Frequently Asked Questions

Check out the most frequently asked questions here. If you still need help then please contact us at hello@dreamfishtanks.com

Orders and Payments

All orders can be changed within 48 hours of when you placed your order. After 48 hours, we will have to confirm the change with the respective manufacturer, and if your order is already in production or already being processed for shipping, order changes may no longer be possible. 

Yes, you can cancel any order within 48 hours of when the order was placed for a full refund.

Our Clear for Life products are made to order and we normally aren't able to cancel after 48 hours. If you want to cancel your order after 48 hours please let us know and we can reach out to the manufacturer to see if it is possible. If we are able to cancel, orders will be subject to a 10% cancellation fee. If your order has already shipped, you (the buyer) will also be responsible for inbound and outbound shipping charges.

We offer a variety of payment options including credit card, Paypal, Google Pay, Shop Pay, and Sezzle. You can choose any of these options during checkout.

You can use Sezzle as your payment method to pay in 4 interest-free installments over 6 weeks. To use Sezzle, simply checkout as normal and once you get to the "payment" step, you will see the option to choose Sezzle. Once you select it and click "Complete Order," you will be redirected to enter your info to set up your Sezzle account. Please note that due to regulations, only orders up to $2500 are currently eligible for Sezzle. 

Please note that Sezzle is a third-party payment provider and all attempts to use it are subject to their approval, which is not guaranteed.

You can learn more on our HOW SEZZLE WORKS page.

All of our payment methods are encrypted and 100% secure. We will never save your payment info and even internally are unable to view the credit card information that you use to purchase.

Sales tax is only charged for orders shipping to Massachusetts.

Our return policy depends on the manufacturer of the product you ordered. Please read the return policy that applies by clicking on the Shipping & Returns tab on the product detail page of the appropriate product.

As a general rule, we are happy to accept returns as long as the product has not been used, you notify us within 14 days, and you pay the return shipping charges. There is a 15% restocking fee on most products. You can ready our full return policy HERE 

Shipping & Delivery

Our fish tanks ship either through a ground carrier like Fedex or a Freight carrier. As a general rule, tanks under 40 gallons will ship Fedex while larger tanks will ship using a freight carrier. Please review the Shipping & Returns tab on the individual product pages for more info, or you can view our general shipping policy HERE .

All of our orders ship FREE to the continental United States. 

Ship times can vary based on the vendor and if the tank is made to order or in stock. Most Clear For Life aquariums and stands are made to order and take anywhere from 3-8 weeks to ship. Uniquarium or Deluxe aquariums currently take 6-8 weeks to ship. 

All other orders should ship on the following schedule under normal circumstances:

Biorb: 2-4 days

JBJ: 5-10 days

Midwest Tropical: 5-7 days

Please note all ship times are estimates and are not guaranteed. We will not issue refunds due to your order taking longer than expected.

For more info, please refer to the "Shipping & Delivery" tab on the page of the product your are considering.

Smaller items should arrive within 2-5 business days under normal circumstances. Larger items will be shipped on a freight truck and should arrive within 3-7 business days under normal circumstances, not including the time it takes to set up the delivery appointment. 

Since all items are shipped using third-party freight companies, we have no control over the delivery time once the order has shipped. Occasionally the freight company can experience unexpected delays. If this is the case it is best to contact the freight company directly with your concerns.

Per industry standard, we do not issue refunds or discounts based on delivery time if the delay is caused by the freight company. 

For smaller items that deliver via FedEx or UPS, you generally do not have to be home. The carrier will leave the package at your door or designated package delivery area.

Larger items that are delivered via freight carrier require your signature. The freight company will call you at least 24 hours in advance to make a delivery appointment, and you will need to be there to sign off on the shipment.

Upon delivery, it is extremely important that you inspect your item(s). If you notice any damage you should make note on the delivery receipt “CARTON DAMAGED” when signing for delivery. After unpacking your order, if your item(s) arrived damaged please send photos to damages@dreamfishtanks.com within 24 hours and we will process an insurance claim on your behalf. At that point, we will offer to either fix, replace or refund your order.  

We are unable to file claims with the freight company if notified after 24 hours, so if we are not notified of damages within 24 hours of your delivery we will be unable to replace or refund your order.

Due to agreements we have with the manufacturers, we are unable to request that your order be expedited.

Clear for Life

Most Clear for Life tanks ship via Pilot Freight. You can use your tracking number on Pilot Freight's website below. You do not need any additional info like shipper zip code, just the tracking number will work:

https://www.pilotdelivers.com/technology/?currentTab=consumer

If the shipment says "appointment needed" please set up your delivery appointment in the area at the bottom of that page. If it’s easier, you can also call the shipping terminal nearest to where the package is being delivered to set up the appointment over the phone. You can find the contact information for the nearest branch here:

https://wptest.pilotdelivers.com/global-network/domestic/

They should reach out to you regardless once it's ready to be delivered, but sometimes it's faster to either call them or set up the appointment yourself on their website.

In most cases, all but the smaller aquariums and accessories will ship via Pilot Freight. Once your order arrives at the Pilot shipping terminal closest to you, a representative will reach out to you or you can reach out to them to set up a delivery appointment that works for you.(see How do I track my Clear for Life Order? for more information).

Upon delivery, it is extremely important that you inspect your item(s). If you notice any damage you should make note on the delivery receipt “CARTON DAMAGED” when signing for delivery. After unpacking your order, if your item(s) arrived damaged please send photos to damages@dreamfishtanks.com within 24 hours and we will process an insurance claim on your behalf. At that point, we will offer to either fix, replace or refund your order.

We are unable to file claims with the freight company if notified after 24 hours, so if we are not notified of damages within 24 hours of your delivery we will be unable to replace or refund your order.

Standard aquariums are the do-it-yourself option. They come empty and include a polycarbonate light plate(s) that cover the access openings and are compatible with modern LED light strips. There is no filtration or additional hardware included.

Uniquariums come with a 3-in-1 filtration system built into the back 4" of the tank and include everything you need to be up and running. They do not come with a light or optional items such as a heater and protein skimmer.

The Deluxe package comes with everything you need for an external filtration setup (outside the tank) and include a corner overflow installed in the back corner of your choice.


Clear for Life aquariums do not come with a light by default. They do come with a polycarbonate light plate(s) that sits on top of the access openings and is compatible with modern LED light strips.

If you’d like a light, we can special order one for you and include it with your shipment if you're planning on a non-planted tank or tank with no live coral. Otherwise, we recommend the lights from https://current-usa.com.

The black hood is an outdated lighting fixture that is no longer sold with the tanks because the lights for those hoods are no longer available. The tanks now come with a polycarbonate light plate(s) that sits on top of the access openings and is compatible with modern LED light strips.

We apologize for the outdated photos and intend to switch them as soon as we receive newer images from the manufacturer.

The filtration system is built into the back 4 inches of the tank and extends across the entire length of the tank. This means that the swimming area in the tank is the width dimension of the tank less 4 inches.

Yes, all Clear for Life acrylic tanks come with a permanent (non-removable) lid that is chemically bonded to the rest of the tank to ensure structural integrity. It has 1, 2, or 3 access openings depending on size of the tank, plus filter slots and heater holes towards the back of the lid.

Polycarbonate light plates are included to cover the access openings and are compatible with modern LED light strips.

All Clear for Life fish tanks come with a limited lifetime warranty that covers any leakage due to manufacturer defect. If the tank is altered by the customer in any way (drilling, etc) that causes the issue, the warranty is invalid.

Yes, we can drill holes in your tank for $25/hole. We will need you to provide us with a diagram showing the exact locations of the holes you would like us to drill. Any hole that you drill by yourself will void the warranty. 

Clear for Life tanks are designed to work with any standard type of filtration, as long as the filtration is designed to work for the size of the tank that you ordered.

The tank measurements are exact to within ¼” spec allowance. For example, if you order a tank that is 60" long, the exact measurements could be anywhere from 59.75" to 60.25".

Other Common Questions

Acrylic aquariums are clearer, stronger, lighter, and less prone to breakage than glass tanks. The only downside is that they scratch easier. It is important to handle them carefully during setup to avoid scratching.

For more detail, you can read our blog post on this topic.

Unfortunately CAD Lights closed down at the beginning of the pandemic and we’re not sure when or if they will reopen. Until then, all CAD Lights products will remain out of stock.

All of our Clear for Life acrylic fish tanks are designed for fishkeeping, but many of our customers have used them successfully for turtles. If you plan to do this, please keep in mind that acrylic scratches more easily than glass. Since turtles are naturally more abrasive than fish, scratching is more likely to happen with turtles.