New tank questions

[Aquarium Girl]

I ordered a 48x24x24 tank, cabinet/stand and hood custom made for me but will be returning the tank next weekend as it's got chips and scratches and some sort of film or something on the glass that I couldn't get rid of with lots of cleaning.

My question - is it normal for there to be no cut outs from the corners and lids for filter intakes, heater/air stone cables and lines etc? When I take it back should I be asking the guy to cut these for me?









Thanks!!!

 

[Delapool]

I reckon for the price I assume you paid for it, you should get whatever you want! Especially custom made. My impression is that the tank should have room along the "back corners" for dropping cables and inlet/outlet pipes into the tank. Otherwise it is a poor design and they should fix. I assume one long side will be the back end and looking at this it looks tricky to get cables into, let alone anything like a canister filter inlet/outlet, etc. (Typing this with hay-fever so happy to be corrected ). The hood and cabinet may need some wood cutting. I was told my tank (similar size to yours) would be good to go with equipment (was buying it all as a package from one LFS), the cabinet may need holes cut in back for cables (this was actually done for me although the holes were a little small) and the hood should be fine (had to take a saw to it as it blocked access to pipes and cables). I don't mind a bit of wood work but draw the line at glass cutting

 

[Delapool]

PS Did you get a sheet of polystyrene, etc to go between tank and wood included? Also worth checking any cabinet handles fit properly. My LFS did a great product but you get the odd niggle.

 

[Aquarium Girl]

I reckon for the price I assume you paid for it, you should get whatever you want! Especially custom made. My impression is that the tank should have room along the "back corners" for dropping cables and inlet/outlet pipes into the tank. Otherwise it is a poor design and they should fix. I assume one long side will be the back end and looking at this it looks tricky to get cables into, let alone anything like a canister filter inlet/outlet, etc. (Typing this with hay-fever so happy to be corrected ). The hood and cabinet may need some wood cutting. I was told my tank (similar size to yours) would be good to go with equipment (was buying it all as a package from one LFS), the cabinet may need holes cut in back for cables (this was actually done for me although the holes were a little small) and the hood should be fine (had to take a saw to it as it blocked access to pipes and cables). I don't mind a bit of wood work but draw the line at glass cutting

You're right - my filter inlet/outlet would need to hang off the side and would look awful! Thanks - I'll ask him to cut the corners out.

I used a hole saw to cut holes in the back of the cabinet and will need to cut the hood when I have it all set up and know where I'll need to cut.

It was cheap as far as new tanks go, but was told it would be a brand new tank. I even had to make a second trip out to pick up the tank because the tank maker had said the silicone needed an extra couple of days to cure due to the weather we'd been having. They said it was cheap, not damaged

 

[Delapool]

(Failed send, will try again.) Totally agree, it shouldn't be damaged at all. My tank length is the same and I have a corner gap of approx. 6cm in case that helps. Hopefully I have attached a photo of under the tank hood. There is a corner gap at front of tank (same length at back), a sheet of Perspex under the light and then the pipes running out the cut square in the hood at the back. The pipes are hard plastic so not much flexibility. I have just enough room for the light cable to drop down the side but you are right, pipes down the side would look ugly. Good luck with it.

 

[Aquarium Girl]

On my way with tank on board to take it back to the tank maker. Fingers crossed for a good outcome!

 

[Aquarium Girl]

Well he offered me the choice of 2 other tanks that he had already made up and they were in worse shape than mine, so I told him that I wouldn't be happy with either of them.

End result - he has agreed to make me a new tank, with brand new glass with NO scratches and corners cut out from the back corners and corresponding cuts in the lids.

Stay tuned .......

 

[Delapool]

Well he offered me the choice of 2 other tanks that he had already made up and they were in worse shape than mine, so I told him that I wouldn't be happy with either of them.

End result - he has agreed to make me a new tank, with brand new glass with NO scratches and corners cut out from the back corners and corresponding cuts in the lids.

Stay tuned .......

Reckon, well done - its a showpiece for all as well for his business.

 

[Aquarium Girl]

Well I had a phone call from the tank maker last night. Appears that he's NOT going to make me a new tank as he feels that there was nothing wrong with the two that he showed me (scratched and chipped, one of which the panes of glass didn't meet up squarely and he told me that it was fine - just put a cover strip on it) and he believes that I wouldn't be happy with anything that he made. I'd still find something to "squibble" about.

Makes me so angry! I ordered and paid for a BRAND NEW tank and cabinet and the guy lets me down in the worst way because he obviously doesn't like being told that his work is sloppy and the fact that I challenged his claim that he uses new and not recycled glass.

So now I have a cabinet, eggcrate, lights, new sand, new filters, rocks and new fish in quarantine and NO TANK!!!! Arghhhhhhh. Back to the drawing board. I just hope he gives me a fair refund as there was no price breakdown showing me the charge for just the tank

 

[Delapool]

Hey, that's really disappointing and not good form from them. From memory the tank was the cheaper part for me but I guess it would be store by store. I know that once I had the base then it wasn't much extra to increase the height. Hope you get a decent refund. If the rest is ok, would you look at a second hand tank? I see some on gumtree that look quite new and ok every so often. Hope it works out, what sort of fish did you get?

 

[Aquarium Girl]

Thanks - I was a bit gutted but have since found a couple of places that I can get a perfect, brand new tank for around $225 so I'm pretty happy with that.

I got 2 more syndontis multis to bring my school up to 4, and 3 male peacocks - one blue, one yellow and one OB. They're doing well in my QT and hopefully will go straight into the new tank in a few weeks

 

[Aquarium Girl]

Finally! After days of researching I have finally found a reputable tank maker with rave reviews and my new tank is ordered and being made exactly how I want it!!!! Yay!!! A bit more pricey but I'd rather spend a few more dollars for something I'm going to get so much enjoyment from!!!

Incidentally, 4 places that I spoke to were well aware of the dodgy tank maker and knew who it was straight away without me naming any names. He's also gotten mostly bad raps on forums with one guy actually stating "If it's an exploding tank you want - go see ******"

I think I just dodged a bullet there my friend.

 

[Delapool]

Congrats on the new tank!

Wow, I can't believe the guy is still in business. I've got an RCD circuit breaker at the powerpoint but you just hope water and electricity never mix. Good riddance to bad.

Totally agree, a few extra bucks for what you want and they last for years. At least until the next tank..