Best shipping procedures

[NanoCube-boy]

Which corals could ship wet? and which does could ship in dry?

I have seen a lecture on BAR site about shipping methods and its very interesting. http://www.bareefers.org/video/

 

[Atomikk]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11033308#post11033308 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by burris
Why not? It seems that the problems described in this thread (weight, leaks, damage, suffocation) are not issues with the dry method. The books recommend dry method and surely they have tried shipping bags of water.

Just to reaffirm people on dry shipping.

Dry method only applies to zoanthids, through my personal experience. DO NOT try to dry ship SPS or LPS. Prolonged time away from water is detrimental to these types of corals. Again, I am talking from experience. I have shipped hundreds of corals throughout Canada, and I will never reattempt to ship coral dry (even zoanthids).


The books written about this are old, and should be updated to reflect the actual procedures practised today.

 

[Shadowramy]

Wow shipping dry, wouldnt that be nice!!!

I have done alot of shipping and had my ups and downs with it, here is a little article 'How To' I did on what works for me for our local club... http://www.salt-city.org/showthread.php?t=10326

 

[Shadowramy]

This one is a little better with more information and more pictures

http://www.shadowramysreef.com/inde...rticle&id=26:coral-shipping&catid=9:frontpage

 

[NanoCube-boy]

Thanks for the information.

 

[ramone58]

I agree, thanks for all of the great info.

 

[graveyardworm]

Has anybody done any experimenting with thermometers to track package temps? Also I wondered if electric socks would be any good as a heater in a package. Not sure what temp they run at, but they're reusable.

 

[flyyyguy]

Ive experimented with thermometers. Not in the packages I ship, but just my Pinpoint cordless ones at my house.

Packing them up with the probe in water and the cooler packaged just as i would be shipping it and then sticking it outside for a while...in the garage for a while...inside for a while...etc. Tryin to emulate what the box may go through in 24 hours.

Nothing scientific about my experiments, but it gave me enough knowledge to confidently ship in anything between 20 and 100 degrees.

should have documented it...but I didnt.

It made me realize just how important and how much control you can truly have with some creative hot and cold packing as well as most inportantly made me realize I will NEVER ship in anything less than an inch thick cooler that I can seal nearly air tight. Without that, you have no true control.

We have no choice in the matter of how exactly fed ex is going to treat that box, but we do have a choice of what materials we use in order to minimize whatever it is they do.

 

[Dejavu]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11031418#post11031418 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Maximus
After shipping literally hundreds of frags with a 99% track record, I would do these things:

1. Buy 4"x10" bags from Uline
2. Triple bag each frag
3. Use small igloo coolers (can buy at Walmart for around $10)
4. Make sure to fill void space with styro peanuts or paper towels.
5. Use Fedex priority for home delivery or ship Fedex regular overnight to Fedex depot (both standard and priority get to the Fedex depot at the same time. Why spend more on Priority?)
6. Never ship for Fri delivery
6. Use a long lasting heat pack.
7. Ship as latest as possible.

+1

I have shipped and recieved standard over night many time. If you ship or recieve at a fedex staff location they arrive at the same time. In fact I prefer to pickup my package at Fedex, never sees the truck and is safe inside the building.

 

[Dejavu]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15130773#post15130773 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by graveyardworm
Has anybody done any experimenting with thermometers to track package temps? Also I wondered if electric socks would be any good as a heater in a package. Not sure what temp they run at, but they're reusable.

Here one:
Heat pack Study

 

[rigleautomotive]

what do you guys think.heat packs or no.shipping today,highs in the low 80s and lows in the low 60s

TIA

 

[Travis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15161821#post15161821 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rigleautomotive
what do you guys think.heat packs or no.shipping today,highs in the low 80s and lows in the low 60s

TIA

Yes, I would do 1 heat pack in those conditions.

 

[rigleautomotive]

thanks,thats what i was thinking,wrapped in a few sheets of newspaper and taped to the top.sound ok?

 

[Travis]

I would wrap it in 1 sheet of newspaper. That will allow just a little heat to get through. When it is colder I use a 1/2 sheet and when it is really cold I use multiple heat packs and only 1/4 sheet per heat pack. This can actually be the hardest time of year to ship because you can get some low lows at the same time as high highs. If it is warm out in the evening and I still need to use a heat pack due to the overnight lows, I will wait until just before the FedEx station closes at 9pm to drop a package off.

 

[rigleautomotive]

yea i hear ya there with it being a tricky time to ship.thats why i needed some reassurance.the kinkos i ship from needs the packages by 5 pm so i will bring them as late as possible.i figure the building is air conditioned anyway so they will be alright then and they will be traveling at night so its cooler then so its just the morning that may be a bit touchy with the heat packs.

 

[flyyyguy]

Just my opinion of course, but soemthing for you all to think about...

you are playing with fire using heat packs in this weather IMO

You dont know when that box is going to get lft ut in the hot sun, and if the temp is going to be 80 or more somewhere along the line of where that package is I think you are playing russian roulette using a heat pack.

IF you must, make sure you wrap the crap oput of, and maybe even tape it to the outside top fo the box if you want to safely use it for insurance

Of course, this is all based on using a quality thick walled cooler that isnt going to dump all of the heatout fo thewater out in the first hour after packing it up

using a quality thick walled cooler taped up well.....60-80 degrees......go with it. that is perfect shipping weather.

 

[rigleautomotive]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15162659#post15162659 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by flyyyguy
Just my opinion of course, but soemthing for you all to think about...

you are playing with fire using heat packs in this weather IMO

You dont know when that box is going to get lft ut in the hot sun, and if the temp is going to be 80 or more somewhere along the line of where that package is I think you are playing russian roulette using a heat pack.

IF you must, make sure you wrap the crap oput of, and maybe even tape it to the outside top fo the box if you want to safely use it for insurance

Of course, this is all based on using a quality thick walled cooler that isnt going to dump all of the heatout fo thewater out in the first hour after packing it up

using a quality thick walled cooler taped up well.....60-80 degrees......go with it. that is perfect shipping weather.

Yea buddy,I am torn here.I dont know if i should use the heat or not now.corals do survive cooler temps better then hot IME so i am really undecided.I have the boxes live aquaria use and peanuts to pack it well.do you thinking taping it to the outside top is the best option .

 

[Travis]

I also tape heat packs to the outside of the cooler when the temps start getting more questionable, especially if it is going to be hot at the destination. But if the lows are in the low 60's I would not think twice about keeping that heat pack inside the cooler and would not consider shipping the package without a heat pack inside. When those planes are up at 20-30,000 feet those uninsulated and unheated cargo bays are going to be COLD! This is the time of the year that I especially prefer having people pick up their packages at the station. That way if you had to use a heat pack and it is going to get warm during the day, the package is picked up before it gets too warm out and even if it is warm out the package will be sitting inside an air conditioned office.

The end result is that there are many ways to skin a cat and this is what has always worked for me.

 

[rigleautomotive]

Thanks travis and flyguy,i appreciate the help.i used the heat packs so i will let you guys know how it went.Thanks again

 

[NanoCube-boy]

How do you guys ship out the styrofoam box? I have a styrofoam box, but I don't think I can just ship the box like that. How do I IMF a box that can fit it?