Frags on vacation???

[big deddy]

Our yearly family vacation is sadly over. We leave tomorrow morning. My question is I found some frags I want at store here in Daytona beach. I would have to get them before the store closes tonight at 7 p.m. then I have approximately 12 hour drive back home. But we also dont leave till in the morning. What would be the best way to package ro make the overnight in hotel, and then 12 hour drive home?

 

[mike werner]

first I would call the store and tell them your plans.i'm sure your not the first person to buy corals to take home from vacation.as long as the pack them well and use oxygen in the process you should be ok.

 

[Kali]

The last time I did this, I told the store my plan. They packed them up like they would ship them (Styrofoam lined box, etc), I picked them up. During the drive I kept the A/C on in the car during stops, or brought the box inside with us. Probably over kill, but I made sure they were kept in a temp controlled space "just in case" the entire trip. This was August on the East Coast, a few years ago.

 

[big deddy]

We went in to look around, and they are super friendly people. I'm gonna give them a call this morning. If they can pack them up for the trip I will run over and pick and pay. Then just pick them up at 7 tonight. We will probably leave about 6 the next morning.

 

[big deddy]

Well I called the store. Guy said he would put it in a decent size bag, but didn't know if it would last. Anything I can do to make this work? Apparently they have never shipped coral. Of course I havent either.

 

[mike werner]

do they fill the bag with o2?if so you should be ok

 

[CNDReef]

Get a battery powered air pump and place them in a styrofoam box with some eggcrate to create a frag rack. Just bring some spare batteries and keep temperatures in the 70’s

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Possible to pay while there and have them overnighted to your home? Then race the delivery back.

 

[Jizu Puentes]

Trust me you are over thinking it. Think of the corals shipped from overseas to fish stores here or when people go to shows like Reefappalooza and have to take corals back home with them. Just put the corals in a Styrofoam box or cooler and keep them from sitting in direct heat. Corals getting cold isn't as bad as the getting too hot.

 

[Jizu Puentes]

do they fill the bag with o2?if so you should be ok

Never heard of filling frag bags with o2. If anything you don't want an air gap so there isn't a chance of the bag tipping and the coral being exposed to air

 

[AlexStinson]

So I just came back from Daytona Beach/Orlando with frags. I took a cheap wallmart cooler (<$10), and a battery powered airpump with a bit of eggcrate and made a frag carrier by jamming in the eggcrate, drilling a hole to run the air hose through the top. Kept my frags and inverts in the hotel overnight, then 10 hour drive the next day, no issues. Plus it became a perfect container to add coral dip to. Between 20 frags and some fire shrimp I only have 1 frag looking poor 3 weeks later.

 

[tankstudy]

I've picked up many frags on vacation trips. Just ask for double bagging to prevent leaking and ask for the largest bag they can provide. I've traveled 18-23 hours before with a plastic egg size bags of frags easily in a car set at room temperature.

Also you want no oxygen pockets in the bag. If your coral ends up in it, it'll be jerky when you get home.

If you feel really unsafe, purchase a small Styrofoam box to put them in.

 

[big deddy]

I ended up at a different lfs. They ship coral si they had no problem double bagging and putting the frag plugs in foam floater. They seemed alot more knowledgeable about what the were doing. Thanks for the replies. I think I'm all set.

 

[tankstudy]

I ended up at a different lfs. They ship coral si they had no problem double bagging and putting the frag plugs in foam floater. They seemed alot more knowledgeable about what the were doing. Thanks for the replies. I think I'm all set.

Have a safe trip back!

 

[big deddy]

Have a safe trip back!

Thank you!

 

[Ocelaris]

I've actually heard shipping in air, but moist is a good method. I forgot where I was reading it, but it was explained that corals get exposed to air and full sun during low tide all the time on the reefs. It's the abrasion and lack of oxygen that will get you. Not that I would try that necessarily. But wanted to out that out there for posterity.

 

[mike werner]

Never heard of filling frag bags with o2. If anything you don't want an air gap so there isn't a chance of the bag tipping and the coral being exposed to air

not all air! any good lfs fills bags with oxygen.la packs all shipments with o2 as far as I know. i only go to good lfs so i don't know what the rest do.i do stop in Petco every so often and they do not use it however.

 

[Dburr1014]

Coral don't breath like fish, lol. Just a bag with water. If you are in a zone about 80 degrees, your fine. AC, heat, stay about 80 and your prizes will be about 80.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Im a former pet store owner.
Have them pack it for shipping ( nothing more that Styrofoam container and bags upright with O2 in them). Most corals are packed for ship and in transit for as much as 20 hours. If Packed properly, will be just fine. As an option, you can have them Overnight shipped via UPS and FedEx for $40 and you will receive them Next day by 10am reducing time in transit and the burden of carrying them around with you

 

[big deddy]

I ended up going to a different store. The first one had ok stuff, but didn't seem to want to even double bag them. The store I went with was great.