My Local Reef Store packs the frags like that for you to take home. Works great!

I have received SPS from folks who rubberband the frag to a small piece of styro so that the weight of the frag always makes it roll like a log to keep the frag under water.

Gots any pics? Maybe even of the size of styro pieces they used? And what kind of frags were they?

i noticed when my lfs gets in a shipment the frogspawn, hammers, ect come with the styrofoam. i also noticed inside the bag they will also put a empty bag inside to help with the coral banging around.kinda like the paper towel idea.

yup... one of the LFS's here does that too.. it helps because euphillia [sp?] get damaged easily IME when being moved around

I kept everything and took pictures from opening to dropping in tank like always so i will post them up.

You da man!!!

ok now to show what i was talking about
here is the box freshly opened with some of the Styrofoam removed.
you can see the frags floating at the top of the bags.
I might also add closer to the heat pack


Here you can see the frag plug poking through the Styrofoams and a rubber band to make sure it doesn't fall out.


in this example you will notice how the multiple bags all floating at different angles yet the frags floats independently. Of course provided there is enough room for the frag to go end over end and sideways the frag itself should never touch plastic in a resting state.


There mvite that should about sum it up for ya

Thanks buddy---That's from "him" isn't it?????

Do you LOVE the stuff?

yup thats the stuff.
Once some of it grows out i will hook you up the chailce and blasto are just unreal.

Live aquaria ships with the Styrofoam method. I have received xenia from them that I think was pulsing in the bag!

They also double bag with the outside bag being at least half black (or there is a black insert - I don't remember. This helps keep the bags dark which is supposed to be less stressful.

arent they sealed in box? how much more dark are they going to make it lol.
they do have strong shipping though dont get me wrong

Ive seen the styro method work really well on LPS...
Most of the times the black bags are used for fisheesss...it keeps them calm...and is nice during acclimation.

Izzue

Does Home Depot have cheap styro? Should I get 1" or 1/2 inch.

Ok. Here is my 0.02.

1. Uline boxes b/c I hate the post office boxes


2. Line with styro. I buy mine from HD or Lowes.


3. Fill halfway with peanuts or scraps.


4. I use Kordon breather bags from kensfish.com. Fill to arrow for smaller frags.


5. Tie knot. Rubberbands just dont cut it with these bags.


6. Place in box.


7. Fill box up with peanuts. take heatpack and wrap in paper towel.


8. place on top of peanuts.


9. Put top on box.


10. Tape up and ship!! Easy

It is perfectly fine to ship coral to Canada, I have had coral shipped to me from the U.S. no problem! As long as the box is just labeled aquarium addative or something non specific it should be fine! Also, the declared value must be under $10.00 or so as not to go through a broker for duty. Wanna try shipping me something Mvite? I have the funds ready! LOL

Nano-paul, hate to break it to ya, that styro ain't doing anything for you. You bought craft styro, you need insulation foam. Go to lowes and look in the insulation department.

I was wondering what that was---but it worked fine for what he just shipped me. I have been using 3/4".

First off, its 85 degrees here and that thick stuff is not needed. 2nd, I can ship like that in 10 degree weather, second day, and it will be just fine. 3rd, packing peanuts act as insulation. I use 3/4" when I feel its needed. Today shipping to New Mexico I dont think it was needed since the high for tomorrow is 82 degrees here.

What exactly are you breaking to me again?? I must have missed it somewhere.

How to make a box:

Cut strips from foam. Put inside box. Tape together.



How to make a lid:

Cut a square from foam. Use a utility knife to bevel 1" around the edge. Put tape on to keep from confetti going everywhere.



Tomorrow I am shipping out a 3 frag order, so I will take some more pics of how I package my shtuff. I think you will all be amazed. I don't even need to use rubberbands, and NOTHING ever leaks.

Speaking of 85 degrees---I just shipped a bunch of stuff and used heat packs. I shipped to Cali, FL, NE and OH.

I was concerned that heat packs would be too much--but I also realize that the boxes travel through some fairly cold areas.

What do you think? Heat or no heat for this time o' year?

I want to go to a rodeo

Heh, okay sorry?
Insulation keeps things cool and warm, not just warm. If you do ship in cold weather, the frags may get too cold. Just a suggestion, take it with a grain of salt.

I am sort of in between. I think its still to cold to not use heat packs, but on the other hand, I almost sent it without the heat pack because I was scared it would cook them. I shipped some stuff earlier this week and the shipper said the box was actually hot from the heat pack and I needed to use a smaller one. Makes me think its about time to stop with the heat packs.

Here is a thought: the packages get thrown into unheated cargo areas of planes and subjected to colder temperatures at high altitudes. Perhaps???

Ahhhh. Good point!

if the temps are low 70's and high 60's would it still be a good idea to add a heat pack when shipping? Will it make the water temp in the bag too hot?

I wouldnt think so. I shipped ou yesterday in 80 degree weather and a heat pack.

This time of year is weird ---

I usually place the heat pack directly in contact with the top of the bags of coral. When I shipped yesterday---I moved the coral all the way over to one side of the box and put the heat pack on the other side of the box. I use the leftover styro scraps to kind of make a little compartment for the heat pack.

I know that the ambient temp inside the box will still be influenced but maybe the coral won't be heated as much as when I placed the packs in contact.

Aw man---I'm killing stuff in shipping.

I shipped Mudfish 2 rainbow acans----and they both died. The first day it was a PO error and it took 2 days. The 2nd ship was fine---everything was done as planned. And it's dead again---acan echinatas are really tough IME.

And---And---I killed 2 ebay acros. I was getting ready to blame the acros death on the paper towels--and just shipped some acros using plastic bunched up inside the bag instead of the paper towel wrap. Now I don't know if it's the heat pack or the paper towel.

I'm confused though because I also had boxes with acros. montipora and micros in them shipped to CA--and they arrived fine.

What could it be? I have soooooo lost my confidence right now!!!! EFFFFFFF!!!!

Did you change paper towel brands by any chance? I think its time to ditch the heat packs myself.

Brother, do not lose your confidence. You, and others on here, are the cutting edge - the rest of us are learning from you.

Deep breath, and try again.

ditch the paper towels and send me a test Acan Rainbow using the styrofloat method and lets check that out.
its still in the 40s here so just be aware where you are sending to and from because no heat pack in my area would be damn deadly for the coral.

OOO! OOO! Put me on that list too!!

if you are shipping to California at this time of the year, even Socal, it is still good to use heat packs. (smaller ones, not the large ones) the temperatures hit low 50s at night. I have to survive a 20 degree heat swing everyday, i don't think i'm acclimated to this type of weather (thats me complaining about the weather in Los Angeles lol)

We're doin' mid-60s to mid-80s.

You know, when I felt in the shipping packages, they sure didn't FEEL too hot. But I don't know what else could be the problem....

I have been on the road all day thinking about what the #### I could have done.

I had a package that went to CA that contained montis and lps--with a heat pack and paper towels---and they made it.

I sent a monti confusa to Cleveland--with heat and paper towel---it's fine. I even got commended on the method!!!

I had one with 2 acros (ug--one was one of my sweet blue stags...) and LPS and stuff--with heat and paper towels---and the 2 acros arrived bleached.

As I was headed out of town today--I popped open the packages I had going out and removed heat from all but one. I only used cut and crumbled fish bags to wrap the SPS frags.

I haven't had any LPS problems---as a matter of fact I even had one that got delayed in the mail---about 2 weeks ago, and it arrived fine after 2 days--but it was just LPS.

Seriously--with all the frags I have--the worst part is that I held each one of those MF'ers in my hands---almost every day for the past 6-9 months!!!! And now---they are white and dead. ARGH....

I still don't know how I killed Mudfish's twice. They both were mounted to the white ebay plugs---that's the only other thing besides the towels. The towels are the same brand I've been using for a year. I got a 16 roll pack from Sam's Club and still have more.

GFM!

Here is the official EL CHUPACABRA shipping method.

Individual frags are separated with rubber bands. One also has a little cheato in with it. The little sausages keep the corals from banging into each other.


That gets double bagged:


Then triple bagged:


Then I put the back in a insulated box I make w/ 3/4" insulation foam, on top of a bed of crumpled newspaper.




I was using 40hr (overnight), 60hr (priority) heat packs when it was colder. I am over it now unless customer request it.




I have been custom screen printing my boxes to add to the fun.




Heat pack goes on top of more crumpled newspaper:


Lid goes in:



Box gets taped up, labeled and I take it to USPS right before the cut off for the last shipment of the day:
[img]http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j54/mrELCHUPACABRA/DSCF0029-4.jpg[/img]

I have been having good success.

Your way of shipping is so fancy. Where do you get your box custom printed at?

OMG! I love the box. Who did that for you?

I screen printed them myself.

You should start a "how to screen print your own boxes" thread.

Fancy

Here's a weird one--

On Wednesday, I shipped a ricordea, a rainbow acan (same as Muddy's), a green slimer and an acan lord. It was to Cleveland from Pittsburgh, so we used UPS Ground---with NO HEAT PACK. Well, UPS bumped the shipment and it took 2 days.
Of course the acro died--the lord did too. But--the rainbow was alive and so was the ric. The recipient said the water was 42 degrees.

I don't know what that learns us---but it's something to think about.

That the shade of the truck it is in, allows it to cool more?

I got one better than that.

I shipped out two different packages, one on monday and one on tueday via usps priority and NEITHER one arrived. It really sucks because they are both forum members I HATE USPS...............UGH!!!!

I would say that USPS comes through for me more than 99% of the time. I am nervous because the odds say I am gonna get burned by them soon. They have been great.

UPS Ground has been the only thing to get rescheduled on me.

Priority is a gamble. That's why I stoppped. Express helps me relax.

I will no longer do priority either. Fedex has been the only shipper to deliver 100% of the time.

When I shipped Priority I was always worried. With Express I didn't sweat at all.

One of this week's ebay winners wanted me to send two acros via 2 day shipping. I finally talked them into us cancelling the auctions because they were adamant that the coral would make it two days.

I told them I didn't want to sell them dead coral and if they made me ship via 2 day, that's what they would receive.

I have only shipped zoas and rics with priority. Everything else I ship express. I have had only one late shipment with priority but the corals survived.

For those who doubt my packaging:

I had zoanthids in transit for 7 days. They all survived. I guess my craft foam worked pretty good, huh?


















Ok, I just got really lucky!