Day by day log of a newbies 75 gallon, TBS startup tank - Page 6

jeffman1 · #**126** 08/09/2005, 01:20 PM

Richard just called me back. He figured out what happened, i guess the rock i got was from a different source, that looked like the rock people were scamming them with, so he went off on me. But then he figured out what happened, and so now i am getting my new rock Thrusday, and he felt bad about it, so he is going to pay the S&H for me.

So thats cool, i should have my new rock, i was thinking this sucks, i am out all my rock, but looks like they are going to take care of me so thats good.

jnarowe · #**127** 08/09/2005, 02:47 PM

OK...so where did you (they) get rock "from a different source"??? I thought that all they sell is their own rock.--Jonathan

wooglin · #**128** 08/09/2005, 04:27 PM

I have a feeling someone else sent back some dead fiji rock trying to scam them. I knew he would take care of you.

jeffman1 · #**129** 08/09/2005, 04:30 PM

Not sure where they got it from, it sounded like since they were not able to get there rock around the March timeframe that they ended up getting it from a different source.

They normally only sell there own rock as he was sure it wasnt theres. He told me where and how he got it, but i forget the details. I just knew i got it from them

I was dealing with mary at the time, and i guess they fired her because of some problems, so i am not sure if it is realated. But it seems like they were having a hard time finding my order.

So I emailed Richard the details of my order and once he figured out what happened he call me right back and told me how sorry he was and is taking care of me now.

So thursday i get to setup the tank again, and hopefully everything goes good.

jeffman1 · #**130** 08/09/2005, 04:36 PM

Ya he said that some people were scamming them, i guess he lost over 10k to the people, so it made him mad. He thought forsure i was trying to pull the scam on them also since the rock was i guess like what they were scamming them with before.

jnarowe · #**131** 08/09/2005, 05:44 PM

bizarre...I would think that because their product is so unique, in that they culture it themselves, that if they couldn't get it for you, they would just tell you that and ask if you want to wait. I can't imagine anyone paying top dollar for their rock would be happy getting a substitute!! I know I would come unglued if I spent $1,000 and got something else. I am planning to buy a much larger quantity, and your post makes me nervous that I may be shelling out lots of money but not be guaranteed that I would get their rock!--Jonathan

wooglin · #**132** 08/09/2005, 06:48 PM

I dont think Richard is shipping fiji rock. What is happning was people were shipped back rock that they ordered and then claimed was dead, and it turned out to be that cheap dead fiji stuff you can order for a 100 bucks a box.

jnarowe · #**133** 08/09/2005, 07:20 PM

My point is, why did they ship non-TBS rock to him in the first place?--Jonathan

wooglin · #**134** 08/09/2005, 10:24 PM

I dont think I said it right. People are ordering TBS rock, getting it, then lying saying its dead, and sending back box fiji rock they got somewhere else ripping Richard off.

Thats just a guess. I am sure Richard is not shipping Fiji rock, and saying its from the gulf. He would not do that. If he shipped someone Fiji rock he would tell them it was Fiji rock.

jnarowe · #**135** 08/09/2005, 10:31 PM

Well, that's not what jeffman1 wrote. he wrote that he got bad quality rock, shipped it back, and then they "figured out what happened" which was that they had sent it to him as a substitute. What may have actually happened is that someone picked the rock from the wrong "pile" and accidentally sent him bogus previously returned rock.

jeffman1 · #**136** 08/10/2005, 01:28 AM

People were scamming Richard saying that there rock died and then they would send him back fiji rock.

The rock i got from them was i guess fiji rock or looked like fiji rock. When i got the rock there was stuff on it alive. They didnt send me rock that was died and returned from someone else.

I justed emailed Richard to find out where they got the rock, not sure if they got it from a different site or for a different source so i will try to find out for you. I know Mark has been getting stuff from the Keys of late, which my new rock is going to be from there.

He will probably let me know tomorrow about the rock i sent back to them, so i will try to post the info then for you.

But they seem like good people there, and take a lot of pride in there work, so i think you would be happy going with them.

If i had to do it over again, i would go with them still.

jnarowe · #**137** 08/10/2005, 08:05 AM

alrighty then...I am doing a large tank and I don't want to end up with rock "seconds"!--J

jeffman1 · #**138** 08/10/2005, 12:01 PM

Here is what Richard said, i am sure if you told them you only want there rock you would get it:
"It was just after the hurricanes when we could not dive for 5 months as you remember, so we got some rock from fellow suppliers to supplement stock. We went almost five months with no diving due to the severe weather of last year, and early this year."

jnarowe · #**139** 08/10/2005, 03:15 PM

That makes sense, but I guess I wouldn't be happy about it if I was the customer, which I may be in the next few months. I really appreciate your thread. It sounds like it will work out OK for you, but it is important for me to know that a substitution is possible. It's all about time and money, and having to send the rock back etc. is a real PITA.--Jonathan

jeffman1 · #**140** 08/11/2005, 04:34 PM

I know they have a place in the gulf and the keys, so when you order the rock you should tell them you only want rock from whichever site you want it from. I am sure they will send that too you, you just may have to wait longer if they are not pulling it from that location at the time.

My rock is on its way, so i am going to get it tonight. Hope things workout this time. I will try to get some picture of it, just got it get my camera back.

wooglin · #**141** 08/11/2005, 07:07 PM

When they talk about getting substitute rock they are talking about rock from the other gulf aquaculture compaines. It sounds like Richard got scammed for 10k of gulf rock from one of the other suppliers. His site is close to the shore, which makes better rocks, but means that because it is shallow weather effects it greatly. Some of the other suppliers have rock sites that are farther away, deeper. That means they can get rock even when the sea is rough.

jeffman1 · #**142** 08/12/2005, 03:28 PM

The rock i got was a lot different, one of the pieces is really nice, some of the smaller pieces did not have much.

Would you suggest it is best to get the same type of rock from the keys, or is it better to get the other part from the gulf?

I will post some pictures a little later today once the lights all turn on.

rjwilson37 · #**143** 08/12/2005, 04:44 PM

Wooglin, Here is a picture after having to frag a bunch and skim down the Anthelia's. (They anthelia's have already started growing back strong.)

jeffman1 · #**144** 08/12/2005, 05:37 PM

Here is my new rock:

Left side:

Middle:

Right side:

wooglin · #**145** 08/12/2005, 06:19 PM

I can tell from looking at that rock that it is not FIJI rock. Fiji rock is mostly dead initially due to the time in transit, you have lots of live corals and sponges on your rock.

jeffman1 · #**146** 08/12/2005, 06:35 PM

Ya, the fiji rock was the other stuff that i sent back to them, this is Atlantic rock. Seems to be doing good so far and there is some cool stuff on it. Going to be checking the ammonia ever few hours for the first bit, want to make sure it doesnt spike on me, so far it has slowly been moving up, .25 right now.

rjwilson37 · #**147** 08/12/2005, 08:37 PM

Looks like some sweet stuff, good luck.

jeffman1 · #**148** 08/13/2005, 04:00 AM

Thanks

patsan · #**149** 08/13/2005, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jnarowe
My point is, why did they ship non-TBS rock to him in the first place?--Jonathan

No, they didn't send him non-TBS rock. I remember when he got his rock. Unfortunately, he had a rough cycle, and his ammonia level went up the following day. He did some water changes, but his ammonia was up to to 4ppm for over 4 days. He was brand new, was not using RO/DI and just didn't really know how to deal with the cycle properly. He wound up scraping the rocks clean. He certainly was not shipped figi rock. Go back and look at his pictures, which will show it was not figi.
I think he's lucky TBS took his rock back and sent him new stuff.

jnarowe · #**150** 08/13/2005, 09:26 AM

patsan
That certainly is different from the other stories! Unfortunately for TBS, while RC is a great word-of-mouth advertizer, anything bad in a forum can nose-dive their business. The emails I have had with them have been very pleasant, professional, and knowledgeable. The only thing I don't like, is their "package" calculations in terms of how much you need for a given body of water.--J