How a dream becomes a nightmare

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Ippyroy

Ippyroy

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My tank sat for two years while I bought more and more hardware. I couldn't afford to buy it all at once, so a little at a time was the next best option for me. Patience is a virtue that I had to embrace!

I was lucky enough that all of my gear came in without a hitch, but I broke a tank drilling, made an overflow box wrong, had a $320 pump fail after 4 months, algae blooms, and a handful of other issues... All of these are par for the course, and at the end of it all, I love my tank. I would do it all over again - even if I knew up front all of the issues were coming.

I can certainly understand the frustration, but this is a super easy solution to resolve, and honestly, the idea of losing money on a reef tank is a fact of life for reefers.

Call the seller, ask them to email you a return shipping label. If they refuse, dispute the transaction with your bank, and you get your money back, so reorder the sump from another retailer - even if you have to pay a little more. It's part of your design, and you'll be happy when it's in its place.

Reefing is supposed to give us satisfaction, so enjoy the ride, and happy reefing!
I am going slow. Would be a year before I actually got my main tank wet. It is just frustrating that the most reputable company I knew of is not as good as I thought. I will reevaluate everything and try another company maybe.
 

Bulk Reef Supply

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Hi @Ippyroy,
It sounds like this has been a big hassle, so I'd like to step in to help figure this whole thing out. I'll be sending you a PM requesting your account info so that I can look into what's going on here further. I'm sure that we can find a resolution.
 

Pau Hana Reefer

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Hi @Ippyroy,
It sounds like this has been a big hassle, so I'd like to step in to help figure this whole thing out. I'll be sending you a PM requesting your account info so that I can look into what's going on here further. I'm sure that we can find a resolution.

Agree with @TheOne , I've always had top customer experience with them. Best of luck @Ippyroy !
 

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BRS will take care of you the best the can. Customer service seems to be their number one priority and it reflects with customer loyalty.
I hate to say it but this will be a challenging hobby for you if you aren't able to adapt and handle things as they happen without giving up. You will have to make reactive decisions but it would be better if most of the time you made proactive decisions. Already having things on hand puts you in control of your tank and not leaving control to someone or something else. Be ready for when things happen, not if things happen.
Good luck to you, and don't forget the turtle wins the race here.
 
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Ippyroy

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Anyone live close to or planning on visiting Yellowstone National Park anytime soon? I have some great gear a super cheap prices.
 

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Hello,

Don’t sell your stuff, you will never ever forgive yourself. It will be something that haunts you if this is a true dream. Dreams are not easy and take time. @Bulk Reef Supply is willing to make things work, and for them to admit that online is huge. We can’t help you succeed if you won’t try. This is a rash and impulsive decision, it’s not my place to say because I’m not you. I wanted badly to quiet after my accident just last November I can’t even walk on my own yet. I Must rely on others to care for my tank and I’m super ocd about it. It’s a huge struggle, but I was being rash and impulsive, and glad friends and family on here talked sense into me.
 
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Ippyroy

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Hello,

Don’t sell your stuff, you will never ever forgive yourself. It will be something that haunts you if this is a true dream. Dreams are not easy and take time. @Bulk Reef Supply is willing to make things work, and for them to admit that online is huge. We can’t help you succeed if you won’t try. This is a rash and impulsive decision, it’s not my place to say because I’m not you. I wanted badly to quiet after my accident just last November I can’t even walk on my own yet. I Must rely on others to care for my tank and I’m super ocd about it. It’s a huge struggle, but I was being rash and impulsive, and glad friends and family on here talked sense into me.
They are not able to help. I got a nice snarky email sent to me telling me how mistakes happen and just deal with it. The person who held the tank I paid for for ransom is the customer service manager. I did receive one nice email that apologized and seemed sincere. But after talking to the first person who totally wound up blowing me off, and then being dealt unfairly with by whom I later found out was the manager, I have zero trust in the company. I will put it all on hold and look into it again at a later date if and when I move to a more suitable location. That company sucks and I have zero trust in them.
Thanks for all of your kind words and I hope that everything works out for you and yours.
 

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You pay by credit card? If BRS won't pickup the return for free, see what your credit card company is able to do to assist.

They aren't the only vendor in the industry, many people are happy shopping with others. Your call, but it's a fun hobby, maybe give a different vendor a try before writing it all off.
 
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You pay by credit card? If BRS won't pickup the return for free, see what your credit card company is able to do to assist.

They aren't the only vendor in the industry, many people are happy shopping with others. Your call, but it's a fun hobby, maybe give a different vendor a try before writing it all off.
They offered 3 separate times to have it picked up. The first time, nothing happened. They don’t even have a record of that call. The second time was when I found out it would cost me 20 bucks. The third time I already loaded it up on my bicycle trailer and was walking the mile in 15 degree weather in a blowing snow storm to drop it off at the UPS store. But they also gave me 20 bucks in points at there site. I will give those away in the form of a gift card to whomever wants them.
I might look into other vendors. But they are supposed to be the best so I am a little nervous.
 

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They offered 3 separate times to have it picked up. The first time, nothing happened. They don’t even have a record of that call. The second time was when I found out it would cost me 20 bucks. The third time I already loaded it up on my bicycle trailer and was walking the mile in 15 degree weather in a blowing snow storm to drop it off at the UPS store. But they also gave me 20 bucks in points at there site. I will give those away in the form of a gift card to whomever wants them.
I might look into other vendors. But they are supposed to be the best so I am a little nervous.
IMO they are the best. Mistakes happen. Ive made plenty of my own mistakes with my tank and with ordering things online.

Reefing is tough and things go wrong quite often. You need to roll with it to have fun.

Part of having fun is figuring out ways to overcome the challenges, and if that gives you no enjoyment, it’s not worth the work and expense.
 
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Ippyroy

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IMO they are the best. Mistakes happen. Ive made plenty of my own mistakes with my tank and with ordering things online.

Reefing is tough and things go wrong quite often. You need to roll with it to have fun.

Part of having fun is figuring out ways to overcome the challenges, and if that gives you no enjoyment, it’s not worth the work and expense.
Mistakes happen and I have made some whoppers in my time. The issue is not making them, but how you deal with them. They dealt with their mistake in an unacceptable way to me. I feel they lied to me twice. And then the snarky email saying mistakes happen was just too much. If they are the best, I am definitely out.
 

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If they are the best, I am definitely out.

Not everyone agrees they are. If you paid with a credit card, call them and explain the situation, that you didn't get the item you ordered. Let them deal with it.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.
 

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Mistakes happen and I have made some whoppers in my time. The issue is not making them, but how you deal with them. They dealt with their mistake in an unacceptable way to me. I feel they lied to me twice. And then the snarky email saying mistakes happen was just too much. If they are the best, I am definitely out.

I'm not really a fan of BRS customer service for my own reasons.

Please don't take this personally but I am not sure that this hobby is for you as it is full of emergencies and things going wrong. I want there to be as many people in this hobby as possible as it is extremely rewarding. However, this easy to resolve issue has taken way too much of your time and effort and upset you unreasonably. I can't imagine what would happen if you got a tank leak or something similar.
 

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Honestly, if you are exiting the hobby because of the problem you encountered, then reefing is not for you. It's a shame that you spent a lot of money for nothing, but in the long run you will save a lot by getting out now.

Reefing only works if you are passionate about it. That passion is required because EVERY hobbyist runs into ALL KINDS of obstacles. Passion, persistence, perseverance, stubbornness, thick headedness...call it whatever you want but it is absolutely required in the hobby!
 

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Hello:

Did you get the pm from the rep on here. He wanted to make it better?
 
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Hello:

Did you get the pm from the rep on here. He wanted to make it better?
He wasn't able to help in a way I found acceptable. The snarky comment was just the icing on the cake. I work in customer service. I have been in this industry for 20 years. I cannot accept poor customer service. An honest apology and some empathy was all I was looking for. Instead he just told me basically that mistakes happen and deal. Same as most of the people on here. The mistake happening is not the issue. The problem is how the company did not handle the simple situation. After not dealing with the situation how they said they would during the original phone conversation, they made it worse by refusing to send me my item until after I returned the wrong one that I never ordered. I live in a very remote and extremely cold location. I also cannot be cars without having major panic attacks. I understand I have unusual circumstances. I have lived with these issues for years. I cope and not only survive, but I excel at things I enjoy doing. I am truly brokenhearted over this whole scenario.
 
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Honestly, if you are exiting the hobby because of the problem you encountered, then reefing is not for you. It's a shame that you spent a lot of money for nothing, but in the long run you will save a lot by getting out now.

Reefing only works if you are passionate about it. That passion is required because EVERY hobbyist runs into ALL KINDS of obstacles. Passion, persistence, perseverance, stubbornness, thick headedness...call it whatever you want but it is absolutely required in the hobby!
The problem is not me, but how a company treated me. I can fix and deal with just about anything life throws at me. But poor customer service is completley unacceptable. I have done it for 20 plus years.
 
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I'm not really a fan of BRS customer service for my own reasons.

Please don't take this personally but I am not sure that this hobby is for you as it is full of emergencies and things going wrong. I want there to be as many people in this hobby as possible as it is extremely rewarding. However, this easy to resolve issue has taken way too much of your time and effort and upset you unreasonably. I can't imagine what would happen if you got a tank leak or something similar.
I deal with much bigger issues everyday in my job. I have had to save peoples lives. I was a 911 dispatcher while also managing the front desk at a 245 room hotel. Don't think for a second I am not able to deal with emergencies. I deal with life threatening emergencies on a regular basis. I mountain bike 50 plus miles into remote country. Bikes break down. Only myself to get out. Myself is not the problem. I have to rely on online to companies because of my unique situation and if the service is poor, I have to look at other things.
 
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