As most of you either know or have seen by now, I also got a large air stone skimmer made not too long ago. After running it for a few weeks, I felt I was not getting what others had described. Originally I thought maybe the unit was still breaking in, but after a while I started to wonder if there was something wrong. The main issue was that the bubbles coming from the air stones were not as small I had anticipated.
I called mojoreef to compare notes and to bounce ideas. I asked him to describe to me how his unit was doing and then I described to him how mine was doing. He also thought there was obviously something wrong there as I have a much stronger air pump than his unit, I have more air stones, and my unit is physically bigger. We concluded that Aquatic Ecosystems (AES) may have sent me the medium pore air stones rather than the fine pore.
I contacted AES the next day and to make the long story short, one of their reps thinks that maybe they did sent me the wrong air stones. He thinks the fine port stones have a blue ring around them and not a red ring like mine. I couldn't return my stones, even though it was their fault, so I ordered a new set of stones again. I explained to the person taking the order to make sure they send the right ones this time. I get them again the next day and they look exactly the same as the ones I already have. I called them again and the person I spoke with tells me they sent the right ones from reading the order. I told her what had happened before. I asked her if there was any physical markings on the fine pore stones that would distinguish it from the medium pores as all the pictures in the website look exactly the same. I also asked about this blue ring they mentioned before. She tells me she will go to the warehouse and pull one of each to compare and call me back to tell me. She called very late wed while I was out and leaves me a message saying the fine pore stones have a blue ring around them and the medium pore stones have a red ring on them. I was extremely upset because they have sent the same wrong item twice!!! They are closed until monday. I will call monday early and get it all straighten out and get them to send me the right ones.
I had asked around to others that have these types of skimmers and they all tell me they have the red ring stones. I would call AES too and see what you got vs what you ordered. Unfortunately, they will likely not take them back, especially if they are used, if it has been more than 30 days since you ordered them. That really sucks because I bought 8 stones originally that I will toss likely after I get the right ones. In other words, I am paying for their mistake twice! Not to mention the headache of having to take this thing apart to replace them.
I called mojoreef to compare notes and to bounce ideas. I asked him to describe to me how his unit was doing and then I described to him how mine was doing. He also thought there was obviously something wrong there as I have a much stronger air pump than his unit, I have more air stones, and my unit is physically bigger. We concluded that Aquatic Ecosystems (AES) may have sent me the medium pore air stones rather than the fine pore.
I contacted AES the next day and to make the long story short, one of their reps thinks that maybe they did sent me the wrong air stones. He thinks the fine port stones have a blue ring around them and not a red ring like mine. I couldn't return my stones, even though it was their fault, so I ordered a new set of stones again. I explained to the person taking the order to make sure they send the right ones this time. I get them again the next day and they look exactly the same as the ones I already have. I called them again and the person I spoke with tells me they sent the right ones from reading the order. I told her what had happened before. I asked her if there was any physical markings on the fine pore stones that would distinguish it from the medium pores as all the pictures in the website look exactly the same. I also asked about this blue ring they mentioned before. She tells me she will go to the warehouse and pull one of each to compare and call me back to tell me. She called very late wed while I was out and leaves me a message saying the fine pore stones have a blue ring around them and the medium pore stones have a red ring on them. I was extremely upset because they have sent the same wrong item twice!!! They are closed until monday. I will call monday early and get it all straighten out and get them to send me the right ones.
I had asked around to others that have these types of skimmers and they all tell me they have the red ring stones. I would call AES too and see what you got vs what you ordered. Unfortunately, they will likely not take them back, especially if they are used, if it has been more than 30 days since you ordered them. That really sucks because I bought 8 stones originally that I will toss likely after I get the right ones. In other words, I am paying for their mistake twice! Not to mention the headache of having to take this thing apart to replace them.
