Animal Planet's Tanked

[Pariss]

Have you guys seen this series? I watch it on animalplanet.com when I'm bored and it is entertaining, but damn, if this isn't the second time they've put goldfish in a too small tank with only a bubbler... First time was a drum set that all the separate drums totalled at 110 gallons.. the two large base drums were salt water and the 5 or so tiny snares on top had like 5 goldfish in each and no filter. And now, in tracy morgans house, they made a cute 5 gallon baby bottle tank... with 12 red cap goldfish and again only a bubbler.

[steeler58]

There have been a few threads started about the show, I started one myself:http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aqua...139&highlight=, most comments are favorable as you can see in just mine :(

[Taurus]

Yeah, it's entertainment and not necessarily factually based all the time.

[fissh]

My 360 was built by them, It came out of a doctors office, and I got it cheap because the filtering system didn't work well and kept killing all the fish! They don't really know much about fish, but the tank they built has the nicest seems I've ever seen on an acrylic tank! So if you don't care about the fish, they're the guys to see!!!

[mermaidwannabe]

I wonder if they would be open to being educated? How about the producers?

I've seen this show from time to time. Awesome looking tanks, but am not sure they properly instruct their customers on how to care for the animals inside of them. Maybe that's the job of the people having the tanks built for them -- to learn to take care of them, afterwards. The people who build the tanks are just building tanks. The maintenance and upkeep are the customer's responsibility.

Still, it wouldn't hurt if the builders and producers of this show learned some things about fishkeeping, also. Tips they can pass on to their clients and to viewers that might actually be helpful.

On the other hand, some of those extremely exotic ideas are a little over the top ... Who wants an aquarium shaped like a bicycle? How can that possibly be enjoyable? Not that I've ever seen them build one like that, but that's the general gist of the show -- the unusual and the outlandish. The drum set comes to mind ...

[Pariss]

Wow there's a lot of old threads about them haha. That's what I get for watching old seasons on the internet.
@fissh that's kind of cool lol, what shape is it? It makes sense that they are actually good at the acrylic building since that's their company name. maybe with the show they bit off more than they could chew

@mermaidwannabe I looked up an interview with the bald guy brett and the interviewer was asking about the show lacking the educational aspect and about cycling, etc. Brett was saying there is behind the scenes stuff and it's animal planet's show and that is how they want to do it, and that they just want to ignite interest in people about fishkeeping, but its on them to do the research, etc. he kind of sounded like an ass though.

I agree though a lot of them seem way too gimicky, and like with all the props, there is sometimes no place for fish to hide or be comfortable.. and in one of the tanks they put in all bottom dwelling cichlids.. but the tank was a vertical fridgerator, so it just looked empty and weird

[fissh]

Wow there's a lot of old threads about them haha. That's what I get for watching old seasons on the internet.
@fissh that's kind of cool lol, what shape is it? It makes sense that they are actually good at the acrylic building since that's their company name. maybe with the show they bit off more than they could chew

@mermaidwannabe I looked up an interview with the bald guy brett and the interviewer was asking about the show lacking the educational aspect and about cycling, etc. Brett was saying there is behind the scenes stuff and it's animal planet's show and that is how they want to do it, and that they just want to ignite interest in people about fishkeeping, but its on them to do the research, etc. he kind of sounded like an ass though.

I agree though a lot of them seem way too gimicky, and like with all the props, there is sometimes no place for fish to hide or be comfortable.. and in one of the tanks they put in all bottom dwelling cichlids.. but the tank was a vertical fridgerator, so it just looked empty and weird

My tank is a boring old 8 ft X 2 ft X 3 ft, not a set of drums or a space ship!

[mermaidwannabe]

My tank is a boring old 8 ft X 2 ft X 3 ft, not a set of drums or a space ship!

It's what we put INSIDE that makes our tanks interesting. I would hope the focus of any viewer's attention would be the animals, the aquascape, the plants, the overall ecosystem that has been well planned out and established WITHIN the tank. The only real concerns about the outside should be whether or not it's properly sealed so it doesn't leak, if its size and shape are suitable for its inhabitants, and is it easy to clean and maintain.

I really think the gimmicky stuff shouldn't be what an aquarium is about. Perhaps this show sends the wrong message? Does anyone really take it that seriously?

[angelcraze2]

My tank is a boring old 8 ft X 2 ft X 3 ft, not a set of drums or a space ship!

Wow, 36" tall? How do you do maintenance on that?

[mermaidwannabe]

Probably long arms and a step stool or stepladder.

My 65 is nowhere near that tall, but I have to be elevated to work in it. Except for when I siphon the gravel. My siphon tube and hose are tall enough and long enough I can reach the substrate with them while standing on the floor.

We buy equipment that suits our needs ...