The Tint

Rain is the most transformative element in natural aquatic habitats.. and the effects of rain impact everything. We are at a point where the idea of creating a “365 Dynamic” with wet and dry periods in our aquariums is a logical extension of what we do. Interested? I hope so!

Not everyone has the aquarium hobby “DIY gene.” We need to figure stuff out by reading, watching, referring to a “guide.” Ever noticed our hobby in general doesn’t have one?

I must admit- one of the “foundational” things we don’t touch on enough in our botanical aquarium work is filtration! Yeah, it’s basic... but there are all sorts of unique applications and benefits for botanical systems that can be derived from utilizing various forms of filtration. Let’s take a look at this stuff.. from our unique perspective!

“There’s some stringy stuff growing on my leaves..” if we had dollar for every tine we heard that.. yeah. Well, guess what- you have BIOFILM! And you should be stoked! We’ll talk about the slimy, gooey, and entirely misunderstood biofilms in today’s podcast.. and you might just come to love ‘em after all!

Our world is one of constant change. And just occasionally, breakthroughs are achieved. Botanical style aquariums are a literal “proving ground” for all sorts of cutting edge hobby ideas. Especially when we move forward...boldly.

Like any other aquarium, a botanical-style aquarium requires us to observe, understand, and maintain what we’ve created. We are very much creating a little “microcosm”, and need to respect the checks and balances which Nature imposes upon it.

Killifishes are a large and diverse group of fishes. They’re super colorful, interesting, relatively easy to breed- and they come form all sorts of fascinating habitats ripe for replication in our aquariums! So what aren’t they more popular? I think I know why.. and how to fix this!

There is something special that occurs when you take a so-called “common” fish and provide it with conditions similar to those in which it’s evolved for eons.. in this episode, we discuss this simple concept, through some personal examples. Perhaps it’ll inspire you to see your “common” fishes in a whole new light!

Water levels in Nature ebb and flow. The angles of the sun change. Fishes face constant challenges, evolving over eons to meet them via evolution, adaptation, and behaviors. How can we apply these seasonal changes to our aquarium world?

The key to long-term success with natural, botanical-style aquariums is to go slowly, deploy patience, observation- and consistent maintenance practices... in this episode, we talk about the long-term husbandry of these unique aquariums.