kidtango
Active Member
Hello all,
I want your honest opinion on this. I am going leave the name of the vendor(s) out for now in this story. Here we go:
I recently built a new tank that's rimless. Got the PVC bottom and etc. The build is questionable since the original tank engineer of the company left. I heard through my own sources that my tank was built by people that are not experienced tank builders. I believe more of what was said when I received the tank. It was not up to the level of craftmanship that I expected out of this company.
I got over that fact that it was not perfect. So I moved on... But now the issue remains that my tank has PVC bottom and rimless. The tank is around 180g. Since I doubt the craftmanship and the engineering behind the tank, I am now extremely paranoid. Tank builders don't build tanks this size and rimless with just PVC bottom anymore. Because it has proven to be unreliable. Most PVC bottom tanks have braces on them. If not, then have some other material they use to re-enforced the bottom panel. I am not a tank builder or know much about it to be honest. So I can be completely wrong here. I feel like if I keep the tank and the it leaks on me, then the lost can be much more than the cost of the tank in the near future. Corals and fish are not cheap! At least the stuff that I want in my tank. No to mention the possible demage to the apartment... I careless about that haha.. But the fish... And my corals!
So here is what I want your opinion on. Should I keep the tank and gamble it? And hopefully it holds. Or if it breaks then I can hope that the builder will warranty my tank? Based on another case that I know with the issue of a similar tank like mine, the result of the warranty isn't promising. There's basically no resolution for it. The builder did give both tanks a discount. Mine was called the "brother in law" discount. lol. It sounds funny as hell when I heard it. I actually ended up paying pretty much at the cost that they would ask for the tank and stand from a regular customer.
This post is not meant to bash the builder or that I have any resentment toward anyone. I have myself to blame for this. The lake of understanding and I guess one can call it bad luck caused me $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$... I thought I went with the best in town. They were at one point the best in town from what I can tell. Well, such is life right? We pay for our mistakes.
Or I can be proactive about this and build a new tank. This time with another vendor that is well known. The tank engineer left the company that built my tank and went over to this new company that I am currently in contact to build the new tank. They are asking $3600 for the tank. That seems very high... But from my personal experience, it's worth it if they have the craftmanship to back up that cost! It better be freaking perfect with no bubbles or air pockets in silicon... All edges are polished and shine like diamond.. lol
If I go with this option, then I may get some money back for the current tank. Maybe half... Still better than complete lost. I feel like if my tank leaks tomorrow, I will face a complete lost on the tank. There will be no warrant... I made the mistake of paying cash... Still have the receipt for it though... Never ever pay cash people!!!! Use your **** credit card. lol. At least you have some backing from the credit card company. Set proper expectations with the builder from the beginning and know what they will deliver. I didn't do any of this,, because I trusted that the builder will deliver a superior product. Yep... That's another lesson learned... I thought I should know stuff like this but I didn't. I guess I can give myself some slack since this is my first custom build.
Please don't ask me who's the builder and etc. I don't want any drama. Just your honest opinion. And maybe this will help someone looking to build a custom tank in the future. Who knows... Maybe it's just a fun story to read?
I want your honest opinion on this. I am going leave the name of the vendor(s) out for now in this story. Here we go:
I recently built a new tank that's rimless. Got the PVC bottom and etc. The build is questionable since the original tank engineer of the company left. I heard through my own sources that my tank was built by people that are not experienced tank builders. I believe more of what was said when I received the tank. It was not up to the level of craftmanship that I expected out of this company.
I got over that fact that it was not perfect. So I moved on... But now the issue remains that my tank has PVC bottom and rimless. The tank is around 180g. Since I doubt the craftmanship and the engineering behind the tank, I am now extremely paranoid. Tank builders don't build tanks this size and rimless with just PVC bottom anymore. Because it has proven to be unreliable. Most PVC bottom tanks have braces on them. If not, then have some other material they use to re-enforced the bottom panel. I am not a tank builder or know much about it to be honest. So I can be completely wrong here. I feel like if I keep the tank and the it leaks on me, then the lost can be much more than the cost of the tank in the near future. Corals and fish are not cheap! At least the stuff that I want in my tank. No to mention the possible demage to the apartment... I careless about that haha.. But the fish... And my corals!
So here is what I want your opinion on. Should I keep the tank and gamble it? And hopefully it holds. Or if it breaks then I can hope that the builder will warranty my tank? Based on another case that I know with the issue of a similar tank like mine, the result of the warranty isn't promising. There's basically no resolution for it. The builder did give both tanks a discount. Mine was called the "brother in law" discount. lol. It sounds funny as hell when I heard it. I actually ended up paying pretty much at the cost that they would ask for the tank and stand from a regular customer.
This post is not meant to bash the builder or that I have any resentment toward anyone. I have myself to blame for this. The lake of understanding and I guess one can call it bad luck caused me $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$... I thought I went with the best in town. They were at one point the best in town from what I can tell. Well, such is life right? We pay for our mistakes.
Or I can be proactive about this and build a new tank. This time with another vendor that is well known. The tank engineer left the company that built my tank and went over to this new company that I am currently in contact to build the new tank. They are asking $3600 for the tank. That seems very high... But from my personal experience, it's worth it if they have the craftmanship to back up that cost! It better be freaking perfect with no bubbles or air pockets in silicon... All edges are polished and shine like diamond.. lol
If I go with this option, then I may get some money back for the current tank. Maybe half... Still better than complete lost. I feel like if my tank leaks tomorrow, I will face a complete lost on the tank. There will be no warrant... I made the mistake of paying cash... Still have the receipt for it though... Never ever pay cash people!!!! Use your **** credit card. lol. At least you have some backing from the credit card company. Set proper expectations with the builder from the beginning and know what they will deliver. I didn't do any of this,, because I trusted that the builder will deliver a superior product. Yep... That's another lesson learned... I thought I should know stuff like this but I didn't. I guess I can give myself some slack since this is my first custom build.
Please don't ask me who's the builder and etc. I don't want any drama. Just your honest opinion. And maybe this will help someone looking to build a custom tank in the future. Who knows... Maybe it's just a fun story to read?
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