FAQs & POLICIES
SHIPPING
For the safety of these beautiful plants, plants are shipped Monday through Wednesday & Friday only, excluding holidays . Orders placed before 7:00 AM Pacific Time should ship out within 1-2 business days.
Rimless aquariums and other hard goods will be shipped Monday through Friday via UPS Ground or freight. When purchasing plants/livestock with any hard goods in the same order, they will sometimes be shipped separately to avoid DOA; but don't worry, we'll be sure to keep you updated with your purchase!
Shrimp, fish, and snails will be shipped Monday through Wednesday only via 1-day shipping to help prevent any dead-on-arrival. This is subject to change due to extreme changes in weather or holiday delays. We will always do our best to ensure that your new livestock makes it to you safe and sound. Keep in mind that all livestock orders receive free dead-on-arrival protection. Learn more about our DOA protection policy below.
Purchasing expedited shipping will ensure that your package is in transit for less time, but the order will still be processed within 1-2 shipping days.
Please make sure your shipping address is correct prior to placing an order as we will not be held responsible for DOA due to an undeliverable, incomplete or incorrect addresses.
Damaged packages, lost packages, and/or any mishandling by the United States Postal Service (USPS), United Parcel Service (UPS), Federal Express (FedEx), or other logistics/courier service provider is not our responsibility. However, we will make sure to take the proper steps to resolve the situation by filing a claim on your behalf. This process can take some time (14+ business days depending on the courier service), so please bear with us as we assist in fixing any issues that may arise.
**Note that some plants we carry may be considered federal or state noxious weeds. It is the CUSTOMER's responsibility to check with their own state rules and regulations before ordering (you can check the list here ). All of our plants clear stringent import regulations via the USDA office in Los Angeles.
YOUR WEATHER
Shipping live plants at an affordable cost to the consumer is our main priority. However, due to the rising costs associated with shipping goods along with the risk of USPS/FEDEX,UPS mishandling our packages, it is important you add heat packs when advised by our team. Please be aware of the weather in your area. If you are experiencing temperatures below 50°F , we recommend adding a heat pack to your plant order.
If you are experiencing severe weather conditions (including freezing temperatures 32°F and below) , please delay ordering until weather warms. A package of live plants left outside in freezing temperatures for any amount of time can result in DOA.
If temperatures in your area are above 80°F , we recommend delaying your order until the weather cools.
RETURNS
Hard goods can be returned up to 30 days after purchase for a full refund as long as the product is unused, new and sealed in its box. We offer store credit for items that have been opened and used, but please note this is on a case by case basis and Buce Plant reserves the right to provide solutions deemed fit pertaining to each inquiry. A 30% restocking fee will apply to refunds that are issued for open or used items or items that do not get returned with their original packaging. Customer will have to pay for return shipping fees.
We are unable to accept returns for perishable items such as plants or livestock. However, feel free to reach out to our support team at support@buceplant.com if you are unsatisfied in any way! We do provide 100% DOA (dead-on-arrival) protection.
REFUNDS AND DEAD-ON-ARRIVAL
Don’t worry, we’ll issue a refund as long as it fits within the guidelines in the section above!
We do offer free 100% DOA (dead-on-arrival) protection for all plant and livestock orders. If in the unfortunate event of receiving plants/livestock DOA occurs, please email us at support@buceplant.com with your order number and photos of the product(s) and packaging slip within 12 hours of package delivery. Our support team will be happy to assist you with a replacement or refund. If you do not receive a response within 1-2 business days, please check that your email was sent to the correct address and check your spam folder.
EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS ABOUT YOUR ORDER
You will be notified via email if our Fulfillment Team determines that an item does not meet our Standards of Quality and cannot be shipped, or if an item is out of stock if your order is under two items. If this email has no response within 24 hours, the order will shipped without the item and a refund will be issued.
Should your order exceed two items and an item does not pass our Quality Assurance Test, the order will be shipped without the item and a refund will be issued.
WHEN WILL THIS BE BACK IN STOCK?
To be notified of when something becomes available, be sure you click the orange "Email Me When Available" button on the product's page. If you have additional questions, please email our team at support@buceplant.com .
Please note that dates are subject to change without notice.
INTERNATIONAL ORDERS
If you'd like to purchase dry goods from us and are outside the United States, we will do our best to accommodate your order. Please email any inquiries to support@buceplant.com and be sure to include your international shipping address. Unfortunately, plants cannot be shipped outside the United States at this time.
GIFT CARDS
Our gift cards cannot be used with other discount codes. Gift cards cannot be redeemed for refunds, cash or credit. However, if you purchased the gift card for someone and decide you need a refund, please contact us!
DO YOUR PLANTS HAVE SNAILS?
Our team does a great job of keeping our holding tanks clean from algae and various ailments. We also perform quality checks prior to shipping plants! However, it is always possible that snails may be present. If you do not want to risk this, please consider purchasing tissue culture plants and/or cleaning and quarantining new plants very thoroughly prior to placing them in your aquarium. Snails are a natural part of the environment and are inevitable when dealing with live aquatic plants. Click the links below to learn best practices for cleaning/preparing new plants for your aquarium.
ARE YOUR PLANTS SAFE FOR INVERTEBRATES?
Caution: In order to comply with USDA requirements regarding agricultural pests, some of our partner farms may use pesticides on potted/bunch plants that can also harm shrimp or other invertebrates. Although our team does their best to clean all incoming plants of various ailments, there may be trace amounts of pesticides on aquarium plants. Because shrimp are sensitive creatures, extra rinsing and/or several days of quarantining may be necessary before it is safe to add the new plants to your shrimp tank. Click the link below to learn more.
HOW DO I PREPARE PLANTS?
Plant preparation will be contingent on what "form" you purchase the plant in. Plants will generally be sold in the following forms:
- Pot: The plant is wrapped in rockwool and placed in a little pot.
- Lead Bunch: Typically used for stem plants. The plant is wrapped in protective cotton and secured with a plant weight to prevent it from floating.
- Attached to: Plants such as aquatic mosses can be attached to stainless steel sheets , while epiphytic plants like buce can be attached to stones or driftwood.
- Tissue Culture: These plants are grown in a lab and are the only way to fully guarantee that plants are 100% snail, pest and algae free.
To learn how to prep potted and lead bunch plants, click here .
To learn how to prep tissue culture plants, click here .
To learn how to dip your potted and lead bunch plants to get rid of algae/pests, click here .
For all plants that are attached to something, gently separate it and replant or reattach. Stainless steel mats will generally have a net-like covering that you can cut off and peel back. Once peeled back or removed, gently pluck off the portions of moss and reattach to your liking.
If you have any questions that weren't answered here, please email us at support@buceplant.com !
We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.