Tanked

Book excerpt: DIVCo-owners of Las Vegas’s Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM) and stars of the Animal Planet hit show Tanked, rowdy brothers-in-law Wayde King and Brett Ryamer build some of the most enormous, awe-inspiring aquariums for top celebrities, luxury hotels and casinos, Fortune 500 businesses, and millionaire homeowners across the country, taking on tanks ranging from 50 gallons to 50,000. Jackass producer Jeffery Tremaine commissioned a two-ton salt-water tank for his man cave--and hijinks of course ensued. The guys kept their gloves on when the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship ordered the ultimate “Aquagon” for UFC headquarters. Then Wayde and Brett tried to beat the clock when Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade asked them to create a pop-up tank featuring his new Sting Ray sneaker at the unveiling party during NBA All-Star weekend. In the newest episodes, the guys bring their clients’ wildest visions to life with: a Cleopatra sarcophagus tank with fish from the Red Sea for an archeology-themed room at a boutique hotel; a retro rocket-ship aquarium for the headquarters of Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop with candy-colored fish and fizzing soda bottles; a giant lava lamp tank that changes colors, glows in the dark, and features jellyfish; a smokin’ hot aquarium to honor Fairleigh Dickson University’s Devils with a lifelike fire element; and a slot-machine tank for a wedding chapel in Las Vegas. Tanked: The Book features detailed, in-depth profiles of ATM’s top builds, the inside story of how they climbed to the top of the shark-infested world of custom aquariums, fascinating profiles of the cast, never-before-told behind-the-scenes stories direct from the set, celebrity testimonials, and fun sidebars like “fish facts” and “tank tips” so everyone can get tanked at home. /div