jimbooo
James flexton
well thats it. the centre brace has a crack right through it.
pic is in sig, do i need to panic?? (i am already)
pic is in sig, do i need to panic?? (i am already)
Juwel Rio 180
- Thread starter jimbooo
- Start date
I wouldnt say panic but i would certainly recomend dropping the water level as low as possible for the filter to remain working until you can get a replacement brace. They can be ordered from any Juwel stockists and cost around £12. This is a fairly common problem along with the dodgy lights and faulty powerheads and heaters with Juwel tanks.
big mick
Fish Addict
Sorry to change to subject but are Juwel tanks renouned for problems CFC? I have been using them for the last couple of years without problem (other than that the lighting is crap in the smaller ones which a tread on this forum showed me a way to fix) but will I have problems in the post with the powerheads and heaters do you think?
OP
OP
jimbooo
James flexton
right, just realised it's only 11 months old.
wildwoods are getting a call this instant. fingers crossed it's covered under warrenty.
wildwoods are getting a call this instant. fingers crossed it's covered under warrenty.
Bloo
~ I learn something new ~ ~~~~ every day ~~~~
Shucks ! good luck.
I've had mine a good three years now - and though the filter isn't great for a heavily stocked tank (and has finally been replaced by the Eheim), the whole light unit blew up and it cost me £50 for a new one - just over a year old, so I had to pay for it
Out of interest, how did it break ?
I've had mine a good three years now - and though the filter isn't great for a heavily stocked tank (and has finally been replaced by the Eheim), the whole light unit blew up and it cost me £50 for a new one - just over a year old, so I had to pay for it
Out of interest, how did it break ?
I have two Juwel tanks, the first one was a Rekord 120 its a lovely tank, a little on the small side but apart from the original heater only lasting 4 months (it was replaced under warrenty) never had a problem with it so when i bought my second larger tank i naturally went for another Juwel, this time a Rio 300.
First casualty was the heater which in typical Juwel fashion stopped working within a few months, this was replaced by a visitherm model which still works years later.
Then the lights went, firstly within the year so they were under warrenty, then the new lights failed within 6 months and Juwel refused to replace them for free until i kicked up such a fuss that the shop got me the lights for free anyway.
Then in a little under 2 years the powerhead for the internal filter failed, choosing its day to do this on the hottest day on record at that time. The lack of filtration didnt matter as i had that covered by a large Eheim canister having already realised that the Juwel fliltration was not designed with my messy predators in mind but i had the output nozzle pointed upwards to provide the aeration and all my fish suffocated from the lack of surface movement (the eheim return was set lower in the tank to provide an undercurrent).
Since then i have stripped out the juwel componants leaving just the original second set of lights which (touches wood) are still working, but i have twice had the bracing bars snap and actually plan to silicone a bit of glass across the tank in its place when i next move the fish.
Maybe i expect too much from a aquarium package deal but i have never had any of these problems with my other tanks where i have bought the tanks and electricals as seperate items.
First casualty was the heater which in typical Juwel fashion stopped working within a few months, this was replaced by a visitherm model which still works years later.
Then the lights went, firstly within the year so they were under warrenty, then the new lights failed within 6 months and Juwel refused to replace them for free until i kicked up such a fuss that the shop got me the lights for free anyway.
Then in a little under 2 years the powerhead for the internal filter failed, choosing its day to do this on the hottest day on record at that time. The lack of filtration didnt matter as i had that covered by a large Eheim canister having already realised that the Juwel fliltration was not designed with my messy predators in mind but i had the output nozzle pointed upwards to provide the aeration and all my fish suffocated from the lack of surface movement (the eheim return was set lower in the tank to provide an undercurrent).
Since then i have stripped out the juwel componants leaving just the original second set of lights which (touches wood) are still working, but i have twice had the bracing bars snap and actually plan to silicone a bit of glass across the tank in its place when i next move the fish.
Maybe i expect too much from a aquarium package deal but i have never had any of these problems with my other tanks where i have bought the tanks and electricals as seperate items.
OP
OP
jimbooo
James flexton
ahh i see, just thge odd hickup then. 
i've no idea how it happened, just lifted my front tube to access the tank and noticed the crack. i can actually bend the front pane (imagine me wiggling it to see how much it moved) - idiot, needless to say i stopped doing that very quickly.
i've no idea how it happened, just lifted my front tube to access the tank and noticed the crack. i can actually bend the front pane (imagine me wiggling it to see how much it moved) - idiot, needless to say i stopped doing that very quickly.
big mick
Fish Addict
Thats worth baring in mind CFC cheers, never had anything happen so far so fingers crossed (sorry to jump into your post there Jimboo)
Rob.S
Fish Fanatic
I know I'm tempting fate here 
but, I've had my Rio 180 for 6 years; still using the original heater, and light unit (despite once dropping the complete thing in the water ). Have replaced the impeller assy once, and the rubber boot twice. These only seem to last a couple of years before they go out of shape - maybe they have cured this with the later pump design.
Maybe I've been lucky
but, I've had my Rio 180 for 6 years; still using the original heater, and light unit (despite once dropping the complete thing in the water ). Have replaced the impeller assy once, and the rubber boot twice. These only seem to last a couple of years before they go out of shape - maybe they have cured this with the later pump design.Maybe I've been lucky
Bloo
~ I learn something new ~ ~~~~ every day ~~~~
OP
OP
jimbooo
James flexton
right, update.
just been to wildwoods to get the new brace and guess what..... my tank is the old design. you cant replace the centre brace as it's one piece with the tank.
wildwoods said the only way to fix it is to empty the entire tank and replace it but as i've had additional tubes on there it's not covered under warrenty.
as you can guess i'm over the moon
bodge job coming up i think.....
just been to wildwoods to get the new brace and guess what..... my tank is the old design. you cant replace the centre brace as it's one piece with the tank.
wildwoods said the only way to fix it is to empty the entire tank and replace it but as i've had additional tubes on there it's not covered under warrenty.
as you can guess i'm over the moon
bodge job coming up i think.....
Bloo
~ I learn something new ~ ~~~~ every day ~~~~
Not good news 
I think my Vision 180 is also an "all in one" jobbie thing.
Do you think the fact that the extra lights rested on top of the brace had anything to do with the brace cracking ? (the heat directly in touch with the brace ?).
I recently added some extra tubes to mine too (the same as yours but just with a 15Watt in the front section as the curve makes the front angles a lot smaller) - and am now concerned that I might be waiting for the same thing to happen in the near future.....
I think my Vision 180 is also an "all in one" jobbie thing.
Do you think the fact that the extra lights rested on top of the brace had anything to do with the brace cracking ? (the heat directly in touch with the brace ?).
I recently added some extra tubes to mine too (the same as yours but just with a 15Watt in the front section as the curve makes the front angles a lot smaller) - and am now concerned that I might be waiting for the same thing to happen in the near future.....
OP
OP
jimbooo
James flexton
Not good news
I think my Vision 180 is also an "all in one" jobbie thing.
Do you think the fact that the extra lights rested on top of the brace had anything to do with the brace cracking ? (the heat directly in touch with the brace ?).
I recently added some extra tubes to mine too (the same as yours but just with a 15Watt in the front section as the curve makes the front angles a lot smaller) - and am now concerned that I might be waiting for the same thing to happen in the near future.....
apparently thats the reason it split - the heat from the tube makes the plastic brittle. well thats what wildwoods said anyway.
in reality the tube above the crack is a dennerle 3000K. i could lick it let alone touch it. were talking luke warm not hot at all.
i dont agree that this is the cause but also cant think of any other cause for it to split. i didn't lean on it or anything, just lifted the tube and noticed the split.
I've invited one of the guys from my LFS (not wildwoods) over to my place to see the tanks (he's always asking about them). i'm hoping with his experience he'll think up a bodge job for me.
one things for certain - i'm NOT emptying the tank.
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