Crossing back- and forth...and back...again!

[uniquecorals]

As you know, I'm a great fan of unusual aquarium concepts, and I'm always up to see a new tank or two (or 15).

I was doing some stuff for my FW venture, Tannin Aquatics, and someone showed me this interesting pic on Instagram of a bare bottom FW planted tank! Okay, at first, as a reefer, I'm like, "Okay, well, so what?"

"Dope" BBFWP tank by GolfCoastDiscus

BBR by (who else? Leonardo)

Then it hit me.

Bare bottom planted?!? This is a really uncommon thing in Freshwater...however, it's a sign of a "cross-back" of technique between the two "media", and I thought it was cool. Of course, further investigation involved running this pic by my good friend and (IMHO) one of the world's top aquascapers, Johnny Ciotti- and he thought it was "dope"- and told me it's starting to become quite popular in Japan.

I just found that so cool.

And it's funny- I've had a lot of conversations with customers/FW fans lately about other concepts that we consider mundane in reef keeping (like refugia in Discus, African cichlid, and predator tanks) becoming more and more popular in the FW world. It's really neat...we are in a true new wave of "cross pollination" in the aquarium world. Love it.

Don't dis the "freshees", because they have some tricks that WE can learn from, too!

Anyways,

A great time to be a reefer. An awesome time to be an AQUARIST!

Enjoy your weekend.

Scott F.

 

[GlassMunky]

I like the bare bottom freshwater better than the reef lol

 

[steve&mari]

I like the bare bottom freshwater better than the reef lol

Must agree that fw planted bb is pretty awesome.

 

[buzzword]

I like the bare bottom freshwater better than the reef lol

Must agree that fw planted bb is pretty awesome.

What they said.

 

[FX CharityCorals Verified Sponsor]

I am in love with Amano tanks. I have not personally done one yet. I am afraid to open that pandoras box and be sucked into that world. I have thought about it a few times to offer it to my maintenance clientele, but not sure if they would jump on board with it.

 

[uniquecorals]

I am in love with Amano tanks. I have not personally done one yet. I am afraid to open that pandoras box and be sucked into that world. I have thought about it a few times to offer it to my maintenance clientele, but not sure if they would jump on board with it.

LOL, jason...I kinda understand what you mean about being "sucked into that world.." It's quite addictive! The interesting thing is that "high end freshwater" is so much like reef keeping in many respects, with similar challenges, technology, procedures, and "culture"- very cool stuff. I think we need to look at the aquarium hobby as more of a "whole", and free ourselves from the innate fear that we as reefers have always had about becoming "freshies", lol. I think it's greta to have all of the crossover skills AND the "medium" to practice them, so doing both is, IMHO, an even better way to enjoy the hobby and get better at both sides!

And there is something great about not tasting saltwater when you suck on the siphon hose...Dang, that sounded entirely inappropriate, but you know what I mean...

-Scott

 

[GlassMunky]

Freshwater stuff can be really fun. We are actually ion the process of upgrading our FW planted tank to a 72Bowfront so we can add discus.
Its also fun for me as a glassblower, since there seems to be alot more use of glass equipment in the FW side of thing than in the reef.
I made this CO2 injector that fits in-line on our canister filter for our tank (green hoses are water in/out and the black line is the CO2 line in). Also made a few lilly pipes for other FW people before.

Come to think of it, i cant really think of ANY equipment that is commonly made out of glass (besides the tanks themselves) in the reef side of the hobby..... :-/

 

[tigé21v]

That is very cool....