Catalina Aquarium lighting fixtures Nightmare..
- Thread starter Pazazz
- Start date
I almost bought from them as they are just about less than 2 hours from where I am. But changed my mind as I was having lots of pre-sale customer service issues (i.e. different info from different people at the company, not having calls or emails returned, etc.).
They are not the same as the water company. This lighting shop is small and doesn't seem to know too much about reef lighting.
They are not the same as the water company. This lighting shop is small and doesn't seem to know too much about reef lighting.
Fl_seagull
New member
They go by at least 4 to 7 different names.
Common threads:
Hard to find contact information,
Sell Catalina Aquarium products,
Advertise "German" bulbs,
If they advertise name brand products they will ship "Catalina Aquarium" as "better quality" subsitute.
Common threads:
Hard to find contact information,
Sell Catalina Aquarium products,
Advertise "German" bulbs,
If they advertise name brand products they will ship "Catalina Aquarium" as "better quality" subsitute.
sanfranreefer
New member
I have bought many of their fixtures with great success over the years.
I would give them a thumbs up. I am sorry about your bad experience- sounds rough.
Check out their refugiums - I just bought 2 of them and they rock.
Thank you Catalina
I would give them a thumbs up. I am sorry about your bad experience- sounds rough.
Check out their refugiums - I just bought 2 of them and they rock.
Thank you Catalina
sanfranreefer
New member
You know what a real bad fixture is thogh - Jebo - almost torched my house. China import.
RCS
In Memoriam
Purchased two retrofit systems from them a few years ago. Dual 96w PC setups. After about 8 bulbs blew out for no apparent reason they stopped returning any phone calls. The ballasts were in fact the Workhorse ballasts, but the bulbs were Catalina and absolute junk.
Looks like the website is gone (or possibly changed to the one you listed above?) but it was petsupplyliquidator.com
I've heard mixed reviews, and had mixed results myself. Especially for bulbs though, it's worth it to spend a bit extra and get a better brand name.
Looks like the website is gone (or possibly changed to the one you listed above?) but it was petsupplyliquidator.com
I've heard mixed reviews, and had mixed results myself. Especially for bulbs though, it's worth it to spend a bit extra and get a better brand name.
onefin
New member
Hi Pazazz, i just posted this in the venders fourm, hope it helps. ==just a short story, i talked a friend into coverting his fresh water tank to salt water, he has a 150 gallon, i also turned him on to Catalina Aquarium, i get all my supplies and lights there, including my hoods, we both live in condo's but were he lives someone has been stealing packages, so i said have it delivered to me, since i'm disable i'm home most of the time, its a big condo and packages are delivered all the time, ups, fed-x and dhl, so he tracked the package and knew about what time it was to be delivered, so i'm setting in the lobby and dhl pulls up, now he ordered a full hood with three 250 hqi's and t-5's, fan's and mounting brackets, well as i'm setting there i freaked the guy starts throwing the packages out of the back, as i ran out out here come's the light right on the ground, and it said Catalina Lighting, i told the guy thats a light, no answer, i said what if there's something broken, he say's well you'll have to open it to see, real snooty, so with a neighbor's help i got it in my apt, WELL, one end was completely bent, bulbs were broke and one fan was off and one haning bracket was broke off, (believe me it was packed very well), but the way this guy through it who the hell knows how it was handled from calif to here, he had to make a clam, they wanted to see the box, its a good thing we held on to it, you could see the damage, Catalina made good for it and he's very happy, but its not to be believed how these people handel the cargo, sorry about your problem, i'm sure they will make good for it. P.S. i've seen ups doing the samething
__________________
__________________
Fl_seagull
New member
I am sure every vendor has had things happen during shipping that is beyond their control.
Still, the creation of multip[le web store to sell the same low quality products speaks volumes about the individual behind these companies.
It is clear, the goal is to is not to provide high quality customer service nor is it to give good value for the money. There are plenty of companies which provide both; there is no need to purchase from anyone selling Catalina Aquarium products.
Still, the creation of multip[le web store to sell the same low quality products speaks volumes about the individual behind these companies.
It is clear, the goal is to is not to provide high quality customer service nor is it to give good value for the money. There are plenty of companies which provide both; there is no need to purchase from anyone selling Catalina Aquarium products.
Similar threads
