Glasscages positive or negative experiences?

[JohnnyBlowfish]

I had this 135 cube that was built by Glass Cages 36x36x24. The tank was overbuilt as someone else mentioned, and I say that in a good way. I bought it second hand but the quality was top notch.

 

[Tiki Reef Joshua]

Thread title is fine.

SCA is a fantastic option IMO. Best customer service I’ve had. I did call Glass Cages and chat about a build and I’ll say they had great service as well. I have heard their tanks are really good now.

 

[62518161]

Sorry about the title, didnt mean it to be negative at all. Thanks for the positive input, looks like glasscages will be my choice. To be honest, as long as the silicone holds water is good enough for me. I was just concerned about a seal or panel blowing out with 180g in my living room.

Title is fine.

 

[virtual reality]

I would like to see this "stress test" video.

 

[Cwentz758]

I will also say Joe is in it for the best reasons. He took an hour almost out of his day to talk to me directly about a custom plan of mine I have cooking here in the new future. He was more than willing to listen and try to accommodate the more custom things I wanted to try. After the call he took the time to send me picture of some of the tanks that were on the line that had similar things I wanted.
I will say with that conversation alone I would buy from them and if something went wrong or wasn’t right he would be on top of it to make it right.

that being said a lot of places make great tanks there’s no question there. Do your research, talk to the company and go with who made you feel most comfortable. Joe did that for me and I’m going to happily upgrade using Glass Cages in the near future.

 

[John08007]

I think this is a great thread, glasscages had some issues in the past. I feel asking this and seeing the response from Joe and the others hopefully cleared this up for others also.

 

[tsouth]

Echoing another +1 for the GlassCages team. Know that their support is unparalleled. You are the priority, and based off of my previous experiences on two tanks, one before the ownership and leadership change and one after - I have only been incredibly satisfied with their quality and an amazing price point and breadth of options. Do not let the less than stellar reviews from before skew you too heavily - things are different now: processes, QA, the works. I look forwards to their future, it's very bright and as clear as Starphire

 

[mfinn]

I think the title is fine.
The op is asking for reviews/experiences good or bad.
My experience with GC isn't very good. the 240 that I bought from them popped a seam after 8 years.
Some say 8 years is a long time, but not in my mind.

But on the other hand Joe seems to be very proactive and hopefully things truly are better in the quality department at GC.

 

[vtecintegra]

I'm in the planning stages of a new tank and had some questions. Joe took about an hour out of his day to get on the phone, and even video connect to show me some examples and the operations. After talking to him, I think his dedication to the company and potential customers is beyond reproach. I have no reservations about ordering a tank from him.

 

[DukeSilver]

Thread of title was fine! Offended seems to have affiliation with glass cage. I'm sure you will make an awesome choice once all information is gathered. Happy reefing!!

 

[Cell]

I think it's pretty clear if you want a fair evaluation of the current Glass Cages product, you need to find current customers of Joe, not of Glass Cages prior to his ownership. I cannot personally speak to the product, but time and again I've seen him step up to the plate here on R2R and happily answer any tough question thrown at him without a hint of resentment. His interactions here and complete transparency have put GC high on my list if and when I'm ready to build my custom dream tank.

 

[Jerry Barnes]

I recently received a 300 (8 x 2 x 30”). I talked with Joe while he was installing a door at his house. He is very marketing savvy and did a great job explaining what they We’re trying to do to improve build quality and overall customer service. During the build he called me several times to verify my requirements and make alternate suggestions. Although he did miss his target date by two weeks the shipping was quick. The tank was flawless. It’s been up and running for two months now with no issues. Overall I’m very satisfied with the entire process and love the tank.

 

[Joe Glass Cages]

I would like to see this "stress test" video.

Fun video. they are on our Facebook page if you would like to see them. Thanks so much.

 

[ca1ore]

I cannot speak to the current incarnation of the company, but I always felt that the older criticisms were unfairly skewed negative. I owned one of their glass tanks, as did a friend of mine, and our collective experiences were entirely positive. I had mine for about a decade before upgrading; my friend had his much longer.

If I had any complaints it was in the inconsistent communication. None with tank quality.

 

[Eye H8 Empty V]

This week I’ll be plumbing and trial filling a tank I received shipment of (Pre-Joe) back in March 2019. Cross your fingers for me! They met my specifications and everything looked good except the silicone job was very sloppy. I’ve got a lot of clean up with a razor before it sees a drop of water. I’m not going to lie, this took the wind out of my sails a little. The customer service was good though. One of the supplied glass tops was broken upon arrival and they sent a replacement out immediately. Mine is a 90 Gal long 48x18x24 with custom overflow and 3 sides of LI Glass. I never mentioned the sloppy sealing job. Unfortunately now I wish I went with a different setup. A 120gal 48x24x24, black back, and back return hole would have been nice. The extra depth opens up a lot of aquascaping options. I’m excited to hear that Joe has stepped up the QC and is now offering CAD drawings for final approvals.

 

[hart24601]

The new step up in customer service and offering modern stands has me considering GC for my next build now. Great job by the new team.

 

[StevePhx]

I have a 300g from Glass Cages.

It’s an amazing tank but better yet a great company to with with and really what I’m saying is Joe is does an exceptional job. He really helped me plan out what I wanted, giving different options and finding solutions when I didn’t like something.

Really couldn’t ask for anything better. I would order another tank from them any time and would recommend them to anyone.

 

[naterealbig]

GC is top notch! Joe has a vision - for his company and his customers! Joe has spent a lot of one on one time with me - something very hard to come by, and priceless from a commitment and customer service standpoint for me.

Before I had GC build my second (180g) custom tank, I called Planet Aquariums to talk to a salesperson. The jerk that answered the phone literally laughed at me when I told him I was an end user. "Sorry, call your LFS". Nah, I'll just call GC.

Joe built my third tank - a 300g, and called to verify dimensions, sent me pics along the way, and even spoke directly to the delivery driver of the freight company when I had concerns about delivery. The new tank is a work of art. I can't wait to get my build started back up, and share my excellent experiences with the community.

Prepare to be Wowed!

Nathan

 

[Chibils]

Very glad to hear all this. I remember "horror stories" about GC from 10+ years ago. Seemed like 90% of them were just about poor communication and general upset that their $300 barely-more-than-the-Aqueon-price tank didn't come out like a custom Reef Savvy masterpiece. All in all, it seems even the old GC tanks were good if a bit sloppy. Pleased to hear Joe has turned things around, and it's good to see him so active on the forums here.

 

[Cell]

I'm currently in conversation with Joe about a custom tank. To be honest, I didn't think a custom would be in my price range but I'm so glad I reached out now because it's way more affordable than I ever imagined. I've spent some time on the Glass Cages website and didn't love the stand options shown, so I was pleasantly surprised when Joe presented me with the "modern" style stand with the clean look similar to a WB or RS stand. I encourage anyone thinking about a new tank that believes there's no way they could afford a custom design to reach out to Joe, you may just be surprised, I know I was.