The Tint

With all of the cool stuff going on in the hobby, we sometimes have to push further- to try new things or ideas. Sometimes it means forgoing the criticism, the attacks- the “regurgitation” of outmoded generalizations- when Pershing our vision. It takes courage.

An exciting time in the life of our botanical-filled aquariums is when those first biofilms make their appearance. We call this time “The Bloom”- and it’s time for celebration!

Yeah, it’s time once again to discuss the idea of making mental shifts. We as hobbyists need to do things a bit differently; we need to understand how what we do is as impactful on Nature as She is on us...

Buttress roots are large, dynamic features which serve to protect trees in the flooded forests we love so much. Let’s look at them a bit more closely, and consider how they can work in our aquariums as well!

Botanical “style” aquariums.. I maybe shouldn’t have selected the word “style” to describe this methodology. Words have multiple meanings, consequences, and interpretations. We in the hobby need to be a bit more careful with the words we use, how we use them- and the assumptions that arise.

Yeah, it’s about time I dove into this topic. Here are my first few faves. I hope this doesn’t become another one of those morning “top 10” things. Nah, it won’t be- trust me!

Let’s try something a little different with our next aquarium.. a sort of “one way” version of our “Urban Igapo” concept.. huh? Interested, confused...or both? Check it out!

Yeah, we’re obsessed with substrates. You kinda knew that. And our “NatureBase” substrates are becoming pretty popular! And of course, there are a lot of questions about what makes these sedimented substrates tick! Let’s hit on a few!

Bigger is NOT always “better” in the aquarium hobby. In fact, it’s often worse. Let’s look at the pros and cons of “modest sized” aquariums!

Little, shallow, often ephemeral aquatic habitats are compelling, fascinating, and enjoyable to replicate in both form and function in our aquariums! Yeah, we should be doing more of this...