How Does The Guys On "tanked"...

[andmand2]

How does the guys on "Tanked", at ATM, cycle their tanks so quickly? I'm wondering if they add already existing tank water or somehow do they treat and cycle their tank within a day. The show normally doesn't get into those kinds of details.

 

[Bazaman]

I have never seen the show but if they are cycling thier tanks that fast my guess would be mature filter media.

 

[KISSfn]

What we see on an hour show actually takes them many weeks. They also sell a bottled bacteria product on their website but I don't know if it actually works or if they actually use it. It is after all a TV show so they can edit it any way Animal Planet wants to.

 

[tmiller]

I've seen the show and asked the same question...
I'm assuming they, being a custom tank company have a process in place to be creating mature media in bulk and as part of their service and as part of the paid service will return and test/adjust as necessary.
They would loose 1000's in profit if the tanks "tanked" within a few weeks seeing as the high profile clients the have on the show will be expecting perfection.


Bottom line is the science behind the show is boring to the general public... lets all write and ask for a special behind the scene episode so as to inform the excited masses of the work involved in a viable DIY healthy tank, or a disclaimer that the proper care and housing of fish is a science requiring a bit of research and or training.

The popularity of the show itself could be a boon to both the hobby and conservation if proper steps taken

 

[richmc]

One one episode they did mention cycling. They are adding bottled bacteria they said/claim cycled the tanks amost instantly.

 

[ShaneR21]

Petco sales the stuff they use. I bought a bottle just to see if it would cycle my new tank in 24 hours like they claim. It did not. A week later and my tank is still in the process of cycling.

 

[FishLover66]

I've watched that show too and wondered the same thing. I realize it's a TV show, and a lot more goes on behind the scenes, but I do think they are doing an injustice to the fish and those people who are interested in keeping fish, but may not be knowledgable about how important it is to cycle a tank properly. It just looks like they dump water in and plop a ton of fish all at once--it certainly doesn't have the fish's best interest at heart.

 

[andmand2]

I totally agree.. I'm sure they are very professional in person but when watching the show it seems like they don't care about the fish at all..

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Shane- I suggest you try either Tetra Safe Start or DrTim's One and Only if you want a decent shot at getting something that works. The tanked guys have the wrong stuff in their bottles.

Also remember that a nice display tank is notusually the idiotic stuff I have seen them do on that show. But then who would watch a show about a nice more normal tank week after week? Its TV.

 

[OldMan47]

Any reliance on a TV show is idiocy in my humble opinion. If you see Lassie save some kid, do you really expect your dog to do the same thing? I certainly do not.

 

[FishLover66]

Well, of course not. But people who watch that show, who don't know about the care of fish, would think it's fine to just fill up a tank and put all the fish in at once. I used to watch Lassie as a kid and never expected my dog to do what Lassie did--it was just a TV show. The reality show business is a bit different, although still unrealistic, in that they are showing the audience what they are doing, step by step. At the very least, there should be a disclaimer that directs people to the proper set up of an aquarium and care of fish.

 

[OldMan47]

I am sure you are right Fishlover66, they never really think of it the way we might. What are we to do about it?
"God grant me the ability to accept the things I cannot change, the willingness to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference"

 

[sadguppy]

I downloaded an episode (I'm in the UK) and I couldn't sit through more than ten minutes. It's AWFUL. Even the promise of big fish tanks couldn't make me watch half an hour of some terribly scripted men doing far too much shouting. And they kept showing the same bits over and over. I know there are lots of ads on US TV, but do the viewing audience also have severe memory loss??

Cycling etc is slightly different on marine tanks as far as I understand... something to do with the live rock? Maybe head over to the marine forum and ask there?

 

[tmiller]

I downloaded an episode (I'm in the UK) and I couldn't sit through more than ten minutes. It's AWFUL. Even the promise of big fish tanks couldn't make me watch half an hour of some terribly scripted men doing far too much shouting. And they kept showing the same bits over and over. I know there are lots of ads on US TV, but do the viewing audience also have severe memory loss??

Cycling etc is slightly different on marine tanks as far as I understand... something to do with the live rock? Maybe head over to the marine forum and ask there?

I'm in the US and i cant really stand it much... the finished product is good 30% of the time. the show is horrible...
This is our tv here ... oh joy ill just pass thank you

 

[sadguppy]

I downloaded an episode (I'm in the UK) and I couldn't sit through more than ten minutes. It's AWFUL. Even the promise of big fish tanks couldn't make me watch half an hour of some terribly scripted men doing far too much shouting. And they kept showing the same bits over and over. I know there are lots of ads on US TV, but do the viewing audience also have severe memory loss??

Cycling etc is slightly different on marine tanks as far as I understand... something to do with the live rock? Maybe head over to the marine forum and ask there?

I'm in the US and i cant really stand it much... the finished product is good 30% of the time. the show is horrible...
This is our tv here ... oh joy ill just pass thank you

Thank gawd for the BBC!