I’m Venting! Follow My Math.

[pandaparties]

The coral rx may be a bit harsh on sbb as they are dipped in kcl before bagging. I follow with a kcl dip before I put in my tank and my survival is high 90s

I dip in rx without issues. And comparing shipped corals to local just is always going to tend to local. Shipping is very stressful. You could try buying from TSA/WWC local and ship them to yourself overnight and see how they do lol.

FWIW I've lost 2/2 from WWC which they refused to replace. I've had pretty good luck from TSA and like them. I'm at like 95/100 from SBB and can't say enough good things.

I'll also say I know SBB runs higher nutrients and it could just be a bigger difference in Params compared to the other two

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I dip in rx without issues. And comparing shipped corals to local just is always going to tend to local. Shipping is very stressful. You could try buying from TSA/WWC local and ship them to yourself overnight and see how they do lol.

FWIW I've lost 2/2 from WWC which they refused to replace. I've had pretty good luck from TSA and like them. I'm at like 95/100 from SBB and can't say enough good things.

I'll also say I know SBB runs higher nutrients and it could just be a bigger difference in Params compared to the other two

So that's a 0% survival rate for WWC!

 

[Kasrift]

I dip in rx without issues. And comparing shipped corals to local just is always going to tend to local. Shipping is very stressful. You could try buying from TSA/WWC local and ship them to yourself overnight and see how they do lol.

FWIW I've lost 2/2 from WWC which they refused to replace. I've had pretty good luck from TSA and like them. I'm at like 95/100 from SBB and can't say enough good things.

I'll also say I know SBB runs higher nutrients and it could just be a bigger difference in Params compared to the other two

Lol, UPS would lose the package because they'd be too confused with it shipping to the same address.

 

[billyocean]

Shane just said they spray them and not necessarily dip them before shipping..my bad. I have yet to find a pest and over a hundred fifty or so Corals but I dip regardless

 

[AKL1950]

Sorry, I’m back.

Spent the last hour talking to Ralph. He is really leaning forward to help me figure this out. Pretty happy. He’s not real sure about the Coral RX being an issue, but we can’t find anything else, so we will work that issue and a couple of other possibilities.

I cannot say enough about how positive he/SBB is to help fix this. Not sure if I should say what he is going to do for me, but believe me, it is way over the top and more than I would have ever expected. Don’t think I would ever get this kind of customer support from anyone else.

 

[Kasrift]

Sorry, I’m back.

Spent the last hour talking to Ralph. He is really leaning forward to help me figure this out. Pretty happy. He’s not real sure about the Coral RX being an issue, but we can’t find anything else, so we will work that issue and a couple of other possibilities.

I cannot say enough about how positive he/SBB is to help fix this. Not sure if I should say what he is going to do for me, but believe me, it is way over the top and more than I would have ever expected. Don’t think I would ever get this kind of customer support from anyone else.

One reason I keep going back. Very happy with SBB and one of two vendors that are mainstays for me. I've tried a few others and haven't had issues, just love the level of support from SBB.

 

[billyocean]

Sorry, I’m back.

Spent the last hour talking to Ralph. He is really leaning forward to help me figure this out. Pretty happy. He’s not real sure about the Coral RX being an issue, but we can’t find anything else, so we will work that issue and a couple of other possibilities.

I cannot say enough about how positive he/SBB is to help fix this. Not sure if I should say what he is going to do for me, but believe me, it is way over the top and more than I would have ever expected. Don’t think I would ever get this kind of customer support from anyone else.

You don't...that's why it's my number one choice.

 

[Dan_P]

Can’t get this out of my head, so thought I would share and get other opinions.

Since I started buying corals for my new tank (first corals went in one year ago), here is the survivability numbers. Total of 75 corals, mostly Acropora. Company A, 51 coals, one death for a 98% survival rate. Company B, 12 corals, zero deaths for a 100% survival rate. Company C, 13 corals, 4 deaths for a 69% survival rate. Of the corals from company C, two to three more don’t look like they will make it, which will bring it down to a 54% survival rate.

If I just look at the numbers, it seems that I should never buy corals from Company C again, because their survival rate is pretty bad. But, the question I can’t seem to answer is why. All three companies are very respected and have a good reputations in the industry.

Options I’ve considered are; 1) Their corals aren’t that healthy, 2) They are the only corals I have shipped to me (Companies A and B I pick up locally), 3) My system parameters and much different from theirs causing too much stress on their corals in my tank, 4) Any combination of the first three.

I hate losing corals and would really like to find an answer, but still can’t find one the makes since. Looking for thoughts, opinions or ideas as to why I can’t keep corals from one company alive, but those from other companies are thriving and growing well.

What am I missing?

If you bought the same species from each company and only the company that has to ship them has a high death rate, you are left with two possibilities: it is the company or the shipping.

it would be an interesting experiment. Also you might just ship some coral that you pick up to yourself and see if the joy ride is the killer.

 

[billyocean]

I forgot two sbb bags floating in my sump for 2 days and both acros were fine.

 

[AKL1950]

Ralph is sending me the info on the dipping solution they use and wants me to change the membranes in my RO/DI system. That’s it for now. We’ll do a couple of practice frags and see what happens.

 

[billyocean]

...

 

[billyocean]

Wrong thread..lol

 

[Kasrift]

Wrong thread..lol

You've been doing that a lot lately. Stress of your new build must be getting to you haha.

 

[billyocean]

You've been doing that a lot lately. Stress of your new build must be getting to you haha.

More like seeing something being done wrong at work all the time

 

[Joe462]

Looks like you are getting it sorted. But as others have said 1.shipping is very stressful 2. The types of acros you are getting, some types are vastly more hardy than others and SBB deals in some of the more touchy, tenuis, smoothies, Speciosa, even milli can pre pretty temperamental hard to make valid comparisons with out considering that. 3. While I’m sure the vendors try to ship healthy specimens I wouldn’t discount that you (probably?) hand pick the frags you buy from the other two, meaning you are probably buying the healthiest looking ones.

And who knows, that’s not a very big sample size, and I think for most of us while it can be painful some losses is very normal in keeping acros, well and coral in general but mor so with acros

 

[Janet Belanger]

I have nothing scientific to add here but I can confirm that shipping stress is no joke for fish and coral. Also if the corals were fresh cut, in my experience that can/will make a difference. You'll want them healed up before the shipping and new tank stressor.