It's nice enough rock and all, if I decide to down grade to a biocube 14, but nothing usable in my tank.

At this point, I'm not sure there's ever been an unhappier customer in the history of customers!
I had my LFS guy call and specifically and repeatedly get assurances this exactly would not happen, and that I would get 6-7 large pieces in each of 2 boxes. I asked to have a couple of plate pieces added, and instead I got a third 40# box of flat pieces. I mean, WTF?? I ordered 100, not 140. And I can't use 120 of it. So now I'm on the hook for 3 boxes, shipping and stuck with a tank of curing rock that will end up over my back fence.

What is LA rock?

Probably Walt Smith rock that is shipped to LA, then stored and reshipped as ordered. As I said earlier, nice enough rock, and what I would expect from WS, but just way too small for my design plans.

My 3 boxes of WS Fiji Ultra were money! I asked for one show piece and the rest moderate to large sized. I got what I asked for. It seemed like the boxes hadn't been tampered with too much but how do I know, tape is tape lol! That's sucks that your rock was cherry picked through if that was the case. I'd definitely ask whomever you bought it through to make it right. They made profit off it, lots or little that's not your concern. They should make it right.

So I spoke to the supplier and saw the order placed to Walt Smith, and the error is on the Fiji side. As expected from this vendor, he's jumping at fixing this and I hope to minimize delays and losses in this transaction.

So yes, it is WS rock, as it appeared to be (nice quality) but WS must have had new staff packing with the thought that more rocks was better rocks :)

Sounds like they are going to fix this for you, that's great news. How long do you think it'll be held up at this point??

Next shipment is Dec 7, so a 2 week delay in my schedule, which is a bit a juggling act as my LFS is closing down and I need to get all my fish out of there and into the tank I'll also have to cure the rock in. But I can manage that..


The vendor in question is TimT of Seacare, and Tim responded within 2 minutes of me emailing. Together with Tim, Walt, Deb Smith and Cam the livestock manager at WS, we're working through how to manage the mistake (on the Fiji side).
so far the response has been fantastic, exactly what we've come to rely on from Tim. I should mention this was brokered via my LFS, so for Tim to get directly involved is just an extra perk.

Thanks Tim!

I haven't been on the site in a while. Just went thru your thread. Man that sucks and i hope things turn around for you. Good luck

Thanks Bill. Really, can't get much worse. Well, I suppose it could, but let's hope not! I'm aiming for TOTM for 2017ish, so I need to pull this all together soon!

Hmm, so if he didn't send such order and you ordered from him, is he going to make it good? or is there a middle man that maybe screwed you over?

Steve

No, after clearing some details, Walt has agreed that they made a mistake and are making it good. Tim ordered the rock on my behalf and specifically asked for what I wanted, as seen on a copy of the order. Probably just a bad day at the packing station. Still a bit of a mess to deal with, but hopefully I'll get out of it without too much pain.

Ugh, you have ALL the bad luck! Don't bother with lotto tickets - you won't win anyway! ;) In all seriousness, I think Walt Smith will be good to deal with over this matter.

Yes, the lottery thing isn't working out well either.

Walt has been great, and is sending replacement rock to Van. I have to cover it to the Island, but not a big deal.
Since I have rock here already, I can't really send it back to Fiji, so selling that, and everyone involved is eating a bit of cost, probably me included. Perhaps not, if I can work out one more good deal with someone starting a large tank that needs some seed rock. We'll see..
It's not a perfect solution, but reasonable, given the circumstances.

^ Yeah, it's tough to replace rock. It's not like you can just send it back. I hope it doesn't end up costing you more than you planned on spending - that's the main point.

Brad, do you need someone to pick up the rock and put it on the bus?
Or whatever transportation?

Well, I hope to be able to sell it all, and the difference in cost and my sale price is being absorbed by Tim. Which is great, as it's not really his fault in any way. I have almost half lined up, and I should be able to get the rest gone. Costing me more salt to cure it, as I have to do two batches now, but that's not too terrible. Overall, I think I should come out ok, and as long as I get the rock I'm after, I'll have gotten over it in a few months :)

Thanks, but no. It will arrive at the airport and get transferred to Harbour Air to fly right into town here.

Now I know why this happened... it's the never win a lottery effect that I am plagued with too. ;)

Tim, I like to believe it's a "yet" issue. Maybe this week :)

Kudos to Tim for rectifying this. Gotta love vendors that care.. Good luck brad

Agreed. Tim submitted the order as specified, so no fault of his. I dealt with my LFS for this, so for him to involve himself directly goes way above and beyond his scope of responsibility.
Walt Smith and team have been equally supportive, and overall, things should work out well, all things considered.

I won $20 last week. Oh yeah...well on my way to the 649 cloud. ;)

Ok, after way more time and money than I had planned, here is what the new revision of the tank looks like. Needs some tidying up, some frags not mounted yet. I have less real estate than I thought I would, and as a result, I have about 25 pieces that need to go to new homes today. Hate when that happens :)

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps698eedf8.jpg

I am coming to the shipyard at the beginning of January and I can always help re home

lol, thanks, but I've found homes already. No shortage of people for free frags locally :)

Love the aqua scape brad. Looks steller.. Are you fish less still

Ya, fish are all living in my kitchen in a 90g QT. I'm popular at home right now :)

Well, mostly. I have a secretive wrasse in there still, couldn't catch him, even with the rock gone. I'll try to trap him.

Coming along nicely... I like your "shelves". Going to be another beaut as it fills in.

Wholley molley, lots of frags.

Can't wait to see the FTS even in a year. It will grow in nice!

I can't wait either. Sitting here waiting, looks like it might take a while :)

Some minor house keeping needed, but cleared out frags this morning, a few pieces to mount, and then water, watch it grow!

End of year/beginning of year pic with a camera :)

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...pscbee096c.jpg

Overall, happy with the layout. I attempted to use some fijicrete in it's assembly, but it doesn't work under water very well, in as much as you can't knead it under water. In the end, this is about 85lb of fiji rock. A couple spare chunks in the sump I couldn't sell.

Still have 4 frags to mount, not sure where that won't impede growth of the other pieces. I've left a lot of room around most frags to allow for maturity.

Dealing with a fish dilemma; still a wrasse and jawfish in the "fallow" tank, but seemingly unaffected by whatever got me last month. Do I drain and catch or slowly add new fish? I have QT set up if I needed to remove and treat in an emergency, so leaning towards the latter option of adding fish.

A WP40 died during cleaning, replaced that with a RW15. Had to turn it down a bit -lol Still working on flow to not clear my sand bad along the front, might need bigger gravel.

I'm hoping the fiasco of 2014 is behind me know, with 2015 being uneventful and full of growth and color.

happy new years brad , i know things will be better in 2015....the rest is in the past:)


looks good man :)

Thanks :)

Good luck Brad! I am sure the tank and its inhabitants will experience great growth in 2015! All the best to you and your family in 2015!

To you and yours as well Rich!

I'd drain and catch. Continue running the tank fallow while everybody is in your QT
You know you want to do it, and I know you won't regret it

Happy New Year and best growth wishes

That Walt Smith rock you bought ...
Is it their man-made stuff, or Fiji Premium - the real thing ?

Fiji premium. And Fiji plate.