Horry County Museum’s aquarium to be featured on Animal Planet’s “Tanked”

The new 2,200-gallon aquarium in the Horry County Museum will gain some national attention later this month as its design, construction and completion was taped for a show on the cable television channel Animal Planet.

Walter Hill, executive director of the museum, said the museum’s foundation raised $227,642 for the custom-built, double aquarium that is nestled in the museum’s welcome area and encircled by a winding staircase.

“We wanted to put something in the museum that was a major introduction and that was going to be the beautiful and engaging and exciting, and at the same time be an exhibit,” Hill said of the fresh-water aquarium. “We were top choice there immediately for them to build an aquarium for us and install it and have it as part of their programming.”

Hill said a boost came from the relationship that low bidder Acrylic Tank Manufacturing of Las Vegas, Nev., had with the show “Tanked” on Animal Planet, which is a show that builds and installs custom-made aquariums throughout the nation and for wealthy celebrities. Former Major League Baseball star Pete Rose will also have an aquarium featured in the same episode as Horry County’s.

The aquarium was assembled in April.

Horry County museum officials approached Animal Planet’s “Tanked” through an application process, and explained to them they are a free public museum and the aquarium would be an education exhibit. Hill said the aquarium features fish who lived and were caught in Horry County’s fresh waterways.

Acrylic Tank Manufacturing, known on the show as ATM, helped design and construct the two tanks — one a bigger tank that houses a smaller cylinder tank. At some points, the tanks are six feet tall and 12 feet wide.

The tanks feature various ornaments, including a faux beaver dam.

The show, which is set to air at 10 p.m. Sept. 26, follows the project from concept, and construction to installation and completion.

“It became a really cool project to work with because not only was it alone in itself a fantastic exhibit and beautiful to look at, but we’re getting the added benefit of it being a part of a hit television show,” Hill said. “From our perspective, it’s about being able to share with the world that Horry County has some unique things here.”

He said the museum will have a local showing for those who miss it on Animal Planet. A date for the showing has not been set.

Hill said he hopes the aquarium will make the museum another stop for tourists to check out while visiting the Grand Strand.

“We hope that everybody who comes to Myrtle Beach on vacation is going to want to come by and check out our Animal Planet tank in our museum,” Hill said.