Buying livestock 4 hours away...

SHOmuchFUN · 04/28/2008, 05:39 PM

I'm considering buying the contents of a reefer's tank and driving it back to my place... The drive is about 4 hours long.

My question revolves around me having to do anything special...
If I keep the car warm enough on the drive, would I need to do anything else? The contents will be in buckets and rubbermaid containers.

Any sort of special considerations?

RockStarFish · 04/28/2008, 05:43 PM

use coolers and make sure the livestock is in large enough gags.bag fish sepret

SHOmuchFUN · 04/28/2008, 07:12 PM

Are coolers necessary?

LobsterOfJustice · 04/28/2008, 08:31 PM

You will be fine with the livestock simply in buckets, I have done this numerous times. Coolers, heat packs, and battery air pumps are all good (certainly won't hurt), but you will be fine without.

Macimage · 04/28/2008, 08:58 PM

Coolers are a good idea to keep the bags warm. Although room and/or car temperature may seem warm, I have noticed that in my 80 degree fish room that when I have the bags out that for a while to add tank water that the temp drops into the 70's. I don't really know why.

If you can bag them and add oxygen as they do at the fish store, you'll be fine. Otherwise, air pumps will be necessary.

Joyce

Snowboarda42 · 04/28/2008, 09:26 PM

I just drove 3 hours back from my "LFS" with livestock. They usually have styrofoam coolers that they'll give you. Remember too, lots of air in the bags, and about 1/4-1/3 water

szwab · 04/28/2008, 10:09 PM

LFS usually have them coming out the wazoo should just have to ask and they usually say how many do you need?

SHOmuchFUN · 04/29/2008, 05:42 AM

Thanks for the replies.

saveafish · 04/29/2008, 05:51 AM

If you dont have oxygen to add to the bags add one just (1) drop of hydrin proxide per five (5) gallon of water this will add your oxygen and the bags should be no more than 1/3 the way full

dc · 04/29/2008, 08:24 AM

I pick up fish with my friend. They pretty much stay in bags for 24 hours. The people that ship fish in the selling don't all use oxygen, so I can't see any problems. If you're making stops, coolers would be a good idea to keep the temp. consistant, but if you're coming straight home, just boxes would be fine. Buckets are kind of messy IMO anyway, but they will work.

AustinVines · 04/29/2008, 09:02 AM

I had a similar drive and here is what I did. I took coolers for the rock and as many jugs as I could get for the water. In one of the 5 gallon jugs, we put in all the fish and I had a battery operated airstone that supplied the o2 for the trip.

The live stock was none-to-pleased by the change of venue (six line on his side and the purple tang bleached to a light blue), but did not lose a fish. I had about 35g of new salt water waiting for me when I got home, we acid bathed the tank and everything else and set it back up. The fish were in the jug for 8 hours. If I ever transfer another tank, this would be the way I did it.

04/28/2008, 05:39 PM	#1
SHOmuchFUN Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Vermont Posts: 4,461	Buying livestock 4 hours away... I'm considering buying the contents of a reefer's tank and driving it back to my place... The drive is about 4 hours long. My question revolves around me having to do anything special... If I keep the car warm enough on the drive, would I need to do anything else? The contents will be in buckets and rubbermaid containers. Any sort of special considerations? __________________ Erik Engstrom President, Vermont Marine Aquarists. Current Tank Info: Custom 180gal, 6x80w ATI T-5s, (2) Tunze 6025, Vortec MP40w, MSX200 w/ red demon, controlled by AcJR.

04/28/2008, 07:12 PM	#3
SHOmuchFUN Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Vermont Posts: 4,461	Are coolers necessary? __________________ Erik Engstrom President, Vermont Marine Aquarists. Current Tank Info: Custom 180gal, 6x80w ATI T-5s, (2) Tunze 6025, Vortec MP40w, MSX200 w/ red demon, controlled by AcJR.

04/28/2008, 08:31 PM	#4
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	You will be fine with the livestock simply in buckets, I have done this numerous times. Coolers, heat packs, and battery air pumps are all good (certainly won't hurt), but you will be fine without. __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

04/28/2008, 09:26 PM	#6
Snowboarda42 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Warshington Posts: 1,094	I just drove 3 hours back from my "LFS" with livestock. They usually have styrofoam coolers that they'll give you. Remember too, lots of air in the bags, and about 1/4-1/3 water __________________ 40B Mixed Reef 100% Captive Grown Corals See, that's the trouble with the world today. Not enough danger to kill off stupid people before they get old enough to breed. Bring back lawn darts! -PrivateJoker64 Current Tank Info: 40B, 20L Sump/Fuge, Mag 9.5 Return, 2x Hydor Koralia #2's, 150W 14K HQI, 139W T-5, Euro-Reef RS-80P Mesh Modded, 40LB LR, 80LB LS, 54x Turnover, Mostly SPS, Some Softys Too.

04/28/2008, 10:09 PM	#7
szwab RC Mod Join Date: May 2002 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 15,225	LFS usually have them coming out the wazoo should just have to ask and they usually say how many do you need? __________________ Mark "I got a fever, and the only prescription, is more cowbell" ~ Christopher Walken Current Tank Info: AGE 240 Flatback Hex

04/28/2008, 05:43 PM	#2
RockStarFish Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: SLC,UTAH Posts: 477	use coolers and make sure the livestock is in large enough gags.bag fish sepret

04/28/2008, 08:58 PM	#5
Macimage Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Quartz Hill Posts: 4,078	Coolers are a good idea to keep the bags warm. Although room and/or car temperature may seem warm, I have noticed that in my 80 degree fish room that when I have the bags out that for a while to add tank water that the temp drops into the 70's. I don't really know why. If you can bag them and add oxygen as they do at the fish store, you'll be fine. Otherwise, air pumps will be necessary. Joyce

04/29/2008, 05:42 AM	#8
SHOmuchFUN Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Vermont Posts: 4,461	Thanks for the replies. __________________ Erik Engstrom President, Vermont Marine Aquarists. Current Tank Info: Custom 180gal, 6x80w ATI T-5s, (2) Tunze 6025, Vortec MP40w, MSX200 w/ red demon, controlled by AcJR.

04/29/2008, 05:51 AM	#9
saveafish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: indiana Posts: 873	If you dont have oxygen to add to the bags add one just (1) drop of hydrin proxide per five (5) gallon of water this will add your oxygen and the bags should be no more than 1/3 the way full __________________ If it was'nt for the sea I could not see or sing ( Jimmy Buffet ) I like to glue animals to rocks and put disturbing amounts of electricity and saltwater next to each other Reefing is'nt how long you been in it. It is how deep you get in it. Current Tank Info: 400g display build, 300g sump, 75g ATO, 75g refug and a few more. Close to a 1000g. 200g mixing station.

04/29/2008, 08:24 AM	#10
dc Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Wyoming Posts: 44,684	I pick up fish with my friend. They pretty much stay in bags for 24 hours. The people that ship fish in the selling don't all use oxygen, so I can't see any problems. If you're making stops, coolers would be a good idea to keep the temp. consistant, but if you're coming straight home, just boxes would be fine. Buckets are kind of messy IMO anyway, but they will work. __________________ Debi ~60 Cube~ Why? Because I said so of course. -Sent via Tapatalk Smoke Signals-

04/29/2008, 09:02 AM	#11
AustinVines Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: One guess Posts: 219	I had a similar drive and here is what I did. I took coolers for the rock and as many jugs as I could get for the water. In one of the 5 gallon jugs, we put in all the fish and I had a battery operated airstone that supplied the o2 for the trip. The live stock was none-to-pleased by the change of venue (six line on his side and the purple tang bleached to a light blue), but did not lose a fish. I had about 35g of new salt water waiting for me when I got home, we acid bathed the tank and everything else and set it back up. The fish were in the jug for 8 hours. If I ever transfer another tank, this would be the way I did it.