I have been getting some questions about the 15 day guarantee on Livestock. I decided to post it here to help clear up any questions. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions. :) The language is geared toward online customers that I ship to, but it still applies for the most part to local retail customers as well.

Here is a direct link (http://stores.keenreef.com/Page.bok?template=policy)

Guarantee:
Buy with confidence. Keen Reef guarantees that all livestock (except exempt species) will arrive alive and live for 15 days or we will issue a store credit for the purchase price of your lost item.
Terms and Conditions:

Photographic evidence of the deceased item must be emailed to Warranty@keenreef.com (Warranty@keenreef.com).
Please freeze deceased specimens while you wait for further instructions.
Fifteen-day guarantee begins on the initial delivery date.
Customer must sign for package on the first delivery attempt -- even if FedEx or DHL is late.
Customer must follow all acclimating procedures.
Keen Reef does require a sample of the aquarium water to be sent in for testing. Please do not send in a sample with out the proper RMA procedures.
- Take a clean empty bottle an place it in the aquarium. A 20 oz. water bottle works the best.
- Fill it completely
- While the bottle is still underwater, secure the cap and seal it. This will prevent the atmosphere from interacting with the sample and preserve it for shipping.
- Once Keen Reef receives the sample and it tests within the acceptable parameters, a credit for livestock will be issued.
Tank water chemistry must be within the following parameters:
- Temperature between 75°- 83° F and constant
- Ammonia - 0.0 ppm
- Nitrite - 0.0 ppm
- Nitrate - 0.0-30 ppm
- pH - 8.1-8.4
- Specific gravity - 1.020-1.025
We will not be responsible for livestock that has died as a result of being harassed or picked on by other fish.
Keen Reef does not usually require a specimen be returned. However if it is requested a return authorization number will be sent and please return it according to directions below.
We will not issue credit for shipping costs.
Store credit will not count towards Keen Reef's free shipping.
Store credit from livestock can only be used on new livestock.
We will not replace replacements or livestock bought by store credit unless contents are 'dead on arrival' or damaged during shipping. If the replacement is DOA, photographic evidence must be email to Keen Reef within 2 hours of package arrival.Exempt Species:
The exempt species listed below have special needs that must be met if they are to be kept in an aquarium. Water quality and careful acclimation are particularly important for these species. Many of them also have special dietary needs and require careful attention to feeding. While we still guarantee that they will arrive alive and in optimal health, we cannot guarantee these species after arrival.
The fish and invertebrates listed in red below have the ability to secrete toxins, when stressed and/or upon death, that may kill other fish in the aquarium. Careful attention must be paid to these species to alleviate sources of stress. If these specimens become sick, remove them immediately to a separate holding tank. Keen Reef cannot accept responsibility for any losses that occur if one of these species poisons the aquarium.

The following fish and invertebrates are exempt from our 15-Day Guarantee:
Full Size Angels
All Species Boxfish
Longhorn Cowfish
Yellow Boxfish
Blue Boxfish
Spotted Boxfish
Thornback Cowfish
Groupers
Leaflip Grouper
Sweetlips
Oriental Sweetlips
Sharks & Stingrays
All Species
Tangs
Achilles Tang
Clown Tang
Powder Blue Tang
Wrasse
Labouti Wrasse
Leopard Wrasse
Green Wrasse
Red Coris Wrasse
Yellowtail Coris
Twin Spot Wrasse Juvenile Misc Fish
Flashlight Fish
Anemones
Sebae Anemone
Carpet Anemones (All)
Ritteri Anemone
Long Tentacle Anemone
Soft Corals
Carnation Coral
Spaghetti Leather Coral
Sea Cucumbers
Sea Apples (All)
Sea Horses
All Items

How to file a warranty claim

Call or email (warranty@keenreef.com (%28warranty@keenreef.com)) immediately within the Fifteen days to report loss. Be sure to include name, number, and message.
Place deceased specimen in sealed plastic bag. Sprinkle specimen with table salt to prevent decay and place in freezer.
After you receive return authorization by phone or email, place the water sample in a sealed bottle enclosed in a zip lock bag in a padded envelope or small box and ship to the address that will be given when you notify us. Write return authorization number on back of envelope or box. If the decease specimen is requested, you can ship both in the same package. Do not place the deceased animal in the water sample, it will make the testing inaccurate. Packages must be received within 7 days of authorization.
We will call or email you to let you know your account has been credited. Sorry, we do not issue credit for any shipping costs.

I assume you want customers to keep their water temps at the above setting. I do, but if I was going to ship or bring you a sample of water the temperature will not be within those specs. Unless the its that temperature outside, in the delivery vehicle, etc...

I assume you want customers to keep their water temps at the above setting. I do, but if I was going to ship or bring you a sample of water the temperature will not be within those specs. Unless the its that temperature outside, in the delivery vehicle, etc...


Yes, the temp is just a recommended guidline. All I test the water for is ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and in some cases copper (inverts). The pH and temp would not give an accurate reading.

Thanks for the question. This is why I posted my guarantee information, I would like to clear any questions before they become a misunderstanding. :)

Any other questions?

Thanks,

Tim

man that is the best warrenty i have ever seen. seriously, because most stores say if the replacement is dead nomatter what they will not replace.

man that is the best warrenty i have ever seen. seriously, because most stores say if the replacement is dead nomatter what they will not replace.

That clause is mainly for shipped livestock, but if the replacement dies in route to your house, it isn't your fault unless you drop it etc. But the replacement does not qualify for the 15 day guarantee though.

I don't say this to be rude, but it's a fair question to ask.

What is your new shipment acclimation and quarantine procedure? Being an online retailer you have the benefit of the hassle being on the side of the consumer. What do you offer as far as quality of livestock delivered as opposed to quality if prices?

I don't say this to be rude, but it's a fair question to ask.

What is your new shipment acclimation and quarantine procedure? Being an online retailer you have the benefit of the hassle being on the side of the consumer. What do you offer as far as quality of livestock delivered as opposed to quality if prices?

It is a fair question.

I acclimate my new arrivals for about 30 minutes adding about 1/4 cup of water every 5 minutes. I don't have the power available to setup an independant QT System, I do however have dedicated Hospital Tanks and if a fish shows any signs of disease they are then placed in the hospital tanks. I also dip all fish in either a Methylene Blue and/or Malchalite Green if the show signs. Futhermore, any fish that is not acting normal will not and is not for sale. Some of my repeat customers will remeber an Assorted Tang that I had, he had black spots all over him. It took me 2 months, but he is fully healed and happy. I would not sell him until I was satisfied with his health.

If you read my latest stock list posting, you will notice my prices have been raised slightly, this is because my original fish supplier did not deliver the quality I expected. The prices were great but I feel it is worth more money for quality. I try to offer the best pricing possible, but I would rather sell fewer high quality fish rather than tons of poor unhealthy fish that die left and right.

As far as my future plans...

When my commercial facility opens, I plan on copying the Diver's Den QT model with drip acclimation tables and a 3 week QT prior to sell. This will also raise my prices a few dollars, but I feel that the quality of the livestock is the most important factor in selling my fish. This 3 week QT process will be for all livestock; fish, inverts, and corals. I feel that this method will set my company apart from your average fish stores.

With all this being said, it is still the customers responsibilty to QT all animals prior to introduction in their display tanks.

Sorry for the short novel response. I hope this answered your questions and feel free to ask any more if you want clarity on something.

Thanks,

Tim

i can say that tim is a straight up guy i wanted to buy a bicolor from him and he would not sell it to because it was not well....it happened that the fish never made it ...even with tim hospitalizing it ....he could have sold it to me but did the right thing thats why tim will always have my buisness ...and he rally does own up to his warrenty .

I too had a positive experience with Tim. I haven't used the warranty yet, but he saved me from having to as he didn't feel a couple of the fish that came in were healthy enough to sell me. He was extremely appologetic even though I felt he had no reason to appologize.

My only suggestion is modify the pH range. A lot of reefers espeically those with no corals or calcium reactors do not keep the pH that high nor do they have too for most fish. Just an opinion.

i can say that tim is a straight up guy i wanted to buy a bicolor from him and he would not sell it to because it was not well....it happened that the fish never made it ...even with tim hospitalizing it ....he could have sold it to me but did the right thing thats why tim will always have my buisness ...and he rally does own up to his warrenty .

Thanks Victor!

I too had a positive experience with Tim. I haven't used the warranty yet, but he saved me from having to as he didn't feel a couple of the fish that came in were healthy enough to sell me. He was extremely appologetic even though I felt he had no reason to appologize.

My only suggestion is modify the pH range. A lot of reefers espeically those with no corals or calcium reactors do not keep the pH that high nor do they have too for most fish. Just an opinion.

Cameron, it turns out I was able to save the yellow coris and they as far as I know are still happy and alive in customer tanks. It took me several weeks to get them to the point I would sell them.

The pH is a daytime suggestion, if you don't have corals and your pH drops and/or is maintained in the 7s, then it isn't going to harm the fish. Corals however are also covered under the warranty and therefore the 8.1 to 8.4 range. :) It is hard to make a blanket statment about suggested parameters. Just trying to make sure everyone is on the same page. :)

IMHO, a sample of water is ok to ask for from local people but will serve you little good whne dealing online. Lets say a guy in Utah sends you water, I doubt he is going to overnight it to you, maybe two day at best. If his system has any type of life within it, that water would be pretty funky by the time it got to you to be able to test. The test results would more then likely be skewed to rean Ammonia and no2 that was no there prior. Plus, good luck keeping the PH within a range during those two days. Take a vial of H20, throw it through tempature extremes for two to three days, then open it and test to see what types of results you get. You might be surprised. As a retailer, I can see that the business would love this policy because almost every water sample that comes to you with the dead fish is going to be skewed to the point that you can say the warrienty is not valid. As a consumer, I think it short changes me and makes your warrienty useless. Now, from the consumer side, I might be able to utilized some prime in the sample water to throw off your tests even if I do have high ammonia in my tank. So I think it serves little good either way. Just something to think about.

IMHO, a sample of water is ok to ask for from local people but will serve you little good whne dealing online. Lets say a guy in Utah sends you water, I doubt he is going to overnight it to you, maybe two day at best. If his system has any type of life within it, that water would be pretty funky by the time it got to you to be able to test. The test results would more then likely be skewed to rean Ammonia and no2 that was no there prior. Plus, good luck keeping the PH within a range during those two days. Take a vial of H20, throw it through tempature extremes for two to three days, then open it and test to see what types of results you get. You might be surprised. As a retailer, I can see that the business would love this policy because almost every water sample that comes to you with the dead fish is going to be skewed to the point that you can say the warrienty is not valid. As a consumer, I think it short changes me and makes your warrienty useless. Now, from the consumer side, I might be able to utilized some prime in the sample water to throw off your tests even if I do have high ammonia in my tank. So I think it serves little good either way. Just something to think about.

Good points. I do not want the dead fish back in the sample of water they should be to separate containers. If you seal the water in the aquarium like the instructions state, the water will not react with the air and oxidize.

Like I stated earlier, I only test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate only. The pH can not be tested due to the shipping.

And yes a customer can add fresh saltwater to the sample. It really requires some trust and hope that they aren't trying to cheat the warranty. That and I do have common sense, if a sample reads .05 ppm of ammonia then obviously it was not toxic, however, if it reads 3 ppm then I know that there was way to much ammonia in the sample water.

Does this make sense? I apologize if you feel my warranty is useless, but I feel this is the most fair way to compensate for the loss of a fish. I can't just say, sorry your fish died here is your store credit. Asides if Aquarium Water Testing can test samples from the mail, why can't I? This was my reasoning.

Brandon is just trying to pick a fight...back off dude! ;)

Tim is great! I have no qualms buying from him...I drive FAR to get stuff from him and pass many lfs on the way.

Tim's warranty is solid ans with the new MAC livestock, I think he is poising his company to have the best livestock in town. When he gets his qt system setup, it'll be worth every penny he adds on to the pricetag.

As a retailer, I can see that the business would love this policy because almost every water sample that comes to you with the dead fish is going to be skewed to the point that you can say the warrienty is not valid. As a consumer, I think it short changes me and makes your warrienty useless. Now, from the consumer side, I might be able to utilized some prime in the sample water to throw off your tests even if I do have high ammonia in my tank. So I think it serves little good either way. Just something to think about.

Let's be realistic....Tim's more at risk here than anyone. I can send him a pic of my neighbor's dead fish and a sample of the fresh SW I just mixed up. There's gotta be some measure of compliance on Tim's side--it's not like he can send the fish police to check and see that the fish isn't really in the guy's tank in Utah.

I am not trying to pick a fight... He asked for opinions and questions and I gave him mine. I just do not know why people ask for a water sample. It beckons back to the days of my FW fish keeping. A store would offer a gaurentee if I brought in a water sample. When they tested, there would always be some sort of "problem" with the water because they did not want to replace the fish. I could test the water till I was blue in the face but their tests always came up with a slight hue color change according to them. I did not know any better nor was it worth fighting but it always left a sour taste in my mouth. Live aquaria rarely asks for the fish back (depending on the price of the fish), SWF always does. I am fine with both of those policies. I just do not trust the asking for a water sample thing. Just my opinion and not trying to start a fight.

And for the record, I did not say YOUR warrienty was useless.. I said that in this situation where it is your word to what my water tested at vs. mine, it would make me, as a customer, feel like your warrienty is useless. I know you would not do anything that I have described as being done in a dishonest way, but the customer might not know you as well as I do. Just food for thought.

either way-Tim's LS is top-notch-and I will continue to buy from him-although I haven't known him long, and haven't bought a whole lot of stuff from him, everything I've got has done GREAT-and looks GREAT--

And for the record, I did not say YOUR warrienty was useless.. I said that in this situation where it is your word to what my water tested at vs. mine, it would make me, as a customer, feel like your warrienty is useless. I know you would not do anything that I have described as being done in a dishonest way, but the customer might not know you as well as I do. Just food for thought.

I hear what you are saying and I can see your point. And if the customer is local, by all means bring your water over and you can watch me test it. Heck bring your test kit and we will both test it and compare results.

Asides, if business keeps picking up I will be getting a colorimeter in a few months and then every test will be way more accurate with less human error.

As far as the not knowing me part. You are right it is nature to distrust someone you don't know. However, all I have is my word and I guess I am old fashioned in my belief that my word is good unless I do something to change that. Just like I take my customers at their word unless they do something to make me think otherwise.

And yes I asked for opinions and questions. I feel you raised very good points that I have not considered before and will have to ponder about solutions to these issues.

heck-Tim will even give you directions to Steve and Margi's house over the phone--let's see any other LFS do that! LOL thanks again, Tim!

either way-Tim's LS is top-notch-and I will continue to buy from him-although I haven't known him long, and haven't bought a whole lot of stuff from him, everything I've got has done GREAT-and looks GREAT--

Thank you for your support. I am trying to offer something special to my customers. It is a learning curve though and will require tweaking to perfect it. But, that is the name of the game when you try something new.

While I havent been to Tim shop yet (though I need to get over there), from a conversation we had on the phone and from the way he has treated people on this forum I can personally say that Tim is the type of person that I would like to do business with.

That said, when I am ready to set up a new tank in Miami, I will look to Tim for some of my livestock needs no doubt.

I have bought from Tim, he is awesome!!! I haven't had to make a warranty claim either!

Tim,
The Midas Blenny is doing great! No squabbles with my lawnmower blenny either! He eats like a pig!

I look forward to future business with you, still thinking about what shrimp/goby pair I want you to order for me!!!

I guess the bottom line is-Tim knows his stuff is top-notch, if it weren't, I don't think he would even consider a 15-day warranty-I mean that's really just unheard of-but--he has a different clientele than most LFS's; I mean they get the kind of people who want to "fill up their tanks" all within one day-we know that it takes time, you can only add one or two fish, then wait for tank to cycle, etc. , or how to cheat more LS via big waterchanges--anyways, I guess what I'm getting at-the warranty is more than fair, and I've not had to use it, and hope I don't-I'm in the hobby to keep stuff alive, not add a new fish every week-just my 2 cents

I know Dr F&S has a similar policy, but oddly not once have they asked me for any verification. I guess if I called in a $200 fish death, they would probably do something though. I have to admit I am not going to throw a fish in my freezer and mail it or send in a water sample on a shipment unless I lost something expensive. If they asked for it, I would probably just eat it and shop somewhere else next time. That is me though and just my opinion as a consumer.