Hey everyone!

There comes a time in every reefkeeper's life when we have to ask ourselves a very defining question...."Do I ship or not?"

You wouldn't believe the amount of ziploc bags, tupperware, igloo coolers, handwarmers, thermoses, BATH TOWELS (Yes, I said BATH TOWELS), that I have received from fellow hobbyists when shipping me coral in a sale or trade. Heck, I have even had some lousy shipping from so-called "professional" web coral stores! Just in the past 3 months--I have gotten several shipments where temps were 60 degrees or less in the bag---that's pitiful!! Please be upfront with fellow reefers about your shipping experience. Heck, I have even shipped supplies to people I have traded with--to be sure I didn't get a handwarmer wrapped in a bath towel!! (It's happened.)

The problem seems to be that there's nowhere out there to get info. Well---NO MORE!! I will post some pics of "my way"---that has worked really well for me---probably 99.9% survival shipping--- I dunno--- 1,000 frags or so?

Let us know what worked for you---and also what didn't work. I will do the same as we go along!

First---Determine which box you will use to ship. You can use solid styro fish boxes or you can line your own with styro from Lowes or Home Depot. The "pro" boxes are better---but cost more.

Next, get a REAL HEAT PACK!! No handwarmers! I got these on aquabid.com--you can also get them on ebay. 40 HOUR HEAT PACKS.


Next, I line the box with a large 2 mil bag (from aquabid.com or uline.com)

Then, I wrap the frag in plain white paper towel. (Controversial--but it works!) This is an acan echinata. I ship SPS, LPS and softies like this.

Then I place the wrapped frag into a 6x12 bag filled with about 1/3 water. I determine the water level by moving the bag around to see if the frag stays under water the whole time. Twist the bag very tightly and use a rubberband to tie it off.

Then, take that bag and turn it upside down inside of another identical bag. Twist that one very tightly as well and tie it off. You want it as close to "round" as you can get it.


Then, put all the frags inside of the larger bag and tie the bag shut. DO NOT PUT THE HEAT PACK IN YET!! (HEAT PACKS NEED AIR TO WORK!)

Then, backfill the box with styro (peanuts or stryo cutting scraps work fine too)--and NOW put the heat pack in. I wrap the heat pack with a paper towel to make sure that it's always exposed to air. I have seen them taped into the lid of the styro box. That works too.


Then--seal your box and you are all set! Easy!!!! PM me if you ever have any questions!

And please---let us know what works and what doesn't!!

This guy knows what he is talking about... That Kedd Redd zoas you sent me is now at about 12-15 polyps!! WAHOOOOOOOO

Thanks--I am glad to hear that the Kedds are rockin'!

I'm glad you posted this. I agree you really know what you are doing here.

Any tips on cutting the stryofoam? I make a mess every and usually end up ruining the box every time I try to cut up a styrofoam fish box from work to fit into a smaller box.

Kind of a weird question too, but what brand of paper towels do you use?

I'll pm you my other question.

Thanks!

I don't actually cut through the styro any more. I score it lightly and then snap it from the back side--clean cut--minimal confetti!!!

As for paper towels--I use any brand--as long as it's white. I know that may be the worst because they are bleached, but I haven't had one problem.

lol 2 things

1. you need stickers. enough with the sharpie!
2. you tie bags like a noob. i'll post my version later

LOL!!

The marker thing just hit me right before I took the pics. I felt mostly embarrassed that I was shipping a box to someone that had that in it like I was "advertising". I wrote mine as a joke just for you!!! I actually was going to order a rubber stamper----but again---I don't wanna draw attention to the box. That name---it would.


Bring it.

And I was tryin' to take pics whilst I was shipping. My wife would leave me if I asked her to take pics of me shipping coral. I tie a mean bag otherwise.

so the paper towel kind of helps with movement inside the bag? like if the box is dropped or something?

also do u know the highest temp that the heat packs can get? ive always thought they would cook em if the pack is touching the bag directly i guess ive never tried it though

what about multiple frags? same bag seperated with paper towel or seperate bags and larger box

1 more thing how much air do u leave in the bag?

also great post i think this will help a lot of people

cool read. thx.

adin is just jealous his printing is so sloppy.

My thoughts were that the paper towels would serve a couple purposes. One, to shield against sharp edges of rock and coral. Two, as long as the paper towel is somewhere near the coral, the coral will probably remain moist. I have had bags break in shipping--boxes can crush---but if they just stay wet---and not too cold for too long they should be ok.

I don't know about the highest temps. But I do know that I just killed the sweetest piece of Superman monti that I had grown---from a speck!!! I thought because it was so cold and it was in-state (PA) shipping, I would use two heat packs for one frag--about golf ball size. It died. I was sad. But now I (and you) know, not to use two heat packs with one frag. If the box is jam packed--as often is the case--I just lay the heat pack on the center bags. With all the jostling going on--I think it all equates to a rough median temperature in the box.

As for multiple frags--I ship multiple zoa frags together sometimes. I just roll them into the paper towel ;ole a burrito filled with zoas. Then I plop that into the bag. As for SPS or LPS---I don't mix them. I don't want to risk it.

I hope this helps!

Nice thread. I need to get my materials together for trading and selling.

i just ordered a few 70 hour heat packs and some baggies. it will be my first time shipping .

keep the tips coming. greatly appreciated

Good info, mvite, and great idea for a thread. tagging along...

Awesome info. I've never shipped, but I'm willing to try once the weather breaks. I doubt winter is the best time for a noob shipper.

Thanks everyone---Once the weather breaks--you really should give it a try. I have received zoas in thermoses via Priority Mail and had no problems.

Some of my best coral has been from other reefers. You gotta get it there somehow!

Im' going to post some pics of those breather bags I use and place them here with a few tips of my own to add to your great posts Mark ( if you dont mind?)
I think accomplished shipers should share all thie rknowledg ein this thread, and this thread should be made a sticky.

Adin,
I SWEAR TO GOD last year about this time I bought a maxima off a guy in maryland and he sent it to my in celophane candy wrapping with a bread tie on top. His othe rpackaging matearial consisted of a thin walled shoe box, and shredded newspaper stuffed inside a larger shoe box. And to top it off he used clear tape to close the box ! ( like you would use to wrap a present.)
I think I may still even have pics of that horrible mess some where?
I have had some dusy's ( even recently) but that one take the cake hands down.

I wish you would! Please do--I know it's very different from non-breather bags so that will be much appreciated.

no, seriously m, you bag and tie like a noob.
















j/k, good post.

lol!

I think it was one of my off days!

BTW--Er1c is the ONLY reefer who shipped to me in the DEAD OF WINTER--and my frags were like 75 cozy degrees!!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was thinking:

USPS Express costs about $18.80 for the first pound or so.

Fedex and UPS charge based on "Dimensional Weight" which means--If you are shipping via USPS---box size doesn't matter--it's weight and distance.

For UPS and Fedex--USE THE SMALLEST BOX POSSIBLE---it will influence your price.

GREAT info, Mvite! You know I know you know what you're talking about! My frags are doing very well and I even think a baby is forthcoming!!!

Keep the information coming, people, I plan to ship in the spring so this is most appreciated.

Awesome, my man, just Awesome! Thank you for a job well done.

Did you read the article I sent you about the idea of shipping the corals wrapped only in damp paper towel, and not submerged in water? What are your thoughts on it?

Maybe I should post the pics of the stuff I got that time, packed in the won-ton soup container....

I have never shipped before, but I will definitely use the methods posted here. Great thread and great info. Thanks!

Yes "STicky"

Great thread...Ive never shipped, but hope to soon.
Vite...thks very much

I recently read a post From Prop on his shipping also...YOU guys CAre and
have tried and true methods.

Izzue

I am glad you all like the thread! And I am glad that everyone's *cough* PPE *cough* are doing well!

Everyone should try shipping---it's really, really easy. JUST DON'T TELL PEOPLE THERE IS CORAL IN THE BOX! (It's not illegal--but it's NOT WORTH THE HASSLE!)


I did--Everyone--Mudfish is talking about an article by Eric Borneman about "dry shipping". Many of you had referenced it to me in past trades as something you wanted to try.

I have received zoanthids in large quantities via "dry ship". The animals were healthy--but one small issue was "bruising" of individual polyps. Many of the rocks, since they weren't surrounded by water, had the opportunity to smash against one another in shipping. If you could assure the frags wouldn't move around and contact each other I think it would be just fine. Not one zoa that I received was dry or dead. A few were smashed--but you could see on the paper towel where the contact was made---and the ensuing "smooshmark". (Very technical coral fragger term.)

My using paper towels kind of evolved from "dry shipping" and "wet shipping". I figured even if the box and bags were damaged, the coral would be "dry shipped" for a couple hours until received. I have used less and less water---but I get a little freaked. Sending someone dead coral really---I mean really---bums me out. I'm a little afraid to deviate from what I have been doing.....Hence our thread!!!

I figure collectively, we are experimenting thousands of times a year!!!


I think you should! Don't name any names--but it's "how not to ship"!!

There are LOTS of people out there who use soup thermoses or travel mugs---with great success. I don't mean to rule that out--it's definitely a viable option if you do it right. I would be interested to hear if anyone is shipping in a thermos during these frigid winter months. How could you heat the thermos or do you just not ship that way in the winter?

Those of you who may be infrequent shippers--but who still want to trade---try a thermos in a box! I would still try to "cushion" the frags in some way. Either with paper towels, or a better method for thermos shipping may be to cut up some plastic fish bags and put them in there with the frag.

Someone once shipped me three zoa frags on reef plugs, all in the same thermos with no cushioning. Needless to say that it was like a martini shaker---and the frags got pulverized on the trip. Don't do that!!!!!

I have received frags shipped via this method and it worked very, very well. So much so, that I've considered it myself for the day when I ship.

Here's a link to USPS Express Mail Service committments that you can use to see if USPS Express provides overnight service from one zip to another. Make sure you enter a valid date. (No weekends, holidays or days in the past.)

http://webapps.usps.com/expressmailcommitments/landing.jsp

USPS Express DOES NOT always provide overnight service. You haveta check it by zip!

i have no experience with the kordon breather bags... it would be a good lesson for me too, thanks!

did the clam make it?!

People need to make sure when they are using the heat packets that they allow them to breathe. If you completely seal them or the box up air tight then can not breathe and therefore they can not heat. Also make sure you use appropriate heat time for shipping time, 5 hours walmart packs won't cut it.

Hi, I just wanted to add to your thread by telling you about how my first online zoas were sent to me.

It was really awesome. He used a plastic insulated thermos and the zoas were in bags inside the thermos, and to help protect them, each bag had chaeto surrounding the frags, so they really didn't move within the bag. The heat pack was nestled up against the thermos and was still hot when I received the pack a couple of days later. Even though the thermos was insulated, the heat pack did transfer the heat to the water and no joke, the water was around 80 degrees.

I received this package on one of the coldest days in Colorado and I would buy from anyone who uses this method.

mvite, what time of year do you think would be best for shipping? I would worry during the cold winter months; but i would also get worried during some of the hottest summer months.

Do you have any particular time when you prefer to ship?

I have been going non-stop since last March. I took off a couple weeks between Thankgiving and Christmas---but received plenty during that time.

I think the BEST times would be Spring and Early Fall. But really, if you insulate correctly--you should be protected from cold and heat.

One thing I don't do is use cold packs. Ice melts in a few hours---so cold packs--IMO---chill the water at first and then---after the ice is gone--the temp must rise.

I strive for as stable an environment as I can get---in a 6x9x12 box!!

How come my PPEs didnt have 'Awesome Aquatics' written all over their box?

I'm jealous

LOL! I did that for adin-----and I had told him that I felt gross because the lady who got the box was probably like "What the hell kinda low budget loser does this with a marker on the inside of his box?"

Hahaha. That's funny

You shoulda done it in multicolor sharpie

Some of you may not know this---BUT---you can use UPS GROUND--for in-state and surrounding state OVERNIGHT FOR UNDER $10!!!

You have to confirm zip codes at UPS.com---but I have been using UPS Ground for under $10 overnight for over a year now!

You may wanna wait until the weather breaks to try this because the box usually stays on a truck for the whole 24 hours----brrrrrr!!!

I never tell UPS what's in the box---and if I am forced to list it, I list "aquarium additives"
Then if asked to elaborate I tell them it's a mineral supplement for aquariums and it's a non-dangerous liquid.

shipping corals is a breeze, cold pack, heat pack, no pack. if you ordered from LiveAquaria or Extreme Corals, you will see the absolute best shipping methods.
Heres some extra stuff I do:

I write acclimation and care procedures
I write on the box "DO NOT LEAVE IN SUN" during the summer
I write on the box "THIS SIDE UP" and "LIVE FISH"
Whatever increases the chance of survival is something you must fee responsible for doing.

shipping light fixtures greater than 20 inches withOUT the original box.....now there's a challenge.

when we at the lfs in town open up pakages during colder months they take the heat packs and put it in a folded paper plate(half vise) it seems that it keeps the water pretty good temp

Actually Mvite sent me a light that was 24" and it seemed that he didnt have a problem with the box. It wasnt the orginal...Im sure he remembers it

what time of the day is best to ship out? morning/afternoon/doesnt matter?

I would say morning. But I never shipped

I know that my local Post Office's last Express pick up is 4:30pm. UPS NDA drop off is 6pm at my local UPS location.

Would it make more sense to ship it in the afternoon? Since they would spend less time shipping... i dunno, my 2 cents.

Dude wipe your nose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



And wash your hands---they stink!!!!

Izzue

yes, it is better to ship in the afternoon right before pick up.

it depends on the pick up time. my AIM mail center down the street has a UPS pick up time around 4pm, so i usually start packing around 2:30pm (to cut out styrofoam, line the box, toss in a heat/cold pack, bag the coral, print out my labels) and get there in time to meet the guy in brown.

i hate shipping USPS though. everytime i go to the post office, even if i already sealed the box, they open it back up again and start asking questions. and its not like the guys there aren't the same guys every time i go there. they know what its all about. seriously.

was it metal halide?

Nope nope nope---Don't even pay attention to that--he's bustin on me because I shipped him my 24" light and not the 30" he was looking for. I only saw his post wanting a 2 x 65W PC light and I sent it to him!!!

And it was a PIA to ship.

I am bummin' right now. E shipped me a butt load of coral---and UPS is blowing it right now because of the weather. It still says "on-time" but it should have been here by now.

We will test that package E!!! 2 days--with SPS colonies and all---BOO HOO for me!

it's still not there? last scan was 2am in louisville, kentucky.

oh man, you're lucky i used extra thick styrofoam.