The Tint

There are some real mental shifts that we as botanical-style aquarists are asked to make. And they’re not all that bad, or difficult. We just have to look to Nature for the reassurance that we need!

It’s amazing what we do as hobbyists. It takes a certain mindset to keep live tropical fishes in little glass boxes of water. It takes skill, dedication, and audacity. There are good and bad forms of audacity in this hobby- and a time to apply them.

Every aquarist needs a little place where he or she can keep a few little tanks, play with some new ideas, and turn dreams into little realities. Enter the “idea shelf!”

There is tremendous value in letting go of convention. To playing hunches, exploring new avenues, approaches, and ideas. Experimenting. Do this.

Manipulation of pH in botanical- style aquariums is a sort of basic “tenant” to what we do. Yet, the concept- and indeed the execution- are both filled with a significant amount of assumption, misunderstanding, and confusion. Maybe we can clear up a few things?

Geology influences so much of what we try to do in the aquarium! I suggest that we think about it a bit more when planning our tanks!

There is so much to be learned by studying the aquatic habitats from which our fishes come.. such as streams.. they are impacted by numerous factors, many of which we can replicate in our own aquariums!

I have this “thing” about setting up our aquariums to function, to some extent, as miniature closed ecosystems. This is hardly a breakthrough or a new idea. However, I believe it’s fundamental to creating amazing botanical-style aquariums, and planted aquariums, and Cichlid tanks, reef tanks, nursery tanks... you get the idea. You don’t need to be 100% hands on, either. Nature can and should do a lot of the work. Just let go...

We spend a lot of time creating cool aquariums for all of those sexy new fishes that come into the hobby. However, wouldn’t it be fun to try a new approach with some of the hobby’s most “common” fishes? The ones that are anointed “beginner’s fishes?” How about “repatriating” them to “actively managed” aquariums that replicate their natural habitat.. interested yet? We hope so!