Bad experience with APT Instruments for dosing pumps.

[rusticitas]

In one of the AGA's The Aquatic Gardener journal issues, there was an article on automating the dosing of an aquarium. In it, the author was recommending the pumps made by APT Instruments. I ordered a pair of them, same specification as in the article, to try out. This was on June 5th. All pre-sales questions were handled promptly and thoroughly, so I felt good about buying them.

That was on June 5th.

I was told that they would be shipping in a day or two. As of today I still do not have them. Post sale, and once my credit card was charged, getting any answers required me to call repeatedly until I got an answer. Then the sales guy would have to disconnect from me to call over to the warehouse (or quality control) to check on the status. Then maybe I would get a call back. I understand how small businesses work, but this was sloppy customer management.

I never got any emails with shipping information or tracking numbers they promised. As of this morning they said that they had shipped "earlier this week". My email and phone message from last week to check on the status were never answered. And I still do not know anything about the shipment: carrier, date sent, tracking number(s), etc.

So, I am f*ing frustrated and pissed, hence my posting this message.

"Your mileage may vary" with them, obviously. They would not still be in business if this happened all the time.

But I am annoyed. Nothing on the web site, none of the pre-sales communications, said or indicated that this would be such an apparently complicated process.

I'm going to just stick with the AquaMedic dosing pumps which I was considering to begin with.

Harumpf.

 

[Tom Barr]

A grain of salt is always applied judiciously with folks. If they prove you wrong a few times, not just 1x etc, then you know.......

Glasscages did thius and I gave them the benefit of the doubt.
PSW did this, and that ended in a lawsuit.

Etc.......

I try to be understanding even if I m the customer, but if they screw up when you are being cool too..........well.........



Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[rusticitas]

I agree, Tom. I'm frustrated, but trying to be fair. Yet bitching at the same time, so take my gripes with a grain of salt.

What's PSW?

 

[Tom Barr]

Search the "APD", my name and "Bum".
It's a real post and pretty funny.
The lawsuit was dismissed for lack of attention after multiple failures to serve me.
Robert Novak v. APD List Members
Goes back to 2001.
Murky waters in fishy net defamation | OUT-LAW.COM

Leave it at that........

I even defended them in the past, so did others.


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[rusticitas]

Oh, yeah! I vaguely recall that. I had not paid close attention at the time, but had skimmed the posts about it... What a p.i.t.a. (pain in the ass)

Sort of like out current administration, amongst others. "Hey, only what I say is true!" and "There is no disagreement." (insert evil laughter thereafter). ;-)

 

[rusticitas]

Hey! Guess what showed up today. The pumps.

In a cardboard box that looked like it was constructed from parts from another one. Not bad, just ... slightly odd.

And the pumps were wrapped in newspaper.

And the packing list/invoice was wadded in the bottom.

I have yet to plug them in just yet and see if they work. Other than my petty gripes above here, they seem decently built. The construction and assembly is clean. I will hook up with a timer, etc and see how accurate they are.

-Jason

P.S. Out of curiosity, does anyone have/use the Aqua Medic dosing pumps who can give a little comparison?

 

[ibnozn]

I've been looking at the Aquamedics but have read some reviews that say the santoprene hose slips out of the rollers. I'm not sure how that would happen though since they appear to be in a housing. It'd be nice if the Litermeters were a bit less.

I bought a peristaltic pump from Bulkreefsupply called a Drews Doser that I'm very happy with. I've been using it for around 8 months on a timer for topoff with no problems. Might even be a little cheaper than the APT too.

 

[Tom Barr]

I never liked the AM dosers, they stunk, where unreliable, one of the hose tore, I used a set of 6 total, so that;'s more than 1, so I think that did it for me.

Never use them again.
Tom's makes a simple cheapo one you might consider, also, Leon made a nice DIY for a doser, see Wasserpet controller on the Planted Tank.


Regards,
Tom Barr