CADlights - poor customer service

Daddio · Mar 17, 2016

Don't buy from this company. It has been three weeks and they don't have the courtesy to even respond to to a single request. I bought a TIA1220 skimmer from a LFS a year and a half ago. While I don't expect them to offer me a replacement pumpfor free, I fully expect to pay for it, I do expect them to offer the parts for purchase. I am not the type of person to vent, or make posts like this, but I am amazed at their lack of even a response to 7 emails, 2 voicemails and multiple requests from my LFS.

It is cowardly of them . If they can't supply the the replacement pump, let me know. I have too much money tied up in my livestock to string this along...

I am starting an experiment to see how long it takes to get any sort of response. I apologize to all here for my rant, but I am sure you all have been disappointed at one point. I have posted on their Facebook page and have escalated to posting here since I've noticed that they have an account on this board. Let's see how long it takes them to respond - if ever.

Daddio · Mar 17, 2016

I'm sorry. After reading the rules, I hope I haven't crossed the line. I am hoping to avoid others having the same experience but I do not want to cause harm to others. Merely frustrated in the lack of any response.

Daddio · Mar 18, 2016

I did finally receive a phone call from Jason. They are working on resolving the issue. While I feel the response could have been much quicker, they are trying to get the pump to me as quickly as possible now.

twobytwo · Mar 30, 2016

Very Interesting! I have a TIA 1220 that also has a failing pump. Sometimes it starts up after being turned off, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it wont start when in the sump; I have to take it out of my sump and empty the water out of the skimmer, start it dry (out of water) and put it back in. Even after multiple cleanings and disassembly's, it still does not work every time.

I called around March 1st to inquire about a replacement pump. Im told they have only ONE pump for a TIA 1220. I get my receipt that I purchased from a retailer in April 2015 (new old stock). They agree to replace the pump under warranty, I pay for shipping (to Toronto Canada).

3 weeks later (last week) and no replacement pump yet. I call them up to find out if it was stuck at the border or something else. I'm told they don't know what happened but can see I was charged for shipping. They tell me the good news is they have ONE pump in stock and will send it out right away and email me a tracking number. So... they NEVER sent out the pump which I had paid shipping for, 3 weeks previously.

A week after that (this week, on Monday) and I still hadn't received a tracking number. I call them up and ask about it, they promise to send me a tracking number. The next day, Tuesday, I get an email with a tracking number. I look it up, and it appears the package was only accepted by usps THAT MORNING.

I'm curious to see what happens, especially since OP is looking for the same pump as myself and I was told they only had one. I think having to wait an entire month for a pump to be shipped out is ridiculous.

filbie70 · Sep 10, 2016

The owners at Cadlights are horrible people to work with. I just finished a dispute through Paypal where they tried to convince me that the 150g tank they shipped me was 165g. The physical dimensions are a pretty good test for this theory. I had to get a third party appraisal to prove it was only a 150g. Unfortunately, Paypal only protects you if you ship the complete item back to them. Which unfortunately, the $350 freight cost is at your expense. I was told that the old 150g they use to sell cost the same to them as the 165g and they must have shipped me the wrong one. But since their cost was the same there wasn't anything they would do. The components they provide are low quality. They claim to use Sapphire glass and it isn't. The plumbing is too soft and the threads strip on the bulk heads. They have pictures of the return pump that aren't the actual pump. The dimensions of the sump and ATO calculate at a lower volume vs advertised. It took 3 months to get resolution. They dont return phone calls or emails to support. If it wasn't for them ignoring Paypal's emails, which all i wanted was to ship the low quality components back for a refund and the difference between their direct price and one of their retailers to cover the difference in size, I likely would not have won the dispute without being out the cost of shipping.