# Aqueon Pro heater NOT lifetime warranty!



## TahoeYakFisher (Oct 29, 2015)

Just FYI. My Aqueon Pro heater failed two weeks shy of 4 years from purchase. I purchased this heater for the coveted "lifetime" warranty. I spoke with Aqueon today and while they will be replacing the heater it is a "one time" replacement. The replacement carries NO warranty! As we all know most if not all the equipment we use in this hobby is kinda "luck of the draw"... my replacement might last a year, maybe another 4 or maybe it will be bad out of the box, point being... be advised. I am particularly dissapointed with Aqueon as it seems I am hitting the life span of all of their products at once. Anyhow I know a lot of folks buy some of their products based on what sounds like a "lifetime" warranty and should know they are misusing that title.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Good point to make. 
There is also another point on "lifetime" warranties that we need to be aware of before buying things for the warranty. 
Some businesses feel it okay to use the term to describe the "lifetime" as being the life of the equipment! So the lifetime of the stuff is until they say it should die? Since some companies have given up on the pretense of morals/ethics, It is open season on us as consumers.


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## keymastr (May 25, 2015)

After the Stealth Pro issues I will not be trusting Aqueon any time soon. Luckily mine only swelled and cracked but some of them exploded. Still made by the same Italian factory that made the Stealth Pro.


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## thedood (May 30, 2015)

This is disappointing news to hear. I just ordered 3 Aqueon Pro heaters based on their warranty and how I have heard they stand behind their products.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

When folks "stand behind" their product, we can still have problems. 
I just ran my 2014 Ford Probe through the dealership and they explained that the three parts falling off are " not that important"!!! Right!! So why did the factory put them on? 
I guess they just don't need battery covers, heat shields, or liftgate parts left laying around the factory so they put them on cars to get them out of the way?


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## s_s (Feb 15, 2012)

PlantedRich said:


> When folks "stand behind" their product, we can still have problems.
> I just ran my 2014 Ford Probe through the dealership and they explained that the three parts falling off are " not that important"!!! Right!! So why did the factory put them on?
> I guess they just don't need battery covers, heat shields, or liftgate parts left laying around the factory so they put them on cars to get them out of the way?


This is getting digress-y and may not apply to your exact situation, but when it comes to cars, A LOT of things are done just for the sake off making assembly easier. 

Nothing quite like "parts falling off" to tarnish that "brand new" feeling, though. :grin2:


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## Argus (May 22, 2013)

Another downside to the Aqueon PRO heater series is that they cannot be used with Finnex heater controllers.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

I appreciate the posting by TahoeYakFisher as it is something that we all need to be aware of and the more we discuss this sort of move, the closer we might get to having a better business situation. Our fish hobby stuff is often a very small part of our finances and even though it does get under our skin when we run into these bogus warranty issues, they are not the biggest problem. 
When one business gets by with it, they may all try it? 
As single consumers we have almost zero power to change business but if we talk about them long and loud enough, they might at least discuss changing their ethics??/ Anybody else holding their breathe?

What type conflict is there between the heaters and controllers?


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## abrooks12376 (Nov 5, 2015)

Wait.. it's 2015 and you're complaining about getting a free replacement for a 4 year old product?? My $35k truck is rotting out and Chevy won't even buy me a beer.. get over it.. buy the most expensive/best heater on the market if you want a real reason to complain about a cheap product failing after 1080 days. Good thing there tanks are awesome!! Let's complain about those now.. maybe we can put them out of business and get stuck with only tetra, marineland and all the other horribly substandard products offered. Aqueon is actually one of the good ones.. end rant..


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

I have two heaters in two tanks. On Marineland Visitherm and one Via Aqua.
Between both of them they did not cost as much as one Aqueon.
Granted they are only 3 and 2 years old, but no electrical device built after the second
half of last century last forever. If you think about it, you paid almost double for the
heater the first time you bought it. So you already paid for that second one.
It's the people who continue to buy from, after they are burned, who keep these
no morals corporate entities floating.
That's not a comment on any one company, but just in general.


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## abrooks12376 (Nov 5, 2015)

Raymond S. said:


> I have two heaters in two tanks. On Marineland Visitherm and one Via Aqua.
> Between both of them they did not cost as much as one Aqueon.
> Granted they are only 3 and 2 years old, but no electrical device built after the second
> half of last century last forever. If you think about it, you paid almost double for the
> ...


But that's just it.. the world we live in...


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## TahoeYakFisher (Oct 29, 2015)

I know it is four years old and if it was not marketed as "Lifetime" my post would not be merreted, point is Aqueon marketed this product in a manner that states "lifetime" and charges a premium for said warranty, so really it does not matter how old it is. Also I would like to mention I just replaced the Aqueon/All Glass aquarium I purchased at the same time due to failing silicone so I am not sure they are any better than Tetra. The Marineland aquarium just next to it and just as old still looks great! I would like to also point out an interesting note, I am not sure what I was told by the warranty rep at Aqueon is enforceable. I had already ordered a replacement and figured on the warranty replacement as a future back up. The new one I ordered arrived today and I read the warranty carefully and it has no mention of "one time" replacement. I may have spoken with a misinformed rep!


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## abrooks12376 (Nov 5, 2015)

TahoeYakFisher said:


> I know it is four years old and if it was not marketed as "Lifetime" my post would not be merreted, point is Aqueon marketed this product in a manner that states "lifetime" and charges a premium for said warranty, so really it does not matter how old it is. Also I would like to mention I just replaced the Aqueon/All Glass aquarium I purchased at the same time due to failing silicone so I am not sure they are any better than Tetra. The Marineland aquarium just next to it and just as old still looks great! I would like to also point out an interesting note, I am not sure what I was told by the warranty rep at Aqueon is enforceable. I had already ordered a replacement and figured on the warranty replacement as a future back up. The new one I ordered arrived today and I read the warranty carefully and it has no mention of "one time" replacement. I may have spoken with a misinformed rep!


If it was 49 years old and they sent you a new one?? Tank failed huh?? What was it sitting on?


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## TahoeYakFisher (Oct 29, 2015)

It was sitting in a solid oak cabinet with 1 1/4 shelving supported by 2x2 joists installed by me (finish carpenter), cabinet is level and bolted to the wall! And yes if it has a lifetime warranty and failed after 49 years and I was still around and had proof of purchase I would expect it to be replaced! What exactly does lifetime mean to you?


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## TahoeYakFisher (Oct 29, 2015)

This, according to an Aqueon tech rep is silicon applied to glass that was not cleaned properly before silicone was applied, unfortunately it did not leak until it was outside the warranty. Aqueon told me no to replacement due to astetics.


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## latchdan (Sep 7, 2007)

abrooks12376 said:


> Wait.. it's 2015 and you're complaining about getting a free replacement for a 4 year old product?? My $35k truck is rotting out and Chevy won't even buy me a beer.. get over it.. buy the most expensive/best heater on the market if you want a real reason to complain about a cheap product failing after 1080 days. Good thing there tanks are awesome!! Let's complain about those now.. maybe we can put them out of business and get stuck with only tetra, marineland and all the other horribly substandard products offered. Aqueon is actually one of the good ones.. end rant..


This makes no sense. Lifetime is not 4 year. My eheim is 10 yrs old and doesn't have a lifetime warrenty and its cheaper than a aqueon pro... that comment just makes me scratch my head.


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## TahoeYakFisher (Oct 29, 2015)

abrooks12376 said:


> Wait.. it's 2015 and you're complaining about getting a free replacement for a 4 year old product?? My $35k truck is rotting out and Chevy won't even buy me a beer.. get over it.. buy the most expensive/best heater on the market if you want a real reason to complain about a cheap product failing after 1080 days. Good thing there tanks are awesome!! Let's complain about those now.. maybe we can put them out of business and get stuck with only tetra, marineland and all the other horribly substandard products offered. Aqueon is actually one of the good ones.. end rant..


I would like to mention my post started "FYI" and is hardly a rant, unless "disappointed" is harsh verbage around here? i was trying to pass along useful information regarding a popular product and a possible misconception about a reason to buy it. I don't have ill will in regards to Aqueon in general and just bought a 55 gallon All Glass at the recent "dollar per gallon" sale long after I knew one I had purchased some years ago was failing. I have nothing but good experience with their HOB filters in my smaller tanks and will continue to use them. I will, however, likely find a different source for heaters!


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

Quote: 
I would like to mention my post started "FYI" and is hardly a rant, unless "disappointed" is harsh verbage around here? i was trying to pass along useful information regarding a popular product and a possible misconception about a reason to buy it. I don't have ill will in regards to Aqueon in general and just bought a 55 gallon All Glass at the recent "dollar per gallon" sale long after I knew one I had purchased some years ago was failing. I have nothing but good experience with their HOB filters in my smaller tanks and will continue to use them. I will, however, likely find a different source for heaters! 

This is my position as well. I do not mean that we should try to run a business totally out of town, just that we do need to know and admit it when they are falling short. I have had lots of products and services that fall short. I do not hesitate to judge them harshly in the hope that they will improve. In fact, much of my current business is derived from judging the work done by other business operations. When I complain about the Ford dealership, it doesn't indicate that I want Ford to fail, just that this dealership will no longer get my business. 
I think we do need to apply the thought to all products/ services where we find fault.


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