It’s no secret that many of us have our "roots", so to speak, in freshwater. Wether it was a quick stint with a goldfish bowl when we were 7, or full-on cichlid breeding not all that long ago, freshwater is not a strange “media” to most of us in the reef community. However, for some reason, in recent years, there was this “stigma” associated with even liking freshwater- let alone admitting that you had a freshwater tank. It was a real risky proposition for your “cred” as a reefer! As recently as a couple of years ago, I remember getting gently teased by my reefer friends when I professed my love for freshwater. And I also remember attendees at my talks around the country coming up afterwards and sheepishly “confessing” that they had a soft spot for freshwater, too!
Funny how times change.
With the advent of so-called “high-end” planted freshwater planted tanks, with their associated concept, CO2 injection, reactors, lighting, and such, there has been a palpable shift in the reef aquarium hobby’s collective mindset about the “cool factor” of freshwater tanks. Suddenly, it’s in vogue to not just talk about, but to aspire to- or even own, a freshwater system- particularly one of the “ADA Style” planted systems, which are the freshwater equivalent of a reef system…I can’t help but think that the gadgetry/systematic approach and ‘exclusivity” factor of these “high end” FW systems is part of the “new appeal.”
There are many, many compelling reasons why a reefer SHOULD own a freshwater tank…I’m throwing out a few that come to mind just to spur some further discussion and provoke you to try one if you‘ve been on the fence a bit. Here they are- in no particular order:
*Freshwater aquariums offer a totally different aesthetic experience- Yeah, imagine a tank that you light with a full-spectrum daylight color, regardless of the form factor of light that you use…simply because plants require it. No ultra blue actinic look here, baby. And the greens, browns, and rich, earthy tones of freshwater plants, rocks, and wood offer an entirely different palette to work with.
The freshwater hardscape in my office gives me an entirely new aesthetic perspective.
*Freshwater systems embrace biological and chemical principles that will better help you understand things like nutrient cycling, trace element uptake, etc.- If you like dosing stuff into your reef, you’ll love a well planted freshwater system! You can explore the effects of supplementation on plant growth, and have real time results. Freshwater plants seem to respond even more quickly than corals to changes in their environment, so they can really “keep you on your toes!”
And you think keeping colors in your Acros is tough...
*Freshwater systems challenge you in different ways than a reef- In a freshwater system, there is a lot less emphasis on gadgetry, plumbing, and such. Rather, your greatest energy is expended on actually managing and running the tank itself. You will learn to recognize growth patterns of the plants that you keep, how the fishes that you select actually benefit the plants, etc. Learning the relationships between freshwater plants and animals will make you a better, more alert reefer.
It takes more than a controller and some fancy plumbing to achieve this, trust me.
*Freshwater systems can be more forgiving- Okay, this may ruffle a few feathers and perhaps provoke violent disagreements and accusations of gross over-generalizations from my Discus and Angelfish breeding friends. However, for the most part, many freshwater animals and planets are more adaptable and accepting of variations in their physical environment than marine organisms, which have evolved over time in ridiculously stable environments, and are therefore less accepting of changes. What this creates for the busy reefer/FW artisan is the ability to relax a bit and ENJOY…not to stress out about every single parameter, piece of hardware, water change, etc.
They're not bulletproof, but hardier than those Anthias you've been lusting after...
*Freshwater systems offer you a chance to rediscover the “soul" of fish keeping- Yeah, there is an “art” to our hobby…lost somewhere in a cacophony of LED lights, electronic controllers, debates over “LE” coral names, etc., etc. so prevalent in the marine sector. A freshwater aquarium is a more “core” experience, offering you the opportunity to get back in touch with skills, techniques, and yes- emotions- that you may have either never felt before, or simply lost track of in our frantic-paced marine universe.
The great Takashi Amano understands the visceral experience of a freshwater aquarium better than almost anyone.
*Breeding freshwater fishes helps you get your feet wet with skills and protocols that will help you in marine fish breeding efforts- This is a very important, possibly overlooked benefit of freshwater aquarium keeping. Captive breeding is the future of the marine hobby. IMHO, everyone needs to have at least a rudimentary understanding-if not a basic working knowledge- of breeding aquatic animals. If you can’t raise a baby guppy, you have no chance with a Clownfish, trust me. ‘Nuff said.
I can go on and on…I can hear arguments from both sides (“The Cardinal Tetra is nowhere near as colorful as a Majestic Angel”, or “A reef tank looks like a fruitstand compared to the natural appearance of a planted FW tank.”, etc., etc.) The point is not to create rivalries or foster animosity between the two hobby factions…The idea here is to demonstrate to you that the skills, techniques, and philosophies behind the two aquatic “media” are not only analagous- they are surprisingly interrelated. I suggest that not only do you keep a freshwater aquarium, but that you attend a FW conference and see what these amazing people are all about. Their hobby “culture” is not all that different from ours- and the chances and benefits of “cross-pollenation” are many and profound!
I hope that I never see another one of those “freshwater is a joke” kind of posts again. Really, the only real joke is that we have this amazing opportunity to learn new skills- or perfect existing ones- that will benefit the marine hobby for generations- and have turned away from it with an elitist attitude in some quarters. FW hobbyists are dedicated just like we are- perhaps svn to a greater extent..They’ve been doing it with FW for over 100 years…you think they might have learned a few things that can benefit us? Yeah. And, there are a LOT more serious and highly skilled FW hobbyists than reefers by an enormous margin..An untapped “market” to develop new reef keepers, trust me.
Final side benefit of aquatic “cross training” with our freshwater friends: If we introduce some experienced FW enthusiasts with love to the reef keeping world, not only will many give it a try and make the effort to understand our world- they will attempt to convert others…bringing not only new blood, new skills, and new friends to our midst- they will help strengthen the hobby, providing a larger, more widespread understanding of what we do, and helping to stand up to the very real external pressures our hobby now faces.
With that, I’m curious how many of you have FW tanks in your homes, or plan on setting one up…If you spurned FW for a time, never lost the fire, or simply enjoy it as another aspect of aquarium keeping…I’d love to hear/see your experiences, as would our readers!
Remember, to keep the reef hobby vital, we also have to keep it “fresh.”
Today’s tale of number 3 aquarium gravel, Amazon Sword Plants, and Serpae Tetras…
Regardless of your water’s specific gravity, I encourage you to stay engaged, share all you know…
And to stay wet.
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
Funny how times change.
With the advent of so-called “high-end” planted freshwater planted tanks, with their associated concept, CO2 injection, reactors, lighting, and such, there has been a palpable shift in the reef aquarium hobby’s collective mindset about the “cool factor” of freshwater tanks. Suddenly, it’s in vogue to not just talk about, but to aspire to- or even own, a freshwater system- particularly one of the “ADA Style” planted systems, which are the freshwater equivalent of a reef system…I can’t help but think that the gadgetry/systematic approach and ‘exclusivity” factor of these “high end” FW systems is part of the “new appeal.”
There are many, many compelling reasons why a reefer SHOULD own a freshwater tank…I’m throwing out a few that come to mind just to spur some further discussion and provoke you to try one if you‘ve been on the fence a bit. Here they are- in no particular order:
*Freshwater aquariums offer a totally different aesthetic experience- Yeah, imagine a tank that you light with a full-spectrum daylight color, regardless of the form factor of light that you use…simply because plants require it. No ultra blue actinic look here, baby. And the greens, browns, and rich, earthy tones of freshwater plants, rocks, and wood offer an entirely different palette to work with.
The freshwater hardscape in my office gives me an entirely new aesthetic perspective.
*Freshwater systems embrace biological and chemical principles that will better help you understand things like nutrient cycling, trace element uptake, etc.- If you like dosing stuff into your reef, you’ll love a well planted freshwater system! You can explore the effects of supplementation on plant growth, and have real time results. Freshwater plants seem to respond even more quickly than corals to changes in their environment, so they can really “keep you on your toes!”
And you think keeping colors in your Acros is tough...
*Freshwater systems challenge you in different ways than a reef- In a freshwater system, there is a lot less emphasis on gadgetry, plumbing, and such. Rather, your greatest energy is expended on actually managing and running the tank itself. You will learn to recognize growth patterns of the plants that you keep, how the fishes that you select actually benefit the plants, etc. Learning the relationships between freshwater plants and animals will make you a better, more alert reefer.
It takes more than a controller and some fancy plumbing to achieve this, trust me.
*Freshwater systems can be more forgiving- Okay, this may ruffle a few feathers and perhaps provoke violent disagreements and accusations of gross over-generalizations from my Discus and Angelfish breeding friends. However, for the most part, many freshwater animals and planets are more adaptable and accepting of variations in their physical environment than marine organisms, which have evolved over time in ridiculously stable environments, and are therefore less accepting of changes. What this creates for the busy reefer/FW artisan is the ability to relax a bit and ENJOY…not to stress out about every single parameter, piece of hardware, water change, etc.
They're not bulletproof, but hardier than those Anthias you've been lusting after...
*Freshwater systems offer you a chance to rediscover the “soul" of fish keeping- Yeah, there is an “art” to our hobby…lost somewhere in a cacophony of LED lights, electronic controllers, debates over “LE” coral names, etc., etc. so prevalent in the marine sector. A freshwater aquarium is a more “core” experience, offering you the opportunity to get back in touch with skills, techniques, and yes- emotions- that you may have either never felt before, or simply lost track of in our frantic-paced marine universe.
The great Takashi Amano understands the visceral experience of a freshwater aquarium better than almost anyone.
*Breeding freshwater fishes helps you get your feet wet with skills and protocols that will help you in marine fish breeding efforts- This is a very important, possibly overlooked benefit of freshwater aquarium keeping. Captive breeding is the future of the marine hobby. IMHO, everyone needs to have at least a rudimentary understanding-if not a basic working knowledge- of breeding aquatic animals. If you can’t raise a baby guppy, you have no chance with a Clownfish, trust me. ‘Nuff said.
I can go on and on…I can hear arguments from both sides (“The Cardinal Tetra is nowhere near as colorful as a Majestic Angel”, or “A reef tank looks like a fruitstand compared to the natural appearance of a planted FW tank.”, etc., etc.) The point is not to create rivalries or foster animosity between the two hobby factions…The idea here is to demonstrate to you that the skills, techniques, and philosophies behind the two aquatic “media” are not only analagous- they are surprisingly interrelated. I suggest that not only do you keep a freshwater aquarium, but that you attend a FW conference and see what these amazing people are all about. Their hobby “culture” is not all that different from ours- and the chances and benefits of “cross-pollenation” are many and profound!
I hope that I never see another one of those “freshwater is a joke” kind of posts again. Really, the only real joke is that we have this amazing opportunity to learn new skills- or perfect existing ones- that will benefit the marine hobby for generations- and have turned away from it with an elitist attitude in some quarters. FW hobbyists are dedicated just like we are- perhaps svn to a greater extent..They’ve been doing it with FW for over 100 years…you think they might have learned a few things that can benefit us? Yeah. And, there are a LOT more serious and highly skilled FW hobbyists than reefers by an enormous margin..An untapped “market” to develop new reef keepers, trust me.
Final side benefit of aquatic “cross training” with our freshwater friends: If we introduce some experienced FW enthusiasts with love to the reef keeping world, not only will many give it a try and make the effort to understand our world- they will attempt to convert others…bringing not only new blood, new skills, and new friends to our midst- they will help strengthen the hobby, providing a larger, more widespread understanding of what we do, and helping to stand up to the very real external pressures our hobby now faces.
With that, I’m curious how many of you have FW tanks in your homes, or plan on setting one up…If you spurned FW for a time, never lost the fire, or simply enjoy it as another aspect of aquarium keeping…I’d love to hear/see your experiences, as would our readers!
Remember, to keep the reef hobby vital, we also have to keep it “fresh.”
Today’s tale of number 3 aquarium gravel, Amazon Sword Plants, and Serpae Tetras…
Regardless of your water’s specific gravity, I encourage you to stay engaged, share all you know…
And to stay wet.
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
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