Juwel Brace Bar Problems - Juwel Owning Up?

[wasmewasntit]

For a while now across a few discussion boards, a problem has been highlighted regarding Juwel brace bars that have come unstuck or torn or twisted.


For reasons best known to Juwel the bracing system on the larger aquariums are made of plastic.


Basically a plastic bar that is glued from the front panel of glass to the rear panel of glass.


Not so long ago a friend experienced their Juwel 450 lose its bars...they twisted and tore and came unstuck.


Eventually after many emails and calls, the aquarium was replaced.


Juwel have never actually admitted an issue exists with their brace bars.....til now


UK stockists of Juwel aquariums are now able to supply new brace bars and glue sets


https://aquacadabra.com/products/juwel-support-brace-bar-including-glue-1010732


So the question would be......if there wasn't an issue, why suddenly start supplying repair/replace kits?

 

[Aiken Drum]

They are never going to admit an issue as it would lead to mass returns and refunds. Selling a replacement brace kit makes sense to them as people are raising issues and people will buy them, so they make a little extra money.

Its kind of like BiOrb selling aquariums with known filtration issues that can easily be fixed, but they dont want to fix it because it reduces their aftersales.

Why admit to a problem with the bracing when the majority of times the problem doesn't manifest and when it does manifest you can sell something else to fix it.

The whole aquarium industry is commercially set up to sell products that either dont work, or fix problems that dont exist or could be easily fixed at source by selling a good product to start with.

 

[wasmewasntit]

When I saw the state of the brace bars on an aquarium the size of the 450, it was shocking. Especially on an aquarium barely a year old.



One alternative at the time was to remove the rim that the braces were attached to (and torn away from) and go to a glazier to have glass bracing made and fit that instead


But why should anyone have to go to that extreme when paying such a lot of money for an aquarium?


Juwel is one of the bigger names in fishkeeping...they are the only firm to use plastic as bracing.


Cuts their manufacturing costs down to use plastic but when you then end up having to replace a damaged aquarium cos of that same plastic, the profit margin flies out the window


Glass bracing has been used for decades...if it ain't broke, why fix it, especially when the fix is next to useless?


Just admit a mistake was made and save your reputation.

 

[Aiken Drum]

I dont think a few comments on forums will damage their reputation. Online forums just arent that busy anymore. Its all FB and Youtube where the people giving opinion are paid for their reviews. Im a non active member on a few forums (i recognise your username BTW) and they all seem to have 10 to 20 regularly active members and everyone else just occasionally drops on when Youtube lets them down.

My Fluval has a plastic brace, although its one piece with the plastic rim, so not comparing like for like. And it may be reinforced as well i suppose.

People shouldnt have to spend money fixing inbuilt issues, but aquarium keeping is pretty much unregulated and manufacturers can produce rubbish and pretty much make whatever claims they want without effective challenge. Not just Juwel. Its how they make their money unfortunately.

 

[wasmewasntit]

My aquariums are AquaEl (29 gallon) and their subsidiary Diversa (53 gallon)


My 53, for example, cost me £289 including stand, hood and lighting with delivery - not to curb but to room of choice. Glass braced, perfectly adequate and very well made.


Yes...with Juwel, Fluval etc you get the "name" but with that you also get sky high prices


And when paying that sky high price, you should be able to expect a higher quality build and life expectancy


I have had the big names in the past but none have come close to my Diversa for build quality.


There is alot more choice out there....these big names need to start watching what they are doing cos their percentage of the market will dwindle if their product has a built in design flaw like the bracing made of plastic.


The only Diversa stockist, the company have made aquariums for over 50 years and became part of AquaEl around 20 years ago...


https://mbstore.uk/


And they are only large aquarium supplier who delivers by their own vehicle and driver anywhere in the UK and delivers to the room that you want it to be in.


Big names might learn a thing or two....especially on build quality and design.