400 Gallon Tank Crack
- Thread starter Zobp
- Start date
Greatwhitetang
New member
A. It is not illegal as long as noted in terms of use agreement.. As much as it sucks.. They can't add stipulations saying u need their stand but if it's in the terms of use for warranty then it is legal but this would need provided at time of purchase they could also only offer a warranty if installed by their people. Just like if you buy a car and you have to have it services by Maker or only said makers parts can be installed. No aftermarket stuff or warranty is void... Not Illegal. Don't go threatening a business or tarnishing their rep online, or they could sue you for slander and brand tarnishing.
B. No tank stand will cause a break.. And any tank stand can cause a break.. By this I mean it's the levelling of the stand that makes or breaks a tank.. Not the stand itself.. Imo
Regardless.. I think the glass is fine when built correctly but a more reputable company probably would have opted for 5/8 or 3/4 instead and I do not think the brace gap is all that important to the build quality either.. Just sloppy manufacturing along with all the globs of silicone
Try and work with them on a full refund.. And take your business elsewhere.
B. No tank stand will cause a break.. And any tank stand can cause a break.. By this I mean it's the levelling of the stand that makes or breaks a tank.. Not the stand itself.. Imo
Regardless.. I think the glass is fine when built correctly but a more reputable company probably would have opted for 5/8 or 3/4 instead and I do not think the brace gap is all that important to the build quality either.. Just sloppy manufacturing along with all the globs of silicone
Try and work with them on a full refund.. And take your business elsewhere.
ChimolaFish
New member
This is disgusting. Try taking it to your local news station. This is totally unacceptable. Threaten them, and if they say whatever, go and see if they get local business again.
alton
Well-known member
Can you post a picture of your stand showing supports and how it was built?
ryguylears
New member
I thought you said the store owner was a she
rwb500
Active member
i think it would at least be a little more fair for the manufacturer if you could show us your stand. it is tough for a company to provide a warranty when their product is dependent on your stand to survive, so I can kind of see this from their point of view. 50% replacement cost is way better than nothing, but I bet you would prefer 50% cash back!
EvenFurther
New member
Its not that simple. This reminds of what some dealers will do to intimidate non-informed customers, or when over selling extended warranties.
Check out the Magnuson-Moss Act or articles covering the topic. Routine maintenance can be performed by anyone. Simply installing an aftermarket part cannot void the overall warranty.
Zobp
New member
I don't think my local news station could careless to be honest.
I will not threaten anyone ever to uphold their warranty, this is their right to immediately deny me if they feel compelled to do so. I will also exercise my options as well, and as consumer I am well aware of what I can do and cannot do.
Sure.
I have built several other stands notably for a 180 gallon tank and for a 240 gallon tank as well both still holding the tanks they were originally built for years later without issue. All built under the same principles and from a very common schematic used here on Reef Central posted by JohnL
It is a He, my apologies.
This stand is over 300lbs and I used 2x8 planks for the main frame and 2x4s for the other portions. I used a 23/32'' plywood to skin this stand as well as provide the main support for the top portion where the tank resides.
It took 4 people to move this stand into place, this stand is a tank...pun intended.
Evenfurther beat me to it.
Tie-in provisions (additional sales required as a term of warranty) are illegal and cannot be put into the terms of a warranty.
It used to be standard practice in the aquarium industry to require purchasing a branded stand with the tank but it is now not found in any of the major manufacturers warranty statements. Those that still claim this are likely ignorant of the Magnusson Moss Warranty act.
They may be able to claim that the stand was not properly engineered in order to avoid a warranty claim. In court that would come down to the testimony of experts in the field. Looking at your stand construction I don't think you have anything to worry about. It's more than adequate.
Before it goes much further you may want to consult a lawyer and see if they will draft a letter to the company. The threat of costly litigation can often turn the wheels much more effectively than trying to rouse public opinion on the internet.
Tie-in provisions (additional sales required as a term of warranty) are illegal and cannot be put into the terms of a warranty.
It used to be standard practice in the aquarium industry to require purchasing a branded stand with the tank but it is now not found in any of the major manufacturers warranty statements. Those that still claim this are likely ignorant of the Magnusson Moss Warranty act.
They may be able to claim that the stand was not properly engineered in order to avoid a warranty claim. In court that would come down to the testimony of experts in the field. Looking at your stand construction I don't think you have anything to worry about. It's more than adequate.
Before it goes much further you may want to consult a lawyer and see if they will draft a letter to the company. The threat of costly litigation can often turn the wheels much more effectively than trying to rouse public opinion on the internet.
Zobp
New member
I had already planned to do so, I want to give Planet aquariums every chance to make their decision. Once I feel I have exhausted all avenues and we cannot reach a satisfactory agreement I will proceed with my legal options.
alton
Well-known member
I found the problem; the stand is way over built. The stand looks fine although I like using hard wood like oak boards and ¾’ oak Plywood, and I do not use Styrofoam under the tank. Here is one for you, back in 2000 my boss built a new office and he wanted a 60” x 18” x 29” tall tank. His daughter was the interior decorator and did not want an aquarium stand so she had a furniture maker build a piece of furniture to hold the tank. You could look at it and see it was not strong enough but hey I told them it had to hold 2,000 pounds. When the tank was almost full we heard a crack, and before we could empty the tank we heard two more cracks. When the tank was emptied there was a ¾” gap on the left side between the tank and stand where the stand gave way. The tank is 15 years old and has never leaked and it is an original Oceanic Brick style made with ¾” glass and no center braces. Planet Aquariums builds great looking tanks, they maybe just need to swallow a little pride on this one and fix it?
Zobp
New member
Planet Aquariums has officially said they will not warranty the tank because it was not on their stand.
They offered a 50% reduction on cost repairs and that was it, which is still $500.
I still find that unsatisfactory by any means in terms of a manufacturer not standing behind their product and boasting a 7 year warranty.
They offered a 50% reduction on cost repairs and that was it, which is still $500.
I still find that unsatisfactory by any means in terms of a manufacturer not standing behind their product and boasting a 7 year warranty.
ryguylears
New member
Agreed, your stand doesn't look underbuilt by any means. Good luck with the battle.
Time to call the lawyer and have them send a letter.
You want them to respond in a letter or email so that you have evidence to present in court that the ONLY reason they are not honoring the warranty is because it was not on their stand. This would be a clear violation of the Magnusson Moss warranty act and they would have a very weak case should it go to court.
Your lawyer should also request a paper copy of their warranty terms and conditions. But a good lawyer would know that.
You want them to respond in a letter or email so that you have evidence to present in court that the ONLY reason they are not honoring the warranty is because it was not on their stand. This would be a clear violation of the Magnusson Moss warranty act and they would have a very weak case should it go to court.
Your lawyer should also request a paper copy of their warranty terms and conditions. But a good lawyer would know that.
- Call your CC company and see if they can do anything.
- Take them to the small claim court.
- Buy a domain name with their company name in it, and state your case there with photos.
They are so stupid for not handling this very quickly. They just bought themselves thousands of dollars worth of bad publicity.
- Take them to the small claim court.
- Buy a domain name with their company name in it, and state your case there with photos.
They are so stupid for not handling this very quickly. They just bought themselves thousands of dollars worth of bad publicity.
Reefmonkey8843
In Memoriam
Curious. That's not your stand? Can we get pictures of your stand then? It doesn't seem to match the few pictures you've posted. I know if stands aren't square they can have twist in them? They have to be level from corner to opposite corner. Not front to back. I built my stand out of metal and had to make sure it was truly square. Before putting anything on it. Also, I understand that glass tanks push pressure to the corners. Not straight down. On a tank that big you could have put a piece of paper between the stand and the tank in the middle. However acrylic tank weight goes straight down because the bottom is flush and that's why you need a flat surface to place the tank on. If you notice the bottom piece of glass doesn't actually sit flush to the edges of the sides. Not an advocate for the manufacture. Just trying to get all the facts. I would think the LFS you bought from would really step up and help. Also, did the rock start from the top or the bottom? Could any of your rock shifted? Either way it really sucks. Did you lose any stock?
franklypre
New member
First thing I'd do is call the better business bureau, then find a notary and mail a well written letter of intent. Then spend $$$ and go to court.
Sorry but I think .5 inch glass is way too thin for this size. 3/4 sounds right based on everything I have seen. If the manufacturer wants to question the stand, then they should visit your home and document the issue, if not then they should fix it for free, including shipping.
mussel and hate
New member
I'd like to second small claims court. The cost to file is minimal, the maximum settlement likely far exceeds the cost of your tank plus any expenses involved in replacement. At the very least the retailler/manufacturer(depending who you chose to name) will be obliged to expend resources defending themselves rather than building/selling tanks.
I expect they'll change their tune once the papers are served.
I expect they'll change their tune once the papers are served.
