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  1. #1

    Brand new drum leaking

    All,

    I bought a Draco Solum 16 based on all of the positive things I’d read about customer service on this forum. When I installed it I noticed within hours that one of the 4” inlet pipes was leaking at the weld. I notified the dealer I bought it from and waited days for a response.

    I’ve been given two choices - I can send it back to be put right or I can solder it myself. They will not send out a new one this leaving me without any form
    of mechanical filtration!

    Anyone else think this is wrong? I must be honest I haven’t had anything in writing or a reply from the dealer that I have been chasing for days.

    i am very disappointed as this feels like very poor customer service.



  2. #2
    Ring Tony at Draco directly and get him to kick his dealers arse.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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  4. #3
    Senior Member Rank = Kyusai Rapleyr's Avatar
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    Agreed. I purchased a solum 25 from Kirkys koi a few weeks ago and both he and Draco could not have been more helpful and very responsive.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  5. #4
    Bought my Bio from Kirkys - he has been super helpful and that is the reason I gave him my order.

    I have spoken with Tony of Draco a couple of times and have to say I have a mixed response from him probably because he is so busy.
    Last edited by DiabloDave; 26-05-2020 at 05:33 PM.

  6. #5
    Senior Member Rank = Mature Champion smartin's Avatar
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    dealers and business owners should be accountable and take responsibility, Koi pond equipment is not cheap, the response to you was very poor mate, what sort of answer is that weld it yourself or send it back how helpful !! public forums and word of mouth can be so damaging and also very positive to business's, you would think sellers would bend over backwards to assist and resolve your issue, customer service is paramount in my book.......
    2200 gallons,infinity window,
    Evolve 4k combi,spindrifter,
    2x20k pumps, BD,Skimmer,
    Shower, ASHP

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  8. #6
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion davethefish1's Avatar
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    Totally agree,
    What would you do if you bought an american fridge freezer from currys for well over a grand.
    it was faulty and they said bring it back or fix it yourself...

    I was wrestling with which drum to get when I rebuild my pond...
    Think it won't be a draco now...
    Last edited by davethefish1; 27-05-2020 at 08:45 AM.

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  10. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by davethefish1 View Post
    Totally agree,
    What would you do if you bought an american fridge freezer from currys for well over a grand.
    it was faulty and they said bring it back or fix it yourself...

    I was wrestling with which drum to get when I rebuild my pond...
    Think it don't be a draco now...
    I have to be honest and say that it looks like a good bit of kit and things can go wrong.

    what I don’t accept is that I am expected to take it out of service, wrap it up, send it back, wait ??days for it it be corrected then sent back to me so I can reinstall. Given the current situation we are talking say 12-14 days without any mechanical filtration. That is an absolute joke. I have contacted the dealer again tonight. If i don’t get a viable solution tomorrow then I will be ordering another system,
    cancelling the midi and returning this for a full refund.

    I have to say I have been very very unlucky with customer care over the last 3 weeks - I even got a seriously crappy call from the dealer who sold me the CBA on Saturday saying my negative review could cost him business - not once did he ask about my fish (including the 4 dead ones) until I pointed out the fact he was being aggressive and hadn’t asked.

    Once this is all done I’m keeping away from from pond shops for a while!
    Last edited by DiabloDave; 27-05-2020 at 12:06 AM.

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  12. #8
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion davethefish1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DiabloDave View Post
    I have to be honest and say that it looks like a good bit of kit and things can go wrong.

    what I don’t accept is that I am expected to take it out of service, wrap it up, send it back, wait ??days for it it be corrected then sent back to me so I can reinstall. Given the current situation we are talking say 12-14 days without any mechanical filtration. That is an absolute joke. I have contacted the dealer again tonight. If i don’t get a viable solution tomorrow then I will be ordering another system,
    cancelling the midi and returning this for a full refund.

    I have to say I have been very very unlucky with customer care over the last 3 weeks - I even got a seriously crappy call from the dealer who sold me the CBA on Saturday saying my negative review could cost him business - not once did he ask about my fish (including the 4 dead ones) until I pointed out the fact he was being aggressive and hadn’t asked.

    Once this is all done I’m keeping away from from pond shops for a while!
    i think thats the trouble with any 'niche' hobbiest shops.
    there's not a lot of choice so they can get away with bad customer service...
    i had some of that first hand when i first came back to keeping koi last year.
    bit of a pain, but i've never been back to those shops....

    on a similar note, a mate of mine had problems with some fishing gear he bought,
    and to be fair the shop wasn't the real problem. it was the manufacturer.

    so he vowed never to buy thier gear again.
    and went off on a one man facebook crusade, slagging there gear off...
    #crap tackle#rubbish gear#this#that LOL!

  13. #9
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Adult Champion NickK-UK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DiabloDave View Post
    All,

    I bought a Draco Solum 16 based on all of the positive things I’d read about customer service on this forum. When I installed it I noticed within hours that one of the 4” inlet pipes was leaking at the weld. I notified the dealer I bought it from and waited days for a response.

    I’ve been given two choices - I can send it back to be put right or I can solder it myself. They will not send out a new one this leaving me without any form
    of mechanical filtration!

    Anyone else think this is wrong? I must be honest I haven’t had anything in writing or a reply from the dealer that I have been chasing for days.

    i am very disappointed as this feels like very poor customer service.
    Have you talked to Draco themselves? (thinking Tony and point him to this thread - also mention which outlet you ordered from)

    If it's under 14 days and it was ordered online then by law you have the right to return it if it's not fit for purpose. If it's leaking then it's not fit for purpose.

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  15. #10
    Welding plastic joints isn't a task that could be attempted by someone without experience and requires the plastic welding equipment anyway so that isn't a practical solution.

    Sending the unit back for a repair would be expensive and would leave the pond without filtration for an uncertain number of days.

    The easiest solution would be to ask for someone to make an on-site visit with the right equipment and do the repair in situ.
    Last edited by Manky Sanke; 27-05-2020 at 10:51 AM.

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  17. #11
    Senior Member Rank = Kyusai hippo's Avatar
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    I think that`s terrible customer service - especially for an expensive item like a drum . I always say , you find out a lot about a company when things go wrong and they`ve got your money .

    As Manky says, the best solution would be a professional repair . I would like to think that the supplier would do the decent thing and foot the bill - but judging by their response , so far , I wont be holding my breath . You might have to bite the bullet and just do what`s best for your fish - at least you care about them - even if these muppets don't
    Colin

    2500 Gallon Fibreglass Pond
    Draco Solum 16 , 400l Bio Chamber

  18. #12
    Well I haven’t heard a peep from either Draco or Cotswold today despite many texts and 8 phone calls that never got answered. I’ve also had a delivery from Cotswold that I was desperate for a water test kit and guess what - yep - it wasn’t in there so I have had to go out today and buy one. I placed the order last Thursday and was told Saturday at the latest. The posted date on the boxes was YESTERDAY.

    Why aren’t people just honest and say they can’t meet the deadline.

    and of course....I still have a leaking faulty drum.

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  20. #13
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Adult Champion NickK-UK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DiabloDave View Post
    Well I haven’t heard a peep from either Draco or Cotswold today despite many texts and 8 phone calls that never got answered. I’ve also had a delivery from Cotswold that I was desperate for a water test kit and guess what - yep - it wasn’t in there so I have had to go out today and buy one. I placed the order last Thursday and was told Saturday at the latest. The posted date on the boxes was YESTERDAY.

    Why aren’t people just honest and say they can’t meet the deadline.

    and of course....I still have a leaking faulty drum.
    I ordered a test kit from cotswold koi, it was quiet then pinging them on Facebook messenger, it came back that they were on vacation. I received and email this morning saying it was completed.

    Oddly I ordered my Solum16&bio from cotswolds too after a discussion about tubing etc.

  21. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by NickK-UK View Post
    I ordered a test kit from cotswold koi, it was quiet then pinging them on Facebook messenger, it came back that they were on vacation. I received and email this morning saying it was completed.

    Oddly I ordered my Solum16&bio from cotswolds too after a discussion about tubing etc.
    well I’ve now formally rejected this. Need to look at other options.

  22. #15
    i ordered a test kit from them last weds and still havent got it

    Quote Originally Posted by DiabloDave View Post
    Well I haven’t heard a peep from either Draco or Cotswold today despite many texts and 8 phone calls that never got answered. I’ve also had a delivery from Cotswold that I was desperate for a water test kit and guess what - yep - it wasn’t in there so I have had to go out today and buy one. I placed the order last Thursday and was told Saturday at the latest. The posted date on the boxes was YESTERDAY.

    Why aren’t people just honest and say they can’t meet the deadline.

    and of course....I still have a leaking faulty drum.

  23. #16
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    This has quite surprised me and in my opinion you should be sent a new drum from Cotswold and then send the faulty one back.

    This is down to Tony at Draco to foot the bill and not Cotswold as it's their fault.
    Funny Tony not responding as it's not like him.
    John

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  25. #17
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Adult Champion NickK-UK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DiabloDave View Post
    well I’ve now formally rejected this. Need to look at other options.
    Makes sense. It’s a shame that quality control needs improvements but at an inconvenience to you.

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  27. #18
    Senior Member Rank = Adult Champion Gazkoi's Avatar
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    We are not all bad Dave.

    Quote Originally Posted by DiabloDave View Post
    I have to be honest and say that it looks like a good bit of kit and things can go wrong.

    what I don’t accept is that I am expected to take it out of service, wrap it up, send it back, wait ??days for it it be corrected then sent back to me so I can reinstall. Given the current situation we are talking say 12-14 days without any mechanical filtration. That is an absolute joke. I have contacted the dealer again tonight. If i don’t get a viable solution tomorrow then I will be ordering another system,
    cancelling the midi and returning this for a full refund.

    I have to say I have been very very unlucky with customer care over the last 3 weeks - I even got a seriously crappy call from the dealer who sold me the CBA on Saturday saying my negative review could cost him business - not once did he ask about my fish (including the 4 dead ones) until I pointed out the fact he was being aggressive and hadn’t asked.

    Once this is all done I’m keeping away from from pond shops for a while!
    Hobby and business gone but when you’re hooked you’re hooked.

    Always happy to help!!

  28. #19
    They should send you a new replacement drum and then arrange collection of the faulty one. Do not accept a repair. Good luck .

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  30. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by john1 View Post
    This has quite surprised me and in my opinion you should be sent a new drum from Cotswold and then send the faulty one back.

    This is down to Tony at Draco to foot the bill and not Cotswold as it's their fault.
    Funny Tony not responding as it's not like him.

    DiabloDave’s contract is with the supplier not the manufacturer, if you have a problem with your new car it is the supplying dealer not Ford or VW that is responsible.

    though if Tony is aware of it I would have thought he would have made efforts to solve the issue.

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