Tanked Cancelled

[Joep]

2 years ago I visited ATM in Vegas and had a tour of the facility, Bret and the General were outstanding taking time to explain how they started and also taking pictures. Wade and Redneck were there but would not come out to at least say hi. I agree that a lot of the tanks they build must be a nightmare to service, but still enjoyed watching even though I know it was all acting, by the way the building looks a lot smaller in person and half of it is filled with parrots

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

I saw the drumset tanks they built in Pensacola while I was still living there, and they definitely dressed them up for TV. When you see it in person you notice all the little manufacturing shortcuts they made and such, like bubbly acrylic joins, non-flush edges, disregard for the longevity of life support features, etc.

The owner of the music store will tell you he still loves it and it still brings in folk's after reruns, but that it is also a bit of a pain to keep going and clean. They've pretty much filled all of the freshwater portions with Betta fish as they are too small for essentially anything else, and the saltwater sections all have faded reef inserts that probably would call for a hole to be cut out of the top of the tank for removal and replacements.

I also don't appreciate how ATM sort of dragged Pensacola's baseball team through the dirt after they canceled a plan for a "mobile aquarium" built in a baseball park shuttle. They as "aquarium professionals" should have know that wouldn't have been feasible and/or good for caretakers and aquarium inhabitants and never should have hyped it up and kept the idea in the show.

Not gonna lie, I'm kinda glad the show is going away, I think it has created too many unattainable expectations about what owning and building an aquarium is like. I would love for them to replace it with something more educational, but let's be honest, that will probably never happen with reality shows being king.

 

[KStatefan]

So much hate. It was a tv show.

 

[MRRBW]

I enjoyed watching it with my kids, but was also able to correct their misrepresentations to them as well. There is a lot of editing that we don’t see which can set people on the wrong path with reef tanks. Wish they had focused more on educating and less on a family drama.

That said, Brett’s response above I think speaks volumes as to who they have become. Haven’t eaten their humble pie in awhile it seems.

Ever since Peter’s aquarium disaster they had lost my respect. This just shuts the door on them forever.

 

[jd371]

All they did was fish, right? I don't remember ever seeing any live coral. Then again i saw maybe 2 episodes.

Iirc, I think there where two episodes that had coral but weren't the feature tank. One of them was a Doctor who had a few tanks with coral, I don't remember what they did for him. The other was retired from the military and they built him a tank with live corals, I think in the same show they went back to see his tank after a few months to show how much the corals grew. This show was an actual build with live rock and corals. There was also a tank they did for some internet celebrity that had a tank of his own with coral in it that they showed a quick glimpse of.

 

[simpleman]

i would like someone to go back to all them builds in 5 years see how many tanks been ripped out. how many fish did they actually kill. but that ok for hollywood as long as they make money

 

[Sod Buster]

I hope Redneck saved up some bank. Won't be the demand for fake coral inserts anymore. I'm sure it's in his contract he has no book rights either. I'm compiling a list of new equipment or upgraded stuff we have access to now in my head. Thank you idiot for all the engineering and development that your show has given the hobby. Lastly I have respect for myself, i won't be bowing to you.

 

[puffy127]

They recently did a build for Jimmy Colson (who had a SPS tank featured here on R2R). They showed his SPS tank and talked briefly about his corals, but the build they did for him was a FO cylinder tank he wanted done in time for a MACNA party he was hosting. They also got a conspic angel for it.

 

[shred5]

Classy hosts that show had. This is Brett’s response on Instagram.

If I did not like them before I sure do not now.

 

[clm65]

I miss the old days, when a season equaled a year. Now they fit 2 or 3 seasons in a year. What’s up with that?

 

[User1]

Only caught a couple episodes but the sad truth of the matter is it comes down to several factors. Reality TV changes people as does money. Factor in human nature and mental health, well, things can turn for the worse. Several reality shows have seen similar trends. It is unfortunate for all parties involved or at least I think.

Probably the one reason why I don't pay much attention to reality based tv. It isn't reality in the end.

 

[Oshengems]

Ya taking this show a bit too serious don’t ya think ?

I’m sure in their own way a few of you got in this hobby because of that show and yes you’re a pro now but even knowing all the stuff I know about reefing this show inspired me others to get into the hobby. And again huge tanks with huge skimmers and trickle filters can easily handle these fishes they load into these tanks. Complain about fish treatment on this show ? But have a Nano tank and 40g breeder with a Tang is not something unusual in our hobby.

How can you be glad they cancelled something that was on national TV promoting out hobby ?

 

[Thales]

And again huge tanks with huge skimmers and trickle filters can easily handle these fishes they load into these tanks.

Cycled, appropriately sized trickle filters can, but that is not what they did on the show.

 

[Eva Rose]

I think that many TV producers etc. don’t see the huge opportunity to present shows based on an educational level vs drama/comedy/scripted elements. I believe producers push silliness, unrealistic timelines and unnecessary drama. Even shows like “Fixer Upper” incorporate it. The longer it went on the more time they showed Chip doing ridiculous things like eating a bug. Shows are ‘dumbed down’ for the public.

I’m a teacher. I can tell you kids love Food Network, Mecum Car Auction,etc. Kids love to have their minds challenged. They love learning and depth. As an educator, I don’t like any information presented as factual that is incorrect. It is a disservice to both children & adults. Also when it involves the welfare of living things, I feel all shows have a responsibility.

It’s a shame. I like most liked seeing the fish on the show but disliked the jokes/misinformation etc. I suspect if the producers had used a different approach (factual info, proper application, & expert hobby guests) the show would have been easily renewed.

 

[Oshengems]

Cycled, appropriately sized trickle filters can, but that is not what they did on the show.

It’s made for tv tho, just like they don’t how they acclimate their fish neither but innthe show they get them and go straight in the tank, They are working on schedule and can’t show the whole process but part of what it takes and the end results. If you are in this thread and think that they actually put acrylic together and toss in a few thousand dollars worth of fish and see if they survive you should know better.

My first tank in in 99’ was a 55g with rubble and a few stones I grabbed from a local park one hangon filter with carbon pads and kept a volitan Lionfish, porcupine puffer, tessalated eel, yellow tang and a bicolor angel, I did not cycle neither the eel was the first one in(cost ne$150at that time big gamble) had that tank close to 3 years...I used sone tap water mixed up salt 5 days later first fish was in m. A 300g with a huge skimmer and trickle filter is way more than enough to keep saltwater fishes alive fishes are more hardy than what we think.

Before I get bash my first tank was pre-internet era I went by what my lfs told me which at the time seem normal.

 

[vetteguy53081]

What a train wreck the show was but then it was meant as entertainment and not as education. I would like to see Animal planet do a educational version that would help people and not just have goofy host that know nothing about the hobby. They on Tanked actually think they where good for the hobby. But then they didn't have to help hobbyist who tried to do what they did on their show in the real world and find out it didn't work.

Was becoming a parrot show. It was inspiring but the big question is this:

how many of us actually learned something about saltwater or even setting up a marine tank???

 

[Thales]

It’s made for tv tho, just like they don’t how they acclimate their fish neither but innthe show they get them and go straight in the tank, They are working on schedule and can’t show the whole process but part of what it takes and the end results. If you are in this thread and think that they actually put acrylic together and toss in a few thousand dollars worth of fish and see if they survive you should know better.

I do know better - that is exactly what they do. I have seen it. I tried to get them to put the animals in for the cameras, then remove them and cycle the tank properly (and address the terrible LSS that was installed) because I understand the pressures of a TV shoot. Was ignored. Fish died.

 

[Oshengems]

Was becoming a parrot show. It was inspiring but the big question is this:

how many of us actually learned something about saltwater or even setting up a marine tank???

I don’t think their target audience was hard core reefers like us that argue ppm of No3 or phosphate but it did show having a saltwater tank(fish only) is not as hard as the masses think. When I had my fish only people were stun only because it was saltwater which people think is a hard thing to achieve and I was 17 doing it.

 

[alton]

R2R members can we stop going for the throat here? For years everyone here and at MACNA welcomed ATM and took pictures with Brett and Wade. Most spoke about how nice they were, how nice they were to take pictures. Type in R2R MACNA ATM and the pictures and stories pop up. I was told when I came to R2R how nice everyone was here compared to XYZ website, can we get back to being a little nicer please.

 

[Oshengems]

Something to think about... Animal Planet gave up on actual wild animal documentaries because? People frankly don’t care unless there’s rhinos mating or cats chasing prey. I love! Wild animal show their educational and informative but most people ESPECIALLY this new generation with their short attention span don’t, so these shows will show drama even setting up a fish tank lol