hybridazn
Acro killer.....
To start this pertains to my tank crash caused by a rusty volute, screws and collets. I knew the pump was out of warranty but to me those 3 things should never rust and was thinking that a company like coralvue would view the same.
So I use the word questionable because some of you might think, " well what did you expect?" While others might think how I am feeling about how I was treated by coralvue. So the back story, if any of you have been following my build thread you will know that recently I have experienced a crash of my system in which almost all my sps pieces have died. It took me a while to find the source of the problem but I eventually saw that the volute, screws and collets on my reef octopus skimmer pump have totally rusted. I will post the pics at the bottom of the post so you can see what happened.
I made a post on RC in a thread that was made PREVIOUSLY by other members who had/have the same problem with this very same skimmer pump. Well very quickly jeremy@coralvue replied and apologized for what had happened and requested that I open a ticket so they can fix what is wrong. So I did, and that is where is starts to go downhill.
After I open the ticket explaining that jeremy requested I do so on RC and explaining my situation carlos immediately responded and asked for the serial number, model number and my shipping address. So I thought here we were good to go, they are going to replace the volute and hardware and we will be good, wrong. Carlos emails me back the following day informing me that the pump is out of warranty (which I already knew) and that I have 2 options. They are, I can purchase a new volute for the pump or I can buy a new gen2 pump.... thats it, no sorry about losing thousands of dollars in sps or anything. So I email carlos back and tell him in a noce way that I do not accept these "options" and that hopefully we can come to another resolution. I also explained that the pump itself works perfectly, and if this were a mechanical failure (ie motor siezed, impeller broke) I could see how the 2 options he gave me would be acceptable. I then explained that the only thing wrong with this pump is that they decided as a company to use cheap chinese made stainless steel parts that I would think they would have known they wouldn't hold up in the conditions that the products were to be used for. And also their is a huge thread on RC about this peoblem happening to many people, not just me.
A few days past, I believe it was because of a weekend and then I get a response this time from Chris@coralvue stating that I can clean the rust off the volute, screws and collets with tin foil. And that the best he can do is sell me a new pump for $109 plus shipping. I reaponded kindly that I already cleaned the pump off with tin foil and that I did manage to get the screws clean but the collets have rust way down inside (see pics) that I cannot reach with foil. And there is no way to clean the volute since the metal pieces are sandwiched between 2 pieces of plastic to make the volute 1 piece. I also starts that I cannot see buying a new pump because of a faulty design that has fails on many ppl which is why I felt started the new "redesign" for the new pump.
I then get a response this past friday from carlos explaining that they redesigned the pump to basically stay fresh and that they didn't donit because of any faults in the design of the previous generation pump. and that if I change my mind about buying the new pump he will make a disocunt code for me. And that was it, nothing else.
I responded today stating that I am declining the "offer" on the new pump because again stating that there is nothing wrong mechanically with the old pump. And that I am kind of disappointed in the fact that not once did they even offer to replace the volute, screws and collets. That they just kept trying to get me to buy this new pump.
So we shall see if they respond or not. I think I have been courteous in all my responses to them like they were to me, but I feel like I have been wronged and they will not stand behind their product unless it is under warranty. Am I wrong in feeling this way? I dont think I am, but maybe im crazy.
So I use the word questionable because some of you might think, " well what did you expect?" While others might think how I am feeling about how I was treated by coralvue. So the back story, if any of you have been following my build thread you will know that recently I have experienced a crash of my system in which almost all my sps pieces have died. It took me a while to find the source of the problem but I eventually saw that the volute, screws and collets on my reef octopus skimmer pump have totally rusted. I will post the pics at the bottom of the post so you can see what happened.
I made a post on RC in a thread that was made PREVIOUSLY by other members who had/have the same problem with this very same skimmer pump. Well very quickly jeremy@coralvue replied and apologized for what had happened and requested that I open a ticket so they can fix what is wrong. So I did, and that is where is starts to go downhill.
After I open the ticket explaining that jeremy requested I do so on RC and explaining my situation carlos immediately responded and asked for the serial number, model number and my shipping address. So I thought here we were good to go, they are going to replace the volute and hardware and we will be good, wrong. Carlos emails me back the following day informing me that the pump is out of warranty (which I already knew) and that I have 2 options. They are, I can purchase a new volute for the pump or I can buy a new gen2 pump.... thats it, no sorry about losing thousands of dollars in sps or anything. So I email carlos back and tell him in a noce way that I do not accept these "options" and that hopefully we can come to another resolution. I also explained that the pump itself works perfectly, and if this were a mechanical failure (ie motor siezed, impeller broke) I could see how the 2 options he gave me would be acceptable. I then explained that the only thing wrong with this pump is that they decided as a company to use cheap chinese made stainless steel parts that I would think they would have known they wouldn't hold up in the conditions that the products were to be used for. And also their is a huge thread on RC about this peoblem happening to many people, not just me.
A few days past, I believe it was because of a weekend and then I get a response this time from Chris@coralvue stating that I can clean the rust off the volute, screws and collets with tin foil. And that the best he can do is sell me a new pump for $109 plus shipping. I reaponded kindly that I already cleaned the pump off with tin foil and that I did manage to get the screws clean but the collets have rust way down inside (see pics) that I cannot reach with foil. And there is no way to clean the volute since the metal pieces are sandwiched between 2 pieces of plastic to make the volute 1 piece. I also starts that I cannot see buying a new pump because of a faulty design that has fails on many ppl which is why I felt started the new "redesign" for the new pump.
I then get a response this past friday from carlos explaining that they redesigned the pump to basically stay fresh and that they didn't donit because of any faults in the design of the previous generation pump. and that if I change my mind about buying the new pump he will make a disocunt code for me. And that was it, nothing else.
I responded today stating that I am declining the "offer" on the new pump because again stating that there is nothing wrong mechanically with the old pump. And that I am kind of disappointed in the fact that not once did they even offer to replace the volute, screws and collets. That they just kept trying to get me to buy this new pump.
So we shall see if they respond or not. I think I have been courteous in all my responses to them like they were to me, but I feel like I have been wronged and they will not stand behind their product unless it is under warranty. Am I wrong in feeling this way? I dont think I am, but maybe im crazy.
