Mr. Saltwater Tank Interviews Brett Raymer, Star of Animal Planet’s “Tanked”
A lot has been said about Animal Planet’s show “Tanked” and I wanted to talk to the horse’s mouth before forming my opinion.
Here’s my opinion on “Tanked”:
First, I think it is great that a show about saltwater tanks has hit mainstream TV. More people interested in saltwater tank hobby can’t hurt especially if these new comers are educated in the correct way about how to keep a tank.
Second, Could the show use more of an educational component?
Absolutely and I’m all for it.
However, that’s not Animal Planet’s format. Animal Planet has a format that works (reality TV drama) and very likely they’ll stick it to it as any network seeks to find a formula that works, then repeat it again and again and again. Branching out isn’t something networks like to do as they have no idea what the return ($$) will be. (Note: I’m not defending Animal Planet, I’m just letting you know how the reality TV industry works as I used to work in it.)
That being said, if you don’t like what you see on the show, talk to Animal Planet as they have the creative control over the show, so they can (and hopefully they will according to Brett) add in an educational component.
In other words, don’t hate the player, hate the game.
Third, Do I agree with all of what is show on the show? Absolutely not. Certainly people who watch Mr. Saltwater Tank TV know I don’t advocate filling your tank with tap water and adding in a lot of fish.
Does that mean I should hate Brett’s guts and flame him every chance I get?
No.
The best thing we can do as a hobby is direct our suggestions (not flaming emails) to Animal Planet. Will Animal Planet respond? I can’t say, but if they got hundreds of thousands of emails, we will have a better chance of them paying attention than us sitting around complaining to each other about the show.
Lastly, after talking to Brett and clearly seeing that he’s out to help the hobby and to educate children on the wonders of the ocean, my hat is off to him for actually doing something about what he is passionate about.
I wish him much success in having his pilot program in Nevada schools be a huge success so that it gets implemented on a large scale. I don’t think any of us would complain if his program grew into a national program where there was a saltwater tank in every classroom.
If a program like that makes it to Texas schools, I’ll be happy to donate frags and equipment to see the program grow.
Yes i am because you people are so over the top ridiculous with your utter extreme “fish have rights” too position. Its silly. The show is great!! I ENJOY the show. Something you peta/enviro/occupiers are in very short supply of!! (yes i ended my sentance with a preposition you gona call teacher now to make me comply?)
We have FREEDOMS!! Free to eat tasty animals and free to keep them in a box and enjoy them as long as i like!!
Animal planet has a fun show getting people involved in this FUN hobby!!
Its clear your life has so little meaning that you have to badger all of us with this insanity. Obtw..i really hope AP made a massive amount of profit from this show!! I hope theyre now part of the 1%..which i am working to become right now!! 😉
Anybody can setup a marine enviroment without one drop of anything, prove how it’s proven to work when it is not needed at all and does not help in any way. IT IS A SCAM!!!!!
No, I don’t use vitamins and it is still wrong and a scam but because I can’t tell the truth here or have my comments removed I will be telling the world that Mr. saltwater whatever is a scam too….
Lol..nothing is a scam..it all works!! If it doesnt the free market capitalism will drive them out of business when they dont buy their products!! 🙂
I’m sorry but couldn’t dislike him more and this interview only confirmed it. I don’t see how he’s any different from an old school circus act.
Its not a scam. It actually works and for larger aquariums… which btw would have people like you up their asses if they dont walk the line, need some of these things to help them start up their tanks at different times. Sometimes you have an emergence were the tank breaks a seam and you need an emergency tank set up asap… your one of those people who are just WAY TO EXTREME and make other people look bad with your peta mindset. PETA is the worst and biggest extremist animal group on the planet and it scares the crap out of me when people like you and them start expressing your points of view… save the cows utters, start making ice cream from breast milk!
Seasave seriously..you need a better porpoise er purpose in life. Let us have our fish hobby in peace 🙂
These are all 1st world problems and it gets more and more insane the more I listen to it. In other places in the world they have REAL PROBLEMS like rabies or AIDS or starvation! I bet you’re one of the people who disagree with the Chinese eating dogs or cats too… You would disrupt their whole world and change everything about them simply because it suits you. But the truth of it is, animals breed like wild fire and if you dont have some controls in place there would be horrible repercussions. But who cares about the people, when there are animals who suffer. Animals are not more important than people, no matter what peta and others like you say.
Peta = People Eating Tasty Animals!! 🙂
http://videosift.com/video/Futurama-We-taught-a-lion-to-eat-tofu
Exactly! We’re higher up the food chain!!
If anyone here is in the aquarium hobby, then it is safe to say that there is a great love for what they put into the aquarium, to generalize fish keeping as something that “has no regard” for fish is wrong. most people love their tanks, and the inhabitants. Losing a fish is not taken lightly, and when a fish owner see’s something wrong they usually run to the LFS to try and cure the fish.
As for the show, it has done great things for the hobby. It has upset some people in the hobby. I doubt there is a total lack of disregard for the fish, because as business owners, a customer losing fish would not be a repeat customer
http://marine-engineers.org/2011/11/09/atm-of-animal-planets-tanked-unveils-new-product-line/
The only bacteria that I know which actually works is Dr. Tim’s One and Only. Everything else is a total Fail imo. Mr. Saltwater Tank as well as many local hobbyists including myself has seen it work and do what .it claims, everything else is just more of the same snake oil.
A costomer losing fish is a repeat costomer and snake oil is snake oil DR. Tim
Just like I thought, seasave, youre an idiot. You are one of those people who spouts out all of this “I know everything” bs and you havent even researched or tried the product you bash. Talk to me when you have used it and have practical knowledge.
You only call me an idiot because I know more than you and have wised up and learned the truth. I have tried the junk…I have been in this business for many years and now tell the truth about the scam it has become. Listen close…There is no magic in a bottle. duh
While I am avid ethusiastic and would even say an addict with 6 saltwater aquariums, including a highend 150 gallon reef and fish tank, I am disturb on damage to the industry and public education from “Tanked”. This show is VERY MISLEADING and IRRESPONSIBLE to the marine life and the marine profession which requires so MUCH MORE than slapping a tank together and filling with fish that will die within a few days! What they don’t tell or show you is:
1) the fish loaded on the show will MAJORITY DIE due to the tank not being cycled – there are no shortcuts.
2) they have a warehouse FULL OF RETURNED TANKS (pinball, car, refrig, etc, etc, etc,) and UNHAPPY CUSTOMERS because the tanks they build do not have adequate filteration equipment and cannot sustain the required bio/eco system and maintainence – feel so sorry for the little boy go…ing through see that happen.
3) these guys are BOZOS who are more interested in the show and selling their t-shirts than truly sustaining marine life and the hobby — our team of professional aquarium maintenance and store owners went and visited them in Las Vegas and those owners are truly IGNORANT CLOWNS that are only interested in building tanks for fame and not the required systems or education for sustainment and perservation needed. Their warehouse only had a few fish (thank God) and really was only peddling their t-shirts and trying to get more orders for tanks. oh, and they require their customers to sign a 4 year maintenance agreement with them, would assume beyond making the money, they wouldn’t want other professionals to tell them the truth about the systems.
**** If anyone wants to get into the amazing world of aquariums – they should do their homework – get several top professional configurations and quotes – pay for the very best systems upfront, and work with a true aquarium professional that provides “fish maintenance” to validate the best solution vs. a store owner or tank builder who makes their profit by just selling the system. Other item, know this is a very expensive hobby and be as educated as possible (many fish forums online) to make this as wonderful for them, the hobby/industry and their new fish and coral friends.
As aquarists naturally we wince witnessing tanks being filled & marine fish being added shortly thereafter but is it really necessary to state the obvious & preach (to the converted) that there’s more involved?
Before criticising how about leading by example and create your own show?
Unless you’re prepared to finance an entire series yourself I’m guessing the networks would be less than eager to back a show which focusses on the hobby of reef keeping given that statistically isn’t as popular as say sports or reality tv.
If there was a market for a mainstream reef keeping show I’m sure several would already exist but such a show would be about as interesting to the average viewer as a show about housekeeping.
Dissing Brett & Wayde is like complaining about the media when it is in fact the public who desire such content.
For creating an entertaining show I say to Brett & Wayde well done lads. Tanked promotes aquariums & if it takes quirky novelty tanks (which may or may not be running in 6mo) to get the publics attention then so be it.
I would agree with that. All of that save the fish crap is ridiculous. I have a few heater tank and will be starting a reef tank soon and for your information Tanked was the main thing that got me interested in some of the bigger tanks. I started wanting a 10 gallon tank with a couple clown fish and now I am close to purchasing a 55 gallon tank with its own stand. I honk anyone who says that an aquarium is mean to the fish is a small minded weirdo that doesn’t get out often. If you look at knowledgable aquarists that know their fish and “their tank personality” then you can tell that they are the kind of people that will only put fish in that Won’t out grow their tank and feed them and take care of their corals or what’s here you can obviously see that it isn’t abusive it is simply take something beautiful and contains it and keeping it that way. Also I am a 15 year old boy that was able to see that and I am just guessing but I will bet most of you complainers are adults so your even stupider then I thought! Now you complainers go complain to your PETA friends or mutter it under your breath but don’t go around trying to ruin the hobby for everyone who loves it so much.
P.S. if you despise aquarium keepers then why are you on mr.saltwater tank’s website? You all hipicrites!
Out sorry about some of the typos… I hate auto correct!
This show is a tragedy. I am shocked by the unethical treatment of the livestock.
Man I am late on this one haha, but going back over Mr.Saltwatertanks videos I couldnt agree with him more , entertainment is entertainment, and reef junkies like myself understand that thats why I do my best to help newcomers to the hobby and if you see Tanked and go do exactly what you see with out being behind the scenes then you have not done your research and evidently let your live stock down. Read, watch, learn the keys to doing anything in your life, and with that I would like to say thank you for interviewing the horse heh, he annoys me as a person but who am I to judge love his cause and would also love to do something similar. Thanks Mark!
BryanD is a fucking retard.