ClearView Aquarium Lids Master Thread - It all started RIGHT HERE!!!

[ClearView Lids]

Leyth, we try to ensure that all customers are fully satisfied with their purchase, however this is impossible to do if you don't first give us an opportunity to work with you on the issue. You can email us for assistance in getting your lid fixed to your satisfaction. We will need you to provide exact physical internal dimensions of your tank and then we can go from there to see why your tank is not fitting your ClearView Lid.

I can say with 100% certainty, that your tank does not match the typical Reefer 350. Red Sea tanks are our most popular models and we've produced over 1300 lids for Red Sea tanks alone; with around 200 lids specifically being for the Reefer 350. With the exception of a few cases where the customer discovered anomalies with their specific tank (i.e. off center overflow or dimensions with variation in length up front vs out back), they have all been produced using design files with the same basic specs. No adjustments have been needed to those base design files due to any consistent changes in manufacturing or tolerance from Red Sea.

The ability for our CNC to repeatedly produce a lid to the exact same specs over and over exceeds the accuracy that is possible with a tank that is built by a human. Prime example, our new Tsunami Interlock joints are machined with a tolerance of +/- one thousandth (0.001) of an inch to ensure they positively lock together and do not easily come apart.

It is uncommon for Red Sea tanks to have their overflow off center, but it does happen from time to time. Red Sea is far better at keeping their tolerances consistent than some other manufacturers that we build lids for so I wouldn't fault them for this being a defect either. They are assembled by humans, not machines, so things do happen from time to time.

By you having a slight gap on one side of the overflow this means that your overflow is not perfectly centered. Below is the exact CAD file that was used to produce your lid. Note that the dimensions on each side of the overflow opening are exactly the same, which means the cutout for your overflow is perfectly centered on your lid. When you contact us for assistance in getting fixed up, you will need to provide the exact measurement you find for each side of the overflow.

As for you having fitment problems with the main lid itself, this could be due to several possibilities. Excess silicone, a side panel being slightly out of square (in which case the internal length would be slightly different in the front vs the back), or even glass that was a bit thicker than typical spec which would result in slightly smaller internal dimensions even with external dimensions meeting factory standard.

Email us at [email protected] so we can help you further. Thanks.

 

[Leyth]

Leyth, we try to ensure that all customers are fully satisfied with their purchase, however this is impossible to do if you don't first give us an opportunity to work with you on the issue. You can email us for assistance in getting your lid fixed to your satisfaction. We will need you to provide exact physical internal dimensions of your tank and then we can go from there to see why your tank is not fitting your ClearView Lid.

I can say with 100% certainty, that your tank does not match the typical Reefer 350. Red Sea tanks are our most popular models and we've produced over 1300 lids for Red Sea tanks alone; with around 200 lids specifically being for the Reefer 350. With the exception of a few cases where the customer discovered anomalies with their specific tank (i.e. off center overflow or dimensions with variation in length up front vs out back), they have all been produced using design files with the same basic specs. No adjustments have been needed to those base design files due to any consistent changes in manufacturing or tolerance from Red Sea.

The ability for our CNC to repeatedly produce a lid to the exact same specs over and over exceeds the accuracy that is possible with a tank that is built by a human. Prime example, our new Tsunami Interlock joints are machined with a tolerance of +/- one thousandth (0.001) of an inch to ensure they positively lock together and do not easily come apart.

It is uncommon for Red Sea tanks to have their overflow off center, but it does happen from time to time. Red Sea is far better at keeping their tolerances consistent than some other manufacturers that we build lids for so I wouldn't fault them for this being a defect either. They are assembled by humans, not machines, so things do happen from time to time.

By you having a slight gap on one side of the overflow this means that your overflow is not perfectly centered. Below is the exact CAD file that was used to produce your lid. Note that the dimensions on each side of the overflow opening are exactly the same, which means the cutout for your overflow is perfectly centered on your lid. When you contact us for assistance in getting fixed up, you will need to provide the exact measurement you find for each side of the overflow.

As for you having fitment problems with the main lid itself, this could be due to several possibilities. Excess silicone, a side panel being slightly out of square (in which case the internal length would be slightly different in the front vs the back), or even glass that was a bit thicker than typical spec which would result in slightly smaller internal dimensions even with external dimensions meeting factory standard.

Email us at [email protected] so we can help you further. Thanks.

I posted instead of emailing because I've emailed you guys before and did not receive a response so I figured this was the best method to contact you guys.

I managed to get the lid on after sanding, but I am trying to figure out what is off about my tank then. The lid measures exactly to those specs, but I am not able to figure out what is off about my tank.

What is the internal length of a reefer 350?

 

[ClearView Lids]

I posted instead of emailing because I've emailed you guys before and did not receive a response so I figured this was the best method to contact you guys.

I managed to get the lid on after sanding, but I am trying to figure out what is off about my tank then. The lid measures exactly to those specs, but I am not able to figure out what is off about my tank.

What is the internal length of a reefer 350?

The lid measures exactly to the specs we showed as you say. If your tank matches to those specs or under yet still provides too tight of a fit then the problem could be excess silicone or an out of square condition.

The only email I find in our system from you was on January 8th checking the status of your order placed on 12/19 to which we replied. I see no other email history. I'm sending you an email at same time of this post to ensure we connect properly.

You should provide the following details so we can assist you in finding where your tank varies from the norm:

INTERNAL length and width of your tank. Length should be taken from the front side of the tank and again from the back side of the tank. Width should be taken from the left, center, and right. The center being wider than the sides is normal and caused by the water pressure in your tank. Measurements on left and right being different would not be normal. Assure measurements do not include the bevel on glass edge.

Measure diagonally from left rear to right front and from right rear to left front. These two diagonal measurements should be the same. If they are different, please include this info in your reply as this would show an out of square condition.

With this information we can proceed to see what the next step is in getting you squared away.

 

[Leyth]

The lid measures exactly to the specs we showed as you say. If your tank matches to those specs or under yet still provides too tight of a fit then the problem could be excess silicone or an out of square condition.

The only email I find in our system from you was on January 8th checking the status of your order placed on 12/19 to which we replied. I see no other email history. I'm sending you an email at same time of this post to ensure we connect properly.

You should provide the following details so we can assist you in finding where your tank varies from the norm:

INTERNAL length and width of your tank. Length should be taken from the front side of the tank and again from the back side of the tank. Width should be taken from the left, center, and right. The center being wider than the sides is normal and caused by the water pressure in your tank. Measurements on left and right being different would not be normal. Assure measurements do not include the bevel on glass edge.

Measure diagonally from left rear to right front and from right rear to left front. These two diagonal measurements should be the same. If they are different, please include this info in your reply as this would show an out of square condition.

With this information we can proceed to see what the next step is in getting you squared away.

I never received a reply to that email. The reply was given on this thread after I asked for a status update here. It's not a big deal.

I'll get the diagonal measurements tomorrow, but the internal measurements were 46.5 front and back. The outer measurements are 47.25 and each outer glass panel is 3/8" thick. That seems like the tank is the exact spec it is supposed to be. If I had measured the tank before ordering, I would have provided those exact numbers which I assume would have led to the same issue. In fact, if I were to do the math based on the dimensions of the reefer 350 that is listed on the Red Sea website. The internal length would be 46.25 wouldn't it? The only thing I can think of is that this tank isn't supposed to have 3/8" glass, and mine does for some reason?

 

[Dugless]

Just checking in to see if there is an update on my order. Thanks!

 

[Badguy]

Have you done a Biocube 29 ? Im interested

 

[ClearView Lids]

Just checking in to see if there is an update on my order. Thanks!

We connected with you yesterday via email. Thanks.

Have you done a Biocube 29 ? Im interested

We have the Biocube 28 and Biocube 16 in our library. We can make a lid for the Biocube 29, but you would need to send a cardboard/posterboard/canvas template cut out of your opening to us so as to ensure good fit. This isn't necessary for most tanks, but it is necessary for the Biocubes due to their unique shape/design. You can email us at [email protected] for further details. Thanks!

 

[KJAG]

Apologies, but I dont currently have the time to scour the threads or your site for specs, but I have a custom 225 that is Eurobraced with 1/2" glass. I also have a 5' long coast to coast overflow secured to the underside of the back brace. Just wondering the thickness of the acrylic frame for your lids. In short I need it to rest on top of the overflow box but also sit flush with the eurobracing.
*Edit, I guess I dont really need the frame to rest on the overflow, only concern would be that its thicker than 1/2" which would cause the back end of the lid to not sit flush on the brace.

 

[ClearView Lids]

Apologies, but I dont currently have the time to scour the threads or your site for specs, but I have a custom 225 that is Eurobraced with 1/2" glass. I also have a 5' long coast to coast overflow secured to the underside of the back brace. Just wondering the thickness of the acrylic frame for your lids. In short I need it to rest on top of the overflow box but also sit flush with the eurobracing.
*Edit, I guess I dont really need the frame to rest on the overflow, only concern would be that its thicker than 1/2" which would cause the back end of the lid to not sit flush on the brace.

No problem, we can certainly understand limited time in being able to scour a thread with over 1200 posts and 65 pages of content.

Our lids are made using 3/8" Lexan and only sit 1/4" below the top edge of glass (or in your case eurobrace) so your overflow shouldn't be a problem at all. I don't have enough info however to direct you to the appropriate page link for ordering since I don't know how big your lid needs to be with your tank being a custom tank. However, our Custom Lids section is all organized by square footage. If your tank is say 6'x2' then that would be 12sf and would fit into the Custom 11-13sf lid category. Our Custom Lids page has a calculator embedded to make the math easy so you don't even have to do the math =). Here's a link:

http://artfullyacrylic.3dcartstores.com/Custom-Lids_c_58.html

Let us know if you have any other questions.

 

[jerburton]

Just ordered one for my Elos!

 

[KJAG]

No problem, we can certainly understand limited time in being able to scour a thread with over 1200 posts and 65 pages of content.

Our lids are made using 3/8" Lexan and only sit 1/4" below the top edge of glass (or in your case eurobrace) so your overflow shouldn't be a problem at all. I don't have enough info however to direct you to the appropriate page link for ordering since I don't know how big your lid needs to be with your tank being a custom tank. However, our Custom Lids section is all organized by square footage. If your tank is say 6'x2' then that would be 12sf and would fit into the Custom 11-13sf lid category. Our Custom Lids page has a calculator embedded to make the math easy so you don't even have to do the math =). Here's a link:

http://artfullyacrylic.3dcartstores.com/Custom-Lids_c_58.html

Let us know if you have any other questions.

Thanks. In regards to longevity, any long term issues with yellowing of the Lexan( I run three 250W Halides, and does the mesh remain taut thru out the life of the product, or can we expect some sagging at some point of the mesh?

 

[ClearView Lids]

Just ordered one for my Elos!

Getting close to cut time for your lid too! We look forward to you receiving it! Thanks for your support.

Thanks. In regards to longevity, any long term issues with yellowing of the Lexan( I run three 250W Halides, and does the mesh remain taut thru out the life of the product, or can we expect some sagging at some point of the mesh?

Our Lexan is UV Coated and guaranteed by the manufacturer against yellowing for 10 years. In all cases I can fathom, the outdoor life would certainly be harder on the lid than the posh life it's lucky to get with you and your tank. As a result we'd expect the frame to last longer than your tank.

As for the mesh, it will eventually break down/get a bit brittle under Metal Halides. The hotter/closer the lights are to the mesh the faster this will happen. Statistics from early customers with metal halides in the 250/400w realm report screen replacement at 1 1/2-2 years. We've not yet had ANY reports of screen replacement due to break down under LEDs. The mesh is installed using standard window frame screening spline and we use a UV resistant mesh which is from the same manufacturer that supplies Marine Depot, Bulk Reef Supply, and surely many others. This is done to ensure you get to enjoy your ClearView frame for many many years to come.

If you have other questions please send us an email to [email protected] where we can provide a more prompt response. Thanks!

 

[gammarho55]

I did get a new lid from Artfully Acrylic, but had a lot of issues with them. When I first talked with them, they seemed nice enough and attentive. I sent them dimensions for the tank and include all the cutouts for the lights/cords/etc, which they reached out to me to verify since I wrote a few of them down wrong. They said they would update my sketch with the correct numbers. Unfortunately, who ever did the programming to cut it out used the old sketch instead, so I received the lid a few inches bigger than needed and the light cutouts weren't the size that I asked for them (needed to be 2 1/2", instead the sent 2"). Immediately got them on the phone to mention the error with the light cutouts, at which time they pointed out to me the lid was cut incorrectly and even admitted the issue was their fault. The biggest problem I have is that I paid an extra $50 for expedited processing/shipping, which they told me would be a 2 week turn around. I did receive the original, incorrect lid in just over the 2 weeks promised, but it took them another 4 weeks to get a new one out to me. Needless to say, I reached out to them for a refund of at least the $50 fee, but have yet to hear back from them, so I opened a case with PayPal to at least get the ball rolling. They have been super difficult to get hold of since not sending out the correctly sized lid, and have actively dodged my phone calls and have instead sent text messages. I even just reached out to them prior to posting this, but of course, did not answer or respond to my text messages.

 

[CWR24]

I did get a new lid from Artfully Acrylic, but had a lot of issues with them. When I first talked with them, they seemed nice enough and attentive. I sent them dimensions for the tank and include all the cutouts for the lights/cords/etc, which they reached out to me to verify since I wrote a few of them down wrong. They said they would update my sketch with the correct numbers. Unfortunately, who ever did the programming to cut it out used the old sketch instead, so I received the lid a few inches bigger than needed and the light cutouts weren't the size that I asked for them (needed to be 2 1/2", instead the sent 2"). Immediately got them on the phone to mention the error with the light cutouts, at which time they pointed out to me the lid was cut incorrectly and even admitted the issue was their fault. The biggest problem I have is that I paid an extra $50 for expedited processing/shipping, which they told me would be a 2 week turn around. I did receive the original, incorrect lid in just over the 2 weeks promised, but it took them another 4 weeks to get a new one out to me. Needless to say, I reached out to them for a refund of at least the $50 fee, but have yet to hear back from them, so I opened a case with PayPal to at least get the ball rolling. They have been super difficult to get hold of since not sending out the correctly sized lid, and have actively dodged my phone calls and have instead sent text messages. I even just reached out to them prior to posting this, but of course, did not answer or respond to my text messages.

I hear ya brother!! I have been in the process of obtaining many different things acrylic wise for my Reefer 350 build, and it's been nothing short of frustrating and time consuming.
IF and WHEN you can get someone to answer a phone or an email at one of these places is nothing short of a miracle.

In fairness the guy at Artfully Acrylic somehow took my call about 2 weeks ago, and he was actually very nice, informative, and took plenty of time to help me out....I'll give him that. But now I need to ask a question or two and confirm some measurements, and so far 4 more calls with messages left have gone unanswered. Last one like you was today about 20 minutes ago.
I understand these are not major companies with 100+ employees.....but Jesus Christ people.......communicate back with your customers or potential customers!!

Same goes for Blue Tide Acrylics......Advanced Acrylics......Zen Reef.....all these company owners I dealt with and ordered from, seem cool and make nice products, but not returning customers calls and/or emails for sometimes a week or better.......??

Far and away the BEST customer service I have received was from the owner of ANYTHING ACRYLIC......and he's across the dang world on another continent in a way different time zone.......yet still answers all emails PROMPTLY!!

All need a wake up call on customer service skills.

Now, $20 isn't gonna make him rich nor kill me either as I'll go waste it on a lottery ticket this afternoon. But it's a matter of principal.
I want to place an order for the Reefer 350 lid and when deciding between the "Classic" and "Tsunami".......which will both be the same size to ship because I would have them build the lid and screen it for me.......the shipping to my 60062 zip comes in at $21.85 for the Tsunami and $41.08 for the Clearview.
I have decided on the Clearview but feel the need to ask about the difference in shipping charges before I confirm and pay as chances are good I would have to go thru the same trouble with email and calls about it.

Artfully Acrylic......you have my name and number on your voicemail.......please take the time to place a return follow up call to me or correspond on here if you prefer that. But do SOMETHING or I'll decide to use another maker by weeks end if I don't hear anything back. Thanks......Craig R.

Hope you have good luck resolving your issue buddy.

 

[ClearView Lids]

Needless to say, I reached out to them for a refund of at least the $50 fee, but have yet to hear back from them, so I opened a case with PayPal to at least get the ball rolling. They have been super difficult to get hold of since not sending out the correctly sized lid, and have actively dodged my phone calls and have instead sent text messages.

Sean, your $50 refund has been processed. Please note also that text replies were not an attempt to dodge your phone calls...we were trying to be proactive in getting back with you and email seemed to no longer be your preferred means of communicating with us. My office sits less than 10 feet from the CNC as it must be closely monitored. It is very difficult to hear the phone/carry on a conversation while the CNC and other equipment in the shop is running (they run A LOT).

Currently, on ClearView Lids alone, we handle close to 1000 emails in/out per month. That doesn't count phone calls or website submitted tickets. The management of all of these items falls exclusively on my shoulders. I've had 2 separate full time office assistants in the 2 years since ClearView launched and come to the realization that we don't currently need the mere assistance of another human prone to error...we need technology, for it's error proof oversight; and a bulletproof refined process for order placement.

The process of obtaining and verifying information for Clearview orders containing customizations is indeed very detailed, arduous...and subject to human error. Case in point...you made an error on your dimensions and we caught it...but then we made an error and used the incorrect original sketch instead of the revised one. This pair of errors caused extra delay and frustration for you. It caused us to lose extra labor and costs since it was necessary to recut your lid to get it right. Our frequency of missed inquiries/reply is very low, but those few that fall through the cracks tend to be vocal about it, and I can't blame you or anybody else for doing so. Our goal is to have ZERO missed inquiries/replies.

I've been working some very long and late hours lately. It's 6am here and let's just say I haven't seen my pillow since I got up...yesterday. We are working on the implementation of some new processes across the website backend and the continued integration of a feature rich customer resource management system. We expect these integrations to help us improve our efficiency, response time to questions/status updates, order processing speed, and add some needed additional checks and balances.

Have a great day all!!

 

[ClearView Lids]

In fairness the guy at Artfully Acrylic somehow took my call about 2 weeks ago, and he was actually very nice, informative, and took plenty of time to help me out....I'll give him that. But now I need to ask a question or two and confirm some measurements...

Artfully Acrylic......you have my name and number on your voicemail.......please take the time to place a return follow up call to me or correspond on here if you prefer that.

Hi Craig, this is Adam. It would have been me that you spoke with. I do recall speaking with you and I'm happy to answer your remaining questions. Thanks for the compliments on how nice and informative we can be lol. I actually DO enjoy speaking with our customers on the phone every chance I get. It's the CNC that tends to disagree and make every effort to hamper my pleasant conversations.

Emailing us at [email protected] is the best means of contact overall however. It allows you to contact us at your convenience and it allows us to maintain a searchable record to look back upon when needed. As I don't believe I have an email address for you I will send you a PM right after I hit post on this with some additional info and answers to your questions. You can call or email if you still need further information or assistance in placing your order over the phone.

Thanks!

 

[CWR24]

Hi Craig, this is Adam. It would have been me that you spoke with. I do recall speaking with you and I'm happy to answer your remaining questions. Thanks for the compliments on how nice and informative we can be lol. I actually DO enjoy speaking with our customers on the phone every chance I get. It's the CNC that tends to disagree and make every effort to hamper my pleasant conversations.

Emailing us at [email protected] is the best means of contact overall however. It allows you to contact us at your convenience and it allows us to maintain a searchable record to look back upon when needed. As I don't believe I have an email address for you I will send you a PM right after I hit post on this with some additional info and answers to your questions. You can call or email if you still need further information or assistance in placing your order over the phone.

Thanks!

Hey there Adam.......appreciate you reaching out with your message and also taking my call at such an early hour to clarify my order as far as shipping goes and concerns with my measurements and such.
Will be placing my order momentarily and look forward to doing business with you.....Craig

 

[shadow1013]

Artfully Acrylic was great when we ordered our lid two years ago, don’t have it anymore because we had to sell the tank because we moved, and were super helpful at any requests or custom items we wanted for our lid. Even when there was issues they fixed it quickly.

Love the Tsunami design! Will be getting that when we get a new tank. Hopefully the Red Sea Reefer XXL 750!

 

[ClearView Lids]

Artfully Acrylic was great when we ordered our lid two years ago, don’t have it anymore because we had to sell the tank because we moved, and were super helpful at any requests or custom items we wanted for our lid. Even when there was issues they fixed it quickly.

Love the Tsunami design! Will be getting that when we get a new tank. Hopefully the Red Sea Reefer XXL 750!

Hey @shadow1013 thanks for stopping in and posting! Glad to hear your lid served you well while you had your tank. Hopefully it passed on with the tank and is still serving the new owner and their fish well too. The 750xxl is a great tank and a very popular lid. We had several orders for it already in queue before they were even delivering tanks and have had a ton of orders for them since then.

We love Tsunami too and it's beginning to really make a dent in Red Sea lid orders. Initially, a lot of folks were confused and thought Tsunami was DIY only. As they learn of the professional build and screen option orders for Tsunami have increased by a great margin.

We look forward to working with you again. Have a great weekend!

 

[CWR24]

Good morning Adam.......Craig here. My order number is AAIC6823.

Figured to try you on here since I didn't have any luck with a response by calling or email.

At 6 weeks on the head today since my date of order and just trying to get an idea as to if my Reefer 350 lid has been machined and ready to ship.......slated for the machine soon......has shipped......??

Please get ahold of me either on here, by email, or I left you my cell # on recording.......just so I can plan for when I can do my take transfer, as I don't want to add anything without the lid on top.

Thanks in advance and talk to you soon.......Craig