Clear for life acrylic tanks / AAT - issue

[Reuben G]

I think my first post was deleted ,
Has anyone had any customer experience issues with Clear for life or AAT aquariums?
Long story short i bought a new 55 gallon from marine depot in sept 2016. once filled i emailed them because of how much it bowed. They said everything was fine and I used it untill not when i saw what looked like stretch marks in the acrylic. I have logs of all my conversations with them and i dont see how someone is supposed to be satisfied with the quality of this tank? Once talking to customer service i feel like i am now stuck with a unit that i dont even feel comfortable selling as a sump tank.
hopefully the company i bought it from will make it right if not please advise any experiance you had with this brand.
Thanks in advance.
EMAILS
First email sept 2016
I just purchased a tank from Marinedepot.com
I just finished all my plumbing and filled the tank with water to test all my connections once the tank was full i notice a severe Bow in the rear of the tank?
Is this common? I mean it really worried me.
I attached a picture of the Bow also my invoice.
Please let me know if this is defective.
2nd aug 3rd 2017

It's been almost a year and the tank has been running for over 9 months now I am getting what looks like stretch marks in the acrylic. Both side have it and both are near the top see photo.
Reuben,



RESPONSE
This is very minor ‘crazing’ around fabrication points and is fairly common. They are not a cause for concern, and due to their location and size will not cause any structural issue.



Make sure that the ONLY products you are using on the outside of your aquarium are water and Brillianize brand acrylic cleaner. Other cleaners/products can cause the material to craze in other areas and to a much worse degree.



Thanks,
Advance Aqua Tanks

AUG 4th 2017
This is happening on both sides the tank is "clear for life " and I haven't had it a year isn't there a warranty for this? Attached is a picture of the cleaner I use.

Follow up
Aug 7th
Shouldn't this crazing be covered under warranty . I can't believe this is considered normal as the tank is only 9 months old. Everything I have read online says the crazing is cause by using to thin of acrylic . With the crazing it could also lead to failure , not only the fact that it does not make for a clear viewing experience. When I first filled the tank I was worried about how much it bowed out and I sent an email with photos and was told it was normal .
Please advise
Reuben

Sent from my iPhone

Reuben,



Our warranty requires that the existing tank be shipped to us for inspection/evaluation. Upon inspection, we will repair or replace at our discretion. If you would like to swap the aquarium for a new one, you will need to provide your credit card information, we will charge replacement cost of $378.42 and ship a replacement. Once you’ve made the swap, you can ship us back the old aquarium and we will refund your card the $378.42. Freight costs of shipping the old aquarium back to us will be your responsibility.



Please let us know what you decide to do.



Thanks,
Advance Aqua Tanks
RESPONSE

 

[Gweeds1980]

I can't help with your specific issue, but there is no way that bowing and crazing is acceptable! Looks to me as though the acrylic is too thin for the height of the tank... bare in mind that length and width is irrelevant when working out pressures, it's all about the height.

Did you drill the holes for the plumbing? That might be an issue if you did... may void the warranty, you'll need to check the small print.

Here's a helpful link for calculating required acrylic thickness for tanks... plug your numbers in and see if it matches what you have.

http://diyfishkeepers.com/AcrylicThicknessCalculator.htm

 

[ebushrow]

It looks like they are trying to make it right for you....the shipping/freight should be about $150-250.00ish depending on location...it is very rare to find a company that will pay to have something shipped back to them and they eat the cost (especially this large of an item)....either way, good luck with getting this taken care of. FWIW, I would be less worried about the crazing at the top edge and more concerned if it is doing it on the bottom seams and most acrylic bows (especially when new) but the extent yours is bowing I cant really see in the photo.

 

[Reuben G]

I can't help with your specific issue, but there is no way that bowing and crazing is acceptable! Looks to me as though the acrylic is too thin for the height of the tank... bare in mind that length and width is irrelevant when working out pressures, it's all about the height.

Did you drill the holes for the plumbing? That might be an issue if you did... may void the warranty, you'll need to check the small print.

Here's a helpful link for calculating required acrylic thickness for tanks... plug your numbers in and see if it matches what you have.

http://diyfishkeepers.com/AcrylicThicknessCalculator.htm

Thanks for the reply I understand some bowing is common in acrylic, This seemed extreme which is why i reached out to the manufacture when i test filled it. The first thing they said was it may be caused by the type of cleaner i use, and i have used nothing but the cleaner recommended by them as seen in the photo. The crazing is a direct effect of the acylic being to thin, and being only 9 months old and having this???? i wouldnt even feel comfortable selling it to someone. Again there is the matter that the manufacture said some crazing is normal? If that is the case then it doesnt make the "clear for life" tank very clear does it?

It looks like they are trying to make it right for you....the shipping/freight should be about $150-250.00ish depending on location...it is very rare to find a company that will pay to have something shipped back to them and they eat the cost (especially this large of an item)....either way, good luck with getting this taken care of. FWIW, I would be less worried about the crazing at the top edge and more concerned if it is doing it on the bottom seams and most acrylic bows (especially when new) but the extent yours is bowing I cant really see in the photo.

I understand that they would like it back and they can have it, My issue is why pay 150-250$ shipping on a 380$ tank that replacement is "at their discretion"? That's where customer service comes into play. If that is the case i would rather just cut my losses and by from a better manufacture that stands behind the products the sell.

The company i purchased the unit from reached out to me this morning and wanted copies of the correspondence. Not sure if i can post their name but they have always had great service and we will see what they can do.

Thanks for the replies !

 

[Reuben G]

just an update Marinedepot was very nice and offered to let me use their UPS account to save on shipping the unit back.
Unfortunately with what AAT said in the original email "at their discretion" I don't feel comfortable buying another tank from them and then spending 90-150$ sending it back with the possibility of a refund. If they decline then im stuck with two AAT tanks that both use acrylic that is too small and im sure the new one will eventually start to craze.....
Im going to cut my losses and focus all my funds into another build im doing. When i replace this one i will use a much better acrylic manufacture then AAT.
I hope all of you learn from my experience and spend the extra money on something like a JBJ or something similar.
Thanks