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.