Tropical Smoothie Café in Tampa, Florida, will be the backdrop for Animal Planet’s hit reality television program, "Tanked," as the show returns with new episodes beginning Friday, March 22, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. "Tanked," an Animal Planet original series, highlights the most outrageous builds each week for those who want the biggest, best, and most unique aquariums the world has ever seen.
Franchisee Rob Szasz opened his Tropical Smoothie Café at 200 N. Tampa St. in 2010. He deliberately left the front window area vacant, desiring to eventually display a premier salt water aquarium for his family, friends, and customers. Upon seeing the series "Tanked" on Animal Planet, Szasz wrote in to the show’s producers and made his case to be selected. His wishes were granted, and in August of 2012, the episode was filmed on location, and his tank was unveiled.
“Our ultimate goal was for this tank to exemplify our ‘Tropitude’,” says Szasz, referring to Tropical Smoothie Café’s brand slogan. “The first time I saw ‘Tanked,’ I just knew it would be the perfect way to collaborate and make that dream a reality.”
The Tropical Smoothie Café 200-gallon tank, which is prominently displayed in the café’s window, stands five feet tall and was created in the shape of one of the brand’s signature smoothies – complete with a six foot red straw shooting up from the top of the lid, lifelike fruit, and a three foot bamboo stand. It also features 65 fish, a variety that includes clown fish, angels, and tangs.
"Tanked" brings to life the professional exploits of Acrylic Tank Manufacturing (ATM), a Las Vegas-based company owned by brothers-in-law Wayde King and Brett Raymer. ATM is one of the largest aquarium manufacturing companies in the U.S., and the show follows King and Raymer to a new destination each week as they design the craziest, most striking one-of-a-kind fish tanks for their clients.
