thE TINT

the art and science of botanical method aquarium keeping.

  • A BIT MORE ON THAT “HAZE” IN YOUR WATER…

    I just gave you a big handful of stuff on “color” and “clarity” in our botanical-method aquariums, but I wanted to touch on a bit more bout this “haziness” we see in our tanks. A lot of you ask about it, so I need to elaborate more on it. It’s a sort of “haziness” which…

  • TINT, TURBIDITY, AND A CERTAIN “LOOK.”

    We walk a line between function and aesthetics in our world. A world which demands mental shifts, adoption of new techniques, and a love of a certain “look.” And, one of the big discussion points we have in our world is about the color and “clarity” of the water in our blackwater aquariums. I receive…

  • FREE YOUR MIND AND THE FUNGAL GROWTH WILL FOLLOW? BREAKING HOBBY “TRADITIONS.”

    I’ve been asked a lot lately to comment on my philosophical position on the botanical method aquarium approach; a sort of rundown of what makes me tick, and how I arrived at our overriding approach and mindset. After decades of playing in this tinted world, it’s interesting for me to think about this, too! If…

  • GEAR.

    Today, I thought I’d switch things up a bit snd discuss the idea of…gear for your botanical method aquariums. Specifically, the gear that I use and recommend to you. This will not be an authoritative review on every piece of equipment that you can use in the botanical method aquarium, or a concise “how to.”…

  • FOR “BEGINNERS”: DIVING RIGHT IN TO THE BOTANICAL METHOD AQUARIUM WORLD?

    We all have to start somewhere, right? In the hobby, it usually involves some simple steps- a small aquarium, basic equipment…and big dreams, right? Yeah. We all dream of having that elusive “slice of the bottom” in our living room..That “thing” everyone seems to aspire to in the hobby. And some of us do actually get that.…

  • NATURE OWES US NOTHING.

    With so many people coming into the botanical method aquarium world from all different sectors in the hobby, it’s a given that we receive more questions from folks about things which many of us who have been “in the game” for a while might take for granted. Yet, it’s important NOT to take anything for…

  • THE BREAKDOWN ON DECOMPOSITION…

    If there is one aspect of our botanical method aquariums which fascinates me, it’s the way they facilitate the natural processes of life- specifically, decomposition. I use this term a lot around here…What, precisely does it mean? de·com·po·si·tion- dēˌkämpəˈziSH(ə)n –the process by which organic substances are broken down into simpler organic matter. A very apt descriptor, if…

  • NATURE’S GOT THIS THING DOWN…

    The term “Nature” is really used a lot in the aquarium hobby. It’s important that we recognize Nature as the ultimate inspiration for our tanks.  Nature, however, can be a rough place. The natural aquatic world doesn’t take lightly to those who seek to edit it, parse it, or circumvent it.  It’s true. We know…

  • CONSIDER GOING DEEPER INTO THE NICHES…

    One of the most nitrating things about our era of aquarium keeping is that we have access to an enormous amount of information about the wild habitats of our fishes. If you make the effort, you can find scientific research papers on just about any fish, locale, and habitat you can think of. With all…

  • RESTLESSNESS. AND PATIENCE. KEY INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS!

    One of the things that’s so fun about the hobby is the ability to “tweak” and even “evolve” tanks intentionally as the years go by. Of course, it’s not a “given” that you have to. Yet, I think that if you poll a random sample of hobbyists, almost every single one would want another aquarium!…