Occasionally, we all need reassurances. Affirmations that this weird approach to aquariums is somehow the right move. The hobby in general doesn’t always understand or even appreciate what we do. That’s what this little segment is all about. A sort of reminder that the practices which we engage in are useful, interesting, and game changing on many ways…if we’re bold enough to keep going.

There are lots of fishes which are abundant in the wild; yet, which for some reason, we seldom if ever see in aquariums. Yet, these enigmatic fishes keep us searching, hopeful that one day they’ll show up “accidentally” at the LFS. Perhaps some have more common “analogs…” perhaps others, we’ll simply have to keep dreaming of. Here are a few of my “dream fishes”…

Rain is literally the “bearer of life.” And what happens in the wild habitats of our fishes when it rains is compelling and fascinating… and absolutely reproducible in our aquariums! A few quick thoughts on rain…

We’ve talked about deploying what I call “radical patience” with our aquariums for years… but the idea makes sense! Waiting a bit longer to add fishes to our botanical method aquariums can yield real, tangible benefits. We’re developing little ecosystems in our tanks, so why not do it in a way that yields the best possible benefits for the fishes we keep? Let’s talk about some strategies to deploy “radical patience” in your next botanical method aquarium build.

Aquatic habitats in Nature go through profound seasonal changes. The fishes which reside within them have adapted to these changes- altering their spawning and feeding habits to take advantage of the resources available to them at different times of the year. What is there to be gained by replicating seasonal changes in our aquariums- in essence- “operating” them? Let’s talk about it!

The concept of “food webs” is an elegant and fascinating ecological construct- one which we’ve talked about a lot over the years. I think that botanical method aquariums are ideally suited to foster and maintain food webs- if we let them occur. Let’s talk a bit more about the idea!

…’cause you know… we love fishes.. so let’s design our next tank around them!

Algae. The word conjures up nightmares of “ruined” aquariums in the mind of lots of hobbyists. Yet, to the enlightened botanical method or blackwater aquarium lover, it’s not much of a consideration. We don’t see all that much algae in our tanks, do we? Why is this, and what are the “drivers” of this absence of excessive algae in our tanks?

The startup phase of a botanical method aquarium- or ANY aquarium, for that matter- is an amazing time when we can celebrate and embrace the assembly of an ecological system. It’s so much more than an “ugly” or “annoying” phase that aquariums go through on the route to becoming something “great.” Rather, it’s the foundational part where our little ecosystems establish themselves naturally. We need to discuss and celebrate this more in the hobby..

Hacks, shortcuts, and “workarounds” aren’t always the best approach, IMHO. Products that encourage “shortcuts” or reward our hobby impatience are not worth celebrating, to me. Here’s a little tale of a product called “Shade”, and why we happily killed it…a story of marketing, philosophy, and staying true to yourself.