Shipping Policies

Water Garden Pool Plant orders placed prior to June 1: Tricker's ships thousands of quality aquatic plants each year DIRECT from our historic nursery. Tricker's begins scheduling Spring orders in January. Only prepaid plants will be entered into our Spring shipping schedule which are guaranteed. The first orders placed and prepaid will be the first orders to go out in the Spring. Read below the recommended shipping schedule for shipping water garden pool plants to your state. Note: Note: After June 1 or if the weather patterns are good for planting, all water garden pool plant orders will go out as soon as possible. Supplies and aquarium plants are shipped all year long.

Aquarium Plants: Aquarium Plants are shipped all year long.

Pond and Aquarium Supplies: Shipped all year long.

Shipping CHECKOUT options. Tricker proudly propagates thousands of fresh aquatics each year and will come directly from our historic nursery. In checkout you will be asked when you want your aquatic plants shipped? You can elect to have them shipped per our Spring Shipping Schedule (we also monitor the plant growth for transplant and weather conditions in your area) or elect another option such as ASAP. Unless you are extremely familiar with the weather conditions in your area and familiar with the specific growing characteristics of particular aquatic plants it is best to adhere to the recommended Spring Shipping. Night water temperatures are extremely important when planting aquatics. Remember, you are transplanting into a water environment that is best done once the Spring temperatures settle. Tricker's observes the weather patterns and will attempt to send earlier than the schedule, but typically unexpected cold weather patterns occurs and can stunt or kill newly transplanted aquatics. Aquatic plants grow rapidly and a short wait is often rewarded with growing and continued flowering success. Aquatic plant failure can be due to cold weather changes, limited sunlight, etc. If you elect to have aquatic plants shipped earlier than the recommended schedule for your State, please use the comment section and indicate your intentions, i.e. you will use a greenhouse with heated water, strong photo lights, etc. A delay in shipping may still occur in early Spring since many hardy aquatics and some tropical aquatics do not emerge from dormancy,some of which we control in our nursery, until later in the Spring. Thus, these specific aquatics must emerge and become strong enough to ship and transplant. Tricker's wants you to be successful, and as indicated, a small wait is rewarded with a guaranteed enjoyable beginning to a business that we have offered to our customers for over 100 years. Once summer begins, all aquatics can be planted throughout the summer in an outdoor water garden pool....ENJOY!

Scavengers. Scavengers (tadpoles, clams, and snails) are typically sent with the plant orders as indicated above. If only scavengers are ordered, they will be sent when available from our nursery beginning in the early Spring. Please note in the message section when placing the order to state that your water garden pool is ready to accept the scavengers in the early Spring.

Supplies/Hard Goods. All water gardening supplies (pumps, liners, products, fish food etc.) are sent out as soon as possible. If plants are included with the water garden supplies, the entire order will be shipped as indicated in the above plant schedule. Depending upon the quantity and type of supplies, Tricker's will send all water garden supplies prior to the plants. If you definitely want to receive the supplies first, it is best to either make two orders, one for plants (which will be sent as in the above plant schedule) and the other for water garden supplies which will be sent as soon as possible or in the message portion indicate you want the hard goods shipped now and the plants later. For example, if you order a liner and need to build a pond, it is best to make the liner order on a separate order and state in the comment section the approximate shipping of any plants on your second order or make one order with comments to ship the plants when you expect to have the pool done and we will adjust the shipping charges.

Special Ship Dates or Commercial: Tricker's offers special shipping dates, a specific date that the customer desires to have the plants or items shipped. Note that if you select 2 Day Air in checkout, this indicates that the package will be in transit for 2 days, i.e. shipped on a date that is Monday, the package should arrive on Wednesday. Many businesses are also closed on Saturday if shipped via USPS. If uncertain, please make arrangements by calling. When making your order you will be able to state this option in the comments section. If your vacation or an other event conflicts with Tricker's Spring Schedule, indicate these dates in the checkout comment section and we will not send to arrive on the indicated date(s) at no additional cost.

Noxious Plants and Aquatics. If a specific aquatic plant is considered or being considered as a noxious or invasive weed by State or Federal regulations, William Tricker, Inc.^® reserves the right to request that you make an alternative selection, cancel those specific items, or substitute a similar non noxious plant. William Tricker, Inc.^® lists the restricted States on the detailed version of each product. You may consider to email us for an alternative substitution for your State. Tricker's constantly updates our files with each State environmental regulation and also will alert you in potential noxious plants that may be considered detrimental to the environment in your State. At no time should Tricker's aquatic plants, whether invasive or not, be placed into public waters, lakes, etc. without contacting us via email or correspondence. The aquatic plants are specifically for contained ornamental water garden pools or aquariums. A State reference to invasive or noxious plants can be found on the Federal USDA on line site, https://plants.usda.gov/java/noxiousDriver, not only addresses aquatic plants but terrestrial plants. At no time should our aquatic plants or live items be placed into public water or earth bottom ponds. Some aquatics may be very invasive. Please call to discuss if you are unsure.

Live Animals (snails, tadpoles, clams, fish, etc.). We do not send live items outside the continental United States. There are many different rules and regulations for each State. At no time should any live item be released into natural (earth bottom) or public waters. All live animals are specifically for contained ornamental water gardens or aquariums. If you order an item that is prohibited or not in stock for your State, we will notify you and either suggest an alternative or cancel this item. You can access on line your State natural resource for more detailed information before ordering. It is highly suggestive that you do not purchase a prohibited animal from another source such as clubs, from individuals, etc. We do not want live animals to possibly set over the weekend by any unexpected delay by the shipper. If you desire other shipping days please contact or comment in checkout for other arrangements.

Substitutions: In the event of a shortage of plants or a plant is restricted to your State, we will make a substitution of a similar plant of equal or greater value. If you do not want this option, please state so in the message section during order checkout. Scavengers may be selected within similar groups. Ordering aquatic plants out of season: Some aquatic plants enter a dormancy out of season and an email to check for availability is recommended during this time.

Shipping Costs for Plants, Supplies, and Scavengers. Routine shipping and handling of plants, scavengers and supplies on all internet orders are shipped the least expensive route. We utilize UPS, Federal Express and USPS. If you desire a specific carrier please indicate in checkout in the comment section and if the costs are higher than standard shipping, we will contact you for the additional costs.

Additional Notes: It is possible that the shipping quote via the computer internet may be in error as reported on the automatic shipping process. Tricker's reserves the right to cancel this order and contact the customer and discuss the actual shipping costs.

Shipping Costs for FISH, Tadpoles and Scavengers: All live aquatic animals are only shipped within the continental United States. Fish and tadpoles are shipped with special handling, preparation and not with the plants or hard goods. All fish and tadpoles can be shipped with our standard carrier shipping except in the states of CA, OR, WA, NV, ID, MT, WY, UT, AZ, NM, CO, TX, ND, SD, NE, KS, OK, MN, MO, AR, LA, MS, FL, ME, HI require expedited shipping as indicated in checkout. All fish and tadpoles will be a separate shipping charge to your address. Snails and clams are shipped to all states via our standard carrier shipping, but in the states of CA, OR, WA, NV, ID, MT, WY, UT, AZ, NM, CO, TX require expedited shipping as indicated in checkout. It is best to have any live aquatic animals sent in early Spring when temperatures are cooler. If ordering in early Spring please make sure your water garden pool is ready to accept the fish or scavengers or indicate in the comment section during checkout when your pool will be ready. If you want to have the fish or scavengers sent later in the year, please indicate in the message portion during checkout. In later Spring and Summer, in all States where standard shipping via UPS is not delivered in one day and the temperatures are near or above 80 degrees (see UPS map below), next day air charges should be selected in checkout to ensure live arrival. You will be notified by email or telephone if this occurs and you do not select the best expedited method during hot spells throughout the US. Please review the "Guarantee's".

Shipping Outside United States: Aquatic plant orders shipped outside of the United States may require a plant inspection certificate and will pay the actual expedited shipping charges. The cost of this US inspection phytosanitary certificate is $ 50.00 US. It is best to check with your Department of Agriculture country's importation requirements for importing aquatic plants that they require only a Phytosanitary Certificate from the US. In some instances, there may be additional fees, brokerage fees, may require another import certificate from your country, may only accept dormant plants, etc. In this instance, it is best to send an email with a response from your agriculture department before making the order so that we will return a comment on how to proceed. If there are no special requirements, place you order on line. The shipping charges will be an estimate. After we receive a confirmation of the order, we will send you a procedure to order the personal Phytosanitary Certificate aquatic plants for the $ 50.00 fee and will include any additional shipping charges based upon the actual shipping. An approximate shipping date should be established either by email or in the comment section in checkout. Packages lost, damaged, or delayed by carrier is the responsibility of the customer. All shipments, both plants and hard goods outside the US will pay actual shipping charges that may include duties or brokerage fees. The customer is also responsible for any other associated costs, i.e. additional taxes for goods and services, etc. requested by their country which may be payable upon delivery. Hard goods sent outside of the US, i.e. Canada, will receive a shipping price on line, however any order outside the US will pay the actual shipping costs. Thus, if the shipping is more than indicated on the internet, you will be notified the difference to pay via credit card. Make sure to enter your telephone number. At this time you can elect to cancel or send the order. If you desire an approximate shipping quote prior to placing the order on line please email a request. Note to Canadian customers and other Countries: It is rather expensive to ship small quantities of aquatic plants since the plants will involve inspection fees and additional shipping. Therefore, we typically do not sell small quantities of aquatics to individual customers outside the US.  Since growing conditions and other factors are very different in locations outside the US, there are no plant guarantees. Therefore when ordering aquatic plants you must make sure your growing conditions i.e. sunlight, day lengths, temperatures, etc.,are correct for each plant in your location.    

Preformed Pools, Spillways, Laguna Skimmer Filter, Laguna Filter Falls, Bulk Filter Material, and Deck Pond: All Tricker's Preformed Pools (Spring Brook, Classical Kidney, and Meadow) are shipped via truck. The customer is to pay actual shipping charges. Please call or email for estimated quote before shipping to your address. The quote will describe the associated shipping costs and payment instructions.

Home Delivery Policy: UPS packages are delivered without a requested signature. Upon delivery UPS is directed to leave packages at your door without a signature. If, for any reasons (i.e packages have been stolen at your residence, or in your area, etc.), and you feel your package should be signed for, please request a signature in checkout in the comment section.

Return Policy, Damaged Package/Products, Change of Address after Shipped, etc. It is our policy make to make sure that a problem with any item is correctly identified before steps are taken for return. If the package is damaged, an image may be requested. If the product is damaged, include with image. Do not discard the product, plant, etc. until we respond. Please read any applicable guarantees. Please call to discuss your returned item(s) and send an email with your findings and intentions. In many instances, items need not to be returned and can be resolved. In the event that any item is returned without this contact identification and approval with the appropriate requested written statements a 25% restocking charge will be assessed. Please email a statement for the reason for return. This email correspondence,with our response must accompany the returned iitem. After a package via UPS is shipped and a request to change the address a minimum $ 25.00 fee will be charged.

Free Shipping. Items that are listed as free shipping (i.e. selected pumps, net covering, pond heaters, etc.) will be sent the carrier of our choice by standard shipping and may include other items in your order. Additional shipping will be assessed if the customer requests other carriers or shipping transit times, i.e. next day air, etc.

Shipping Large Items (cast stone fountains, statues, etc.). Please see the Freight Shipment page for what to expect (18-wheeler), how to receive freight shipments, terms and conditions.