dja1980
01/18/2007, 03:00 PM
Well, after several setbacks keeping me from getting my 24g Nano Cube started, it’s finally happening.
Allow me to start from the beginning (this is going to be long). After keeping my original 12g Nano Cube for a year and a half, I was excited to find out, in 2004, that JBJ was releasing a 24g version. Since I felt that I had run out of room in my 12g, I started looking for places to buy the popular new 24g Nano Cube. It seemed that almost everyone local and online was sold out except for a new site that I found called Nanocustoms. I was quite impressed with this new site since they not only had the 24g Nano Cube in stock, but they also customized them. So, after having several discussions with Chris, the owner of Nanocustoms, I placed my custom order on 12/17/2004. My order consisted of:
Upgraded Pump – Via Aqua 600 GPH
Additional Pump Return – Drilled under intake
SCWD Wavemaker
Overflow Mod – Seal off intake and cut teeth above intake
Total: $324.84 ($384.94 w/shipping)
I wanted to do a lighting upgrade as well, but since the 24g was so new, Chris didn’t know how modable the 24g hoods were. He said we could always upgrade the hood later once he was able to figure out how far he could safely push the lighting mods in this hood. Plus, Chris already knew that JBJ had released a “Second Edition (SE)” to the 12g Nano Cube DX, which featured a 1 piece clear splash guard that runs from front all the way to back. This opened up many more lighting upgrade possibilities, but he didn’t know if/when this would be available on the 24g.
This is when I got my hopes up for the first time. Chris had gotten word from JBJ that the revised hood for the 24g should be available in January of 2005, so he called me to find out if I would be willing to hold off on him working on my tank in order to hold out for the SE hood. Of course I was willing to wait.
Flashback #1:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=45748&hl=
&
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=46023&hl=
Then it didn’t look like he would get the new tanks until February. Chris did end up getting a new version of the 24g in January, but they didn’t have the revised splashguard. Instead, the new model he received incorporated the Nite-View Moonlights. Obviously, many of us were let down by this news, but we were still hoping to see a revised splashguard in the 24g sometime in February.
Flashback #2:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=53255&hl=
By the time the middle of February rolled around, no one knew how long it would be until the 24g SE would arrive. Then I got my hopes up for a second time toward the end of February when we got confirmation that the new tanks were inbound from Asia, and Chris started a presale for the custom (4)x36w 24g. We discussed a (4)x36w PC and (4)x10w T5 upgrade with the addition of a rear fuge light and R2 Solution 5 LED moonlight. I was getting very excited again about finally getting my new 24g.
Then we waited, and waited some more. On March 9th, Chris released a statement that the 24g SE version had arrived at the port of LA, but was awaiting customs clearance. So we waited some more, and some more.
Here’s the good part, at least the last part of this. On March 30th, Chris released this:
“I am at wits end right now. JBJ knows they are in port, but have no idea when they will be released. I bug them every single day about this and appreciate the patience of those of you who have been waiting a long time. For those who have paid in full, ie dja1980 and a few others, you will receive maxed out cubes for the price of the system you originally purchased.”
So even though I was tired of waiting and was extremely anxious to get my new tank, this made me very happy.
Flashback #3:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=51196&hl=
On April 7th Chris announced that JBJ was expecting the new tanks in on the 8th. So we waited, waited, waited even more. April went by. May came and went.
Then… finally… on June 1st, the announcement was out that JBJ had finally received the 24g Nano Cube SE. So, Chris and I, again, began to discuss the final specifications of my new tank. On June 14th, Chris announced that he would be “closing up shop” temporarily to start working on all of the long awaited 24g custom builds he had in queue.
Flashback #4:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=58961&hl=
&
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=59978&hl=
This is when “it” started to hit the fan. It was now the middle of June and reports started filling the boards about 24g Nano Cubes seeming to spontaneously break at the 6 month point of operation. This is when people really started to question the glass thickness of the 24g Nano Cube, and Chris immediately contacted me to discuss my options. We discussed the risks involved with going forward with a 24g Nano Cube, and told me that he was looking into having acrylic versions of the tank produced that would still accept the 24g Nano Cube hood. This definitely sounded like the best option. So with hopes up again, the wait began again.
Flashback #5:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=60291&hl=
&
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=61364&hl=
Then things really started to look bad when JBJ stopped selling to Nanocustoms. At this point I really didn’t feel that I would ever receive my new tank.
Flashback #6:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=62012&hl=
However, a couple of options were still available for me. Even though Chris would no longer be supplied with JBJ products he did still have some hoods in stock that could be used for the acrylic version of the tank. Also, in July of 2005, Chris was allowed to release that Current-USA was also in the process of coming out with an all-in-one nano tank… the Aquapod. Obviously, some time would have to pass before either of these options would be available, but I was still looking forward to an acrylic cube.
Flashback #7:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=62107&hl=
Well, that bubble was busted on this decision a month later when Chris announced the prices for him to have custom acrylic tanks manufactured to accept the Nano Cube hoods. He stated that he felt that they were “price prohibitive” at this point, no matter what quantity he threw at the manufacturer. Once again, Chris contacted me to discuss which direction I wanted to go. I was left with only one option, and with hopes up yet again, the wait began for the release date of the Current-USA 24g Aquapod.
Flashback #8:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=64225&hl=
&
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=66063&hl=
In October of 2005, Chris finally had his hands on the first 24g Aquapod prototype, and the anticipation of finally getting my tank was starting to build again. Later in the month he started a presale for the new tank with a release date expected in mid to late November. He ended up receiving the first of the 24g Aquapods in December, but they were the open-top style. He contacted me again to find out if I wanted him to ship me out a 150w HQI open-top model since the closed-top systems now weren’t expected to arrive until January 2006, so again I opted to wait.
Since there was already starting to be some talk of a 24g closed-top MH version and an Aquapod 24g “second generation” release, I figured, since I had already waited this long, I might as well see what pans out in the world of closed-top MH. I contacted Chris again in March to gather his thoughts on this, but the only information he had was that the first generation closed-top Aquapods were running a bit hot, and he didn’t have any information about the second generation tanks. Since Chris knew what I was now waiting for, I figured I would just sit tight and watch the boards for new development, and/or wait for Chris to give me a call with some new information.
Well since I was now in the habit of checking the boards daily, toward the end of April I ran across a post by Chris that got my hopes up once again. He posted:
“The 24g MH versions are on the burner. We are still doing heat and extended testing and hope to be able to launch mid may. The newest versions of the x.70 series run extremely quiet and cool, due to some enhancements we have made to the airflow and configuration of the hood.
Its also safe to say that we will be rolling out with a 150w version (pending testing) in Early August.
Because you work hard for your money (as do we), we want a no holds barred, high quality mod that we can be proud to put our name on.”
So I waited and waited to see if anything would every come from this announcement, but as of August I couldn’t wait anymore and had to get some insider dirt on this. So I contact Chris again, and this time he had good news for me. He informed me that they had, in fact, been trying to call an old phone number that they had on file for me (a lot can change in nearly 2 years). Apparently, at one point JBJ had come to their senses and made up with Chris. I don’t know how long after they stopped selling to him that this happened, but this brought the Nano Cube back into the equation. Since Aquapod was still running too hot and JBJ had started using 6mm glass on their 2006 models, it looked like Nano Cube was going to be the way to go after all.
While talking to Chris he filled me in on why the Nano Cube’s hood design has allowed them to get away with such high performance upgrades, and that they, in fact, had a (1)x70w HQI + (3)x18w CF system that had been running in their office for a while that he felt was safe enough to build for me. I inquired about the 150w HQI, but was told that this setup would be as maxed out as it would ever be. So, of course I jumped on this. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of installing hardwood floors in our new house, so I wasn’t in a situation to setup a new tank right away, but on 8/11/06 I received my tracking number, and my new tank was finally on its way.
So my original $384.94 ended up getting me an awesome $900+ (1)x70w HQI + (3)x18w custom 24g Nano Cube. Since Chris did save me so much, I made sure to purchase as many accessories from him to get my tank started as I could, $550 later. Unfortunately, I did end up having to spend an additional $150 at marinedepot.com on plumbing parts to perform my own plumbing mods, which apparently never go as smoothly as visioned, but all-in-all, what a great deal. Hence the title of this thread, when Chris makes a promise, you can count on him coming through in the end.
Oh, there’s more. So why does the subtitle of this thread state “(2)x70w MH Nano Cube Project” you might be asking. Well toward the end of October, I noticed that a (2)x70w HQI model was being pictured on the nanotuners.com website, and Chris posted about it shortly after. Since my tank was still sitting in the box and my floors were now complete enough to allow me to start setting up my tank, I contacted Chris regarding a possible upgrade to this new system. He offered to send me a shipping label to send my tank back to him to be upgraded for only the cost of parts. How could I pass that up? I agreed to pay the $160 upgrade, and shipped my hood back off to California on 12/14/07 to be expected back shortly after Christmas sometime.
Unfortunately, the ICA (Integrated Chiller Assist) that came on the original hood would no longer be enough to combat the heat that would be given off by the new hood, so I had to purchase a “real” chiller from Nanotuners too. So the upgrade actually ended up costing around an additional $430, but when I went to my mother’s house on Christmas morning, my mom surprised me with my upgraded hood and new chiller from Nanotuners. Actually, Chris ended up building me an entirely new hood and sold off my original (1)x70w as used. How could I have made off any better?
So, once again, I was finally going to be able to start my tank. I figured I could have live rock cycling in my tank within the next few days... I was very excited. Of course with me, it’s never that easy. As I opened the boxes to check out the new upgrade, I discovered that FedEx had cracked the splashguard to the point of it being unusable. So I contacted Nick at Nanotuners the day after Christmas, and he told me that they had one splashguard in stock that he would get sent out right away. By the way, Nick is also awesome t deal with. Well guess what... a week later I received the replacement splashguard, and FedEx had cracked yet another splashguard. So I contacted Nanotuners again, and they didn’t know how long it would take to get another splashguard. Chris told me that he would get me one out once he had one, but to try to seal up the second one the best I could until a replacement could be sent out. Fortunately, the second one was at least glueable, so it should work for a while.
Other than flooding my new floors with the Automatic Top Off, I haven’t had any more issues. By the way, check-valve + aquariums = disaster. I did receive my shipment of live rock a few days late due to a shipping issue with Premium Aquatics, but that wasn’t a huge deal. My tank has been cycling with 35lbs of Marshall Island rock and 5lbs of rubble in the middle/back chamber since 1/11/07, and things are really coming along fast. So the way I see it, looking back, it definitely worked out in my favor. Even though it took over 2 years for me to get my new tank up and running, I don’t have to sleep with one eye open waiting for my Nano Cube to spontaneously start cracking, and ended up with a top-notch system for a fraction of the price.
Feel free to post any comments, and watch for a new thread on my tank progress within the next few days. Once I get the new thread started, I’ll be sure to post a link in this thread. I hope you have enjoyed this LONG story, and I’m sure many of you can relate to it. It’s amazing the amount of stress this hobby can put on us, and we still manage to stick with it. And, last but not least, the next time you talk to Chris from Nanocustoms, and he gives you his usual top-notch customer service, make sure you let him know how much you appreciate it. There aren’t too many business owners left in this world that treat their customers they way he does.
http://www.nanotuners.com/images/splash.jpg
Allow me to start from the beginning (this is going to be long). After keeping my original 12g Nano Cube for a year and a half, I was excited to find out, in 2004, that JBJ was releasing a 24g version. Since I felt that I had run out of room in my 12g, I started looking for places to buy the popular new 24g Nano Cube. It seemed that almost everyone local and online was sold out except for a new site that I found called Nanocustoms. I was quite impressed with this new site since they not only had the 24g Nano Cube in stock, but they also customized them. So, after having several discussions with Chris, the owner of Nanocustoms, I placed my custom order on 12/17/2004. My order consisted of:
Upgraded Pump – Via Aqua 600 GPH
Additional Pump Return – Drilled under intake
SCWD Wavemaker
Overflow Mod – Seal off intake and cut teeth above intake
Total: $324.84 ($384.94 w/shipping)
I wanted to do a lighting upgrade as well, but since the 24g was so new, Chris didn’t know how modable the 24g hoods were. He said we could always upgrade the hood later once he was able to figure out how far he could safely push the lighting mods in this hood. Plus, Chris already knew that JBJ had released a “Second Edition (SE)” to the 12g Nano Cube DX, which featured a 1 piece clear splash guard that runs from front all the way to back. This opened up many more lighting upgrade possibilities, but he didn’t know if/when this would be available on the 24g.
This is when I got my hopes up for the first time. Chris had gotten word from JBJ that the revised hood for the 24g should be available in January of 2005, so he called me to find out if I would be willing to hold off on him working on my tank in order to hold out for the SE hood. Of course I was willing to wait.
Flashback #1:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=45748&hl=
&
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=46023&hl=
Then it didn’t look like he would get the new tanks until February. Chris did end up getting a new version of the 24g in January, but they didn’t have the revised splashguard. Instead, the new model he received incorporated the Nite-View Moonlights. Obviously, many of us were let down by this news, but we were still hoping to see a revised splashguard in the 24g sometime in February.
Flashback #2:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=53255&hl=
By the time the middle of February rolled around, no one knew how long it would be until the 24g SE would arrive. Then I got my hopes up for a second time toward the end of February when we got confirmation that the new tanks were inbound from Asia, and Chris started a presale for the custom (4)x36w 24g. We discussed a (4)x36w PC and (4)x10w T5 upgrade with the addition of a rear fuge light and R2 Solution 5 LED moonlight. I was getting very excited again about finally getting my new 24g.
Then we waited, and waited some more. On March 9th, Chris released a statement that the 24g SE version had arrived at the port of LA, but was awaiting customs clearance. So we waited some more, and some more.
Here’s the good part, at least the last part of this. On March 30th, Chris released this:
“I am at wits end right now. JBJ knows they are in port, but have no idea when they will be released. I bug them every single day about this and appreciate the patience of those of you who have been waiting a long time. For those who have paid in full, ie dja1980 and a few others, you will receive maxed out cubes for the price of the system you originally purchased.”
So even though I was tired of waiting and was extremely anxious to get my new tank, this made me very happy.
Flashback #3:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=51196&hl=
On April 7th Chris announced that JBJ was expecting the new tanks in on the 8th. So we waited, waited, waited even more. April went by. May came and went.
Then… finally… on June 1st, the announcement was out that JBJ had finally received the 24g Nano Cube SE. So, Chris and I, again, began to discuss the final specifications of my new tank. On June 14th, Chris announced that he would be “closing up shop” temporarily to start working on all of the long awaited 24g custom builds he had in queue.
Flashback #4:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=58961&hl=
&
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=59978&hl=
This is when “it” started to hit the fan. It was now the middle of June and reports started filling the boards about 24g Nano Cubes seeming to spontaneously break at the 6 month point of operation. This is when people really started to question the glass thickness of the 24g Nano Cube, and Chris immediately contacted me to discuss my options. We discussed the risks involved with going forward with a 24g Nano Cube, and told me that he was looking into having acrylic versions of the tank produced that would still accept the 24g Nano Cube hood. This definitely sounded like the best option. So with hopes up again, the wait began again.
Flashback #5:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=60291&hl=
&
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=61364&hl=
Then things really started to look bad when JBJ stopped selling to Nanocustoms. At this point I really didn’t feel that I would ever receive my new tank.
Flashback #6:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=62012&hl=
However, a couple of options were still available for me. Even though Chris would no longer be supplied with JBJ products he did still have some hoods in stock that could be used for the acrylic version of the tank. Also, in July of 2005, Chris was allowed to release that Current-USA was also in the process of coming out with an all-in-one nano tank… the Aquapod. Obviously, some time would have to pass before either of these options would be available, but I was still looking forward to an acrylic cube.
Flashback #7:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=62107&hl=
Well, that bubble was busted on this decision a month later when Chris announced the prices for him to have custom acrylic tanks manufactured to accept the Nano Cube hoods. He stated that he felt that they were “price prohibitive” at this point, no matter what quantity he threw at the manufacturer. Once again, Chris contacted me to discuss which direction I wanted to go. I was left with only one option, and with hopes up yet again, the wait began for the release date of the Current-USA 24g Aquapod.
Flashback #8:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=64225&hl=
&
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=66063&hl=
In October of 2005, Chris finally had his hands on the first 24g Aquapod prototype, and the anticipation of finally getting my tank was starting to build again. Later in the month he started a presale for the new tank with a release date expected in mid to late November. He ended up receiving the first of the 24g Aquapods in December, but they were the open-top style. He contacted me again to find out if I wanted him to ship me out a 150w HQI open-top model since the closed-top systems now weren’t expected to arrive until January 2006, so again I opted to wait.
Since there was already starting to be some talk of a 24g closed-top MH version and an Aquapod 24g “second generation” release, I figured, since I had already waited this long, I might as well see what pans out in the world of closed-top MH. I contacted Chris again in March to gather his thoughts on this, but the only information he had was that the first generation closed-top Aquapods were running a bit hot, and he didn’t have any information about the second generation tanks. Since Chris knew what I was now waiting for, I figured I would just sit tight and watch the boards for new development, and/or wait for Chris to give me a call with some new information.
Well since I was now in the habit of checking the boards daily, toward the end of April I ran across a post by Chris that got my hopes up once again. He posted:
“The 24g MH versions are on the burner. We are still doing heat and extended testing and hope to be able to launch mid may. The newest versions of the x.70 series run extremely quiet and cool, due to some enhancements we have made to the airflow and configuration of the hood.
Its also safe to say that we will be rolling out with a 150w version (pending testing) in Early August.
Because you work hard for your money (as do we), we want a no holds barred, high quality mod that we can be proud to put our name on.”
So I waited and waited to see if anything would every come from this announcement, but as of August I couldn’t wait anymore and had to get some insider dirt on this. So I contact Chris again, and this time he had good news for me. He informed me that they had, in fact, been trying to call an old phone number that they had on file for me (a lot can change in nearly 2 years). Apparently, at one point JBJ had come to their senses and made up with Chris. I don’t know how long after they stopped selling to him that this happened, but this brought the Nano Cube back into the equation. Since Aquapod was still running too hot and JBJ had started using 6mm glass on their 2006 models, it looked like Nano Cube was going to be the way to go after all.
While talking to Chris he filled me in on why the Nano Cube’s hood design has allowed them to get away with such high performance upgrades, and that they, in fact, had a (1)x70w HQI + (3)x18w CF system that had been running in their office for a while that he felt was safe enough to build for me. I inquired about the 150w HQI, but was told that this setup would be as maxed out as it would ever be. So, of course I jumped on this. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of installing hardwood floors in our new house, so I wasn’t in a situation to setup a new tank right away, but on 8/11/06 I received my tracking number, and my new tank was finally on its way.
So my original $384.94 ended up getting me an awesome $900+ (1)x70w HQI + (3)x18w custom 24g Nano Cube. Since Chris did save me so much, I made sure to purchase as many accessories from him to get my tank started as I could, $550 later. Unfortunately, I did end up having to spend an additional $150 at marinedepot.com on plumbing parts to perform my own plumbing mods, which apparently never go as smoothly as visioned, but all-in-all, what a great deal. Hence the title of this thread, when Chris makes a promise, you can count on him coming through in the end.
Oh, there’s more. So why does the subtitle of this thread state “(2)x70w MH Nano Cube Project” you might be asking. Well toward the end of October, I noticed that a (2)x70w HQI model was being pictured on the nanotuners.com website, and Chris posted about it shortly after. Since my tank was still sitting in the box and my floors were now complete enough to allow me to start setting up my tank, I contacted Chris regarding a possible upgrade to this new system. He offered to send me a shipping label to send my tank back to him to be upgraded for only the cost of parts. How could I pass that up? I agreed to pay the $160 upgrade, and shipped my hood back off to California on 12/14/07 to be expected back shortly after Christmas sometime.
Unfortunately, the ICA (Integrated Chiller Assist) that came on the original hood would no longer be enough to combat the heat that would be given off by the new hood, so I had to purchase a “real” chiller from Nanotuners too. So the upgrade actually ended up costing around an additional $430, but when I went to my mother’s house on Christmas morning, my mom surprised me with my upgraded hood and new chiller from Nanotuners. Actually, Chris ended up building me an entirely new hood and sold off my original (1)x70w as used. How could I have made off any better?
So, once again, I was finally going to be able to start my tank. I figured I could have live rock cycling in my tank within the next few days... I was very excited. Of course with me, it’s never that easy. As I opened the boxes to check out the new upgrade, I discovered that FedEx had cracked the splashguard to the point of it being unusable. So I contacted Nick at Nanotuners the day after Christmas, and he told me that they had one splashguard in stock that he would get sent out right away. By the way, Nick is also awesome t deal with. Well guess what... a week later I received the replacement splashguard, and FedEx had cracked yet another splashguard. So I contacted Nanotuners again, and they didn’t know how long it would take to get another splashguard. Chris told me that he would get me one out once he had one, but to try to seal up the second one the best I could until a replacement could be sent out. Fortunately, the second one was at least glueable, so it should work for a while.
Other than flooding my new floors with the Automatic Top Off, I haven’t had any more issues. By the way, check-valve + aquariums = disaster. I did receive my shipment of live rock a few days late due to a shipping issue with Premium Aquatics, but that wasn’t a huge deal. My tank has been cycling with 35lbs of Marshall Island rock and 5lbs of rubble in the middle/back chamber since 1/11/07, and things are really coming along fast. So the way I see it, looking back, it definitely worked out in my favor. Even though it took over 2 years for me to get my new tank up and running, I don’t have to sleep with one eye open waiting for my Nano Cube to spontaneously start cracking, and ended up with a top-notch system for a fraction of the price.
Feel free to post any comments, and watch for a new thread on my tank progress within the next few days. Once I get the new thread started, I’ll be sure to post a link in this thread. I hope you have enjoyed this LONG story, and I’m sure many of you can relate to it. It’s amazing the amount of stress this hobby can put on us, and we still manage to stick with it. And, last but not least, the next time you talk to Chris from Nanocustoms, and he gives you his usual top-notch customer service, make sure you let him know how much you appreciate it. There aren’t too many business owners left in this world that treat their customers they way he does.
http://www.nanotuners.com/images/splash.jpg