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Unread 03/05/2014, 09:04 PM   #161
Dave & Monica
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Aurora, CO
Posts: 1,255
Bag sealers
Purpose: Keeps water and of course coral inside the bag without leaking.

Rubber Bands:
Time tested and true. Technique is important here and who isn’t impressed when LFS does it and makes it look so easy? As of now I am targeting to use an impulse sealer, since I am under the impression that air inside the coral bag is not required. If O2 is beneficial, or needed, I am not sure if the impulse sealer is the best way forward, I’ll address more below under O2.

Metal Claspers:
Most of the orders I’ve received have had this. Not sure on the investment, vice going with the sealer, but it can be used for other stuff around the house. Still, the bag with clasp is sort of like of rubber band in that there is technique. Positive is also there are no maintenance items like the heating element for sealer. For some reason though, I’m still more comfortable with the sealer.

Hot Impulse sealer:
I like how clean and strong this looks. Bottom line is the seal can be seen, and I feel more comfortable knowing the water will not leak. Also, it seems the sealer method creates slimmer or more compact package, which results in a smaller box. When I receive big boxes from some of the prominent stores – one doesn’t realize how much that would cost a hobbyist to send another hobbyist a box that size overnight. $80-$100 for sure just for the shipping. Again, I’m trying to figure out the best most compact economical way to ship to ensure the corals get to where they are going and arrive alive, and survive.

Bags
Purpose: Holds the coral and water together, duh. Challenges are to withstand some hard coral potentially rubbing up against the bag liner and obviously hold the water in without leaking. Also to have coral suspended or free floating where it is not going to either poke against the bag wall creating a leak or damage the coral. Using a cup where the plug is zipped or glued to the cup to separate the coral from bag is a great idea. The bag also provides some insulation factor so thinker is a bit better in my opinion.

Bag thickness: Between 2-4 mil thickness is what I’ve read. Since I’m going with the impulse sealer method, I will triple bag, using two 4 mil bags, and one with a 3 mil bag. If I use a specimen cup for zoas, I’ll likely just double bag. FedEx shipping requirement “double bagging fish in minimum 4 mil thick plastic bags” To them Fish and coral are the same. Seemed pretty reasonable in price for 4 mil. http://www.uline.com/BL_109/4-Mil-Industrial-Poly-Bags

Bag width and length: Want the width of the bag wide enough for small (1-2") or large (2-4”) frags, but also to fit a specimen cup, float disk, or extra water if needed. Length if using the impulse sealer isn’t as important given you have enough to work with or are not wasting half the bag cutting off excess. Getting this right is kind of important if you buying bags by the box of 1000. Still need some more research and testing on this. The recommended bag size is all over the map.

Delivery services are not happy when salt water leaks all over the place and gets things wet, so the shipping bags should be placed inside a heavy-duty plastic bag liner (33 gallon Hefty type garbage bags) that is inserted inside the foam liner or coffin box in case water leakage occurs.


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