Anybody Deal With Bow Valley Aquariums?

[o.c.d.]

Sorry your right his parents tried to retire,let mitch run it in to the ground then had to come back to save it. They do call him the boss

[lastlight]

Anyone associated with an LFS is going to come to bat for Mitch. Why wouldn't they when they can sell his tanks and make a much better profit. I've seen with my own eyes massive windows with frames still on them. Maybe we aren't talking about shower doors but clearly glass is being repurposed and absolutely isn't always new. Unless they toss old beat-up wooden frames around new glass to make shipping easier.

Yeah these threads are lame. Always the same. And I always post. But I always assume that anyone who can't find the past threads (and there are many and they are easy to find) needs our help!

[danny zubot]

I've had a couple of BVA tanks and sumps over the years and never had an issue with it. I knew one guy who got his tank home and discovered a 1.5" scratch on his front starfire panel, but IMO was not that noticable; and couldn't have been if BVA didn't see it either. I realize that Mitch can be difficult to deal with over the phone, that is why I've always just gone into the shop to talk with them. He's much different in person, especially if you flash a bit of cash.

[sphelps]

The bottom line is BVA has a good product for the price you pay, anyone that argues otherwise is likely going off internet rumors as appose to personal experience. Yes sometimes shortcuts are taken, sometimes the glass may not be 100% brand new of a truck and sometimes you have to wait but the price more than compensates for this and if you really do have sour grapes or don't approve then pay double and go with someone else.

BVA tanks are everywhere, most have then and don't even know. They build all sizes, well over 200 gallons and I've never heard or read about one leaking, this is not the case for almost every other tank manufacturer.

Also if you're really concerned about quality and warranty you're better sticking with an actual company that's been around for a while as appose to some dude that builds tanks for a few LFSs in his free time, just saying.

I'd say get a quote from a few companies and then make a decision.

[kien]

Originally Posted by sphelps

The bottom line is BVA has a good product for the price you pay, anyone that argues otherwise is likely going off internet rumors as appose to personal experience. Yes sometimes shortcuts are taken, sometimes the glass may not be 100% brand new of a truck and sometimes you have to wait but the price more than compensates for this and if you really do have sour grapes or don't approve then pay double and go with someone else.

BVA tanks are everywhere, most have then and don't even know. They build all sizes, well over 200 gallons and I've never heard or read about one leaking, this is not the case for almost every other tank manufacturer.

Also if you're really concerned about quality and warranty you're better sticking with an actual company that's been around for a while as appose to some dude that builds tanks for a few LFSs in his free time, just saying.

I'd say get a quote from a few companies and then make a decision.

I think this is what the original poster is after, feedback from people with experience. I'm sure the OP is getting quotes from different places as they have another thread asking for a list of tank manufacturers.

Price is only one part of the buying experience. For some that may be all they care about, but for others (myself included), it is important to have a good purchasing experience from start to finish. So, I can buy a tank for $1000 or the same tank for $500. If I buy the tank for $500, sure I save half but then I have to harass the company to actually provide the product? Repeatedly? I have to put up with the supplier's lies about availability? I have to drive to the supplier's store repeatedly just to have a decent conversion with them about my undelivered product? I have to put up with the supplier cussing at me over the phone and hanging up on me mid sentence? So I save money to go through all that for a few weeks above and beyond the original date that the supplier promised the product would be ready for me? That may be acceptable for some people but not everyone.

I am speaking from personal experience.

K.

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by kien

Price is only one part of the buying experience. For some that may be all they care about, but for others (myself included), it is important to have a good purchasing experience from start to finish. So, I can buy a tank for $1000 or the same tank for $500. If I buy the tank for $500, sure I save half but then I have to harass the company to actually provide the product? Repeatedly? I have to put up with the supplier's lies about availability? I have to drive to the supplier's store repeatedly just to have a decent conversion with them about my undelivered product? I have to put up with the supplier cussing at me over the phone and hanging up on me mid sentence? So I save money to go through all that for a few weeks above and beyond the original date that the supplier promised the product would be ready for me? That may be acceptable for some people but not everyone.

I am speaking from personal experience.

K.

It should be noted that not everyone has such experiences, some get tanks right away or within the quoted delivery time but some end up waiting longer. One must also realize that it's a fairly large supplier who supplies many LFSs and usually deals with large orders so your one off custom tank may not always be priority, if this is something you simply can't except then you're better off going with the one man type shows which typically only do the odd custom tank here and there so delivery isn't usually an issue with them.

[StirCrazy]

I usaly stay out of this one but what the heck.. BV has been around a long time, I talked to mitch about a tank about 9 years ago but decided on a smaller tank that I got a smoking deal on. would I buy a tank from BV ya.. I know it will take longer than said, I know mitch can be a bit hard to deal with but his work is good and his tanks have been shipped all over the US and canada. and I have never heard of anyone being disapointed with the tank, only the time it took. and if I was a major supplier for pet stores I would tend to put there business first over the walk ins also..

so.. armed with the knowlage of it going to take longer than your told, and maing sure your specifications and requirments are on paper, and actualy going to the store to make sure his understanding of your wants are the same as yours and you will have a good experiance..

I don't know anyone who would order a custom tank and it be imparitive to have it in 4 days, or even 2 weeks.. like anything else in this hobby.. paitents is a virtue.. so order stuff way befor you need it.

Steve

[Ross]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

I don't know anyone who would order a custom tank and it be imparitive to have it in 4 days, or even 2 weeks.. like anything else in this hobby.. paitents is a virtue.. so order stuff way befor you need it.

I had a 125 gallon tank (48" wide 20" depth 30" tall) made by Mitch at Bow Valley 8 months ago.

It was for a buddy of mine out of town that we were going to visit.
My buddy was sitting on the fence as to wether or not he needed another tank.

I called Mitch TWO days before we were to leave and asked to have the tank made up. Well he made it that day, and gave it a day to dry in his shop.
Price was discussed over the phone and no money exchanged hands till I picked it up.

This was a freshwater tank. So there was no overflows, holes drilled, etc.
I told him overall dimensions and that he wanted it eurobraced.

I'm sure that if I wanted to nit pick and have an overflow installed 12.25" from the edge, 2.375" from the bottom, with 3 holes drilled x" apart and so on, he would have not wanted to deal with me on short notice.

Most of the places that I called took longer to get back to me with their quotes than he had it made in.

Anyone thats ever been to the shop knows that he is constantly answering the phone to as an example people looking to have a 10 gallon tank made for cheaper than Walmart.

If he had someone who was controlling the front end more, rather than him working and answering the phone at the same time, im sure that most of the complaints would disappear.

When the time comes, I will buy a tank from him again.