Aquarium Plants.Com Problems

[JLW]

Hey gang,

I wanted to share a recent experience I've had with AquariumPlants.com. I'm not sure if they recently changed owners, or what's happened, but I do know they relocated from SD to Florida. They are the exclusive makers of the "Carbon Doser," which is an electronic CO2 rig. A lot of you have probably seen that I use these.

Well, two of the units stopped working, with different issues. I asked them about repairs, and they said, "Sure, send them down." So, I did. This was about 2-weeks before the AGA. I sent an e-mail a week later asking when they'd be returned. I received no response.

A couple of days before Easter, I called them and asked, "What's going on?" I was told that the service person was out for the Holiday, and would look at them on Monday and give me a call. No big deal. I received no call, nothing. Then, on the 20th, I called back, and was told, "Oh, yea, he just opened them up. It looks like they have saltwater corrosion on them. Do you use them for a calcium reactor or something?" Now, neither unit has been anywhere near saltwater, and both of them use cheque valves, which work. I mentioned this, and they told me that they might be confused about which units they were talking about, and I was told that the tech would finish looking at them, and call me back.

They never called back.

On the 27th, I called back, and was told, again, that they were just getting to them. Guess they forgot that they already looked at them on the 20th. I was told that they were on their way out to lunch (at 230), and would call me about the "damn things" when they got back, in an hour. I mentioned that I had called before and told they'd call me back, and not received calls, so Mark (the guy at AP) again told me, "No, no, I promise, I"ll call you in an hour. I've got your number."

They never called back.

That night, I sent them another e-mail, and said, basically, "It's been over a month, I don't know what's going on with these, will you please just give me an estimate of when they'll be sent back?"

Let's stick with a theme.

They never replied.

On the 28th, they generated some sort of automatic order thingy, claiming both units were damaged by saltwater and that I owed them $127.52 for repairs. I don't know where they sent this, but I never received it.

Finally, yesterday, I lost it. It's been nearly 2-months with basically no communication from them. I told them, "I've received no responses about this, no phone calls back, nothing. Just ship them back. I'll fix them myself."

The response I got back was, "i e-mailed u 2 weeks ago" (sic sic sic).

That was it. Now, if I send an e-mail and someone writes something indicating they've never received said e-mail, I'm going to at least tell them what it said. Professionalism is no longer this company's middle name, anywhere, I guess. I sent again, "This is ridiculous. Please just return the units. Your company is really unimpressing me, and I'm sorry to say that I don't believe we'll be able to do business again in the future."

I received a copy of the automatic invoice and this response:

> > They were repaired 2 weeks ago. I sent you an email with the invoice.
> >
> > I did NOT reply to this thread !!! Again, I stated: “I sent you an email”
> >
> > I resent the email invoice again today… look at the date !!!
> >
> > I don’t appreciate your tone/rudeness/calling me a liar.
> >
> > As for you “not doing business with us any longer”. I don’t care.
> >
<Snip>
> >
> > Keep in mind, these regulators are only available through us.
> >
> > Now, submit payment for the repairs, as they had internal saltwater corrosion. (non warranty)
> >

Unfortunately, apparently Mark at Aquarium Plants.com no longer cares who does business with him. I won't be. They're refusing to return the units, I don't know what nonsense this "saltwater damage" is. I never authorized them to do $125 worth of repairs on them -- imagine taking your car in for an oil change, and being told, "Well, your brakes were a little worn. We replaced them, without asking or telling you. Give us $500 -- and we're holding your car until you do."

This is, unfortunately, really awful, and I'm incredibly disappointed. I just thought I'd share this.

[GOT MTS?]

Thanks for the share Julie. Sorry you have had such a bad experience. I know you paid a lot for thoes fancy regs. I havn't done business with AP.com in years but won't be doing any future business with them if this is how they treat their customers. No excuse for this level of unprofessionalism. I just hope you get your regulators back.

[jweis]

I'm sorry about this too since I use their products. In the past, I have received very good customer service from them.

I think JLW is Josh though. I (Julie) am jweis.

[JLW]

I was only Julie that one Halloween.

[GOT MTS?]

I think JLW is Josh though. I (Julie) am jweis.

Sorry I was sleepy last night when I saw this.

[JLW]

It's been 9 days since I asked for them to return the regulators, unrepaired. I have had no response whatsoever.

[Judi]

That's just terrible.

[JLW]

Hey guys, for those of you who might even consider doing business with these people, I just wanted to share the next step in my experience.

I filed a complaint, essentially verbatim of the above, with the BBB and Fl State Attorney General. Aquarium Plants.Com has responded to my complaint on the BBB as follows:

" 2 regulators sent to us for repair. they both had internal damage from water corrosion. both were repaired according to "non-warranty" stipulation for a special rate of $50 each. Customer is simply being untruthful. This is all we can comment. this matter is being handled by an attorney that is filing a libel suit against JOSHUA WIEGERT. "

So, apparently, complain about this company, and get sued?

[GOT MTS?]

Did you even get your regulators back?

[Jt731]

Looking around there are a ton of complaints (and not the first time they've called a complaint slander) against them. Also allogations they delete negative reviews, have shipping issues, rude, nonreponsive. They have a f from the bbb and reseller ratings gives them a .1 out of 10