Big problems in Rio land

[AquaBarb]

Im absolutely gutted!!!!(more pi@@d off atm if im honest)

Sitting on the sofa this morning with a nice cup of tea enjoying the fact i didnt have to go to work. I looked over at the Rio 450 and noticed the top front trim didnt quite look right so i walked over to take a closer look and found some unwelcome news. The two centre braces/straps look like theyve started to come away from the glass(this tank is only 13mths old)

Im now in limbo for whats best to do...ive contacted the seller and sent pictures over of the issues which they then forwarded to Juwel. I got this responce.

Surely with the brace bars coming away from the glass it will stop them being effective in holding the tanks shape??

Do i take their word or take this further? Got 11 mths warranty left

 

[AmyKieran]

Ide try to push further, it’s a lot of weight and water pressure to change things. Plus it’s a pretty big and expensive aquarium. Even make up a sob story to make them see a bit more sympathy

 

[AquaBarb]

Ide try to push further, it’s a lot of weight and water pressure to change things. Plus it’s a pretty big and expensive aquarium. Even make up a sob story to make them see a bit more sympathy

Just seems a cop out by Juwel. Brace bars are put there for a reason and if they are coming away surely its a problem i cant just wave away.

I think at least it needs repairing.

 

[Essjay]

That email you quote contradicts itself - if the bracer bars are not an integral part of the structure how are they supposed to "hold the shape of the tank"? I would take it further and ask them how it's supposed to hold the shape of the tank is it isn't attached.
A tank that size needs bracer bars, either the type Juwel uses which are strips running from front to back over the tank, or the type made of glass siliconed along the length of the tank front and back (Euro bracers)



That happened to my Rio 125, I noticed something wasn't right when gaps appeared between the flaps and the trim centre front and back. Mine was well out of guarantee though, so I bought another, larger tank to replace it. With mine, the bracer bar was still attached to the trim, and it was the trim which pulled away from the glass.

 

[AquaBarb]

Glad its not just me who thinks that @Essjay

some pictures of the issues i found this morning

 

[Colin_T]

Return it.

If the bracers were glued/ siliconed onto the glass, they should not come away. Good quality silicon should hold glass and other things together for at least 20 years.

If they used a bad batch of glue and it has come away after a year, then who knows when the rest of the tank will come apart. It might not, but the signs are there that is might.

Support strips and bracers on the top of the tank hold the sides together to stop them bowing outwards. Without the straps, the front and back pains of glass can bulge a lot and this makes them weaker and more likely to crack if something hits them.

In the mean time, drop the water level down a few inches. It will reduce the pressure on the glass.

 

[Essjay]

That's what happened to my Rio, though it was only at the back with mine.

 

[AquaBarb]

Return it.

If the bracers were glued/ siliconed onto the glass, they should not come away. Good quality silicon should hold glass and other things together for at least 20 years.

If they used a bad batch of glue and it has come away after a year, then who knows when the rest of the tank will come apart. It might not, but the signs are there that is might.

Support strips and bracers on the top of the tank hold the sides together to stop them bowing outwards. Without the straps, the front and back pains of glass can bulge a lot and this makes them weaker and more likely to crack if something hits them.

In the mean time, drop the water level down a few inches. It will reduce the pressure on the glass.

Yeah thanks Colin, ive dropped the water level to try and reduce the pressure.

I think the best case scenario is that they will replace it althought my confidence in their tank builds is now low especially with Essjay having similar issues in the past.

I will see what they say after my second email

 

[AquaBarb]

That's what happened to my Rio, though it was only at the back with mine.

Gutted. Loved this tank and just got it to where i wanted it. Think what ever happens i may have to bite the bullet and order a custom tank.

This Rio was the biggest tank i could find off the shelf

 

[Rocky998]

Gutted. Loved this tank and just got it to where i wanted it. Think what ever happens i may have to bite the bullet and order a custom tank.

This Rio was the biggest tank i could find off the shelf

duct tape fixes everything?

 

[Rocky998]

but seriously, I am soooo sorry about this happening! And the company wont help? WOW

 

[Essjay]

I went custom built after the Rio incident. This was 8 years ago and ND Aquatics was fine then but there are more recent reports of their customer service not being what it was. They use Euro bracers and 10 mm glass so I feel happier with this tank than the Rio. Other companies may use the same.

 

[AquaBarb]

but seriously, I am soooo sorry about this happening! And the company wont help? WOW

Not sure yet although their first reply they sent wasnt very helpful.

Ill await their next reply with more hope

 

[AquaBarb]

I went custom built after the Rio incident. This was 8 years ago and ND Aquatics was fine then but there are more recent reports of their customer service not being what it was. They use Euro bracers and 10 mm glass so I feel happier with this tank than the Rio. Other companies may use the same.

Yeah tried ND before i brought the Rio but they never replied to my inquiries. I was planning to upgrade but not quite yet.

 

[AquaBarb]

I went custom built after the Rio incident. This was 8 years ago and ND Aquatics was fine then but there are more recent reports of their customer service not being what it was. They use Euro bracers and 10 mm glass so I feel happier with this tank than the Rio. Other companies may use the same.

Have you still got the ND tank @Essjay? Still going strong?

One thing i do hear good about ND is the build quality. If they can sort their customer service out they would be a fantastic company. Might look them up again a see what the recent reviews are like.