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Shipping Policy
Dry Goods And Live Stock

Last Modified: December 27th, 2025
 
Shipping Policy (Dry Goods)
 
FREE Shipping- Minimums and exclusions apply
We ship across Canada through UPS, Canada Post, Purolator, Canpar and Fed-EX. 
 

  • FREE Ground STANDARD shipping is offered on minimum order as under excluding GST/PST/HST. See exclusions-

  • Ontario and Quebec - Cart subtotals above $99.·      

  • New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, PEI - Cart subtotals above $135.

  • Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba – Cart subtotals above $145

  • Northern Territories, Nunavut, Yukon- Cart subtotals above $250.

  • Express shipping within the province of Ontario and Quebec for major Urban areas will be charged a flat fee of $19.99.

  • Live rates available from our third-party shipping companies and carriers (meaning rates quoted or otherwise made payable) for      shipping to all other Canadian provinces (MB, NS, NB, BC, PEI, SK, AB, NL, NT, YT).

  • Ground STANDARD shipping will be charged a FLAT Rate as under excluding GST/PST/HST- See exclusions-

  • Ontario and Quebec - $15 for cart subtotal up to $99

  • New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, PEI - $18.95 for cart subtotal up to $134.99.

  • Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba – $19.95 for cart subtotal up to $144.99.

  • Northern Territories, Nunavut, Yukon- $25 for cart subtotals up to $249.99.

  • Shipping address needs to be the same as Billing address. All orders with different shipping address from Billing address will be cancelled. A cancellation fee of $15 will apply          

 
 
Exclusions
 

  • Free and flat shipping excludes following postal codes: A0, B0, C0, E0, G0, H0, J0, K0, L0, M0, N0, P0, R0, S0, T0, V0, X0, Y0. Shipment to these postal codes, as determined in our discretion, are excluded from free or flat shipping rates and will be charged based on actual rates calculated separately. You will be informed on these charges in an email before shipping.

  • The Total shipping cannot exceed 15% of the cart subtotal or $30 whichever is higher. The difference if any will be charged to your account and paid by you (Customer).

  • Oversized and heavy items (eg. Aquariums, Aquarium kits, rock, sand, salt etc) as determined in our discretion, are excluded from free or flat shipping rates and will be charged based actual rates calculated separately. You will be informed on these charges either on our website or in an email before shipping. We encourage you to use our local pickup locations for all heavy or oversized items to save on shipping cost. 

  • Heavy Aquarium kits will be delivered to your address provided during checkout. We expect a physical representation at your delivery location to acknowledge receipt of the delivery at all times, failing which the goods will be returned back to our warehouse and the return delivery shipping cost plus re-stocking fee will be charged to you.

 
 
Frozen & Perishable Goods Shipping Policy
 
At Tropic N Reef Aquariums, we take great care to ensure all frozen and perishable products arrive in the best possible condition. To maintain product quality and food safety, we ship these items only to locations eligible for guaranteed overnight delivery.
 
We are unable to send frozen or perishable goods to remote regions or any areas where overnight courier service is not available or reliable. This ensures your order stays fully frozen and arrives exactly as intended.
 
Please note: Frozen and perishable items are not eligible for free shipping promotions.
 
All shipments containing frozen/perishable products will require paid shipping, with the full shipping cost covered by the customer.
If you have questions about whether your address qualifies for overnight delivery, feel free to contact us — we’re always happy to help!
 
Liquids shipping during cold weather:
During the winter season, extremely low temperatures across Canada can cause liquid products to freeze in transit. When liquids freeze, the natural expansion may lead to cracked bottles or leaking, and unfortunately this type of damage is not covered by Tropic N Reef Aquariums or the shipping carriers.
 
Because of this, we cannot guarantee that liquid items will arrive unfrozen when shipped during cold weather, especially for longer-distance deliveries. Orders that arrive frozen, leaking, or damaged due to cold temperatures are not eligible for refunds or replacements.
 
If you are concerned about your liquid goods freezing during transit, we strongly recommend selecting overnight shipping at checkout for the best chance of safe delivery.
 
 
Delivery Times
 

  • Standard shipping delivery times are approximately 3-7 business days to major urban areas within Ontario and Quebec, and 4-14 business days for rest of Canada. However, we cannot guarantee shipping times and times may vary based on factors outside of our control. 

  • Expect longer shipping times for deliveries outside of major urban areas.

  • Estimate delivery time for all special-order items will be 3-4 business weeks subject to stock availability from the applicable manufacturer

 
 
Shipping Terms
 

  • You agree that we may change the shipper or carrier without prior notice to you. This will generally be the case for orders to provinces outside Ontario/Quebec and remote or non-urban locations. You may opt to be notified of the change by providing written instructions, prior checkout, in the notes section on our checkout page.

  • You agree that we may pre-authorize your credit card or payment method in order to bill such shipping and carrier charges to you.

  • You agree to pay, and we may bill your payment method, $20 for each change you make to an order prior to shipping (“Change Fee”). The Change Fee shall also apply to any refund requests (if refunds are applicable) and order cancellations made prior to us shipping your order.

  • We do not offer price drop guarantees for purchased products already ordered, regardless of whether we have shipped them or not.

  • We will make reasonable attempts to ship all in stock items, from our facilities, on the same day, or the next business day, of the order being placed. However, in some cases orders are not in stock, back ordered or are categorized as special orders. Such orders will take longer to ship.

  • We would not be able to accept any cancellations/returns/refunds for Special Order items at any point of time.

  • We do our best to keep healthy stock levels of popular products. However, for out of stock and backordered items, you will be notified once inventory is available if you registered your email by clicking the “Notify when available” on the applicable product page.

  • All shipped packages must be accepted by you at your specified shipping address. If for any reason you refuse or fail to accept delivery of your order you agree that we will bill you a restocking fee equal to the greater of (i) 15% of the total price of your order, or (ii) $20, plus all applicable shipping and return shipping costs.  You agree that we may deduct such fees from any refund we may subsequently issue to you.

  • All of our shipping prices and these shipping terms are subject to change without advanced notice.

  • All shipping fees are subject to the addition of applicable sales taxes.

  • We reserve the right to use recyclable or reused packaging for shipping orders. As part of our commitment to environmental sustainability, we strive to reduce our ecological footprint by utilizing materials that can be recycled or reused. Rest assured, while we prioritize eco-friendly practices, the contents inside the packaging will always be brand new and of the highest quality.


Livestock Shipping Policy

All livestock shipping is currently available only within the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, Canada. This Livestock Shipping Policy is custom-drafted exclusively for Tropic N Reef Aquariums and governs all sales and shipments of live aquatic animals. This policy is intended to protect animal welfare while clearly defining customer and seller responsibilities.

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1. Scope & Definitions
   •    “Livestock” includes, but is not limited to, fish, corals, invertebrates, and other live aquatic animals.
   •    This policy applies to all livestock orders placed with Tropic N Reef Aquariums, regardless of sales channel.

2. Final Sale & Shipping Acknowledgement
   •    All livestock shipping is final.
   •    Due to the perishable and sensitive nature of live animals, livestock orders may not be returned, cancelled, or exchanged except           as expressly outlined in this policy.
   •    There are no refunds on shipping costs for any reason or situation, including but not limited to delays, weather events, courier i           issues, or customer availability.
   •    Under no circumstance can a Livestock order be combined with Dry Goods. All such orders received will be cancelled and a                   cancellation fee of $15 will be deducted from your refund payment method.

3. Shipping Areas, Pricing & Eligibility
   •    Livestock shipping is offered only within Ontario and Quebec.
   •    We DONOT ship Livestock to Rural Postal codes.
   •    Ontario / Quebec Flat Rate Overnight Shipping: $45 CAD.
   •    Free Overnight Shipping applies to livestock orders with a subtotal of $350 CAD or more excluding all provincial taxes.
   •    Shipping promotions or free shipping offers apply to livestock only when explicitly stated.
   •    All shipments will be done on the shipping address provided. Tropic N Reef Aquariums are not responsible for any wrong                       shipping address, postal code provided for shipping.

4. Shipping Schedule & Courier Selection
   •    Livestock shipments are dispatched Monday through Wednesday only.
   •    When overnight courier shipping is selected, orders will ship on the next available livestock shipping day unless the customer              explicitly requests a later date.
   •    Tropic N Reef Aquariums reserves the sole discretion to delay, reschedule, or withhold shipment if conditions are deemed unsafe          for livestock.

5. Delivery & Customer Availability
   •    Customers are solely responsible for ensuring someone is available to receive the shipment on the first delivery attempt.
   •    Livestock must not be left unattended, outdoors, or exposed to environmental conditions after delivery.
   •    Failure to receive the package on the first delivery attempt voids any live arrival consideration.

6. Weather & Environmental Conditions
   •    Shipments are approved only when origin and destination temperatures are within safe limits.
   •    Orders may be held during periods of extreme heat, cold, storms, or courier disruption.
   •    Heat packs or cold packs may be included at our discretion and are not guaranteed.

7. Dead on Arrival (DOA) Policy – Conditional
Tropic N Reef Aquariums offers a conditional Dead on Arrival (DOA) policy, subject to strict approval.

 

DOA Claim Requirements:
   •    Notification must be provided within a maximum of 2 hours of confirmed delivery.
   •    Clear photos of the deceased livestock must be submitted while the animal remains sealed in the original shipping bag.
   •    Claims submitted after the 2-hour window will not be considered.

 

DOA Review & Approval:
   •    All DOA claims are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
   •    Approval is granted solely at the discretion of Tropic N Reef Aquariums, based on livestock condition, documentation provided,             and original product description.

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DOA Resolution:
   •    Approved DOA claims will be issued as store credit only.
   •    Store credit may be used toward a replacement livestock item or a future livestock order.
   •    No DOA claim will be refunded to the original payment method, under any circumstance.
   •    Shipping fees are non-refundable, even for approved DOA claims.

8. Exclusions & Limitation of Liability
   •    No guarantee is provided once acclimation begins.
   •    Losses related to acclimation methods, aquarium conditions, water parameters, lighting, flow, aggression, disease, or                           incompatibility are expressly excluded.
   •    Tropic N Reef Aquariums’ liability is strictly limited to the original purchase price of the affected livestock only.

9. Acclimation & Husbandry Responsibility
   •    Proper acclimation and ongoing care are the sole responsibility of the customer.
   •    Customers confirm they possess the necessary knowledge, equipment, and stable aquarium conditions prior to purchase.

10. Order Changes, Cancellations & Availability
   •    Livestock orders cannot be modified or cancelled once scheduled for shipment.
   •    If livestock becomes unavailable or unfit to ship, Tropic N Reef Aquariums may issue store credit, substitution, or order                        cancellation at its discretion.

11. Carrier Delays & Force Majeure
   •    Tropic N Reef Aquariums is not responsible for delays caused by shipping carriers, weather events, mechanical failures, or                     circumstances beyond our control.
   •    The DOA policy is void if delivery occurs outside the carrier’s guaranteed delivery window or if the shipment is delayed due to               customer unavailability.

12. Acceptance of Policy
By placing a livestock order, the customer confirms they have read, understood, and fully accepted this policy in its entirety.
Tropic N Reef Aquariums reserves the right to update or modify this policy at any time without prior notice.
For questions, customers are encouraged to contact us prior to placing an order.


— Tropic N Reef Aquariums

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