Bernardhny
Active Member
I have been running my tank for about 18 months and I love doing reviews on products. There have been a few that I love and a few that I hate. To me, the real measure of a product is the after the sale customer service. When you deal with a company that has your back there is nothing better. However when you have a company that does not back its product I think the community should know.
I purchased a Aquatic Life T5 4 Bulb with 2 moon light unit, and I have to say that for the first 8 months I love the unit. Then one day, the timer and digital display went out and the light became a minor headache. Knowing that the unit was only 8 months old I reached out to the manufacturer to see if they could provide some help.
The Good
The manufacturer answered my question within a day or two and asked a series of questions and asked for some photos.
The image of the circuit board is the important one. They wanted to see if the unit was damaged by saltwater. To me, it looks pretty clean. The second picture is of the non-working digital display,and the last picture is the model and serial number. I answered the questions and the response was simple:
The warranty is null and void because I don't have a glass top on my tank. Because I don't have a glass cover water vapor can get into the circuit and cause the problem. I can buy the new digital display for around $50 but that won't be covered unless I put a glass canopy on the tank.
So looking at the design I see some flaws. The first problem is that there is no gasket around the front panel protecting the electronics from moisture. The actually unit stands six inches above my water, raised on four legs. A simple gasket made of rubber around the edge would resolve this. The electronics have absolutely NO protection from moisture. In fact, the entire electronics is attached at the extreme corners with 4 little screws. Moisture is going to get into this system eventually no matter what. Bad design.
Back to the lights. I loved the lights. I cant complain about how they perform. I love the timer and I can't complain how it works when it is working. I can however complain about the customer service and warranty. I do not put a glass lid on my square tank. I can't because of equipment I must hang on the tank instead of having it in the sump due to space constraints. I know LOTS of people who do not use a glass top for a dozen or so reasons. Bottom line is that you don't build a product without thinking about the primary enemy of electronics and counter it some some sort of basic design. If the electronics are not going to be flush and sealed from the moisture then the product is a failure. A fix...probably would cost the company $1.00 a unit if that.
So, if you want a great T5 light that will sit over a glass top, this might be a great light for you, but if you have any moisture, salt creep, or chance of a splash then this light is not for you.
Thanks
Bernard
I purchased a Aquatic Life T5 4 Bulb with 2 moon light unit, and I have to say that for the first 8 months I love the unit. Then one day, the timer and digital display went out and the light became a minor headache. Knowing that the unit was only 8 months old I reached out to the manufacturer to see if they could provide some help.
The Good
The manufacturer answered my question within a day or two and asked a series of questions and asked for some photos.
The image of the circuit board is the important one. They wanted to see if the unit was damaged by saltwater. To me, it looks pretty clean. The second picture is of the non-working digital display,and the last picture is the model and serial number. I answered the questions and the response was simple:
The warranty is null and void because I don't have a glass top on my tank. Because I don't have a glass cover water vapor can get into the circuit and cause the problem. I can buy the new digital display for around $50 but that won't be covered unless I put a glass canopy on the tank.
So looking at the design I see some flaws. The first problem is that there is no gasket around the front panel protecting the electronics from moisture. The actually unit stands six inches above my water, raised on four legs. A simple gasket made of rubber around the edge would resolve this. The electronics have absolutely NO protection from moisture. In fact, the entire electronics is attached at the extreme corners with 4 little screws. Moisture is going to get into this system eventually no matter what. Bad design.
Back to the lights. I loved the lights. I cant complain about how they perform. I love the timer and I can't complain how it works when it is working. I can however complain about the customer service and warranty. I do not put a glass lid on my square tank. I can't because of equipment I must hang on the tank instead of having it in the sump due to space constraints. I know LOTS of people who do not use a glass top for a dozen or so reasons. Bottom line is that you don't build a product without thinking about the primary enemy of electronics and counter it some some sort of basic design. If the electronics are not going to be flush and sealed from the moisture then the product is a failure. A fix...probably would cost the company $1.00 a unit if that.
So, if you want a great T5 light that will sit over a glass top, this might be a great light for you, but if you have any moisture, salt creep, or chance of a splash then this light is not for you.
Thanks
Bernard
