Aquatic Concepts - WARNING
 

Hello everyone, I posted this in my tank thread but thought it should be added here as well.
A fellow reefer noticed that Aquatic Concepts is using a photo of my custom built nano-tank to advertize that they "carry the latest high-end products". This picture was copied from my thread and posted on their site without permission.

I have asked them to remove the picture, but they are not replying to my emails. I would seriously question anything that you see advertized on this site - if they were capable of doing such high-quality work, they would not have needed to steal someone else's work to pass off as their own.This vender is dishonest - just a word of caution.

- Chad

here is the page [url]http://ac-nc.com/Saltwater_Aquarium_Products.htm[/url]
And this is my photo: [url]http://ac-nc.com/images/Products_1.jpg[/url]
As of posting time, they still had it up

If you check the Vendor Experiances forum, you will find a number of threads by individuals who have hab bad experiances with them. Apparently they have been dubbed Aqua"Con" by a number of individuals. I'm not surprised that they would ignore your request.

Thanks Doc, at least I'm in good company...

Update,
Looking through their portfolio just now, I noticed that the photos advertizing their unique custom design are photoshopped.

As they say, "A Picture Is Worth One Thousand Words…"
[url]http://ac-nc.com/Aquarium_Portfolio.htm[/url]

Exact same photo put into different backgrounds.
[url]http://ac-nc.com/images/Portfolio/13.jpg[/url]
[url]http://ac-nc.com/images/Portfolio/17.jpg[/url]

Same thing here:
[url]http://ac-nc.com/images/Portfolio/4.jpg[/url]
[url]http://ac-nc.com/images/Portfolio/12.jpg[/url]

Is that an acan or blasto over a foot across?
[url]http://ac-nc.com/images/Portfolio/7.jpg[/url]


- Chad

I would think they are violating some kind of laws about using other peoples property? wouldn't you think...

I don't know, I didn't watermark or copyright my photos so I don't know what the legality of it is...
Without a doubt though it is dishonest to try and pss off my hard work as their own. People need to be warned about what kind of ethics this company has; if this is how deceitful they are when they are trying to put their best foot forward, imagine what they would be like once they've gotten your money!

_ Chad

They should really respond to your request to remove the phote but I'm not sure they are required to. BTW I modded a 2.5 gal hex about 10 years ago and it ran on a small PH and an internal overflow. Does that mean I'm an inventor. :lol:

SteveU

send them another email saying you're going to see your lawyer on Monday, then really go see one and ask....

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8913110#post8913110 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gtrestoration [/i]
[B]They should really respond to your request to remove the phote but I'm not sure they are required to. BTW I modded a 2.5 gal hex about 10 years ago and it ran on a small PH and an internal overflow. Does that mean I'm an inventor. :lol:

SteveU [/B][/QUOTE]

If you were the one who invented the internal overflow, then absolutely! And thank you by the way!
No one before me - that I know of - ever plumbed a cannister filter to the bottom of a nano and grew chaeto inside it. If there is a cleaner nano out there that can be viewed from 360 degrees without any equipment or plumbing being seen - I'd love to see it!

scapes,
I will look into it and see if I can get free advice on the sibject.

- Chad

I actually think it might be unlawful to take a picture of yours unlawfully. Though I'm not positive since its not watermarked, copyrighted, and you didn't state it may not be re-used without your permission. Though maybe so, I would call those SOBs. Trust me I will never order from them just because of that. Kind of funny though that awesome pic they took from you is getting them a bad rap on one of the largest saltwater communitys online.
On all of my good pics I put my initials & the year on them for this reason.

All photos are automatically copyrighted to the person that takes the photo. The only acception that I know of is when it is copy work.

I just sent them an email, I'll see if they respond

too bad you can't advertise for free lawyer advice on here about this situation?? probably get the boot though, since this is not a law chat room or anything...

Thanks Dustin,
I don't know how much a watermark would have helped me in this situation... if those guys can put a cylinder tank full of 14" tangs in two different settings, they can surely edit out my watermark.
I think they merely read my emails and deleted them. If they really realized what kind of publicity they are getting, I think they would shape up pretty darn quick.

smcnally,
I have recently heard that too... It really seems though like it is a grey area - or at least misunderstood - because I have gotten some conflicting answers.

scapes,
I was actually thinking of sending links to the different threads where I have posted about them. I thought that they are
Haha... there sure is a diverse group of people in this hobby. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few laywers here on the board.

- Chad

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8916375#post8916375 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ninjafish [/i]
[B]Thanks Dustin,
I don't know how much a watermark would have helped me in this situation... if those guys can put a cylinder tank full of 14" tangs in two different settings, they can surely edit out my watermark.
- Chad [/B][/QUOTE]

Easilly, but what I meant is it shows proof of originality, if it was taken of the photo they have. I'm pretty sure smcnally is right.

Oh, I see. That's not a bad idea - maybe I will do that in the future...

You can even just put semi-transparent text over the image in important areas. I do this when I submit images of work into industry related forums so others don't claim they did work my company did. Here's an example.

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v703/smcnally/DSC03427-1.jpg[/IMG]

Keeping the original picture on your hard drive is also proof, I usually size my pictures and they are next to the original. Watermark a copy of that.

You should give them a call, and make sure to speak with Tin. He's the owner. If you have anymore problems let me know and I will personally go over there and confront them about the photos on their website. Let me know

Levi

Thats Ron not Tin

Thanks guys,
I have sent them three emails already. I think that if they were going to respond to me they would have by now. I guess that I could give them a call as well - I will let you know what they say..

- Chad

Ron? I've always been under the impression that Tin was the owner of the store, his brother Tahn "vice president" or whatever. Have never spoken to anyone named Ron at the store and was going there since it opened up until about 2 months ago.

Have a someone that sounds like a lawyer call and just threaten them of lawsuit.. see if that changes things a bit.. hahah

if it makes you feel any better...sent them an email over the weekend through a direct link on their website, just came back as a bad email:( go figure...

Sorry. The owners name may be Tin,

Someone mentioned Aqua-Con in this thread and I assumed they meant Ron's Place. Thats a different company, Dr Hank.
Not the original AQUACON in Florida.

Hey Chad. I saw the thread you left and gave the guys at Aquatic Concepts a call and they said they would gladly remove it from the website as soon as possible. They said it was put on the website by the web designer bc he thought it looked cool. I have been going there for years and they have always been extremely nice. They also said they are moving to a new web hosting company so the old emails don't work any more. You should definately give them a call.