Shipping

NO Expedited Shipping Options can be Guaranteed by any carrier due to high demand and delays with shippers. If a customer pays for expedited shipping and the shipment arrives later than the service paid for by the customer, then the shipper (UPS/FedEx) will not refund the customer, therefore a refund cannot be given by FishTanksDirect on the customer's behalf.

Note that there are restrictions on some products, and no products can be shipped to international destinations, However on larger freight shipments like aquariums/stands we can ship to a 3rd party freight company (usually near the border) and the customer can arrange for the 3rd party shipper to deliver the shipment.

When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Shipping time on items that are not built to order usually takes about 3-7 business days to arrive once shipped and a tracking number is automatically sent via email once shipped.

Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of many items can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.

When you place an order with Fishtanksdirect.com, we take pride in processing your order with speed and accuracy. All orders shipped via FedEx, UPS, or US Mail service are re-packaged in heavy duty packaging to ensure your products arrive in top condition.

The $49.99 Free shipping applies only to customers in the Continental U.S. The $49.99 free shipping is standard ground shipping (3-7 business days). Orders under 49.99 is $4.99 shipping (3-7days). Does not apply to custom orders.

In stock orders processed by 12 noon EST generally ship the same business day. In some cases, orders may ship the following business day, especially order placed during the weekend as we are closed on weekends. In the event of a back order, we will contact you to via email and/or phone to inform you of the back order and the expected ship date for your order. We charge actual freight rates and do no charge an additional handling fee. We ship orders via the most economical carrier of choice. Typically, we use UPS for ground shipments and either UPS or FedEx for expedited air shipments. For items that are OVERSIZED dimensions please contact us if you are unsure on whether a particular item is oversized as it will generally incur additional shipping charges. If an order incurs additional shipping charges, we will notify you via phone and/or email prior to shipping. Oversized items include, but are not limited to: 60 inch and 72 inch florescent bulbs or light fixtures, 65 watt and larger ultraviolet filters, bulk chemical media and bulk fish food 25 lbs and over, sand, substrate, salt, all standard and custom aquariums and aquarium stands and aquarium canopies for 40 gallon and larger aquariums.

Shipping Methods
Our main distribution facility is located in Venice, FL. All orders ship FOB unless the item is noted as a special order or drop ship only item. Orders ship Monday through Friday unless UPS/USPS/FedEx has a designated Holiday.

 “Special order items” and “drop ship only items” are shipped within 2 to 14 days from the manufacturer. UPS Overnight/Three Day/Second Day shipping is NOT recommended for “special order items” or “drop ship only items” because the manufacturer’s order processing time can vary.

 

Return Policy

All aquariums, stands, all custom items, and all built to order items are Non-Returnable.

You must notify us within 24 hours of any product damages on ground shipments, or no return will be valid.

You may return most new, unopened and unused items within 30 days of delivery for a refund minus a 15% Re-stocking fee (this covers our initial shipping cost to you). We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).

If an item arrives damaged, let us know right away and we will send a replacement, we just ask for photos of the damage. (This excludes anything shipped via Freight as we have a separate policy for inspecting for damage upon signing for freight shipments).

You should expect to receive your refund within 2-3 weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).

If you need to return an item, please Contact Us with your order number and details about the product you would like to return. We will respond quickly with instructions for how to return items from your order.