# Sweet Aquatics of Hamilton, Ohio



## gheitman (Aug 18, 2007)

I was looking to restock several of my tanks with plants and recently placed my first order ever with Sweet Aquatics in Hamilton, Ohio (see http://www.sweetaquatics.com/). I chose them for several reasons:

1 - they sell regularly on AquaBid.com (http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?disp&viewseller&Fishmandan
2 - they have over 1,200 positive feedback ratings on AquaBid.com
3 - they have a good selection of plants
4 - they offer free shipping on orders of over $35

I placed my order via their web site and it arrived a little over a week later (they ship on Mondays and Tuesdays via USPS Priority or Express to ensure the safe delivery of plants). Some of the plants that I ordered include: Cryptocoryne crispatula, Nesaea pedicellata, Cryptocoryne petchii, Cryptocoryne undulata and Echinodorus rubin. The plants were all wrapped in damp newspaper and then placed in plastic bags with the identification of the plants written on each bag. They arrived in good condition and were exactly as ordered. I would highly recommend ordering from Sweet Aquatics as opposed to some plant nursery that is overseas. Sweet Aquatics is a family owned and operated business that accepts payment via credit card, money order, cashiers check and PayPal.


----------



## Wire Fox Terror (Apr 7, 2006)

I also recently ordered plants from Sweet Aquatics and was pleased with my experience. It was the only site I could find every plant I was looking for, the prices were reasonable, the shipping was fast and the plants all arrived healthy. I would definitely recommend them!


----------



## plooney (Nov 3, 2009)

i really like their site as well but alot of their plants are listed as sold out


----------



## geeks_15 (Dec 9, 2006)

Aside from the occasional individual or auction, this is where I get all my plants. There prices are great. Their selection is great. The owners are great.

If you are lucky like me you can easily drive to their home (location of the business) and walk through their plant room. Kid in a candy store is how I would describe it. They are also active supporters of the local aquarium club.

Buy your plants from them!


----------



## MotionInsilver (Oct 19, 2009)

Folks, please note that their free shipping has been changed from 35 to 45 due to uprising USPS cost- but its decent source for plants from what I have heard from personal friends.


----------



## random_alias (Nov 7, 2005)

I bought my last plants from them and I'll do everything I can to buy my next ones from them, too.


----------



## trochilids (Oct 25, 2010)

Stumbled across them on Aquabid and picked up some plants from one of their auctions. Then went to their website and discovered I couldn't live with just what I won on the auction, so I emailed them. Mary responded very promptly and was extremely helpful. She combined my additional order with the auction (which advertised free shipping) and I ended up paying via PayPal to them tonight... If their plants are good quality like it sounds, then I'll be very happy, because customer service so far was just what I'd expect from a well-run family outfit. I look forward to more good experiences with them in the future.

:tea:


----------



## C Campbell (Oct 18, 2010)

I actually talked to Sweet Aquatics the other day about some sold out plants. They are supposed to have an order coming in Monday 11/1 and are hoping to have more stuff back in stock. I will be on there Monday seeing what they have restocked!


----------



## jayheuk (Dec 23, 2010)

Do they still have the 45+ free shipping, because shipping is a killer. like azgardens.com


----------



## gheitman (Aug 18, 2007)

They do not currently offer free shipping.


----------



## HolyAngel (Nov 3, 2010)

I actually went through them to get my hygrophila angustifolia and E. Tenellus, the plants looked and shipped great, no problems there.

On the bad side, I had ordered off their website and it took over two weeks with no response and me having to file a dispute on paypal for them to respond to my emails and *finally* ship my plants to me. They were very straightforward and not 'friendly' isn't a word I use to describe his attitude. Due to all that, I haven't felt like ordering anything else from them In the future. 

Then again, from all the reviews I've read, my case is something that rarely happens and is few and far between. I loved the plants once I got them and they're still growing, that one experience threw me off of them though


----------



## Bk828 (Mar 25, 2008)

HolyAngel said:


> I actually went through them to get my hygrophila angustifolia and E. Tenellus, the plants looked and shipped great, no problems there.
> 
> On the bad side, I had ordered off their website and it took over two weeks with no response and me having to file a dispute on paypal for them to respond to my emails and *finally* ship my plants to me. They were very straightforward and not 'friendly' isn't a word I use to describe his attitude. Due to all that, I haven't felt like ordering anything else from them In the future.
> 
> Then again, from all the reviews I've read, my case is something that rarely happens and is few and far between. I loved the plants once I got them and they're still growing, that one experience threw me off of them though


Currently going through a similar issue. Tomorrow will be a week since I placed my order and so far only got an email that my payment was received... Other than that no communication/replies to a few of my inquiries on the order. Their website does say that some orders will be shipped the following week after an order had been placed (im fine with that), what bothers me is the lack of communication. Few more attempts in contacting them and then paypal dispute it is.. Really hope it doesnt have to go that far.


----------



## HolyAngel (Nov 3, 2010)

Yep that's what happened to me exactly. Then when I filed a dispute the owner emailed me immediately and tried to say the plants were gonna go out that day but then I filed, which seemed mighty coincidental after two+ weeks of no response to my numerous emails both from my account and their site. He said his staff 'must have missed them'. After I did as he asked and dropped the dispute, my plants were shipped the following Monday and I got them a few days later. All in all, it took a few days over a month for me from ordering on the site to me receiving them. Plants were great, just.. Yeah :/

I hope they get back to you unlike my experience and things go well..


----------



## Bk828 (Mar 25, 2008)

Well after 3 more emails they actually responded.
Ordered Wed Jan 19th
Plants shipped Sat Jan 29th and looking at the tracking I should have them tomorrow afternoon. 
10 days to process isnt that bad at all, just wish their communication was a bit better. 
Will post again once plants are received.


----------



## joshvito (Apr 6, 2009)

I have bought from them in the past, on multiple occasions.
Sometimes they take a little longer to ship, but the plants always arrive in great condition. I've bought from them on aquabid too.


----------



## geeks_15 (Dec 9, 2006)

I've heard that they are in the middle of a cross country move and moving the business also. So that may explain their recent slowness.


----------



## Bk828 (Mar 25, 2008)

Just for a review:
Payment was processed quickly and received confirmation shortly after. The order process did take long (10 days) and perhaps lacked a bit of communication. After a few emails I was notified (by Dan) the order was going to be shipped that saturday, and it did).
Packaging was perfect, included styrofoam/heatpack(not sure how many hrs)/newspaper. The plants were placed in their own individual bags and labeled. The plant quality was great too. Each bunch of stem plants included about 6-8 stems. For one of the bunches they were generous and included about 16+. Potted plants (got e. tennelus) are grown emersed, still waiting for it to show signs of new growth. Aponogenton species are sent in bulb form and that already began to take off in the tank. 95% of the order was perfect, I did have some plants that didnt make it and after contacting the seller (Mary), I was told they would provide me with a refund on those plants that didnt make it.
Overall I give them 4 out of 5.
I am fine with the long processing, just wished there was some communication/confirmation.


----------



## daverock1337 (Mar 14, 2010)

has anyone ordered from them recently? i placed an order last week, and emailed them about it friday. no response yet. i am hoping i don;t have to wait 2 weeks, ive always had a great experience with them in the past, and live pretty close in wv sop usually get my plants in a day or two.


----------



## daverock1337 (Mar 14, 2010)

they emailed me this morning, said they had some damage done to their facility in a recent storm and are behind on shipping as well as having lost some stock. im glad they got a hold of me, and hope for the best for them.


----------



## FobbyBobby23 (Mar 8, 2005)

daverock1337 said:


> they emailed me this morning, said they had some damage done to their facility in a recent storm and are behind on shipping as well as having lost some stock. im glad they got a hold of me, and hope for the best for them.


Judging from the past few experiences people have had, they really need to up the effort with regards to communicating with buyers. They could even just send out a mass email or something rather than keeping quiet.


----------



## daverock1337 (Mar 14, 2010)

they have been communicating well with me, i'm thinking things got pretty hectic for them trying to reverse the damage they recently had and trying to save their stock. i can understand being more concerned with saving their plants/operation than emailing customers, ya know, order of importance, and i think most people would be understanding, although you will always have some people that will never be satisfied or happy.


----------



## aquaticsnerd (Feb 21, 2011)

I ordered from them recently as well. Same thing no reply to my emails...maybe it would be wise to stop internet sales till they are all moved.


----------



## daverock1337 (Mar 14, 2010)

where did someone hear they were moving cross country (other than in this thread?). that kinda saddens me, they were very close to where i live and could get super cheap shipping and recieve orders in 2 or 3 days. i am also wondering because they didn;t mention anything about moving across country in the emails they sent me or on their site last time i was there...


----------



## daverock1337 (Mar 14, 2010)

i was checking out aquabid last night and noticed that the listings they had are in AL now. so they did move. now if they would just ship my order, i was told they were trying to catch up, but this was a week ago. im about to file a paypal dispute. also, i'm helping a friend plant a 180 gallon tank and was going to have him order his plants from them...


----------



## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I placed an order with the on 3/6/11. I still have not received the order. I am not sure what has happened. I ordered when I read good stuff on this thread. Now I wish I had waited for the bad stuff to be posted. I did open a dispute so hopefully will hear something from them soon.


----------



## daverock1337 (Mar 14, 2010)

i'm about to file a dispute also. they were communicating with me but i haven;t heard anything in a week. what really sucks is trying to find a new place to order enough plants to do a 180 gallon tank for my friend and keep within his budget... maybe when he is ready to order in 2-3 weeks they will have their act together.


----------



## notoriouslyKEN (Mar 29, 2006)

I placed an order on 2/14/11 and haven't received anything. I filed a paypal dispute and got a response from sweet aquatics at that point. We chatted back and forth a little about a storm that hit their facility. According to Mary, they had to move to a temporary location and lost a lot of stock. They also explained their lack of communication was due to problems with their computer. Last I heard was on March 9th and that my order would ship 'soon'. I am not sure what to do at this point.


----------



## daverock1337 (Mar 14, 2010)

my order shipped out today


----------



## duanemc (Jul 8, 2009)

Ordered in February, still no shipment date, they do not answer emails, have filed dispute w/paypal, still no response


----------



## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Just got a full refund from them. They did not answer the dispute in paypal, but it must have prompted the refund.


----------



## daverock1337 (Mar 14, 2010)

the paypal email i got states my package was shipped yesterday, and i've got a track number, but when i track it, it stills says that it doesn't exist. kinda infuriating.

it was finally sent out today. usps picked it up at 2:39 pm. hopefully everyone else gets there orders/refunds settled.


----------



## daverock1337 (Mar 14, 2010)

well i got my order today, and it was missing the two most important plants for my scape. pogostemon stellatus broadleaf and proserpinaca palustris. so pi55ed right now.


----------



## Ziggs180 (May 31, 2011)

I just ordered from them today, and i'm seeing all the recent bad reviews of them. Has anybody ordered very recently from them? how long did they take to respond?


----------



## redchigh (Jul 10, 2010)

No free shipping, but they do offer prepaid-priority boxes... $10.50 shipping is pretty much free, compared to UPS home delivery.

(Wow, this is an old post. BTW, they are in alabama now.)


----------



## sink (Jul 13, 2011)

I ordered from Sweet Aquatics (now based in AL) a week ago. Besides the automated receipt email after payment I have heard nothing. I ordered a plant package so (per their website) they are supposed to contact me to figure out specific plant selections. I sent them a polite email this morning but have had no response.

I'm going to write up a detailed review when this is over and make sure it ends up all over the internet. Hopefully it's a positive one but they're not off to the best start :shock:. Reading the more recent reviews in this thread isn't helping my optimism.


----------



## notoptimal (May 17, 2008)

I ordered from Sweet Aquatics on August 21st -- got the shipping and payment confirmation (I used a credit card instead of Paypal), heard nothing and sent an email via the website yesterday. Still waiting for a response.


----------



## sink (Jul 13, 2011)

This is a followup to my above post.

I placed an order *8/23*. I was leaving for a lengthy trip 21 days later so I needed to have the plants by then. I wasn't too worried about this--three weeks is a long time. After a week of silence I sent an email inquiry, adding details of my travel situation. I received a reply informing me they would ship a week later, *9/6*, an astonishing two weeks after placing my order. I inquired if there was any chance of shipping sooner given my situation. There was not. This was worrisome but I replied indicating this would still be acceptable provided the order was actually sent on 9/6. I send a reminder email the morning of 9/6. I received no ship notification but given our previous communication about the time crunch I assumed silence meant there were no hiccups. On *9/8* (16 days after I placed my order) I realized this was a stupid assumption and sent another email inquiring if the order had shipped. SA replied indicating the order had not shipped citing concerns about recent unreliable USPS transit times. SA said they thought they sent me an email about this on 9/6. I did not receive one.

At this point I sent an admittedly rude email to SA stating that I was annoyed with both their processing speed and lack of forthright communication and requesting my order be canceled and a full refund given. To their credit, SA complied on both counts.


----------



## notoptimal (May 17, 2008)

Following up my own post, I wound up sending a second email inquiry last Friday asking for a response by the end of business today (09/12) (didn't put an "or else" in the email). I got a response a few hours later indicating that my plants would ship Saturday for arrival Monday/Tuesday. Shipping confirmation and plant order was received as indicated (plants came in today), minus two plants that weren't "in stock" and for which I received a refund. Plants were in decent condition, can't say the same for their customer service.


----------



## cmbtengr1371 (Oct 4, 2011)

I placed an order at the end of october. I have not recieved my plants nor have they responded to my emails. I have disputed this with paypal 3 times already and nothing. paypal is telling me they do not exist even though the money went through. I am highly upset, out 50 bucks, I would not recommend them to anyone ever again.


----------



## jerry43 (Jan 9, 2012)

Anybody have their Alabama address or phone number? Cannot find it online anywhere. They owe me $88 for order placed in November that is still showing as being processed on their website. Have sent 3 emails including the one that Paypal gave me. That one bounced back.


----------



## PlantNerd (Feb 8, 2010)

that is a shame they're going through so much crap, I use to love ordering from them now I don't think I'll be ordering anytime soon


----------

