Transporting frags home from Vacation

[hig789]

We are heading to Destin the week after next and I had planned on bringing some stuff back since our LFS pretty well sucks. It is a 9 hour drive and I plan on buying them right before we leave. We are driving at night so the kiddos can sleep.

Any tips to make it easier on the frags? Planed on taking a cooler to put them in. Do I need a heater of some sort to keep them warm?

 

[143MPCo]

The cooler is a great idea, only other thing you should add is either a hand warmer pack or ice pack but weather temp will determine which one to use.

Which ever way you go, wrap them in paper towels and sit them on top of the transport bag. Never directly place them next to the plastic-water in the bags...

Hope that helps.

 

[hig789]

The cooler is a great idea, only other thing you should add is either a hand warmer pack or ice pack but weather temp will determine which one to use.

Which ever way you go, wrap them in paper towels and sit them on top of the transport bag. Never directly place them next to the plastic-water in the bags...

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the tip. Not sure. Probably will be hand warmers though since the a/c will likely be on in the van.

 

[Oscaror]

The cooler is a great idea, only other thing you should add is either a hand warmer pack or ice pack but weather temp will determine which one to use.

Which ever way you go, wrap them in paper towels and sit them on top of the transport bag. Never directly place them next to the plastic-water in the bags...

Hope that helps.

agreed

 

[jolt]

I've done this. I also threw a thermometer in the cooler between some of the bags at water level. I did pull the hand warmers out for a while based on that, and then put them back in when the temp fell again.

 

[hig789]

Would a clown be okay to transport home also? Id rather pick it out in person vs ordering online.

 

[Reefinny Verified Sponsor]

I would think in a cooler you will have no issues. Dont keep opening it. Also have them pack in larger bags with more water. not small frag bags.

 

[tfink660]

yah they will be fine consider when ordering online they are transported for more then 24 hours..

 

[hig789]

That's what I figured. Just wanted to be sure.

 

[143MPCo]

Not that this is a must have

Would a clown be okay to transport home also? Id rather pick it out in person vs ordering online.

yes, keep in mind that over-night delivery's (online retailers) from time of bagging to carrier pickup, transport, and delivery can take up 24hrs or more, and the coral and fish 99% of the time arrive just fine...some LFS are even now injecting oxygen directly into the transport bag to aid in oxygen exchange.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

This is safer than shipping. Fewer variables and less time. Just keep them well-insulated, and they should be fine. I've done this plenty of times from Virginia to Ohio (about 8-12 hours depending on how my kids do).

 

[hig789]

This is safer than shipping. Fewer variables and less time. Just keep them well-insulated, and they should be fine. I've done this plenty of times from Virginia to Ohio (about 8-12 hours depending on how my kids do).

Yeah I was just going to take a styrofoam cooler. Going to be about the same for us, 8-10 hours, also depending on the little ones. Figure at least I'll be careful not to move it around a lot or shake it like shipping them would.

 

[Budman's Corals]

If ya come thru Montgomery Alabama u could always hit me up i have a bunch frags available. Less travel time too. Lol. But cooler is best bet

 

[hig789]

If ya come thru Montgomery Alabama u could always hit me up i have a bunch frags available. Less travel time too. Lol. But cooler is best bet

I appreciate that but we will be leaving at probably 10pm cst hoping the little ones will sleep most of the way.

 

[Budman's Corals]

I hear ya on that. Safe travel..

 

[mic209]

Since Petco is our LFS, I have become a pro at transporting coral and fish home from vacation. Honestly 9 hours is nothing and don't worry about warmers or ice packs if you're driving straight home, just keep them in a cooler and you'll be good. At this time of the year, if you were driving during the day and planned on making pit stops that were longer than an hour or more, then I would suggest using an ice pack to keep things cool while the car heats up from the sun. As far as hand warmers, unless you're A/C can get your car to below freezing temps, you have nothing to worry about. Last year all the stuff I got from reef a palooza in California where in a box for almost 30 hours. 20 of that was in the hotel that we kept around 65 degrees, and the other 10 was traveling in the car which included a few stops and everything was at 78 degrees when I got home, never used a heat pack or ice pack.

 

[mrjlopez731]

Well I have a Mitsubishi Montero Jeep, so the extra space in the back help me a lot. I got a transformer that changes my extra car lighter in the back into an AC current for a air pump with air stone and small heater. My trip was from FL to NY, almost 24 hour drive. Everything made it back alive, that included 2 fish and corals, I put it all into a large cooler.

 

[Chris-tico]

and what about international vacation. for example. i live in Costa Rica. i go to USA like twice a year.
i'`ve never buy frags. but this could help me for my next vacations

 

[hig789]

and what about international vacation. for example. i live in Costa Rica. i go to USA like twice a year.
i'`ve never buy frags. but this could help me for my next vacations

Wouldn't this be like exporting though? Not sure how that would work since the frag aren't native to the U.S.

 

[big blue]

It would go like this... Customs, do you have anything to declare? You, uhh no? Lol