Crazy?
Here's the deal..
I ordered a 50g artisan ii cube system from cadlights in September through email communication they agreed to hold it until we moved the beginning of November, and that I would contact them closer to the move date for exact date and correct address.
Let me also add, that I had read about missing parts and issues with slow communication with the company. Most of the posts seemed to be able to get it resolved though. This tank had the look I wanted at a price point my wife could swallow, so I bit the bullet.
So October 27th, I emailed requesting the tank to be shipped out for delivery on November 10th and provided the new shipping address. Did not hear back through the email chain after 3 business days, so I went to the website and used the contact me form and asked if someone could confirm my email was received and update me on the shipping.
The reply I got was we have shipped it out, thanks. I replied that I had wanted it delivered later, they said oh shipper will contact you to schedule delivery and they will hold it for you.
Well, they did ship it but it was scheduled for delivery to my old address. So we had several days of the shipper trying to get an ok from cadlights to redirect (ie pay for) the shipment to the new address. Cadlights at first declined but once I spoke with someone about the previous emails with correct info, they readily agreed to authorize the change in shipping. So have to miss another day to meet the shipping carrier on November 15th.
So I open up tank carton and find the skimmer, refugium light, and foam mat for under the tank are not included. All the stand pieces are foam wrapped and shrink wrapped, and set aside. Contact cadlights and ask for these items to be shipped, skimmer is supposed to be on backorder so they can send that in a week or two and am told I don't "need the mat" do I want that... Yes I do.
I request the foam mat to be expedited so I can get the tank setup, while I wait for skimmer to become available. Request is denied, too expensive to overnight.
So I call back next day or so, asking for info on when mat will arrive. It's not yet shipped, but they have found a skimmer and they will ship it all out that day, Thursday or Friday last week.
So package arrives Tuesday, I have the black mat now so I start to assemble the stand, noticed several black spots that will end up on the interior of the white stand. Not incredibly happy, but it's low visibility area so I carry on. Well, now I find I am missing the I beam and screws to attach it, all the magnetic doorstop pieces, and I don't have enough cam screws or cam locks to attach the top of the stand.
Another call to cadlights, and I am told the I beam is optional, not structural do I still want it? Why yes I do want all the pieces of the stand...
skimmer is missing stand and the acrylic holding the pipes is cracked, drain from the skimmer cup is snapped off. They want me to send it back for repair..
I ask for cam screws and locks to be sent overnight so I can at least finish assembly and get the tank on the stand, I am told management has to approve that..
I call later and am told no expedited shipping again too expensive.
At this point I am incredibly frustrated (actually a couple paragraphs ago) but my wife has had it. She wants to send it back, so she calls them and after that conversation they agreed to overnight the hardware, and have the rest to us by this Saturday.
So yesterday I get the cam locks and screws.... And the cam locks are the wrong size... I again contact them.
Correct cam locks supposedly will be shipped with the remaining items for delivery Saturday.
Just ran the tracking number, delivery is set for Tuesday, they shipped it Fedex ground.
I have not even been able to leak test the tank at this point..
So the dilemma is my wife wants to return it, she does not trust the company and is convinced they piecing together leftover parts, since they have taken the 50g off the website. She's frustrated about all these issues, and has little faith the tank and stand will be good to use and that it's all going to crash to the floor sooner than later.
TL;DR Cadlights keeps screwing up repeatedly on missing parts, broken parts, and general lack of customer service. Wife wants to return it
She thinks I'm crazy to keep the setup after all this, but doesn't want me to spend anymore than what we spent on this setup. The Reefer series and a setup I showed her at the LFS are too much money for her to accept (300-500 more).
So, am I crazy?
Here's the deal..
I ordered a 50g artisan ii cube system from cadlights in September through email communication they agreed to hold it until we moved the beginning of November, and that I would contact them closer to the move date for exact date and correct address.
Let me also add, that I had read about missing parts and issues with slow communication with the company. Most of the posts seemed to be able to get it resolved though. This tank had the look I wanted at a price point my wife could swallow, so I bit the bullet.
So October 27th, I emailed requesting the tank to be shipped out for delivery on November 10th and provided the new shipping address. Did not hear back through the email chain after 3 business days, so I went to the website and used the contact me form and asked if someone could confirm my email was received and update me on the shipping.
The reply I got was we have shipped it out, thanks. I replied that I had wanted it delivered later, they said oh shipper will contact you to schedule delivery and they will hold it for you.
Well, they did ship it but it was scheduled for delivery to my old address. So we had several days of the shipper trying to get an ok from cadlights to redirect (ie pay for) the shipment to the new address. Cadlights at first declined but once I spoke with someone about the previous emails with correct info, they readily agreed to authorize the change in shipping. So have to miss another day to meet the shipping carrier on November 15th.
So I open up tank carton and find the skimmer, refugium light, and foam mat for under the tank are not included. All the stand pieces are foam wrapped and shrink wrapped, and set aside. Contact cadlights and ask for these items to be shipped, skimmer is supposed to be on backorder so they can send that in a week or two and am told I don't "need the mat" do I want that... Yes I do.
I request the foam mat to be expedited so I can get the tank setup, while I wait for skimmer to become available. Request is denied, too expensive to overnight.
So I call back next day or so, asking for info on when mat will arrive. It's not yet shipped, but they have found a skimmer and they will ship it all out that day, Thursday or Friday last week.
So package arrives Tuesday, I have the black mat now so I start to assemble the stand, noticed several black spots that will end up on the interior of the white stand. Not incredibly happy, but it's low visibility area so I carry on. Well, now I find I am missing the I beam and screws to attach it, all the magnetic doorstop pieces, and I don't have enough cam screws or cam locks to attach the top of the stand.
Another call to cadlights, and I am told the I beam is optional, not structural do I still want it? Why yes I do want all the pieces of the stand...
skimmer is missing stand and the acrylic holding the pipes is cracked, drain from the skimmer cup is snapped off. They want me to send it back for repair..
I ask for cam screws and locks to be sent overnight so I can at least finish assembly and get the tank on the stand, I am told management has to approve that..
I call later and am told no expedited shipping again too expensive.
At this point I am incredibly frustrated (actually a couple paragraphs ago) but my wife has had it. She wants to send it back, so she calls them and after that conversation they agreed to overnight the hardware, and have the rest to us by this Saturday.
So yesterday I get the cam locks and screws.... And the cam locks are the wrong size... I again contact them.
Correct cam locks supposedly will be shipped with the remaining items for delivery Saturday.
Just ran the tracking number, delivery is set for Tuesday, they shipped it Fedex ground.
I have not even been able to leak test the tank at this point..
So the dilemma is my wife wants to return it, she does not trust the company and is convinced they piecing together leftover parts, since they have taken the 50g off the website. She's frustrated about all these issues, and has little faith the tank and stand will be good to use and that it's all going to crash to the floor sooner than later.
TL;DR Cadlights keeps screwing up repeatedly on missing parts, broken parts, and general lack of customer service. Wife wants to return it
She thinks I'm crazy to keep the setup after all this, but doesn't want me to spend anymore than what we spent on this setup. The Reefer series and a setup I showed her at the LFS are too much money for her to accept (300-500 more).
So, am I crazy?
