Did I just make a expensive mistake

[Grimmj]

I had been hunting for a 3" wide container for my ATO. I found the advanced acrylics made narrow fit ATOs bit the bullet and ordered the 3" wide should fit perfectly in my cabinet. Ordered it on friday and havent heard anything since. Did I just get boned by buying from them as I have been reading some great reviews and some a fair amount of horror stories. I bought using paypal so should be able to get my money back I think.

 

[Tamberav]

It’s the weekend so wouldn’t expect you to hear anything?

 

[boacvh]

I say give it time. Too early to tell if just weekend has gone by

 

[Grimmj]

I guess I was assuming it was stock item, but if they are built to order I totally understand. It would have been nice if they had a expected lead time on their site or in the order confirmation.

 

[Morphinel]

I ordered an advanced acrylics ATO on Amazon. I waited weeks without so much as a message from them. Tried to contact them via phone, email everything. Amazon stepped in and couldn’t reach them either. Eventually refunded me but left a poor taste in my mouth

 

[noobster]

I ordered a slim ATO reservoir from them on Black Friday. I received it around Christmas.

 

[Kraig]

I ordered one from BRS around Black Friday when they were on sale. I didn't realize it was made to order. I emailed BRS after about a week and found that out. I had an email confirmation a couple days later that it had shipped, so about 2.5 weeks or so is how long it took to get it.

I'm pretty happy with it. I needed something thin to fit under the stand as well and this does the job.

 

[Grimmj]

I purchased direct so hopefully it goes as smoothly as yours. I'll just keep adding water each day when I get home. I can't wait to have a ATO though so I can just fill it weekly.

 

[tsouth]

I purchased direct so hopefully it goes as smoothly as yours. I'll just keep adding water each day when I get home. I can't wait to have a ATO though so I can just fill it weekly.

Would you be willing to use a 5 gallon bucket to hold you over in the meantime?

 

[FiddlersReef]

Could you just set a 5 gallon bucket next to the tank temporarily? It would beat topping it off once a day. Then when your ATO box arrives, just move the pump to the new water source...

 

[FiddlersReef]

Would you be willing to use a 5 gallon bucket to hold you over in the meantime?

Ha! Great minds think alike, no?

 

[Grimmj]

Ya once my pump kit shows up thats a good plan. Just have to talk the wife into not complaining about the orange bucket temporarily in the living room.

 

[polyppal]

So I have extensive experience with Advanced Acrylics. I have two custom tanks, two ATOs, a frag system and a dosing container from them and they are all top notch in terms of quality. A-

Their problem is awful customer service and delays due to manpower issues. They never answer phone, the owner John told me he lost his front of house staff and had to abruptly relocate his shop causing some delays. I have a larger custom tank that’s running about 3-4weeks behind schedule, but it’s finally coming this week.

The quality is worth dealing with the delays to me, but if you need something right away you may want to cancel and find something in-stock and not custom built somewhere else.

 

[Grimmj]

Knowing it's good quality and knowing that it will be a wait is ok with me. It's the no communication that is frustrating. I have ordered 2 custom watch bands that took 10 weeks but top quality. So if it's good I can wait since it should be perfect for my cabinet.

 

[polyppal]

They are much better responding to their online ‘contact us’ form vs telephone. My guess is that unless they happened to have one preassembled it’ll prob be 3-4wks.

I did find the arrival time is a bit quicker ordering through BRS, like 2 weeks before shipment of my frag tank. BRS orders probably get priority so that they remain on good terms

 

[Grimmj]

I'll let it ride and shoot them a online contact next week if I don't hear anything.

 

[sergifed91]

I ordered my sump from them. Took a while to get it. I presume they had to build it. I emailed and called no response . Went to there fb page and pmed them. We communicated through the fb page and they didn't have any built. So after a few pms they made it right.

 

[skyrne_isk]

Ya once my pump kit shows up thats a good plan. Just have to talk the wife into not complaining about the orange bucket temporarily in the living room.

Compromise. Go buy a blue bucket. Or a white one.

 

[Grimmj]

Update Jon called me today letting me know my ATO is shipping out today at 5pm west coast.

 

[Grimmj]

Update: ATO resivor showed up in great condition with too notch quality. Well worth the extra spend for something that fits in a small space and is well made.