Shipping container ideas for Zoas

[chazman113]

Has anyone tried something like below for shipping Zoas and generally hardy soft corals overnight? Im almost at the point where I can start shipping out sales from my prop system and I'm trying to work out the best shipping that is cost effective at my relatively low volume. I'll only be shipping domestic us and will probably keep my sales seasons to spring and fall to avoid extremes.

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detai...pers-and-Supplies/Deluxe-Box-Liners-6-x-6-x-6

 

[tbrown]

Live Aquaria used these as liners for their corals and fish from at least one of their locations.

I believe they also use them to ship frozen feed.

 

[mfinn]

Live Aquaria used these as liners for their corals and fish from at least one of their locations.

I believe they also use them to ship frozen feed.

IMO, they didn't work very well.
Had 2 coral shipments that all died.
Had a thawed frozen food order too.

 

[mfinn]

Has anyone tried something like below for shipping Zoas and generally hardy soft corals overnight? Im almost at the point where I can start shipping out sales from my prop system and I'm trying to work out the best shipping that is cost effective at my relatively low volume. I'll only be shipping domestic us and will probably keep my sales seasons to spring and fall to avoid extremes.

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detai...pers-and-Supplies/Deluxe-Box-Liners-6-x-6-x-6

Have you seen diy styrofoam boxes, inside cardboard boxes.
1/2" thickness

 

[tbrown]

IMO, they didn't work very well.
Had 2 coral shipments that all died.
Had a thawed frozen food order too.

Same with fish for me. But they froze in the summer. Ice packs, newspaper for padding, shipping box, and the bag.

 

[mfinn]

Plus those floppy bags don't offer any internal support for bags of water.
Even with air pillows stuff gets banged around.

 

[mfinn]

If it was small items like zoanthid frags, back 20 years or so ago there were thermos trades and sales.
We used the small lunch box sized thermos containers to ship frags in.

 

[chazman113]

Have you seen diy styrofoam boxes, inside cardboard boxes.
1/2" thickness

So that isn't a bad idea. Including the stryro and 10x10 boxes /w shipping from uline that is around $4.80 a box. Granted its a lot more work. I suppose I would need something to seal the seams as well. Any good video or thread suggestions to see how people do it?

Just looking on ULINE a comperable pre-made styro system is around $25 a piece, which is absoultely cost prohibitive.

 

[mfinn]

So that isn't a bad idea. Including the stryro and 10x10 boxes /w shipping from uline that is around $4.80 a box. Granted its a lot more work. I suppose I would need something to seal the seams as well. Any good video or thread suggestions to see how people do it?

Just looking on ULINE a comperable pre-made styro system is around $25 a piece, which is absoultely cost prohibitive.

This was a recent shipment I received and shipped inside Washington state as UPS ground. This works out as overnight.
But the shipping box is 6" x 6" x 6" and they used this black styrofoam and did not seal the seams. But you could just use 2" or 3" wide shipping tape.
This looks like a pre-made kit this company uses.
I've seen multiple vendors make their own. Just need to find the boxes. Have a way to cut the styrofoam ( messy).

 

[Pntbll687]

So that isn't a bad idea. Including the stryro and 10x10 boxes /w shipping from uline that is around $4.80 a box. Granted its a lot more work. I suppose I would need something to seal the seams as well. Any good video or thread suggestions to see how people do it?

Just looking on ULINE a comperable pre-made styro system is around $25 a piece, which is absoultely cost prohibitive.

You can just tape the seams. But leave one or two seams open for airflow. All the heat packs we use need airflow to work. I've seen lots of dead coral because the heat pack never gets warm because the box is sealed air tight.

If you want to seal all the styrofoam seams, that's ok, just add a small hole to the top piece and attach the heat pack over the hole, so it gets airflow.

 

[mfinn]

There is this,


https://shipyouraquatics.com/shipping-supplies/product/213
There is everything you would need on this site.

 

[chazman113]

There is this,


https://shipyouraquatics.com/shipping-supplies/product/213
There is everything you would need on this site.

One thing I noticed is they have those "lacey act" side panels. I just checked 4 of the boxes I kept from orders for my starter stock, including one from tidal gardens, not a single one had any label on there for that. Is it common practice to just leave it blank or cover it up?

 

[mfinn]

One thing I noticed is they have those "lacey act" side panels. I just checked 4 of the boxes I kept from orders for my starter stock, including one from tidal gardens, not a single one had any label on there for that. Is it common practice to just leave it blank or cover it up?

Honestly since you brought it up, I didn't notice. This is the first for me. I got this order from K and P Aquaculture, a local to me vendor.
But since the law is there, this company is putting it on the box and it's just saying nothing in the box violates The Lacey Act.

 

[chazman113]

Honestly since you brought it up, I didn't notice. This is the first for me. I got this order from K and P Aquaculture, a local to me vendor.
But since the law is there, this company is putting it on the box and it's just saying nothing in the box violates The Lacey Act.

Yea true. Every package I got was from cold ice inc. I did find another supplier (below). I assume the bigger guys get the cold ice or similar wholesale somewhere rather than retail, $20+ per package probably eats into the bottom line real hard on smaller orders.

https://www.lllreptile.com/products/34098-11-x-11-x-6-styrofoam-lined-shipping-boxes