Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/19/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  SF Aquatics LLC was hired by me to remove vegetation from my ponds. The work started on September 22, 2022. I paid $4,725.00. I have two ponds. The ********* had **** pads in it I wanted removed and the second pond had **** covering it. This payment also includes cleaning a run-off of the *********, which is my horse's water supply and the ditch that runs from that run-off through the pasture leaving this area able to be mowed. This was not done right initially.$625.00 of the cost was for microbe treatment which is used to control vegetation regrowth. This microbe treatment was to be administered per a schedule, at this point they should have been administered 7 times and I've seen them here twice. ******************************* is part owner of this business and has offered to refund my money for the microbe treatment and to reimburse me for the fish but has never done so.The main complaint is that this business promised no harm would come to the fish. They used a machine that is designed to grab and pull vegetation from the pond and take them to the shore of the pond. This resulted in my pond being the equivalent of a huge mud puddle suffocating the fish. This crew didn't show up the second day as scheduled and I was left to take the dead fish out, at least 50 the first day and many more the following days and weeks. This also was risking polluting my horses water supply. ***********************-the owner- assured me that he would restock the pond and now I've been told I'd have to sign a paper saying I understand that the fish he provides will most likely die (This was before ********* offered me reimbursement). The second pond has never lost the **** and the **** pads have been steady returning in the ********* and I only see a few fish occasionally. I have photos and videos of the fish as they literally bubbled on the surface. I want to be reimbursed for the fish that were destroyed and for the microbes that I paid for and never received. This company is not honest.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/13/2023

  Initial services were provided on 9/22/22, 9/23/22, and 9/24/22. The customer was present on these dates and verbalized to our team that she was satisfied with the work completed. On 9/25/22 the customer emailed the office complimenting the team, inquiring about fish recovery, and requesting ruts from machinery to be filled. After the passing of Hurricane *** and restoration of electricity and local fuel supply, the team returned to fill the ruts on 10/6/22. The customer was present on this date and again verbalized her satisfaction with the work done, with the except of the loss of fish. The customer was reassured that our company was willing to restock fish if necessary although this was not part of our service agreement. 
  
  Seven microbe treatments were dispersed between 9/26/22 and 12/21/22. Time-stamped photos and videos were taken to monitor the progress of the treatments. On 10/20/22, the customer emailed Im going to need to see whoever is here per your schedule. We offered to bring the remaining of one year supply for the customer to put out herself if she did not trust that our company was doing so. The customer declined stating, That is not our agreement. Although the agreement stated disperse initial microbe treatment and provide verbal and written instructions for ongoing microbe treatments we continued to disperse the treatments per the customers request. The customer requested that she be contacted on the dates of treatment. She was contacted by phone and text from this date forward. Phone records are available to support this. The cost for the 7 treatments was $350 of the $625 total charge. In January, the customer requested a refund for the remaining microbe treatments and a refund check of the difference ($275) was mailed to her.
  
  The customer also requested that the pond be restocked with fish, and we agreed to honor this. Our conditions were that a written document be signed indicating her understanding that we could not guarantee the fish would survive without proper aeration and that our company would not be held liable if this were to occur. The customer verbalized her dissatisfaction with this requirement.
  
  The customer stated if we refunded her for the remaining microbe treatments and replaced her fish she would not speak good or bad of our company. Since then, the customer has posted negative and untrue statements on our company ******** page, submitted this complaint, and threatened to file further complaints and actions. 
  
  In summary, our company has sent a refund check for microbe treatments as agreed. Our company has never declined to replace the fish. However, we are hesitant to provide further services to this customer due to defamation and ongoing threats.