being natural materials, botanicals are not like an additive where "x" number per gallon could bring down your pH by a factor of ".1" or whatever...

Also, many of the botanical materials we offer may tint the water, but have minimal affect on pH, particularly in hard water. The leaves and many of the palm and cone products, on the other hand, have much more "proven" capabilities in this area. Again, the best advice on this is to go slow, test, and see what works for you.

In the end, how much to add is largely dictated on aesthetics and your aquarium's current status. If your starting a brand new tank, of course you could add everything at one time after preparation...my advice is to do some basic water chemistry monitoring as you would in any situation, of course.

As we've stated many times here and elsewhere, the idea of adding botanical materials to aquariums is certainly not a brand new one. However, the idea of coupling aesthetic, environmental, and utilitarian benefits together as a result of using them is an evolving process...one in which everyone's input and experience is valued and necessary! 

Today's simple thought on an emerging, and rather complex subject.

Until tomorrow...

Stay curious. Stay generous. Stay creative.

And Stay Wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

That subject we can't "leaf" alone...preparation and use of leaves!

We receive a lot of questions related to the preparation and application of botanicals in aquaria, and we're happy to see them! It shows that we have an engaged, growing global audience, and we couldn't be more pleased about that!

One of the more common questions we receive is "Do I need to boil leaves before using them?"

I realize we've covered this many times before, but it bares repeating.

Here's a rundown of my very latest personal practices with leaves. I use one of two techniques:

1) I "steep" them for a bit in a container very hot, or boiling water. "A little bit" meaning say, ten minutes. Then, I give them a little rinse in room temperature fresh water, and use them in my aquariums.

2) I rinse them and gently rub them between my fingers to loosen up any dirt, mold, or surface debris that might be present, and then I place them in  a container of room temperature water overnight, before using them in my tanks.

On a very rare occasion, I might simply rinse a leaf or two and toss them directly into my aquariums...but very rarely.

The idea behind steeping and soaking is to help soften the leaves a bit so that they are saturated, and to release any dirt or undesired contaminants from the outer layers of the leaves, without steeping gall of the desired humic substances and tannins out of the leaves entirely. Thats why I don't boil them or steep them for hours on end in boiling water. Don't worry, even with my recommended preparation process, they will still release plenty of these desired substances over time!

Although I have a great deal of confidence in my suppliers, and that they are sending quality, pollution and pesticide-free materials, you simply can never be too careful . Part of the "personal responsibility" of aquarium keeping, in my opinion, is taking the time to prepare these, and all botanicals before use. Skipping this process makes no sense to me.

The other question we receive a lot is in regards to how long leaves last, and what we do with them when they start to break down. The answer? Well, it depends!

First off, some leaves simply don't last as long as others. Which ones are least and most durable? Based on my years of experience in this area, I'd say it shakes out like this. From least durable to most durable:

*Catappa leaves

*Guava Leaves

*Jackfruit Leaves

*Loquat Leaves

*Magnolia Leaves

Of course, your "mileage" may vary, and multiple factors come into play, such as the water chemistry, amount of current, types of fishes you maintain, your husbandry practices, etc.- but this is a good general guide.

Some leaves, in particular, Magnolia and Jackfruit, have a cuticle layer which keeps them "solid" for longer periods of time when submerged. It also means that they tend to recruit more biofilms and surface algae on occasion. This is either something that you find problematic ('because you don't like the look) or not (because you understand that this stuff happens in nature, is harmless, and is transitory).

If you don't mind it- just give an occasional scrape or rub the leaves now and again to remove this stuff with a siphon if t is too much for your aesthetic sensibilities. If you just despise it- go ahead and aggressively remove it in the same manner a couple of times a week, or as needed to keep it the way you like it.

In some cases, I know hobbyists who simply toss leaves at the first sign of biofilms...I personaly find that kind of wasteful, as the leaf itself, and the benefits it imparts into the water (humic substances and taninns) are still present. To each his own, I suppose.

This transitions us to the final question we receive most commonly on leaves: When do you remove them?

Well, again, it boils down ( hah!) to personal preference. I like to see them break down to almost nothing. However, I realize a lot of people don't like the look of decomposing botanical material in their aquariums, so you could remove them as they start to break apart. I've found no harm in leaving them in until almost completely decomposed, and only siphoning out debris that blow around the tank.

A good benefit of replacing them regularly is that you get a nice aesthetic "boost" by adding colorful new leaves regularly. And, removing and replacing the leaves regularly is very analagous to what's occurring in natural waters: As leaves break down they're either decomposed completely, or redistributed by currents. All the while, new leaves are falling into the waters from overhanging trees. It's an ongoing process, one that we can mimc easily in the confines of the closed system. 

The other benefit of regular leaf replacement is that you maintain a certain degree of environmental consistency- a continuous "tint" to the water, more stable pH and (we think likely) levels of desired humic substances and tannin as well. Environmental consistency is so important, and relatively easy to maintain in a botanical system. Simply by doing the same things over and over, you're creating a certain "baseline" operating level for your tank, and providing its inhabitants with a more stable environment, requiring less constant adaptations to changes.

In the end, the use of leaves in an aquarium is not an exact science, and a good deal of the practices that we recommend are based on what has worked for us...and this may or may not work for you perfectly...that's the "art" part of the hobby of aquarium keeping..and that's the part that makes this so fun and exciting. Everyone's input and experience is important as we develop some "best practices" for botanical style systems.

In a future piece, we'll revisit the preparation and use of botanicals, with some good input from our growing global user base!

Until next time...keep refining, studying, and sharing. Stay Excited. Stay on the cutting edge. Stay open minded.

And Stay Wet!

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Doing it differently....and more healthily.

“Oh…Fellman is back to being preachy again…”

No, actually, I’m being reflective, really, but if you want to call it “preachy”, well, ok. This is something that's been floating around in my head for a while after a deep discussion with a fellow hobbyist, and it sort of bubbled to the surface lately...

As Autumn unfolds, I’m getting ready for that most exciting of times for a fish geek: A new tank build!  And, with every build comes the usual considerations: “theme”, budget constraints, equipment choices, aesthetics, etc., etc. And, with every build, us fish geeks tend to look at things as if this is our new chance to “get it right”, as if all of the previous tanks we’ve built were part of a buildup to this "ultimate achievement." Now, that’s not an entirely unhealthy thing; I mean, we always strive to improve, to learn from past mistakes, and to constantly work at perfecting our craft.  There is nothing wrong with self improvement.

The "problem", as I see it, is that we tend to overreach at times in our attempts to create perfection. We sometimes tend to push too hard in terms of how we do things, the equipment we select, and the methods we choose. We put too much pressure on achieving some prescribed result, and overlook the fun of this whole thing. I know that I have done this over the years- sometimes with good results, but often with unintended, less-than-favorable effects. 

This time, rather than pushing myself to the limits of capability, technology, and budget just because it’s what’s “expected”, I’m spending more time enjoying the process; thinking about what gives me the most pleasure in aquarium keeping, and how I can design my system to provide that experience for me-and health for my animals. I mean, it’s a hobby, right? It’s supposed to be fun. Aquarium keeping is not like any other hobby- it’s an obsession for many, an expression of ourselves, and often a lifestyle as well. 

That’s all well and good, but, after 30-plus years in the game, I’m finally able to reflect back on my experiences in the hobby and truly put my mind into a mode of “I can really enjoy this for the right reasons…” A personal breakthrough, if nothing else. I figured I’d share my little epiphany with you, as I actually concluded some things during my planning phases that have helped me enjoy the hobby more than ever…perhaps they will benefit you…(Or, perhaps they’ll demonstrate just how far off the deep end this particular fish geek has went!)

Either way, as always, I’ll share my experiences/thoughts/ideas with you in the hope that it might just touch a few of you who occasionally (like me) tend to take this stuff a bit too seriously, and risk losing the enjoyment that we’re supposed to have from the reef keeping hobby. I’ve broken this little personal discovery down into a few points about things I know I have to to differently to have a successful, enjoyable tank. These are written to myself, from a third person point of view, so please don’t take this as me preaching down to others, ok?

Of course, we might need to think about what “success” actually means in this context. to some of us, just having a tank that holds water in our home without leaking is a plus one! For others, it needs to hit on a whole litany of points. For still others, a “successful” reef aquarium experience means to win accolades and peer approval- you know, the whole “Tank of The “Millenium”  prize that more than one hobbyist I know has coveted…

So, without further pomp and circumstance, here are my conclusions about things I’ve found that I need to do differently this time in order to achieve the results I want with my tank. Some of this you've already figured out. Some of it may seem insultingly obvious to you. And, just perhaps, some might be worth passing on to a friend:

Stop trying to create the perfect tank from the start…it will evolve- Yeah, it does happen. You don’t need a “finished product” worthy of peer accolades and compliments right from the start (or ever, but that’s a different point). Great tanks evolve over time. Wood doesn’t even get that certain “patina” for months, plants and botanicals take a long time to settle in, leaves soften gradually, and water chemistry parameters take some time to get dialed in. In short, you can’t rush nature- nor would you want to. Part of the fun is watching things evolve over time. 

Yet, we often like to accelerate this pace, for reasons not easily defined. For many hobbyists, we get into this “collector’s mode”, obsessively acquiring as many different fishes, plants, etc. as we can find- sometimes because we love them, and other times, because they are the “hot thing” at the time. I saw this in the coral game daily. For many, if you honestly assess your motives, you may find that you’re source of enjoyment in the hobby is simply the process of acquiring stuff- the “thrill of the hunt.” Nothing wrong with that, but something worth noting. For others, it’s a about growing the fishes; evolving the system. 

For all of us, it should be about letting nature run its course, as it has for eons. 

 See challenges like algae issues, parameter control, etc as opportunities to improve your skills- It may seem utterly ridiculous when there is “black beard algae” on your wood, green filament algae clogging your filter intakes, and diatoms all over the aquarium walls, but if you actually take the mindset of “Here is a chance to figure out what I’m doing wrong and how to keep it from happening again,” you may just come out of challenges with a better attitude and greater skill that will benefit you and your efforts for years!

Yeah, really, the old “when life gives you lemons…” mindset works well in aquarium keeping. Because it’s not a matter of IF you’ll have some challenges- it’s a matter of WHEN. They come with the territory; living creatures in closed systems and such always throw us the proverbial “curveballs.” Everyone freaks out- it’s human nature. However, the TRULY successful hobbyists is the one who gathers his/her wits, observes what’s going on and considers how it occurred, and tries to figure out what to do about it so that it doesn't happen again. Don’t just go “through the experience” with a problem- LEARN from it and use it as a skill enhancer.

 Don’t over analyze everything-  That’s almost laughable, coming from a guy who has become an “evangelist” for tcareful monitoring of your low pH environment. Well, yes, I can see how one can easily be caught up in “analysis paralysis”, spending tons of time chasing every parameter and freaking out over the slightest deviation. That’s not a good attitude. In fact, it’s nuts. Let’s be honest- I think information about our water parameters is important- even vital. However, it’s what you DO with the information that has the most impact. 

Chasing numbers is a maddening obsession, and not the key to success. Fanatically keeping your aquarium’s environment within your chosen parameters is not. Creating a beautiful, healthy aquarium is an amalgamation of many skills and factors. Obsessing over every single aspect of your tank is going to drive you insane- if not out of the hobby- in record time. It’s far better to set target ranges for aspects of your system’s function, appearance, and environment, than it is to force yourself into rigid parameters.

And, for goodness sake, don’t freak out over every weird noise, white spot on your Pleco, and bit of biofilm on your leaves. Sure, there are reasons for almost everything that happens in an aquarium, but you don’t need to worry about every single one. I know  some reef hobbyists who that think the world is coming to an end every time their protein skimmer goes out of whack- convinced that this is a sign of the “great reef apocalypse.” Typically, it’s just a sign that they reached into the tank with a fresh algae scrub pad, or just fed some extra food. Not worth worrying about, unless you see signs of overt distress. It’s the same in freshwater tanks…not everything is a sign of disaster, okay?

We try to relax- yet we watch, and we worry, and we ponder. Pondering is fine. Worrying is not good for your hobby experience-or your health. Don’t worry so much! Enjoy. Really.

Stop worrying about what everyone else thinks-  This is a tough one for many hobbyists, in this internet-enabled, Instagram-fueled, Twitterized, forum-driven “postmodern era” of aquarium keeping, we’re literally besieged hourly by dozens of examples of “amazing” tank build threads, DIY projects, fish acquisition success stories, and assertions that “THIS” is the way to succeed at aquascaping an aquarium. And, with the online forum “community” elevating various actively-posting hobbyists to near divine status daily, we can easily feel not only humbled, but downright insignificant or irrelevant as aquarists. This is a really bad thing to get sucked into. 

I can’t stress it enough: If you have a vision, and idea- a theory- and the ability to act upon it…do it! Don’t listen to the naysayers, the followers, the sheep. There are always plenty of self-appointed critics hiding behind the security of their keyboards and a window with Google open- ready to show you a dozen reasons why what you’re proposing is not going to work.

And there are always plenty of people heaping adoration on the hobbyists that seem to be doing “cool” stuff…tried and true, but maybe not the direction that your heart tells you to go. You’re not in the aquarium hobby to impress anyone- let alone, the masses. You’re probably in this hobby simply because you love keeping fishes, plants, and aquariums. These are the right reasons. Just because you may have a contrarian bent- an idea that seems to go against “conventional aquarium-thinking” (whatever that may be), doesn’t mean that it’s wrong, or no good, or not worth pursuing. In fact, that’s all the more reason to go with your gut! So what if you may not be “popular”…so what if you take a few hits from naysayers…You’re following your own road. The irony is, that by being successful at something radically different or previously out of fashion- you might just end up with the adoration that you previously scorned. Weird, huh?

Grit, passion, and determination can take you farther than style, money, and gadgets- Anyone can throw together an uber-pricy tank with all the latest gadgets, name-drop-able plants, rocks, and  crazy “collector’s” fishes. Anyone can hire “experts” to make it for them. Not everyone can create a great aquarium; one that takes time, patience, and the occasional dose of failure. Not everyone can rise from setbacks, mistakes, and outright catastrophes- and create an amazing tank, propagate that awesome plant, or breed that fish once though impossible. Only those who have the conviction, perseverance, and determination can create a tank that is truly worth admiration.

Don’t for one minute think that your little tank with a pair of Bettas and a healthy growth of Aponogeton is any less amazing or interesting than the 2,500 gallon river tank that some well-heeled hobbyist somewhere is building and splashing all over the forums. This attitude, in my opinion- is near "epidemic" in the reef side of the hobby. Your effort, your drive- your love for the animals under your care is every bit as impressive- if not more so- than anything that all of the cash and flash can achieve. 

As we start a new season, pause for just a moment to reflect how awesome this hobby really is…and how fortunate that we are to enjoy the gorgeous animals that we love so much. Always remember the amazing responsibility we shoulder as reefers to provide the best possible care for the animals under our care, and for their well-being.

And then, remember how fun this whole game really is- when you let yourself enjoy it!

Have fun…Don’t take the hobby too seriously. Stay dedicated. Stay original. Stay inspired.

 And most important of all…

Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

Living with The Eartheaters...

Those of you who know me well are aware of the fact that I tend to favor small, relatively docile fishes, like characins- the "Teacup Poodles" of the aquarium world.

Well, I may favor those fishes in my tanks, but I do have a healthy respect and admiration for some of the more- shall we say- "hardcore" fishes...like the so-called "Eartheaters" (families Acarichthys, Biotodoma, Geophagus, Guianacara, Gymnogeophagus, and Satanoperca). This lively and diverse group contains some of the most endearing and interesting cichlids around. With a surprising number of our customers wanting to incorporate botanicals in setups with these fishes, I couldn't NOT take a little look at them in "The Tint", right? 

(Gymnogeophagus balzanii. Photo by CHUCAO, under CC BY-SA 3.0)

And of course, the name of the genus Geophagus contains the Greek root words for "earth" and "eat", as if to reinforce the popular collective name. So, in case you haven't figured it out by now...they dig in the sand to get food...oh, and they poop.

A lot.

But you probably already knew that, and I'm the last guy you really want to write one of those "Review of the Eartheaters"-type articles, so we're going to focus more on the kind of environment you'd want to set for these bad-asses, from a botanical perspective, of course.

So, without getting too specific, suffice it to say that the bulk of them do fine in neutral to acidic environments. Hailing from South America (Brazil, Northern Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay), including Amazonia, many inhabit areas with a mix of botanicals, rocks, and of course, sand or sediment.

Yes, you'll see plants in these environments, too, but not always true aquatics, so we'll focus on the botanical aspect.

Hailing as they do from environments that have both swift currents and sluggish water movement, you can use a mix of bigger, heavier botanicals with some of the smaller ones. Rocky, sandy, botanical-strewn bottoms are common habitats for these fishes.

One interesting thing- a fair amount of these fishes need some "roughage' in their diet- usually in the form of plant materials...However, some of the "softer" botanicals, such as leaves, coco curls, etc are often "mouthed" by these fishes, so that's something to think about when keeping them in a botanical-influenced tank.

Now, I wouldn't specifically go for a leaf litter tank with these guys- they'll simply make a mess of it. Rather, I'd go with some of the more durable, larger materials, in various sizes. The beloved "Jungle Pods" and "Savu Pods" are a perfect "prop" for these fishes, although the bulk of them reach sizes which will make them useless as a hiding place after they're just a few months old.  So, these will be pretty cool "props."

My preference for botanicals with fishes like this would be an abundance of the more durable stuff, in various sizes, such as "Lampada Pods", which have a "nut-like" outer shell that can easily be moved, and are analogous to some of the botanical materials that you'd see falling into rivers and streams.

Since many forage of fruits and other botanical materials as part of their diet, you could include some of the more "transitional" materials, like "Capsula Pods", which soften significantly after being submerged, and are a favorite of shrimp and many catfishes, as well as materials such as "Flor Rio", "Teardrop Pods", etc., which have similar characteristics.

Really, this blog is going to end up sounding more like a sales brochure for our stuff than anything else, so I think you get the idea by now....You can use pretty much any of our botanicals with these unique cichlids, within reason. We receive a lot of request for "Enigma Packs" designed for these fishes, so it made sense for us to come up with something tailored for them to offer as a variety pack. So, we're working on an "Eartheater Pack" (hmm...that name is not too good..might need your help on this...contest soon?) to be rolled out really soon...You can only imagine what our choices will be, right?

The key, IMHO, is to offer more durable materials, which can hold up to the "chewing" and digging and general moving-around-the-tank activities that these guys are known to engage in throughout the day. You can create a cool aquascape that is both functional and aesthetic by using a nice mix of the larger, more durable botanicals with some of the aforementioned "transitional" specimens. 

To quickly summarize, these endearing fishes are surprisingly good candidates to keep with botanicals, because while many are not specifically from blackwater environments, the bulk (heh heh) of them do come from environments which have "botanical influence" from materials that fall into their habitats from overhanging trees and such.

(Acarichthys heckelii- Pic by Dr. David Midgely under CC BY-SA- 2.5)

So keep enjoying these fascinating, high-octane cichlids...and keep creating "functionally aesthetic" displays for them! Let us know if you've found that some of the botanicals seem to work better than others for these guys! 

Stay excited. Stay dedicated. Stay engaged. 

And Stay Wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics

How many pockets do you really need?

So I was driving somewhere last week, and I was listening to a radio talk show, and it was a show on the business of fashion. Like any business person these days, I don't just flip the channel because they're discussing some topic other than the thing I want to hear. I've found that you can often glean ideas that can help you in your business or market niche by listening to or reading about other industries, businesses, and artistic endeavors.

The topic on this Friday was, I think, a bit tongue in cheek, with the female host asking her to male contributors what it is about "cargo shorts" that appeals so much to guys. Her rather strong opinion was that a person really only "needs" two pockets...so why do we wear shorts with like, 7 pockets?  The guys were trying to rationalize the reasons, and their arguments were a bit funny...weak, but it was funny.

I had to sort of laugh...I mean, it was a seemingly inane topic...but as usual, I was able to draw an analogy for our hobby. 

Huh?

Put it in this context: To keep fishes, you really only need three things: A container to hold water, the water that goes in it, and the fishes themselves. Right? So why do we need heaters, filters, lighting systems, reactors, controllers, etc., etc.? Well, think about it this way- our tropical fishes typically require heat. They require the removal of dissolved organics from the water...they require inputs of food. In short, they need a lot more than just a container to hold them in, right?

They need more than 2 pockets, to circle back to the "cargo short analogy."

And yes, you can keep some fishes, like Bettas, killies, and maybe a few others in jars, sweater boxes, or other containers- without filters, heaters, lights, etc...but you still need to add "technique and husbandry"- crucial elements that are not even "equipment", yet have a huge bearing on the potential success or failure with the animals under our care. So, yeah, you can distill fish keeping down to its most basic elements...

But why would you want to? For experimental purposes? To see how far you can push it? Really? Betta and killie folks notwithstanding...

So, the bottom line here is that the "cargo shorts," which comprise our modern aquarium technique are necessary...you do need more than two pockets.

Todays somewhat roundabout dissertation about the seemingly obvious.

Stay curious. Stay introspective. Stay involved.

And stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics 

Can you see clearly now? The positive results of...restraint

Remember I was talking a few days back about how disruptive, yet necessary "deep cleanings" that we give our tanks now and again?

My hypothesis was that these were sort of analogous to seasonal and/or weather-related events, such as monsoonal rains, influxes of water into streams, etc. etc., and that they are probably more "traumatic" to the aquarist than they are to the fishes, which have evolved to handle them over eons.

Well, going back to this topic, I was looking at my office tank the other day, "recovering", if you will, from the thorough cleaning it received days before, and sort of marveled at the progression of things that happened. I kind of think I was spot-on in my thinking here for a change.

After the first 24 hours, I was a little down on myself, because I stirred up surprisingly large amount of detritus, which sort of started to settle on the Manzanita wood, leaves, and even the plants. The water was a little bit turbid. The formerly crystal-clear, sparkling clean (yet very brown) tank had a bit of "dirtiness" to it. It wasn't a huge amount, mind you- but sufficient enough for me to take notice and think to myself, "Damn, that looks kind of...different!"

"Different" = "shitty" to a fish geek....

Notice I didn't' freak out and think, "Oh my God! This tank is a mess...I need to do another massive water change...Need to..." Yeah. I stayed calm...I sort of believe in that theory we talked about. The theory that, in most cases, a healthy closed ecosystem like an aquarium will rebound from a seemingly significant event like the "Great Detritus Storm of 2016", and return to its glory really quickly with minimal intervention on the part of the aquarist. The theory that, in nature, disruptive events like storms and rains typically have more value than problems associated with them for the fishes.

Well, fast forward another couple of days, and I think that my time-honed hypothesis is right. All of that detritus has more or less cleared up..Settled...or captured by the filter? Probably to some extent...But the most remarkable "cleansing" of the detritus influx was conducted by the fishes themselves. I mean, especially my characins -which really went to town on this stuff, spending pretty much all day picking at the wood, substrate, leaves, botanicals.

Were they consuming the detritus itself? Um, probably not as much as I'd like to think; however, some of the materials bound up in the detritus were probably quite good to them. And this is borne out by my research into the natural stomach contents of many of these fishes. Algae, organic materials, and insect/crustacean life bound up in this matrix of stuff is an important part of the diet of many fishes. And of course, in some instances, the botanicals themselves are feed...as are the biofilms, fungi, sugars  and matrix of materials bound up in detritus and small particles of "stuff" in our leaf litter and such.

The fish were so "busy" at this foraging on the newly-uncovered "bounty", that I refrained from supplemental feeding for the past couple of days, and they are actually thicker and fatter than before this who thing started! 

And the tank? It's sparkling...crystal clear, with the beautiful brown tint we love so much around here in full glory. I'm glad that I held off from the "primal aquarist urge" to panic, reach for the siphon, and do another disruptive maintenance. I would have completely missed the interesting behavior of my fishes, and the gorgeous "rebound" of the aquarium during what would have been my frantic intervention. Rather, I'll just pick up where I left off and conduct my regular weekly water change later in the week..

So the simple takeaway from this not-all-that-uncommon occurrence in fish keeping? Not everything that seems like a "problem" is indeed a "problem." Not everything requires our rapid intervention. Or any intervention, for that matter. Nature's got this act honed to a fine sheen...We can coax it along, or even jump right in the mix...however, the reality is that these processes are certainties if left to themselves. There are reasons why stuff like this happens in nature, and reasons why our animals have adaptive mechanisms to deal with them. We just have to be patient, observant, and engaged.

All qualities which virtually every successful aquarist has anyways, right?

Yeah.

So, stay calm. Stay observant. Stay level-headed.

And of course,

Stay wet.

Scott Fellman

Tannin Aquatics