Shipping and Handling Advice

[saltydog_46241]

Originally Posted by Beth
Post up your experience in shipping and handling corals. Bags, water, or non water, wrapped in paper, etc. Overnite or 2-day. ETC.
Remember, this is just advise and not gospel.
I've shipped my green star and brown polyps Fedex overnight and never lost one. I place 2 pieces of styoform and rubber band around the rock this keeps the bag from getting holes in it and leaking. Fill a plastic bag with my water to cover rock and tie off. Turn upside down and put into another bag. Put this into an insulated box and ship. If shipping in winter put a warmer into insulated box. Just tell the people up front that it's going to take a least a week maybe more for corals to fell at home again

 

[nickadam]

BANG GUY how would I ship my large carpet anemone???? ANd how many days can it last while being shipped. Can you plz give me some info Thanx...

 

[bang guy]

If it were me I wouldn't ship it.
If I had to ship it I would ship it in a very large bag of air overnight with no water.

 

[nickadam]

Thanx for the fast reply..

 

[swlover]

How can I ship a 2 foot eel safely? is it possiable? Anyone with any helpful advise pleas reply. Thanks

 

[sonnyg]

Well since all this discussion on shipping I might as well chime in. I work for the postal service and they will not ship the water or the corals or fish/inverts packed in water. Now you can pack it real well and lie, but if down the line its found to contain liquid it will come back to you GROUND.My best experiences have been with fed ex. When you go to your local LFS ask for the shipping styro boxes the receive their stock in. they will let you take lots. save them and save bubble material and those big bubble sleeves, just to fill the boxes. heat packs are avail in many stores. most shipments i receive have the heat pack just inside the styro lid and seperated with newspaper from the packed bags.Use overnight and if you can get them shipped to your work. that way someone is always there to receive them. I let the whole box acclimate in my house open without the heat pack for 45 mins before i actually start the acclimation. Remember most corals are pretty hardy and will do ok on the overnight trip, the temp change is gradual and if not overpacked amonia shouldnt be an issue. but we in all our wisdom feel these pieces need to go into our tanks quick because of the strain of travel. well guess again. the different tank parameters although all in good ranges shock these little criiters worse than the temp drop or raise in the box. take your time pack it right ship it right annd receive it right

 

[renogaw]

My word of advise when shipping to the north east, or any cold region for that matter: use styrofoam and heat pads in the box. i got a kenya tree and colt frag and the water was around 40ish degrees. they both made it, but i was scared. I'd gladly send people the little heat packs that cost a couple bucks to possibly give the corals a little buffer against the cold.

 

[bronco300]

when shipping a thermos, where is the best placement of the heatpack, put the bag inside, a layer or paper and the heat pack...the heat packed tapped to the thermos on the outside, or just in the box wrapped?

 

[viper_930]

The heatpack should be stuck outside of the thermos. :happyfish

 

[bronco300]

just wrapped and put in the box..or tap it to the outside so its right up against it?

 

[viper_930]

I just put the heat pack in the box right up against the thermos and fill in the extra space in the box with peanuts.

 

[wattsupdoc]

Well I did this... to Bronco just now and the 5 or 6 shrooms I sent him where all melted when they got there.

But me like an idiot used not 1, not 2 but 4 heat packs!!!

STUP!! The thermos was laying on 2 heat packs and had 2 heat packs on top with newspaper wraped all around to hold it all in place. I'll let Bronco finish with the rest!

 

[bronco300]

lolol...yea...future advice for anyone...FOUR heatpacks is WAY too much...and i would imagine especially for a metal container holding the corals,lol...its alright though, doc is a good person, all is forgiven if he hands his tank over

 

[nohatch]

Any info on shipping a Torch coral? I have a nice piece i may trade but i need to know if it is safe to ship and the best way. Thanks

 

[reefforbrains]

How to ship coral 101:I am no expert but when just shipping your basic Onesy or Twosy piece boxes heres a simple method.
Step 1.
Go get yourself some ridgid foam insulation from Lowes or Home depot. Its like 7 bucks for a 4x8 ft sheet. Just cut it into smaller more managable pieces and put it in your closet for future use
Materials list-
Razor knife
Box- whatever small box is available, and suits your needs.
Ridgid insulation- 4x8 sheets from Lowes or Depot are 7 bucks(enough for 20 boxes)
Pen
heat pack (seasonal option)

[hr]
Step 2-
Now either trace or measure the botom and top footprint of the box and then repeat with the sides and then front and back of the box.

[hr]
Step 3-
Cut out your pieces.
See where I have a portion that is "X"'d out, that is to compensate for the thickness of the top and bottom foam when you assemble your box. Remove the "X"'d out portions and discard. You may have to repeat this with the side panels to fit within the front and back panels.
The "X"'d out portions are made to size by using a double layer of scrap to represent the Top and Bottom/Front and Back displacing wall height inside the box.

[hr]
Step 4-
Insert the bottom into box first then side walls untill your box is like a small ice chest. Inside walls should leave enough room for top to fit inside box sealing everything

Note:If heatpack is needed....... slip the backwall out a smidge so you can fit a heatpack into the box without it being directly against the specimen. Wrap the heat pack with a paper towl or a few layers of Bathroom tissue to mute the heatpack. This will also make it last longer.
Heatpacks are available at Wal-Mart and most camping stores, they are just the small packet style hand warmers. Typically sold in twin packs and really only needed seasonally. If using the heatpacks make sure to put it BEHIND the separater wall so the pack doesnt cook the item. Rolling it in a paper towl or Bathroom tissue also slows the heat so they are not raging hot. Most importantly it can extend the lifespan on the 12 hour heat pack up to over two days!. Makes it no problem to send such items like Zoanthids and other softies priority instead of express. Saves a ton on shipping.

[hr]
Step 5-
When bagging your item, (this by the way is the rare Bosh Platnum-ipora) Try not bag with air in the bag. When in transit the package may be a various angles and this way it prevents any portion being left high and dry at any point.
m/albums/s22/ReefForBrains/100_0379.jpg" border="0" alt="" />

Try to match the bag with the cavity of your box so theres no slosh. You dont need much water. around 1.5 cups should be fine for most small pieces. Try to stay under 2lbs for entire packing and box. This will save alot on shipping price.

Add your item and if needed slip the heat pack behind the divider

[hr]
Step 6-
Add the top and everything should be snug, no slosh or movement when the top is taped down. And then take to the post office or UPS.
the magic number for weight is 2 lbs. going an ounce over will kick the price up signifigantly. The US post Office will do overnight for aprox 18 if you stay under 2lbs from coast to coast. Cut off time is 1:30pm to be delivered next day. just FYI
Hope this helps. And comments always welcome.

 

[neverenough]

WOW!!!!! That last thread makes it look like a sinch to ship. AWESOME thread!!!!!
:cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

 

[reefforbrains]

that comment makes my day. I posted the same in duplicate in the DIY section too since so few actually look in this portion.
Welcome to the world of trading. You universe for availability just expanded 1000 times from your LFS abilities. Cheaper to trade too.

 

[renogaw]

To add what RFB was talking about with the USPS:
I just got back from the one near me. They have presized Priority mail cartons that are a flat rate. For one of their boxes, ANY weight, its $8.05 for me to ship something to LA (the state) guaranteed 2 day delivery. If you go standard priority, with your own box, its 11.10 for 6lbs. As long as your shipment can handle the 2 days (live rock, mushrooms, dry goods, etc) this is also a nice little deal.

 

[sjgsm]

reefforbrains... I was wondering about the no air in the bag...don't you need some oxygen for most creatures?

 

[reefer545]

OVERNITE only. Macros can be 2 day adn LR can be 3. Double bag and in styro box, and in cardboard box. IF you are recieving, tell the sender to not invert the third bag. They do this so water really does not leak out. PROBLEM: many times the coral will arrive upside down. After two bags, it is hard enough to see inside, adn they can't tell up from down. I had a 9 in. by 6 in. colony of acan arrive on its head(?) adn a wellsophyllia too. Plus, if the inside bags do leak adn the outside bag does not, it does not keep enough water on the coral anyway. They both lived, but I still have one acan polyp that is healing which is not bad considering. It really pissed me off, because I asked specifically not todo so for that reason, and somehow, a FLAT rock ended up upside with "this side up" written everywhere on the box. I think it was sender error. Tape heat pad tothe inside of the top of the sturo container and fill around the bagwith those air bubble strips for stability adn insulation.
Lots of reading, i know, sorry.
GL
R545