Official JBJ Nano Cube Announcement

[Cellenzweig]

Can you keep a clam in a stock NC? No, but then JBJ never said it was designed to.

 

No, but they show them in pictures of the cube...

http://www.jbjlighting.com/sys_nanocube_pix.html

[embryoguy]

welll said DONCB, your paying not alot of money and expecting a 1000 tank. companys try to make money! if they used all the best equipemtn possible to build this NC, it might end up costing 300-400 for a 12 gallon aqu. and the reality is MOST hobbyist are not willing to pay for it.

 

true, for the high-end reefers the stock nc has flaws. but to the Majority of there buyers the STOCK is a great tank for the price.

 

yes the stock pump is weak, and most on nano-reef replace it for a better pump. but keep in mind the manufactuer is tying to find a fine line between making money and giving a good product. and overall the nc is a great tank for the price.

 

you paid for a economy car but want luxury qualities................

[steelhealr]

I haven't done this and I'm not trying to fan any flames, but, has anyone looked at the outside box of the NC and ID'd what corals are on there since Cellenzweig brought up this issue? Are they species that can survive under the stock lighting? Just an interesting thought that he pointed out. SH

[Web Guy]

Well there are also women on cars and other marketing schemes companys use as well. Does that mean you think you get the girl or you can fly in the air with under arm deoderent does it?

[calvin]

that's a ridiculous analogy. of course no one thinks they're gonna get the half naked blonde along with the car. but I'm sure there are people who think they'll actually be able to keep the livestock that the front of the NC box portrays.

 

The death of common sense is a tragic thing.

[NotGumbelWV]

Originally posted by embryoguy

you paid for a economy car but want luxury qualities................

 

Nonbreaking glass is not a luxury.

 

You do not hear of anyone claiming their fishbowl broke a crack, and shouldn't the Nano be held to a higher standard than a fishbowl?

 

Just my $.02.

 

Bryant

[NotGumbelWV]

Originally posted by calvin

that's a ridiculous analogy.  of course no one thinks they're gonna get the half naked blonde along with the car.  but I'm sure there are people who think they'll actually be able to keep the livestock that the front of the NC box portrays.

 

Not the only company, of course, that has unrealistic artwork on the packaging (check out the MB 2.5G, for example, how many fish are shown swimming about in it!).

 

Then again, the JBJ product is priced significantly higher, and presented as a higher quality product with more high end features ... and one may expect (naively so, I suppose) their design to be more representative of actual performance.

 

Bryant

[embryoguy]

ALL GLASS no matter how thick can break. i do agree there might be some manufacturing issues w/ the nc, but overall its still a great little tank for the price. if you happen to rec a manufactured flaw, KEEP YOUR RECIEPT and your BOX, like anything you might purchase and want to return. this is not a new revelation. and im sure any vendor will replace it. unforutunate things happen. and glass breaks.

 

i think jbj is making alot of personal effort with replacements that 99% of manufacturers would not even lift a finger for. while most situations are legitimate, it seems some are attempting to take adv of jbjs good efforts.

[emoutz]

"ecently, there has been a rise in the broken tank category that we are looking into. We have noticed that over 70% of "broken" tank claims have been purchased over the internet or have been modified from its' original design. Although our warranty states that we do not cover "modified" products we have honored the warranty on modified Nano Cubes in the past. We will no longer offer warranty coverage for modified Nano Cubes purchased after 07-01-05. All current owners of modified Nano Cubes will be covered if purchased before 07-01-05."

 

Why hasnt anyone objected to this? The "mods" that are done are nearly always done to the nanocube hood and have NOTHING to do with the problem here - cracking corners of the cubes. So why would they take this step? It looks to me like JBJ is trying to cut its potential liability here by cutting the substantial number of people who choose to modify their cubes out of its warranty program. That is just plain SHADY. And what about the people who own cubes but didnt keep a reciept - how are they supposed to prove their date of purchase? Also, have they even realized that many of the people who buy their cube intend to modify it? JBJ has just lost that segment of their market.

 

As to the rate of failure - it seems like many people here are ALL citing the same problem (cracking glass) as an issue. We dont know whether your statistics are accurate or not - we cant know without access to all of the data you have and the rules under which it was gathered. Because the data you cite is self-serving, I personally cannot put much stock in it. It may be true, it may not be. I dont know. However, the amount of anecdotal evidence on this board and others concerning the "cracking" issue is substantial. Given that people are putting hundreds or thousands of dollars in livestock in your product, even a whisper of a problem is going to lead many people to buy a different product.

[sNEIRBO]

My bad luck is like the Energizer Bunny - it keeps going, and going, and going . . .

 

Here is the replacement Cube I received from JBJ today

 

 

Gamma-Cube

DOA 06-27-2005

 

I know this isn't directly JBJ's fault - this is obviously a UPS shipping problem (anyone know of a UPS Forum where I can post pictures - LOL). I hope JBJ took out the Insurance when they shipped!

 

I've already contacted Steven Yim, and JBJ is going to send out another Cube - this one will be sent UPS Overnight. Again, JBJ is willing to do what it takes to keep me as a Nano Cube Hobbyist, and I really appreciate everything that they have done so far.

 

At this point all I can do is laugh! {HA!) Or start drinking! :x{urp)

I SURE hope Delta-Cube shows up in one piece tomorrow.

[calvin]

on the positive side, you have enough replacement bulbs (from the broken cubes) to last years!

[icecool2]

Originally posted by sNEIRBO

My bad luck is like the Energizer Bunny - it keeps going, and going, and going . . .  

 

Here is the replacement Cube I received from JBJ today

 

 

Cube-Tres

DOA 06-27-2005

 

I know this isn't directly JBJ's fault - this is obviously a UPS shipping problem (anyone know of a UPS Forum where I can post pictures - LOL).  I hope JBJ took out the Insurance when they shipped!

 

I've already contacted Steven Yim, and JBJ is going to send out another Cube - this one will be sent UPS Overnight.  Again, JBJ is willing to do what it takes to keep me as a Nano Cube Hobbyist, and I really appreciate everything that they have done so far.

 

At this point all I can do is laugh!  {HA!)  Or start drinking!  :x{urp)  

I SURE hope Cube-Quad shows up in one piece tomorrow.

 

You can only blame it on the shipping company so many times. They have shipping container/packaging requirements for a reason. I doubt they were met.

 

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources..._packaging.html

 

Of particular interest should be sub-section 2. To quote the UPS website... "Fragile articles* need suitable separation from each other and from the corners, sides, top, and bottom of the box. Each item should be surrounded by at least two inches of cushioning and be placed at least two inches away from the walls of the box. ".

 

sNEIRBO, don't you think enough is enough? I'd take this as a sign.

[jaykay]

Agree with icecool on that one,

Enough said.

[sNEIRBO]

But what's the sign?

 

Give up on a hobby that I enjoy, and brings great delight to my 5 year old daughter?

 

Give up on Nano Reefing and a nearly $700 investment so far?

 

Or give up on Nano Cubes?

 

I did a little looking around this afternoon. The closest thing I could find to a Nano Cube, was a 25 Gallon Acrylic Cube at my LFS. The cost of that setup was almost 3 x what I paid for my Nano Cube, and that did not include the pump, or lights.

 

The package JBJ sent was double packed. The Nano Cube box was inside of a larger cardboard box, and completely surrounded by packing peanuts. There were packing peanuts completely packed inside the Cube as well. The outside box was labeled "FRAGILE - GLASS AQUARIUM" on all sides. I don't think anyone at JBJ kicked the box before it left their facility. But what are the chances some UPS Gorilla dropped, over stacked, or otherwise mishandled the box? Probably a lot better than JBJ mishandling the package I would think.

 

Again, JBJ is doing everything they can to provide me with a crack free Cube. They are shipping one overnight for delivery tomorrow. If Cube-Quad is broken when it arrives tomorrow, I wouldn't doubt if Steven Yim would tell me he was going to personally drive one from CA to Detroit for me. He seems to care that much.

[NotGumbelWV]

One of the things I am going to pray for tonight is patience like yours, sNEIRBO. Seriously. I admire how you have handled everything.

 

Bryant

[calvin]

Give up on the nano-cube and try this instead: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=2377935793

 

I did this guy a little favor and he offered to give me a discount. sNEIRBO: I'll gladly give that discount to you instead if you decide to go this route. Just let me know. This offer is only for you.

[Nico]

Well said Bryant, I'm only on my first cracked cube (expecting the worst) and already very frustrated. Goodluck sNEIRBO, I hope tomorrow is a good day...

 

Nick

[steelhealr]

My new cube arrived today. Although there are no full thickness cracks, there are 'defects' present. The last one was very hard to photo and describe. It looks like a hairline or almost faint crease in the glass and extends about 4 inches from the bottom of the tank, bottom left. Not sure how to classify this ...but....

 

Upper right side panel

 

 

Left lower side panel

 

 

Lower front left, hard to see

 

 

SH

[Nico]

SH,

 

That's just not right...I thought these nc's were to be checked for defects prior to shipping? I'm so not looking forward for my replacement.

 

Nick

[steelhealr]

Well..this is now a conflict for me. JBJ really has been fair with replacing my tank. Like sNEIRBO, I have a lot invested in my cube down to the stand that fits it...to the nano-ers who follow my thread. But now....I have to make a decision about these defects. A full thickness crack..that's a cinch.....it's in the trash. How 'bout the stuff above?? I think the most questionable one is the lowest one which is hard to demonstrate. The seamless corners themselves look intact...frame area is intact....this 'crease' with a light (?) vertical scratch over it....well...I don't have the glass engineering expertise to look at it and make a determination. Any honest thoughts out there? SH

[marthafocker]

JBJ, I was wondering if you would replace my cracked nano cube as well?

[Web Guy]

Mine had some marks like that as well. Did you try rubbing them off? Some of them were surface scruffs. Just a thought!

 

And both of my corners have marks like that in them to. My replacement will be shipped out within 48 hrs.

[steelhealr]

They didn't rub off...I was careful to wash thoroughly to avoid any bad content here, etc. The first two may simply be scratches..I'm not sure about the last one. It seems to have a 'full thickness' prismatic effect. SH

[VBAQUARIUM]

Hey Sneirbo,

 

Dang, that sure is a cracked tank. I'm glad they're taking care of it. Hopefully, my tank is on it's way too. They said that they were out of tanks last week. Anyways, good luck and hopefully both our tanks arrive safely.

[saltkreep]

I have talked to many who feel a fully flat surface is not needed.RE: It's a small tank! WRONG We have to remember silacone gives a bit, all 3 sides of glass are 1 piece. if its not level it may crack.