JoshF7
Community Member
I'm wondering if I'm just a super unlucky person with this. Having now had a Trident for a few months, it was time to open up the reagent box I ordered when I first got it and get it replaced and recalibrated with the new kit. I opened the box to find that Reagent B (and some of Reagent C as well as the calibration solution) was leaking in it's bag (the bottles came in bags in a box then, but latest shipments only have calibration fluid in it's own bag). Contacted Neptune Systems and they said "it is positive pressure during shipping and the reagent is fine, go for it". They said they did tests on this problem and concluded everything was fine and it was just fluid leaking out and nothing getting in to mess it up. I thought, hmmm, that sounds super strange, but if they say so I'll give it a go and assume they know what they are talking about.
Yeah, not so much. Results for CA and MG were off by hundreds from the readings just an hour before swapping it out and continued that way for every subsequent test - going from a reading of 420 CA to 650 for instance. After various attempts to "fix" it, recalibrate, etc. it was agreed to try a new calibration solution and recalibrate (as it was insisted the reagent is absolutely fine, so it must just be a "bad calibration"). That calibration solution then also arrived leaking, but again I was assured it wouldn't be a problem and it was "normal". Yeah, it didn't help (surprised? I wasn't). I already had a full replacement reagent kit on order (full price as I ordered it the moment I ran out the first time so I would have one on hand at all times), so that came the next day and what do you know? Yeah, it had leaking calibration fluid (the Reagent seemed intact). Decided to go for it and see, and sure enough the calibration was off for the Alk primarily (others were close enough). I recalibrated based on manual readings of tank water and got it back up and running to "close enough" as this time the reagent seemed functional.
Neptune Systems agreed there was a problem and sent me a replacement reagent kit which just arrived today. I figured I should definitely open up the box and make sure it was good to go, but you can probably guess where this is headed. Yeah, the calibration fluid wasn't just leaking in it's bag, but the lid was actually OFF of the bottle. Somehow the thing opened during shipping? How is that even possible in a sealed box? Fluid everywhere.
Now, in fairness, I believe support at Neptune Systems has tried to do the right thing from a customer service perspective. They have sent me free calibration solution and a free reagent kit (I paid the small amount in shipping). The problem is simply this: I can't seem to get a kit delivered that has everything intact and working. Either the calibration fluid will be useless, or the reagent itself is. The question here then is two parts. First, am I the only one with this problem? I'm guessing this is still a fairly new and relatively rare product, so maybe not enough have complained yet to easily find it with a Google search, or I'm just somehow super unlucky. Second, assuming I'm not just the most unlucky person lately, can anyone at Neptune Systems respond here and help clarify what is being done to improve this situation so you can ship a bottle that hasn't been damaged or leaked everywhere in the box? I know it sounds simple, and I get deliveries of various things all the time that are liquids and not leaking, but apparently there is a defect here in the bottles, the packaging or both. I really want to love the Trident, but this is taking me more time and frustration than it's worth right now.
Yeah, not so much. Results for CA and MG were off by hundreds from the readings just an hour before swapping it out and continued that way for every subsequent test - going from a reading of 420 CA to 650 for instance. After various attempts to "fix" it, recalibrate, etc. it was agreed to try a new calibration solution and recalibrate (as it was insisted the reagent is absolutely fine, so it must just be a "bad calibration"). That calibration solution then also arrived leaking, but again I was assured it wouldn't be a problem and it was "normal". Yeah, it didn't help (surprised? I wasn't). I already had a full replacement reagent kit on order (full price as I ordered it the moment I ran out the first time so I would have one on hand at all times), so that came the next day and what do you know? Yeah, it had leaking calibration fluid (the Reagent seemed intact). Decided to go for it and see, and sure enough the calibration was off for the Alk primarily (others were close enough). I recalibrated based on manual readings of tank water and got it back up and running to "close enough" as this time the reagent seemed functional.
Neptune Systems agreed there was a problem and sent me a replacement reagent kit which just arrived today. I figured I should definitely open up the box and make sure it was good to go, but you can probably guess where this is headed. Yeah, the calibration fluid wasn't just leaking in it's bag, but the lid was actually OFF of the bottle. Somehow the thing opened during shipping? How is that even possible in a sealed box? Fluid everywhere.
Now, in fairness, I believe support at Neptune Systems has tried to do the right thing from a customer service perspective. They have sent me free calibration solution and a free reagent kit (I paid the small amount in shipping). The problem is simply this: I can't seem to get a kit delivered that has everything intact and working. Either the calibration fluid will be useless, or the reagent itself is. The question here then is two parts. First, am I the only one with this problem? I'm guessing this is still a fairly new and relatively rare product, so maybe not enough have complained yet to easily find it with a Google search, or I'm just somehow super unlucky. Second, assuming I'm not just the most unlucky person lately, can anyone at Neptune Systems respond here and help clarify what is being done to improve this situation so you can ship a bottle that hasn't been damaged or leaked everywhere in the box? I know it sounds simple, and I get deliveries of various things all the time that are liquids and not leaking, but apparently there is a defect here in the bottles, the packaging or both. I really want to love the Trident, but this is taking me more time and frustration than it's worth right now.
