Digital Aquatics - aggravating

[Sherita]

I really didn't want to write this, but decided that if it keeps one person from going through the same aggravation that I am, then it is worth it.

In December of 2010 I purchased a RKL with pc4/sl1/temp probe/ph probe from Marine Depot. I normally use ACjr's, but since this was on sale at a really good price, I figured why not? Now, I am asking myself......why did you do that??

At five months old, the temp probe failed. Tank temps were swinging over 3 degrees on either side of the set point, so I contacted DA, since my unit was under warranty. First aggravation point.....getting someone to answer the phone. When I have trouble with a relatively new product, I want to talk to a HUMAN, not voice mail. VM is relatively easy to ignore.....which leads to aggravation point number two, they do NOT return phone calls when you leave a message. And writing to their support line will get you an answer when they dang well feel like it, all the while you are fighting to keep from losing your tank. Then, when you do get them on the phone, and have provided all the necessary documents, they want you to purchase a new temp probe, then they will refund your payment when they get the old one. I always like that, "we warranty our probes, but we use your checkbook to do it". new one bought, old one has been returned, it remains to be seen if I will get a refund.

Now I have another issue with the same unit, which is now only six months old. Whenever I try to change the set point for my fans and heater, that option is gone. The only way to get it back is to do a factory reset, which wipes all of my inputs out and I have to put them in again. I am now on factory reset number six. Yet again, I can't get anyone on the phone, and from past experience it is a waste of time to try to get information via email.

This unit is SIX MONTHS OLD. It's the only RKL that I own, and I hope to not own it much longer. It has proven to be unreliable, with poor workmanship and horrible customer "support". I can no longer trust that this unit will do as programmed, and I will be replacing it in the very near future. I am quite disappointed, as I really expected the same level of excellence that my ACjr's provide. It's been an expensive little mistake, but one I won't make again. I am going to seek a return and refund, but I don't have much hope that it will actually happen.

[Europhyllia]

Wow weird!
I had a problem with my RKL today. Already received 3 return emails (and yes they do seem to prefer support tickets over phone) and got a return authorization (no money upfront from my side) -all in one day.

Also THANKS TO SHERITA's amazing pre-support support I was able to trouble shoot my little problem ahead of time. :)

I am hoping they will send me a new unit really fast. So far they've been pretty responsive.

By the way their ticket system says that they have a new way of tracking responses to improve their system so perhaps the old system had some problems they are aware of?

So sorry you are having so much trouble with this unit!!!

I actually have two (215g tank and 60g cube) and couldn't imagine live without them.

DA better not disappoint me. I've invested too much in these to find a new love...

Good Luck Sherita! :(

[Sherita]

Karin,

I am pretty sure I got a lemon, but I have had entirely enough of DA. I just want my money back, I will go back to Neptune Systems. I have five tanks in total, and run ACj'rs on four. They take great care of my tanks. This RKL, on the other hand, has been nothing but a pain in my rear.

I have to have a controller that I can depend on. I do NOT have central air/heat, but cool with window units and heat with a woodburning stove (yes, that is the ONLY heat in my house, I love it). I need controllers to keep track of my tank temps, so I am not worrying about them.

I am glad to hear that they are taking care of you. My experience with them has been the polar opposite. I don't "do" support via email, because I work in construction and only have limited time to deal with such things, and rarely have email access during the day. When I have a problem, I need to talk to a PERSON, right then. I expect to be treated the same way I treat my clients. Maybe I am just asking too much.

[Bill S]

Sherita,

I can't say my experiences with Neptune have been all that great - but it HAS been a couple of years. Same kind of thing, no one answers the phone, no return phone calls. Arrogance when I do get someone. This seems to be the way things work in this hobby - for many suppliers, it's a part time job.

[Sherita]

Bill, I have no doubt that you are correct. But since my ACjr's haven't given me any issues, I haven't had to call Neptune.

Arrogance, that is a perfect description. As if they are doing someone a huge favor by standing behind their products. I tell you what, if I did business the way some companies do, I would be standing out on a corner somewhere with a cardboard sign.

I believe in customer service and support, it's the foundation that my company is built on. And it might be unreasonable, but I expect the same from other companies.

[jc]

I've had problems with DA equipment before. Two of my power strips have one outlet that will not turn off. If I had to do it again I would have gone with profilux.

[Europhyllia]

I've had problems with DA equipment before. Two of my power strips have one outlet that will not turn off. If I had to do it again I would have gone with profilux.
JC is it a pump on channel 2 or 3 by chance?

[Europhyllia]

by chance something like this:http://www.maast.org/showthread.php?61784-Something-interesting-about-RKL-...&highlight=aqualifter

[ErikH]

Go on RC and post in their vendor forum. RC has a ton of exposure, so it's like going to MACNA and protesting at their booth! :)

[Sherita]

Erik, I did. I guess I will find out soon enough if I have gotten the attention of someone who can help.

[Roo&Lis]

+1 erik. I got a response within minutes on RC when I had trouble. Good luck!

[Sherita]

It's fairly late, so I doubt I will hear from anyone tonite.

It's at it again, I can hear my fans cycling on and off continuously. I am really starting to hate this thing. It loses the set point, and loses the option for you to set it. I have to factory reset to get it back, and quite frankly, I am danged tired of reprogramming this thing.

[jc]

It's ch. 3 but not a pump.

[Sherita]

This just keeps getting better and better. I can get NO response from these people. Oh, you can't leave a voicemail, because their mailbox is full. Sending an email has turned out to be useless as well.

How professional. That was sarcasm, in case you missed it.

I just got off the phone with Marine Depot, where the piece of garbage was purchased. They are quite unhappy to hear that DA won't return calls about a unit that is only six months old. The person I spoke with on the phone told me that they would get in touch with DA and try to make it clear it is very important that they stand behind their product.

Next stop, Better Business Bureau. If still no response, then I will just keep escalating it until I get one. I am fed up, and getting pretty mad pretty quickly.

[Bill S]

I actually had MD replace a product once that the mfg couldn't/wouldn't.

[Sherita]

Well, my post on RC got their attention. Hasn't accomplished anything, but at least got a response. Still can't get anyone on the phone, voice mailbox is full and not accepting vm. They are claiming it must be outdated firmware.......on a six month old unit????? I am going to update my firmware (if what I have is not the most recent). If that does not fix the problem, then I am going to request a refund. My tank overheated today because of the non-functioning controller. Now I have corals that are peeved off and dying, on top of the controller not working. Of course, DA won't take responsibility for the loses, even though their junky controller caused it.

bstreep, MD is on board with me. They have called me twice today, trying to help me get some kind of resolution. I doubt that they will replace the controller, but the fact that they are trying as hard as they can to help means a lot to me. They certainly have my business.

[Europhyllia]

Obviously the lack of response totally sucks but:
if you know the thing is not working why do you keep using it? Aren't you afraid more things will get ruined?

I'd probably really limit the hours on the lighting via timers etc and make things work manually rather than plug that thing back it.
Don't risk the rest of your stuff.

[Sherita]

Karin,

I keep using it because I have no other options. I don't have anything else to try to control the temps in that tank. I have basically shut the lights down completely, but since my house can get quite warm during the day, I have to do something.......anything, to try to keep that tank cooler. I am breaking the tank down tomorrow before I lose everything, half my stuff is dead, the controller is junk, tomorrow is Friday (no help from them over the weekend), and DA has lots of excuses. I give up.


DA did finally answer me. Told me to update my firmware. After looking in their help forums, I am not doing it without them on the phone with me when it happens. Post after post of people who tried to update, only to have the whole system fritz out, and stay fritzed out. And since they won't answer the phones, I just don't see it happening.

Honestly, at this point if I can get a human on the phone, I am going to see if we can come to some sort of return & refund agreement. I simply have had enough, it's just not worth the aggravation to deal with them.

[Bill S]

Sherita,

The lights aren't that critical. Happens in nature all the time. It might also be possible to set them to run at night when you are home, the a/c is on, and it's cooler out.

When I had my 215 reef set up, I had redundancy built in. We are gone on weekends - and I needed it to "police" itself in the event things went wrong while we were gone. Temperature controllers are the most critical. We had fans to backup the chiller, and the lights would shut down if the tank got too hot - all completely independently.

[Sherita]

bstreep, I agree. Temp controllers are crucial. Unfortunately, I have nothing else to put on this tank. I don't have chillers, but my fans keep things just fine (when the controller works right, that is). I do run my a/c during the day, but my house is 100 years old, and the a/c routinely loses the fight against the heat during the worst of the day.

I didn't think about running the lights at night, will have to remember that (I just shut them down, trying to keep the heat down). But the tank is so far gone now, I have already moved out what is left that is alive, going to drain it tomorrow and break it down.It's too late now, I lost the fight to save the tank. The people that make these things should understand how vital they are, and how urgent the situation is when one fails. DA is apparently pretty clueless in that regard. I can't stay home from work during the day to move ice bottles into the tank as it would have needed.

Like you, I depend on my controllers to keep things right in my tanks, and for the most part, they do. The four ACjr's I have do a wonderful job of regulating everything on their assigned tanks. The RKL.......not. I am pretty sure I wound up with a lemon of a unit, and just want to get this dealt with.

I have another ACjr head unit, going to try to find a DC8 or DC4 to go with it, so that I will have a backup if I ever need one.

[delrio]

Sell it and buy an apex you will never look back