How do you pack for a frag swap?

[ziggy]

I am new to being a "seller" at frag swaps... Usually I am the guy spending all my money and drooling over corals :tongue:.. haha.

My question is... How do you pack your corals, from your tanks to the frag swap location? I have heard people use tackle boxes, buckets with custom racks, tupperware with eggcrate in it, etc... I was just wondering what other people do and what seems to be the easiest, most efficient way for transport? Thanks!

 

[Reef Pets]

Many people use creative methods of transporting there coral. Myself, I bag them up and put them in a cooler. You can use large bags and put all alike coral into one bag.
I have never done anything fancy because I never attended enough swaps to justify the time or money to do so.
But, I think that will change in the near future being that I now live in a large city.

 

[Reef Goddess]

I pack all my frags individually in little bags from Uline.com . Then put them in rubbermaid containers. I usually have 2-3 large rubbermaid storage containers with frags, so I put all the sps frags in one and lps/softies in another. I print out pictures of the frags/mother colonies and put them in a 3 ring binder so ppl can look for what they want instead of sorting through every single frag. I also tape the same pictures on the front of my table.

Taking frags and setting up an aquarium always looks prettier, but I sell as much as the people with aquariums and don't have the huge hassle of bagging, setting up a tank, taking it down, etc.

Be sure to make a frag swap checklist before you go so you don't forget any important stuff.

 

[2FarNorth]

I used to sell from bags.. what a pain, took hours to bag up all my corals, Now since I have a tank I bring with, I'm trying different methods...

The last swap I was at I had a 5 gallon insulated Igloo water container that I had acrylic racks in.. I fit something like 95 corals in it... I think that many corals in a small container like that may have caused them to brown out from transport... either from stress or chemical....

I'm currently working on individual 'tupperware' type of containers with acrylic racks so I can fit a certain species in each container instead of 20 different kinds in 1....

We'll see how it goes!!

Otherwise shrooms, acans and such I just throw them in tupperware and load them all in a cooler....

 

[ziggy]

thanks for the info so far. anyone else have input?

2farnorth- I did the same thing with a 5 gallon bucket and had a rack with a ton of corals in it. Mine too, browned out for the swap. That's what made me ask this question!

 

[wishntoboutside]

putting all in a styro does work. but sometimes for me. i use the cooler that i made a frag rack in. 3 shelves all corals have plugs so it is an easy move.. load the cooler, next is load the frag tank, and so forth. with all on eggcrate and plugs. i drove to texas 2400 miles..lol and only a few non plug corals were affected.

 

[stunreefer Verified Sponsor]

I pick up styro "soup cups" of two different sizes from my local GFS store. They work awesome for holding coral, and do not require much water. I also pick up the larger clear "deli cups" for any colonies or big coral I'm taking. I pack it all up in a styro box (I have a million from shipments, but you can get them fro your LFS) and load it in the car. Works great, quick, insulated, easy...

 

[RUGDOG]

I use a little different variation of what some have said. Of course I take an aquarium. I line the bottom of a tote with the inexpensive glad type plastic containers put water in the bowls and then put coral in the bowls which does seperate things.then just stack the next tote in on that. doesnt take much room and can haul loads of coral just fine. Have done this several times with no issues.

 

[meisen]

I use ziploc freezer bags (they are extra thick)....with a photo of the mother colony on the front. Double bag the symphyllias/lobos/bowerbankis and any large chalice

Takes a long time to pack but unpacking is super quick. Setting up a frag tank is a PITA IMO. Too much time and mess plus in order to get it to look good you have to have it up for a day at least. And its more stressful for your corals too.

 

[waxy]

I'm sure it's worth the time and effort to set up a mini frag tank to display your collection.

Not sure about corals be more stressed in the bag, or in the tank though

 

[laskopyre]

I pick up styro "soup cups" of two different sizes from my local GFS store. They work awesome for holding coral, and do not require much water. I also pick up the larger clear "deli cups" for any colonies or big coral I'm taking. I pack it all up in a styro box (I have a million from shipments, but you can get them fro your LFS) and load it in the car. Works great, quick, insulated, easy...

+1 Unless you are setting up a table with lights and a tank, this is the easiest way. It's cheap and easy. You can use a sharpy to write on containers, for people that pre-ordered something. You can also do that to write down what it is for resale. Easy transport, and easy to give to the customer. It's pre-packaged so you don't have to worry about doing that while you are there.

 

[lReef lKeeper]

i always set up a drilled 20 long with a 5 gallon bucket sump. and a mag 7 return pump. the pump usually keeps the water warm but i throw a heater in the bucket, just in case. i usually transport everything in a large cooler that i have fitted with frag racks. it sounds like a lot of work, but the tank stays set up year around, all i have to do is lay the return manifold on top of it and add the water from the cooler.

dont forget to take extra tank water for bagging the corals on site.

 

[tangdiver]

Nice, nice, nice......

i always set up a drilled 20 long with a 5 gallon bucket sump. and a mag 7 return pump. the pump usually keeps the water warm but i throw a heater in the bucket, just in case. i usually transport everything in a large cooler that i have fitted with frag racks. it sounds like a lot of work, but the tank stays set up year around, all i have to do is lay the return manifold on top of it and add the water from the cooler.

dont forget to take extra tank water for bagging the corals on site.