Algae barn return policy

[Doctorgori]

I have a small problem with it….
There is no way in heck you can parse out Live ulva from mushy dead “sheets” as packaged….the best you can do is sort of float it all then sort out the clear green cellophane of half dead macro algae.

I had this issue with another vendor: shipping specimens that are weak and most likley will die, but not before the stated policy refund window…

That product delivered to me totally stunk up the entire garage. It appeared alive: it was green after all, but clearly in VERY POOR condition.

I actually
have my own ulva but required totaly clean culture for a experiment . The algae should have been hard, dark green, folded and rigid. Your stuff appeared to be grown in low light or low nutrient. It was almost clear…

Here is a side by side: The algae barn stuff (on the left) while alive (maybe) is a pile of mush

The stuff from my reactor is hard and rigid, the Algae barn product is actually thin and clear, falls apart when lifted, the dark green color is because it is a entire “pile” of THIN clear soft mush (Or 80% of the entire purchase)
Ive tossed out the bulk of it and trying to salvage what I can…
Added. It was not sure if I should post in the vendor feedback forum as I got this retail from SaltwaterAquarium.com …it was a drop ship
( do I contact them or you directly as this was within the “return window” but clearly a gap within the bounds of a fair exchange)

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Same experience but worse just this week. I emailed brs and they immediately refunded me. The smell…. Oh gawd the smell! Putrid. Mine instantly turned into a confetti bomb in the sump. Pieces everywhere and that was with the flow off. I netted it all out and tossed it. My living room still stinks! I got red ogo from @Dr. Reef the week prior. It was excellent. A very generous amount and very healthy.

Edit. Also there was zero water in the jars, not one drop.

 

[Doctorgori]

Same experience but worse just this week. I emailed brs and they immediately refunded me. The smell…. Oh gawd the smell! Putrid. Mine instantly turned into a confetti bomb in the sump. Pieces everywhere and that was with the flow off. I netted it all out and tossed it. My living room still stinks! I got red ogo from @Dr. Reef the week prior. It was excellent. A very generous amount and very healthy.

Edit. Also there was zero water in the jars, not one drop.

Same here, NO water … SWA has a pretty generous return policy, but this was a drop ship, besides 12hrs isnt long enough to perform a “autopsy” on each and every mushy stinky sheet …
I get it, some cash strapped kid with a 13g nuvo might try to take advantage of a 24hr return policy …but frankly after paying shipping and “Lab grade” prices I expect stuff at least equivalent to the hard firm stuff I toss in the garbage for nothing

 

[AlgaeBarn Verified Sponsor]

I have a small problem with it….
There is no way in heck you can parse out Live ulva from mushy dead “sheets” as packaged….the best you can do is sort of float it all then sort out the clear green cellophane of half dead macro algae.

I had this issue with another vendor: shipping specimens that are weak and most likley will die, but not before the stated policy refund window…

That product delivered to me totally stunk up the entire garage. It appeared alive: it was green after all, but clearly in VERY POOR condition.

I actually
have my own ulva but required totaly clean culture for a experiment . The algae should have been hard, dark green, folded and rigid. Your stuff appeared to be grown in low light or low nutrient. It was almost clear…

Here is a side by side: The algae barn stuff (on the left) while alive (maybe) is a pile of mush

The stuff from my reactor is hard and rigid, the Algae barn product is actually thin and clear, falls apart when lifted, the dark green color is because it is a entire “pile” of THIN clear soft mush (Or 80% of the entire purchase)
Ive tossed out the bulk of it and trying to salvage what I can…
Added. It was not sure if I should post in the vendor feedback forum as I got this retail from SaltwaterAquarium.com …it was a drop ship
( do I contact them or you directly as this was within the “return window” but clearly a gap within the bounds of

@Doctorgori

I sincerely apologize for the disappointment and inconvenience caused by the algae's condition. This is definitely not the condition in which it was packaged. It likely was delayed or experienced some temperature changes in shipping, causing it to wilt and die.

I completely understand how this would be frustrating. Your observations and side-by-side comparison are incredibly helpful, and I want to ensure we address this matter to your satisfaction. We are always willing to work with customers to make things right, even when they purchase our product from another vendor.

Regarding your purchase through SaltwaterAquarium.com, we can absolutely assist you directly since we drop-shipped the item. If you still have the box, you can scan the QR code, which should take you directly to our AOA claim form. Or if you will please email us at [email protected] so that we can find your order (we weren't able to using your handle) and work with you to find a resolution.

 

[AlgaeBarn Verified Sponsor]

Same experience but worse just this week. I emailed brs and they immediately refunded me. The smell…. Oh gawd the smell! Putrid. Mine instantly turned into a confetti bomb in the sump. Pieces everywhere and that was with the flow off. I netted it all out and tossed it. My living room still stinks! I got red ogo from @Dr. Reef the week prior. It was excellent. A very generous amount and very healthy.

Edit. Also there was zero water in the jars, not one drop.

@A_Blind_Reefer
Thank you for sharing your experience. We’re sorry to hear about the issues you encountered with your order. We want to clarify a few things and ensure you feel confident that we’re here to help.

Our team has extensively tested the best shipping methods for macroalgae to maximize their survival during transit. Through these tests, we’ve found that most macroalgae, including Red Ogo, actually ship better without water. While this may seem unusual, it helps reduce stress on the algae during shipping and improves their chances of recovery once placed in your system.

That said, we cannot control the way the carriers handle the packages, or where they are left to sit while awaiting transfer to their next location before they reach our customers. This is why we have our legendary AOA policy to help customers when shipping mishaps happen. To address any issues with the order right away, we include instructions on the shipping box to contact us directly if something goes wrong. There's even a QR code now that takes you directly to the form! Even for drop-shipped orders, we stand behind our products and are always here to assist.

We do hope you decide to shop our products again whether it be directly or through another vendor. We are offering some pretty great Black Friday deals right now if you are planing on purchasing anything soon. And again, if you have any other questions please don't hesitate to reach out to us via the phone, live chat, or email to [email protected].

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

 

[Doctorgori]

@Doctorgori

I sincerely apologize for the disappointment and inconvenience caused by the algae's condition. This is definitely not the condition in which it was packaged. It likely was delayed or experienced some temperature changes in shipping, causing it to wilt and die.

I completely understand how this would be frustrating. Your observations and side-by-side comparison are incredibly helpful, and I want to ensure we address this matter to your satisfaction. We are always willing to work with customers to make things right, even when they purchase our product from another vendor.

Regarding your purchase through SaltwaterAquarium.com, we can absolutely assist you directly since we drop-shipped the item. If you still have the box, you can scan the QR code, which should take you directly to our AOA claim form. Or if you will please email us at [email protected] so that we can find your order (we weren't able to using your handle) and work with you to find a resolution.

Appreciate the prompt reply, it comes across as sincere…
TBH what arrived was surprisingly stinky, the package couldnt get out of my sight fast enough LOL…

The minor loss in money isnt a deal breaker, its the repeat shipping charges where everyone looses…Im slightly funky over having to pay that again regardless…

…this isn't my 1st algae barn purchase but it is my 1st ulva purchase and this particular product deviates in quality from the others; even if it arrived live the algae itself is thin and weak…

So perhaps while I have your attention, please advise:

I need something that if it somehow escapes the reactor, it wont jack up my pump impeller as chaeto often can..

OTOH I need something that will grow fast and combat algae in the display…IME regular Ogo can sometime grow slow or be finicky, I have no experience with the flat blade type or the red pom pom…

Do either grow as fast as chaeto or ulva?
I do have the green ogo which does grow faster, but cant locate a clean source…

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

@A_Blind_Reefer
Thank you for sharing your experience. We’re sorry to hear about the issues you encountered with your order. We want to clarify a few things and ensure you feel confident that we’re here to help.

Our team has extensively tested the best shipping methods for macroalgae to maximize their survival during transit. Through these tests, we’ve found that most macroalgae, including Red Ogo, actually ship better without water. While this may seem unusual, it helps reduce stress on the algae during shipping and improves their chances of recovery once placed in your system.

That said, we cannot control the way the carriers handle the packages, or where they are left to sit while awaiting transfer to their next location before they reach our customers. This is why we have our legendary AOA policy to help customers when shipping mishaps happen. To address any issues with the order right away, we include instructions on the shipping box to contact us directly if something goes wrong. There's even a QR code now that takes you directly to the form! Even for drop-shipped orders, we stand behind our products and are always here to assist.

We do hope you decide to shop our products again whether it be directly or through another vendor. We are offering some pretty great Black Friday deals right now if you are planing on purchasing anything soon. And again, if you have any other questions please don't hesitate to reach out to us via the phone, live chat, or email to [email protected].

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Thank you for the reply. I know you stand behind your products. I have no clue what could have happened to this algae in transit. It was not delayed. I would not think algae to be sensitive to rough handling. I could understand temperature extremes. I also understand that algae smells like the ocean. This smelled like Manhattan Beach when the sewage treatment plant has a leak, it’s 100 degrees with no wind, there’s a two week old dead whale carcass rotting in the surf and a flying seagull drops a maggot covered chunk of rotten whale blubber on your lap! Ok, I’m exaggerating a little….but it was bad, really, really bad. I had visitors today and they asked what the smell was as soon as they opened the door and stepped in. I tossed all the algae days ago and have left the windows open and it still stinks in here. I have this tank for years and never once had a visitor complain about the smell. Quite the opposite actually. Most are impressed that an aquarium in the living room doesn’t smell at all. This isn’t a dis to you or the product. I know it’s not the norm.

 

[AlgaeBarn Verified Sponsor]

Appreciate the prompt reply, it comes across as sincere…
TBH what arrived was surprisingly stinky, the package couldnt get out of my sight fast enough LOL…

The minor loss in money isnt a deal breaker, its the repeat shipping charges where everyone looses…Im slightly funky over having to pay that again regardless…

…this isn't my 1st algae barn purchase but it is my 1st ulva purchase and this particular product deviates in quality from the others; even if it arrived live the algae itself is thin and weak…

So perhaps while I have your attention, please advise:

I need something that if it somehow escapes the reactor, it wont jack up my pump impeller as chaeto often can..

OTOH I need something that will grow fast and combat algae in the display…IME regular Ogo can sometime grow slow or be finicky, I have no experience with the flat blade type or the red pom pom…

Do either grow as fast as chaeto or ulva?
I do have the green ogo which does grow faster, but cant locate a clean source…

Thank you for your detailed feedback and for giving us another chance to assist you—we truly appreciate your loyalty as a returning customer. Let me address your concerns and questions as thoroughly as possible.

First, regarding the shipping charges, I understand your frustration. Still, I’d like to clarify that under our **Arrive Alive, Stay Alive (AOA)** policy, we do not charge repeat shipping fees for replacement orders. If your claim qualifies under the AOA policy, the replacement is shipped at no cost. We always do our best to attempt to work with customers to achieve satisfaction with the transaction when the claim falls outside of the AOA policy. The only additional cost we offer is upgrading to a faster shipping method, which is entirely optional. We want to ensure this process is as smooth and fair as possible for our customers.

As for the condition of the Ulva, I want to reiterate that what you received does not meet our product standards. All macroalgae we ship is inspected for quality, and we would never knowingly send something thin or weak, even if it were healthy. The condition you described sounds like a shipping issue, which is why we encourage customers to reach out directly so we can investigate and hopefully resolve the issue. Your experience with this order doesn’t reflect the quality we aim to provide, and we’re very sorry about that.

Now, to your question about reactor-safe macroalgae: If you're looking for something that won’t harm pump impellers while combating algae in the display tank, I’d recommend Red Pom Pom Gracilaria or Red Ogo, Ulva is also a good option. While these don’t grow as quickly as Ulva or Chaeto, they are excellent nutrient exporters and are much less likely to cause mechanical issues in your system.

If growth speed is your top priority, Green Ogo (which we do not currently carry) or Ulva tend to grow faster, but as you mentioned, sourcing clean Green Ogo can be tricky. Red Pom Pom strikes a great balance between manageable growth and effectiveness in reducing nutrients like phosphates.

If you’d like to discuss this in more detail or need help selecting the right algae for your system, feel free to reach out directly—I’d be happy to help!

 

[Doctorgori]

I will reach out to SWA.com and re-order Red pom pom or or ogo
…I will explain the situation but if they don't honor the free shipping or replacement, I wont get mad, I will learn from it…
Again, appreciate taking the time to come in here and address this. Cant be that much margin on this single sale to justify your time, so sincerely thank you

 

[AlgaeBarn Verified Sponsor]

Thank you for the reply. I know you stand behind your products. I have no clue what could have happened to this algae in transit. It was not delayed. I would not think algae to be sensitive to rough handling. I could understand temperature extremes. I also understand that algae smells like the ocean. This smelled like Manhattan Beach when the sewage treatment plant has a leak, it’s 100 degrees with no wind, there’s a two week old dead whale carcass rotting in the surf and a flying seagull drops a maggot covered chunk of rotten whale blubber on your lap! Ok, I’m exaggerating a little….but it was bad, really, really bad. I had visitors today and they asked what the smell was as soon as they opened the door and stepped in. I tossed all the algae days ago and have left the windows open and it still stinks in here. I have this tank for years and never once had a visitor complain about the smell. Quite the opposite actually. Most are impressed that an aquarium in the living room doesn’t smell at all. This isn’t a dis to you or the product. I know it’s not the norm.

First, let me say how sorry I am to hear about the condition of the algae upon arrival—what you’ve described is not the standard we aim for and sounds horrible.

While we can’t say for sure what happened in transit, your point about temperature extremes is a good one. Based on the condition and the smell you described, it’s possible the package was exposed to high heat somewhere along the way, which likely caused the algae to wilt and decompose during shipping. We work hard to package our products to withstand normal transit conditions, but unfortunately, sometimes external factors can affect live items like this.

In the future, if anything like this happens again, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly so we can resolve the issue for you right away. We stand behind our products and are always here to make things right when things go wrong.

Again, I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and for understanding that this is far from the norm. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out—I’d be happy to help in any way I can.

Thank you again for being such a valued customer. We hope to make your next experience even better!

 

[AlgaeBarn Verified Sponsor]

I will reach out to SWA.com and re-order Red pom pom or or ogo
…I will explain the situation but if they don't honor the free shipping or replacement, I wont get mad, I will learn from it…
Again, appreciate taking the time to come in here and address this. Cant be that much margin on this single sale to justify your time, so sincerely thank you

The AOA policy I have been speaking about isn't through SWA.com. You will need to reach out to our support team at AlgaeBarn directly. SWA.com has a different policy, and even though you ordered from them and we drop-shipped, we like to make sure that the same level of care and concern for order quality standards is met. This also applies to things arriving DOA.

My support staff is aware of the situation and will do what is necessary to get you taken care of. If you will, please email [email protected] so we can get you taken care of. That would be great!

 

[Doctorgori]

I didn’t bother with this first return, it was a small order, and your fast reply and sincerity left me feeling vindicated and satisfied…

but another jar of mush arrived today.
I probably shouldn’t have given the Mulligan ……. I think it’s FedEx and Two times makes a pattern
Tomorrow is Saturday, if closed I’ll be reaching out Monday

 

[Doctorgori]

@AlgaeBarn I’m going to scan the claim code and follow up here, no reply required, not mad at all …

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I guess the confetti bomb of stinky ulva I got went sexual before dying off. I had posted earlier how I scooped it all out and tossed it, immediately after placing it in the sump. Well, now there’s ulva (I think….i mean I can’t see for shi+, but it’s bright green and doesn’t feel like gha) growing on all the rocks in the fuge section! Go figure…I almost feel badly about getting a refund. Almost, as the disintegrating Pom Pom that I tossed as well is not magically growing anywhere. The red ogo from another vendor is fine.

 

[AlgaeBarn Verified Sponsor]

@AlgaeBarn I’m going to scan the claim code and follow up here, no reply required, not mad at all …

Hi,

I see you submitted a claim! Thank you for doing that. It also looks like one of my team members got to your ticket before I could and wasn't aware of all the conversations that we've been having here in this thread. But it looks like a replacement order was put together for you that will likely ship out tomorrow.

I did add a note in the order itself and will send a reminder in the morning to the shipping team about the carrier issues, and condition of the package upon arrival to you. Hopefully, the 3rd time is the charm!

You will get an email with tracking once a shipping label is printed, and please let us know if there is anything else that we can do to help!

 

[AlgaeBarn Verified Sponsor]

I guess the confetti bomb of stinky ulva I got went sexual before dying off. I had posted earlier how I scooped it all out and tossed it, immediately after placing it in the sump. Well, now there’s ulva (I think….i mean I can’t see for shi+, but it’s bright green and doesn’t feel like gha) growing on all the rocks in the fuge section! Go figure…I almost feel badly about getting a refund. Almost, as the disintegrating Pom Pom that I tossed as well is not magically growing anywhere. The red ogo from another vendor is fine.

I am curious to see what that algae is, and it's difficult to tell from your picture. Would you be willing to tear some off, put it on a plate, or something, and take a picture under natural or house lighting vs. aquarium lighting?

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I am curious to see what that algae is, and it's difficult to tell from your picture. Would you be willing to tear some off, put it on a plate, or something, and take a picture under natural or house lighting vs. aquarium lighting?

Ha, yeah my pictures blow. Between my vision and the tremors…here’s a little piece (dime sized?) on a plate. I tried my best here. The stuff is pretty short but it just started growing from absolutely nothing about a week ago. I appreciate you offering to confirm the identification!

Edit…too bad the Pom Pom didn’t magically grow from nothing as well!

Double edit…I have always been impressed with how you handle issues in these forums. I just have not had the best of luck.

 

[AlgaeBarn Verified Sponsor]

Ha, yeah my pictures blow. Between my vision and the tremors…here’s a little piece (dime sized?) on a plate. I tried my best here. The stuff is pretty short but it just started growing from absolutely nothing about a week ago. I appreciate you offering to confirm the identification!

Edit…too bad the Pom Pom didn’t magically grow from nothing as well!

Double edit…I have always been impressed with how you handle issues in these forums. I just have not had the best of luck.

The compliment is much appreciated; we try our best to ensure that our customers are taken care of as best as we can!

It is too bad that the PomPom didn't magically sprout as well, yes but it still could be in there. You do happen to have a lot of macro in that refugium! It's awesome really.

And you did get lucky that indeed is Ulva (Sea Lettuce) and it looks very healthy in this picture!

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

The compliment is much appreciated; we try our best to ensure that our customers are taken care of as best as we can!

It is too bad that the PomPom didn't magically sprout as well, yes but it still could be in there. You do happen to have a lot of macro in that refugium! It's awesome really.

And you did get lucky that indeed is Ulva (Sea Lettuce) and it looks very healthy in this picture!

It will be a lot soon at this rate. It was zero, nada, nothing just over a week or so ago. Now most the rocks are covered with it. Maybe 1/2”-3/4” thick lawn on the rocks. I swear I got all of it out. The pump wasn’t even on when I added and quickly removed it. I even pulled the rocks out to net the entire sump and then placed them back. The ulva and Pom Pom was probably only in there for ten or fifteen minutes tops.

 

[AlgaeBarn Verified Sponsor]

It will be a lot soon at this rate. It was zero, nada, nothing just over a week or so ago. Now most the rocks are covered with it. Maybe 1/2”-3/4” thick lawn on the rocks. I swear I got all of it out. The pump wasn’t even on when I added and quickly removed it. I even pulled the rocks out to net the entire sump and then placed them back. The ulva and Pom Pom was probably only in there for ten or fifteen minutes tops.

Do you have any tangs? They should be able to make quick work of that if you are wanting it cleaned off the rocks.