Free stuff in IO buckets

[miatawnt2b]

I haven't had to buy a bcket of salt in a long while as I was out of the hobby for some time. However, I do remember there usually being a heater or a pump in the 200 gal IO buckets. Well, the 200 gal bucket ran out this week, and I had to buy another. The first thing I notice is that I can't get IO in a 200 gal mix anymore, 160 is all I could find. I buy the bucket and on the way out to the car, the handle breaks from the plastic and the bucket goes rolling down the parking lot. The third thing is the cheap beach towel freebee. Sporting the clownfish IO logo, this thing is about as thick as a kleenex. Not only would I never use this thing as a beach towel, but it's pretty much useless even as a sop-up rag for water changes. So what happened to the large, sturdy buckets, with a useful giveaway?

-J

[romanr]

The 200G now comes in a box which is a box with 4 50g bags inside. I buy that and just dump it into the bucket I already had. If you want good salt buy IO. If you want free stuff then get Coralife(t-shirt).

[bornfree]

Up here where I am IO only comes in 160gal buckets now. Abought a year ago was the last time I saw the 200gal. Last time I bought some there was free Marineland food. It seemed pretty good, at least the fish didn't take long to eat it.

[NanoTX]

The Coralife T-shirt is first rate. Tangs!

[Snakebyt]

last 160 bucket i got didnt have anything free in it.

[NoSchwag]

I just got a 160 bucket of IO with a towel in it.

[wrassie86]

ya,for awile they had those little powerheads for free.those were ok i thought, even if i had really no use for them.But like said ubove.the towels are a joke and pretty much useless.Unless maybe you want to hang it on the wall.:D

[Kent E]

Handles have been falling off these things! Be careful!

[NoSchwag]

My handle also actually broke on the way back to the car sending the bucket rolling. I haven't opened it to see the towel yet.

[Conceyted]

I didnt get anything in my 160gallon bucket

[sjm817]

I never got anything in my Reef Crystals buckets, but the handles never broke either :)

[Psyire]

I opened up my bucket of Kent salt and got.... The World's Best Salt!

:p

[Anemia]

Originally posted by Psyire
I opened up my bucket of Kent salt and got.... The World's Best Salt!

:p Amen!

Originally posted by NoSchwag
I just got a 160 bucket of IO with a towel in it. your username is wonderful irony right there.

[Frick-n-Frags]

:D so nobody else ever got the lame fako plants in their IO bucket????? (At least the PH's can be used for salt mixing etc)

[Chaotic Reefer4u]

too funny.

[old salty]

I got a towel at the bottom of the bucket. Comes in pretty handy when sticking your entire arm inside the tank

[jimroth]

I use the 300 gallon sack of Tropic Marin. It comes withthis great indestructible sack...

[bigdee65]

I got an IO T-Shirt awhile back when I got my first bucket, since then I haven't got anything :rolleyes:

[jenghes]

I don't care about the free stuff, I want the salt.

However, I did buy a 160g bucket yesterday and the handle broke on the way to the car too. Sounds like there is a problem there. I do, however, like the new lid design. Kept my last bucket from chunking up.

How can we let IO know of the problem. If we don't tell them, it will never get fixed.

[Gawain1974]

I've yet to get a freebie in a bucket of IO salt, but I can only find the 160's around here.

[wrassie86]

Originally posted by Gawain1974
I've yet to get a freebie in a bucket of IO salt, but I can only find the 160's around here.

Go to the petsmart on highcrossing rd and buy a 160g bucket.to get your free towel:D at least they had them a few weeks ago when i bought my last bucket.

[Kent E]

I think it would be better publicity to sell buckets with good handles, than getting a shirt and a broken foot.

[jenghes]

Originally posted by Kent E
I think it would be better publicity to sell buckets with good handles, than getting a shirt and a broken foot.

I agree!

[Gawain1974]

Originally posted by wrassie86
Go to the petsmart on highcrossing rd and buy a 160g bucket.to get your free towel:D at least they had them a few weeks ago when i bought my last bucket.

Thanks!

Well, a bucket with a functional handle is expected, not a perk.

[jenghes]

So how do we make IO aware of the concern?

[MiddletonMark]

I've been hoping to open my IO bucket and get some decent salt, but I guess that's out of the question ;)

I've gotten T-shirts in my last buckets. Guess I'm lucky, though they're likely on par with the towels ...

Mostly using RC now, nothing more than salt in there.

[Asuran]

i thought i was the only one who almost had their foot broken when the handle failed... the older buckets seemed much sturdier... i dont really care for the free stuff inside though... but yeah that towel inside absorbs as much water as an old t-shirt does lol... speaking of which i need more salt...

[wrassie86]

The other thing i dont like besides the handles,is the ridges they are putting on the buckets to hold the handels up.Ive slopped alot of water because of those.
So now it's beat the lid off with a hammer.chisel off the ridges.Getting to be alittle to much work.Altho when i get a new bucket it ius transfered to one of the old 200g mix buckets.i'm not fond of the srcew lid.

[miatawnt2b]

I totally agree about that hammer-off lid. The old version wasn't much better, but at least it didn't require me to dig through the garage for a hammer. My point about the freebee's was the obvious cheapening down of the product. I just hope the quality of the salt remains.

-J

[wrassie86]

Originally posted by tjghes
I don't care about the free stuff, I want the salt.


How can we let IO know of the problem. If we don't tell them, it will never get fixed.

Here ya go,they prefure phone calls over email

World Headquarters:
8141 Tyler Blvd.
Mentor, OH 44060
Phone: 440-255-1997
Fax: 440-255-8994
Toll Free USA: 1-800-822-1100

[jenghes]

Originally posted by miatawnt2b
My point about the freebee's was the obvious cheapening down of the product. I just hope the quality of the salt remains.

-J

I don't mind this type of cheapening of the product. Actually, I'd rather not have a cheap towel, t-shirt or powerhead that I'll throw away anyway. It is all built into the cost of the desired product (salt). Nothing is truly free :)

[jenghes]

Originally posted by wrassie86
Here ya go,they prefure phone calls over email

World Headquarters:
8141 Tyler Blvd.
Mentor, OH 44060
Phone: 440-255-1997
Fax: 440-255-8994
Toll Free USA: 1-800-822-1100


Thanks - calling right now to voice my concern about the handle

[miatawnt2b]

I sent them e-mail... don't have time to call... too busy browsing RC :)
-J

[jenghes]

What is their e-mail? I'll do both :)

[miatawnt2b]

info@aquariumsystems.com

[jenghes]

Thanks!

[Keiths_Reefs]

Originally posted by Snakebyt
last 160 bucket i got didnt have anything free in it.

Ditto, I've had 3 of the 160 gal buckets and there's been nothing in them but then again I never expected there to be.

[Ploppers]

Let us know if you get a response. I'm curious what they will have to say. :)

Oh, and I got 3 buckets of Reef Crystals from Dr. Foster and Smith. They say the have a T-shirt inside. I haven't made it to the the bottum of the first bucket yet to find one.

[jarhed]

My last two 160 buckets of IO had food in them. I could care less about the schwag, just want good salt at a decent price.

Hey, how much is the box of salt supposed to cost (4 50gal bags)? I can get the bags for $13 each, but if getting the entire 200gal box is cheaper than the equivalent of 160gal buckets, then I'll just buy that instead.

[GraviT]

Originally posted by Psyire
I opened up my bucket of Kent salt and got.... The World's Best Salt!

:p

Wow, that's really strange. The exact same thing happened to me last night! :D

[UncleSweetwater]

I had got 12 160's of IO from dr. forsters & smith about a month ago ( filling my new 400 gal system) on sale no shipping+++ $28 No problems here no prizes either:uzi:

[69vette]

Back in 1999 0r 2000, I was getting free heaters with the 220g buckets. Then a couple years later it was powerheads, but 2 years ago I stockpiled enough IO to last me for about 10 years, but no free stuff in these buckets.

[Melody]

Been using IO since 2001, never got any free stuff. NEVER! :hammer:

I do agree, the lid on the new 160 is horrible. I'lll be ringing them up also.

[Keiths_Reefs]

Originally posted by UncleSweetwater
I had got 12 160's of IO from dr. forsters & smith about a month ago ( filling my new 400 gal system) on sale no shipping+++ $28 No problems here no prizes either:uzi:

I got one during that deal, wish I had gotten more though I'm sure the fedex man is happy I only got one :D

[jarhed]

Think DrFS will do something like that again? Thats even cheaper than the Petsmart online prices.

[Ploppers]

Correction: my buckets of Reef Crystals say they have a beach towel inside. :)

[Anemia]

edit: nevermind. PM sent.

[Ploppers]

PM recieved. :)

[cwegescheide]

I think the towel is supposed to be meant to wrap around the ice pack when the handle breaks and the bucket lands on your foot.

[Ploppers]

Originally posted by cwegescheide
I think the towel is supposed to be meant to wrap around the ice pack when the handle breaks and the bucket lands on your foot.

ROFL :rollface: :lol:
Thankfully I haven't had that experience yet.

[jenghes]

Too funny. I just checked my bucket. It says there is a towel inside!!!! yay!!!!!