Avoid Aquascape products!

[juanprieto]

I have invested a lot in Aquascape products. I thought the premium price they charge is because they have quality products and a good warranty. Their warranty on items seems good until you try to file a claim. You have to jump through hoops dealing with them and even if you can prove to them that the item has failed they expect you to disconnect it and send it in for them to decide if they are going to replace it. This is the third time I have had something go bad while covered. The turnaround time is several weeks. Meanwhile, while they decide the pond goes bad. You would think that a company that sells products for Koi ponds would have better service. Nope! Steer clear of them if you are looking for pond products. They are not what they claim to be.

 

[GBBUDD]

Sorry to say . to be a good Stewart To your fish means you need to have redundancies. No company can get you a replacement in hours as often thats all we have untill oxygen may start to become a issue. possibly even a back up for the back up. especially once you have some money swimming around in the pond. I have been in the fish hobby a very very long time and have not found any one company that was NOT very much as your describing. Now i have made contact with a couple suppliers who will expedite shipping for me and if something was found to be faulty a credit was issued on the expedited item that was just shipped.

 

[juanprieto]

Sorry to say . to be a good Stewart To your fish means you need to have redundancies. No company can get you a replacement in hours as often thats all we have untill oxygen may start to become a issue. possibly even a back up for the back up. especially once you have some money swimming around in the pond. I have been in the fish hobby a very very long time and have not found any one company that was NOT very much as your describing. Now i have made contact with a couple suppliers who will expedite shipping for me and if something was found to be faulty a credit was issued on the expedited item that was just shipped.

I am not expecting miracles. I suspect you have not dealt with them or if so have had a better experience. It was not pleasant. Too many time sucking hoops to jump through for such a big company. As ideal as what you say sounds, I don’t think most of us have the funds to have back ups to backups for everything a pond requires. I have what I need to keep the fish going for a few days but not for weeks. I suspect that is the majority of people who enjoy ponds and koi’s.

 

[GBBUDD]

I am not expecting miracles. I suspect you have not dealt with them or if so have had a better experience. It was not pleasant. Too many time sucking hoops to jump through for such a big company. As ideal as what you say sounds, I don’t think most of us have the funds to have back ups to backups for everything a pond requires. I have what I need to keep the fish going for a few days but not for weeks. I suspect that is the majority of people who enjoy ponds and koi’s.

Probably , i did not have the back ups right off the bat. The pond started with the necessities and once it was set up and running then came the ok what do i do when something fails how do i keep my friends/ my pets/ my investment alive. Thus why i am today adding a bead filter to my Wetland bog set up.

The bog does an incredible job with clarity. BUT IT is lacking in mechanical means to remove debris that floats in the water. Would a skimmer work yes, but i do not have a skimmer i have settling areas in intake bays with a negative edge.
so a turn the handle flip the switch has alot of appeal to grab floating debris from the water.

but in doing so is now a redundancy a second small pump with a second bio filter that doubles as a mechanical .

But i get it not everyone is sick like myself with my hobby.

 

[Lisak1]

We have also invested a lot in Aquascape products, and have had several warranty claims that were handled without any issues. The only Aquascape product I would not recommend is their lights - but even those they have replaced without any hassle when they have gone bad. I think they just need to work on reliability with those. We purchased our Aquascape products from reputable online dealers or Amazon - never had an issue with either one replacing products or refunding money during the warranty period.

Literally the only part of your pond that you need to worry about redundancy is the pump. Purchasing a second pump is an expense, but I can't think of a singe other piece of pond equipment that would cause any issues if it failed and needed replacing. We have a box filter with a small pump that we can easily drop into the pond and have filtering happening in a matter of seconds if something were to go wrong with the main pump. Cost us under $300. We also have two other water features that I could pull pumps from in a pinch if needed - like I said... lots of money in Aquascape products. And every pump we have is Aquascape - several are 10 years old of older.

If a pump fails and you believe it will be covered by the warranty, go buy another one and when they decide that they will replace it just ask for a refund instead. Or rejoice that now you have two pumps and less to worry about in the future.

What Aquascape product has failed for you three times already? I don't think you mentioned that.

 

[GBBUDD]

While i do not have one of there pumps i do have the lights and i have MANY 15 to be exact and i have not lost a one in 6 years . and these do not get shut down they run every night 52 weeks a year for 8 hours. the key to lights is keep them out of the ice zone ice will destroy any light.

 

[Lisak1]

True - but I’m talking lights that are designed to be outside the pond, too. Not had great experience with those either unfortunately.

 

[juanprieto]

We have also invested a lot in Aquascape products, and have had several warranty claims that were handled without any issues. The only Aquascape product I would not recommend is their lights - but even those they have replaced without any hassle when they have gone bad. I think they just need to work on reliability with those. We purchased our Aquascape products from reputable online dealers or Amazon - never had an issue with either one replacing products or refunding money during the warranty period.

Literally the only part of your pond that you need to worry about redundancy is the pump. Purchasing a second pump is an expense, but I can't think of a singe other piece of pond equipment that would cause any issues if it failed and needed replacing. We have a box filter with a small pump that we can easily drop into the pond and have filtering happening in a matter of seconds if something were to go wrong with the main pump. Cost us under $300. We also have two other water features that I could pull pumps from in a pinch if needed - like I said... lots of money in Aquascape products. And every pump we have is Aquascape - several are 10 years old of older.

If a pump fails and you believe it will be covered by the warranty, go buy another one and when they decide that they will replace it just ask for a refund instead. Or rejoice that now you have two pumps and less to worry about in the future.

What Aquascape product has failed for you three times already? I don't think you mentioned that.

I do have a small sump pump for emergencies but can’t run it for 2 weeks which seems to be their turn around time. It was not one item. The smart controller 3 times and the aerator twice.

 

[GBBUDD]

True - but I’m talking lights that are designed to be outside the pond, too. Not had great experience with those either unfortunately.

Didn't know they even had those

 

[Lisak1]

Yup - I've bought my fair share.

 

[juanprieto]

I have an update. I sent in the faulty controller on Feb 3rd. It arrived on the 8th. I got a letter back from Aquascape on the 13th that it is (of course) on back order. It is now almost 3 weeks and no replacement. I just got off the phone and they tell me it is on backorder and won't be shipped to me till the end of March.
The reason I write all this down is as a warning if you decide to buy Aquascape products. Some items they make are decent. Most electronics seem to be cheap China products relabeled. Given they charge premium for their products you would think they have better replacement service then this.

 

[GBBUDD]

I have an update. I sent in the faulty controller on Feb 3rd. It arrived on the 8th. I got a letter back from Aquascape on the 13th that it is (of course) on back order. It is now almost 3 weeks and no replacement. I just got off the phone and they tell me it is on backorder and won't be shipped to me till the end of March.
The reason I write all this down is as a warning if you decide to buy Aquascape products. Some items they make are decent. Most electronics seem to be cheap China products relabeled. Given they charge premium for their products you would think they have better replacement service then this.

I just left the main ware house for Aquascapes just last week. THERE IS NO LACK OF PRODUCT , I COULD SHOW A PICTURE OR 10 BUT YOULL JUST HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.. LIKE EVERYONE IN THIS WONDERFUL MARKET one that was helped to be made by attacking fossil fuels has severely limited PARTS. Cant have it all folks. on my small project we have over 40,000 parts A great deal are a byatch to get on time or need to be substituted. SIGN OF THE TIMES

 

[hobie61]

I have tried a few Aquascape products. Most work okay, and respond well for warranty claims with no hassles. My biggest complaint is that their fittings/ports to devices (water products) are truly undersized and prone to breaking (cheap plastic injection molded). Definitely not robust enough. Being a Mech. Engr, i pick up on these things. I lost several valuable fish last year when one of their connection fittings broke and water emptied my pond. It had been in service for about (3) seasons. Another broke when putting stuff away for winter last fall. I wrote to Aquascape about it and gave me a lame reply back. For this reason, i am very cautious with their products now. For what its worth. Hope others have better experiences.