TANKED on Animal Planet

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First off, I think we need just ONE thread about TANKED... instead of 17.

And as some have posted, it's not a fish show, it's a reality show. There is a LOT changed for the sake of TV and drama. The target crowd is not us as fish people, it's the average person who likes that type of show. Those guys are top notch and really know there stuff, dispite what it looks like on TV. If anyone bothered to take the time to look at ATM's website, you'd see that. I've delt with them and have seen some of the mega tanks they've done. Some of the best in the world, hands down.
 
I didnt like how they put all of those tangs in that small jukebox tank. No way they will be able to survive in that tank comfortably for long.

Also using a canister filter with no live rock. From just a quick look, it seems they have no clue what they are doing in regards to fish.
 
For cycling I assume they are bringing already established media. Even though they keep being shown traveling to LA to get all their fish (which i doubt the do for every tank), they also have a good amount of stock in house, so I assume they just take filter media from there.

However, it does look they very overstock their tanks, especially that phone booth one. I can't imagine the fish were all that happy in that thing.

One thing that kills me is people spend so much money on a Salt Water thank and then go with those grotesque coral inserts. I don't have a salt tank, but if I did, the biggest selling point for me would be the live coral and anenomies (sp?). Those fake corals are even worse that most of the fake plants that plague petco.
 
The show is of course dumb, it is reality television. Every scene that does not involve a tank is staged, and if not scripted, at least has a necessary direction that forces dialogue to come out a certain way. They are not actors, they are tank builders, which makes every non-tank scene just hilariously bad.

I particularly liked when they were trying to figure out how to conceal a white pole in an aquarium, and then the guys wife comes in and awkwardly says, "What if you do X and Y?" (a non-actress should not have scripted lines, get it right, reality TV) And the jist of the scene is that she is helpful and gets to make a jab at the guys for being buffoons. We could not be told that she came up with an idea, they had to play it out. I love when reality TV does these horrible scenes.

But I am not bashing the acrylic aquarium dudes, just reality TV in general. They clearly know their business, have been doing this for a long time, and we are seeing probably a weeks plus of work edited down into 20 minutes. No time for cycling and whatnot.

By the way, if you watch closely at the opening credits/title scene, you can see them standing under an enormous freshwater tank which looks to have gar and arapaima in it. So maybe we will see that in a future episode. :)
 
Zoodiver said:
First off, I think we need just ONE thread about TANKED... instead of 17.

And as some have posted, it's not a fish show, it's a reality show. There is a LOT changed for the sake of TV and drama. The target crowd is not us as fish people, it's the average person who likes that type of show. Those guys are top notch and really know there stuff, dispite what it looks like on TV. If anyone bothered to take the time to look at ATM's website, you'd see that. I've delt with them and have seen some of the mega tanks they've done. Some of the best in the world, hands down.
Click to expand...

Very true...I kind of got that goofy vibe when I saw previews for the show. Definitely more reality comedy base, but I was hoping it would be like American Chopper and show some of the fabrication of the tanks. I went to their site and they definitely know their stuff and do some amazing builds.
 
The coral inserts confused me as well. I am not a saltwater keeper, but am a fan. From my reading (pardon my confusion) I thought you had to have some form of live rock in a tank (FOWLR). On the show with the sharks there was nothing but the inserts and sand. Reminder, I am a complete salt noob so I might just have misunderstood what I have read before.
 
It is a nice enough show eventhough the people can be a little annoying with loud talking and all but that,I assume is for show...Personally I'd rather watch Zeb Hogans Monsterfish episodes.
 
Its sad that Animal Planet has come to this.
 
Well,not really,especially if the show takes off and becomes a ratings hit.What is sad is the fact that the shows that are more serious in tone don't seem to garner the attention that these, light hearted
reality type shows or nonsense like Lost Tapes seem to pull in.People don't seem to want to watch unless there is almost slapstick sillyness going on.
 
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