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HOT TIPS Column: November 2005 Issue of Advanced Aquarist

November's theme is "Shipping Corals, Fish, and Invertebrates." Please submit your preferences on best shipping practices. Your tips and tricks will help new and existing reefkeepers and also helps to bring the hobby to the next level (plus it's just cool to get published in a magazine like Advanced Aquarist).

When published, your hot tip will have your username published (along with your real name if you so desire). Every month we will be running a new HOT TIP thread so stay tuned and help out when you can.

The staff at both Reefs.org and Advanced Aquarist would like to thank you for your continued interest and support of our online community, magazine, and services.

Let the submissions begin!

Best regards,

Reefs.org and Advanced Aquarist staff

[Rob Top]

I'm a fan of making my own box. I use the sheets of styro found at HD to insulate your house. Cut to fit the box nice and tight and away they go. Any void space I will with packing nuts as they are light and help insulate too. Double bag with a lining one newspaper between the two bags. I slao take a bag cut it to be about 2" taller than the coral, cut the bottom out and use that to pick up the coral and throw it in the bag. This prevents any pointy parts of the coral or rock it is on from poking through the bag. Top off the bag with O2. DON"T us USPS if you are telling them it is live stock. They will not ship it unless it can go on a non-stop flight, which my mean it sits for hours befor the next flight is avalible. Fed Ex is the way I prefer.

[Gman0526]

If it's next day, ship zoos on damp paper towels, save on shipping costs by eliminating the weight of the bagged water.

[Unarce]

Small, insulated styrofoam containers with custom fitted cardboard boxes aren't everyday finds that you can pick up at the Post Office. You can special order them for $5 a pop, but you'd have to buy in bulk.

I did however come across a solution earlier this year. A shipping box for wine bottles. They can be found at Retail Mailing Services shops like Mail Boxes Etc. or PostalAnnex.

I've seen 3 sizes available: single ($5.99), double ($6.99), and quad ($8.99).

[Unarce]

continued

Space is limited within the styrofoam chambers that are designed specifically for wine bottles. I've used several different plastic containers for shipping, and have found that the Rubbermaid Small Round TakeAlongs are the best to use. They are compact, cheap, and have a very tight fitting lid that won't leak. The name of the piece can also be written on the lid.

[Unarce]

continued

I only have experience shipping SPS frags. In this case, I fill the cup up with about 80% of tank water, which minimizes any sloshing around that might occur during shipping. I also place a square-cut of a plastic bag with the frag which also helps cushion the ride. I find that this method really lowers 'shipping stress' and 'bag burn' for the frag. Often times, the recipient will comment on how the frag's polyps were fully extended right out of the box.

[Unarce]

continued

Here, you'll see the two halves of the stryfoam container. One bottom chamber will hold 4 Small Rounds. So, with the double-sized wine shipper (pictured), I'm able to comfortably ship 8 frags.

[Unarce]

continued

The top chamber is fitted for the capsule and neck of a wine bottle. Heat or ice packs can be conveniently placed here for temperature control. For this particular overnight shipment, I'm using an 8 hour heat pack. This package will be facing cold weather upon departure, but will be arriving in an area of warm climate.

[Unarce]

continued

Lastly, I fill the remaining space with packing peanuts to keep everything secure within the chambers. This also helps prevent the heat or ice packs from coming in contact with the plastic containers and their precious cargo. Combine each half, slide it into the cardboard box, seal it and you're ready to go.

Hope you find this useful

[LA-Lawman]

those little paks -o-heat.... how hot do they get? is there a cooking danger?

[brandonberry]

I transported quite a few sps frags by simply wrapping them in a paper towel dipped in tank water. I got this idea from reading several articles about corals being packed in wet newspaper. So far I have not lost a coral from this method, though I have lost quite a few that were bagged in water.

[Laura D]

I have shipped snails succesfully priority mail with only a damp paper towel in the bag with them.

When you close the bag be sure to capture a good bit of air, so the bag is inflated, and don't use so much water on the towell that it is pooling up in the bag, you just want enough water to keep the towel moist..

[HenryC]

Thats great info Unarce!

I need to figure out how to just ship one or two frags though