Hi – I’m Tony – I believe in our products

I’m 39 and I have 2 brilliant children, Tom and Grace. My family is my life, and I would do anything for them all. We like holidays abroad and more recently in the UK as we like camping so we like to get out most weekends when we can. Tom is a budding entomologist even though he is only 7, his interest in bugs and wildlife is amazing – much to my amusement when he brings in a new bug to his mummy and she freaks out!

So why Planted Tanks?

In 2009, I had the opportunity to partake in the Princes Trust Summit to Sea Challenge through a company I worked for. They were corporate sponsors for the charity and needed volunteers to run the challenge. I took the bait!

I had to raise in excess of £3500 in 7 months to be allowed to go and race across Borneo from mount Kilanbalu to the South China Sea. We were on foot, bicycle and raft! We stayed in meagre accommodation – and in some locations we camped overnight on the village football pitches. We were well received and I met up with many villagers who showed me their plants that they grew for the aquarium industry. These people just wanted to make a living – but their village wealth was not that high at all, infact the Princes Trust visit these villages every year and sponsor the school that is there. This year we took them some IT equipment and also made a huge donation to the village for our overnight pitches. They treat us like kings – and held a feast in our honour. We ate some fantastic food – food I had never seen or heard of before!

I came back from Borneo a changed man. My outlook has changed on life and work. I wanted to help these people more. So I started Planted Tanks. We check regularly that the villagers receive a good price for their products that they grow. We are still in contact with the guides that took us around Borneo and they report back every so often.

I have kept fish for many years on and off… but when Tom was born I purchased him a fish tank for his room. I believe in calmness and what better than a fish tank to calm a child down. Since then – the tanks have taken over our house and one customer who came to visit us earlier this year said:

‘Tony has a fish tank in every room in his house – except the toilet,..’

So yes – I use our own products – every plant is or has been grown by me to check its suitability. I have tanks of different sizes, technology levels so I can categorise the plants easier!

One year on, and we have made the move to have a shop that people can visit. We seem to be growing as a company in ways that people do not expect. We hope to see you soon - come along, feel free to browse our products, have a coffee or tea on us. We like to chat as this is a social hobby.