New tool for shipping

[LizStreithorst]

It's gotten so my old arthritic hands have a hard time sealing fish bags with rubber bands. It amazes me how it only takes a couple of seconds for most people to do it. One of my Aquabid customers suggested this tool to me. It looks so great. My worries about leaking bags are hopefully over. I ordered one on Amazon yesterday and it will be here tomorrow. I can't wait to try it. I have a huge order of rams going out Monday and this will be such a help and also greatly reduce the stress I feel when I ship. I'll let y'all know how it works after I try it.

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+heat+seal+fish+bags+for+shipping&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS991US991&oq=how+to+heat+seal+fish+bags&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j33i160.15899j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:c117af30,vid:LVod99oa0rg

[brewmaster15]

I will be watching for that Liz.. As you know I am a bit of a nut when I bag things to ship. Hope it works out for you!

Al

[LizStreithorst]

Yes you are. With all the people wanting your baby SS a while back I'm surprised that your hands didn't fall off.

[jeep]

Years ago I bought 6 adult Mandarin Passions from Henry D for a really good price. When they arrived the next day, the bags had all leaked and all the fish were dead. He had used a heat sealer and it didn't seal. Broke my heart!!!

[LizStreithorst]

Man, I didn't need to hear that. If the seal is good it should not leak. It's easy to test the bag before shipping. I wonder if he might have added too much O2 and the bag got too tight and sprung a leak. I'm still gonna try the thing and test it well before depend on it for shipping.

[Charlyc11]

Liz that's what I use with breather bags. The sealer should have the wide heat element. It works great but need to be careful controlling the temperature setting and letting cool off in the down position and then let go. Also is good for repairing faulty bags. I no failures so far.

I got it at Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B7KJTJWP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1


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[LizStreithorst]

What do you ship in breather bags, Chuck?

[Charlyc11]

PBR's one per bag and heat seal. In the photo you see on the right my first test it's been laying around for months. On top of the box is what I been using aqpkg. I have done at least 20 shipments with no failures. I wrap them in newspaper so they don't touch each other or the heat pad. I don't have O2 so I use these.

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[LizStreithorst]

Where do you buy those boxes, Chuck?

[Charlyc11]

The box is what the bags were shipped in from aqpkg.com. They sell the medium flat rate insulation for the USPS boxes also 20 for $75 that makes them $3.75 each. I know you make your own but not a bad price for the precut. Since I ship UPS, I bought the boxes from amazon pack of 25 for $29.

[LizStreithorst]

You're right about that but I'll stick with how I'm doing it even though cutting styro for boxes is one of my least favorite chores. If it saves me a bit of money I'm for it. I'll be dumpster diving for boxes today.

[Charlyc11]

I still make my own liner unless I have a box from a fish buy that I can recycle. I am a pause for now I had a sick tank on QT for a while and now is vacation time to head to Florida for a week. I have to make things easy for my house, dog, turtle, cat and fish sitter.



You're right about that but I'll stick with how I'm doing it even though cutting styro for boxes is one of my least favorite chores. If it saves me a bit of money I'm for it. I'll be dumpster diving for boxes today.

[LizStreithorst]

My sealer arrived today and I really want to play with it. I guess I spent too much time shopping at the dollar store and supermarket. I had fun until I arrived at the checkout.

[Charlyc11]

Wich one did you get? Did you get the wide heat element 5mm? I return my first buy that had a 2 mm heat element. Let me know if you have any questions.

[LizStreithorst]

I bought the one that was like the one in the video. I didn't know that there was better quality. I hope that mine lasts.

[Charlyc11]

They all just as good but the 5 mm heat element you get a wider seal.

[LizStreithorst]

Now I know for when this one eventually gives up the ghost.

[CliffsDiscus]

Liz, check out Joe Gargas posting on Aquabid, he uses the breathable bags but it sound like the Discus are only Dime size, this is good for anyone that doesn't an oxygen tank.

[LizStreithorst]

Yes, the Discus he sells are tiny and can go in breather bags. I have O2 and feel more comfortable using real bags.

[LizStreithorst]

It turns out that I bought the wrong one. I used it twice on 4" 2 mil bags and the fish arrived alive and well, so I was pumped to use it on the big shipment. Unfortunately the seal didn't hold on the 6" bags I used and all but one of the bags had burst at the seam. thankfully I had more fish so I could replace them. I used the the old knot this time and the fish made it fine, although the bags were somewhat deflated. I'm all out of fish to sell now except for a single male Black ram that'll go out tomorrow. I have 10 breather bags arriving today. I'll try the first breather bag on that fish. The more I read about the breather bags the better they sound for soft bodied fish like rams. When I get Discus fry, I'll have to hire someone to help me do the rubber banding. She used to work at my LPS and she has banded millions of bags. I hate to have to hire someone to do something that I should be able to do myself, but it is what it is.

[Vanman]

Could you twist, fold over, and use a cable tie? If so I have cable ties that you are welcome to.

[CliffsDiscus]

Liz, have you seen something with metal ring use with a plier. Some call this cattle collar.

[Charlyc11]

Liz
The breather bags are great that's what I use with the sealer, but I went with a lot of testing to find the correct temperature and you can always double seal. see if you can get the wide 5mm element for yours.



It turns out that I bought the wrong one. I used it twice on 4" 2 mil bags and the fish arrived alive and well, so I was pumped to use it on the big shipment. Unfortunately the seal didn't hold on the 6" bags I used and all but one of the bags had burst at the seam. thankfully I had more fish so I could replace them. I used the the old knot this time and the fish made it fine, although the bags were somewhat deflated. I'm all out of fish to sell now except for a single male Black ram that'll go out tomorrow. I have 10 breather bags arriving today. I'll try the first breather bag on that fish. The more I read about the breather bags the better they sound for soft bodied fish like rams. When I get Discus fry, I'll have to hire someone to help me do the rubber banding. She used to work at my LPS and she has banded millions of bags. I hate to have to hire someone to do something that I should be able to do myself, but it is what it is.

[LizStreithorst]

Could you twist, fold over, and use a cable tie? If so I have cable ties that you are welcome to.

I've used zip ties, Greg. Sometimes they worked and sometimes they didn't, same as my knots. And I to zip or knot them as tight as I can. I think that this is a problem with me, not with the methods I've used. KNowing the way I am, I should be good at this kind of thing that is so easy for others.

[LizStreithorst]

Liz, have you seen something with metal ring use with a plier. Some call this cattle collar.

I haven't heard the "cattle collar", Cliff. I'll look into it, but I know that my hands aren't as strong as they were. I don't know how good at squeezing the plyers would work for them.

[LizStreithorst]

Liz
The breather bags are great that's what I use with the sealer, but I went with a lot of testing to find the correct temperature and you can always double seal. see if you can get the wide 5mm element for yours.

The company that makes mine only has the one narrow element. I do double seal with mine already. I used it today to seal the breather bag I'll be taking to the shipping place after I post. Then I'll be on pins and needles for a day until the box arrives.

I'll have no fish ready to ship for another month so I'll put the whole thing out of my mind.

Thanks for you're help, everyone. It's not like all my fish shipping ends in disaster. Most fish arrive fine, and everyone is happy. It's just hard on me when there's a problem. I want all my orders to arrive perfectly, and it shouldn't be this hard.

[Charlyc11]

If you bought it in Amazon you might be able to return it. That's what did and got the one with the 5 mm element.





The company that makes mine only has the one narrow element. I do double seal with mine already. I used it today to seal the breather bag I'll be taking to the shipping place after I post. Then I'll be on pins and needles for a day until the box arrives.

I'll have no fish ready to ship for another month so I'll put the whole thing out of my mind.

Thanks for you're help, everyone. It's not like all my fish shipping ends in disaster. Most fish arrive fine, and everyone is happy. It's just hard on me when there's a problem. I want all my orders to arrive perfectly, and it shouldn't be this hard.

[LizStreithorst]

I'd rather find it a good home. If a neighbor doesn't want it, I'll take it to a Good Will store. It'll work great for sealing lots of stuff. It just didn't work well for me with fish bags. I'll buy one like yours before I ship again.
6
Where do you get your breather bags, Chuck, and what size do you buy. Are there breather bags that will hold 3 to 6 adult Rams?

[Charlyc11]

I got some from aqpkg.com but there out of the smaller quantities of the 5.5 x 8" you don't need any bigger for one or two rams in a bag if you use the sealer. Now Aquatic arts has them also and just as good. Aquabid has some larger ones all expensive but worth it if no 02 is needed and no air pocket.

Aqpkg Link

https://www.aqpkg.com/collections/poly-bags/products/aquatic-packaging-life-support-bags?variant=22847314722874

Aquatic Arts Link:

https://aquaticarts.com/products/aquatic-arts-breather-bags?_pos=1&_sid=2a55801f8&_ss=r&variant=39384601886806

[LizStreithorst]

Thanks for your help and the info, Chuck.

[coralbandit]

Rubber bands killed my fingers.
I got one of these;
https://www.amazon.com/OdontoMed2011-ECONOMY-CASTRATION-BANDER-HANDLE/dp/B072B912V1/ref=sr_1_21?adgrpid=1341404748444906&hvadid=83838035987186&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=105664&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83838136044087%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=29009_14559980&keywords=cattle+castrator&qid=1688317443&sr=8-21
I still preferred tying.
Let me know if you want to give it a try and I will send it to you Liz.

[LizStreithorst]

Thanks Tom, but I tried the one I had laying around from back when I bred goats. I used it for castrating my baby bucks. I didn't like it for that because the poor animal walked around all scrunched up for a week. I ended up doing it the old fashioned way, with a scalpel blade. Plus the dogs gathered around for the testicle treat every time. On the fish bags I didn't think that those bands gave a very secure seal.

I used the heat sealer on the breather bag when I shipped a ram last week. The fish arrived alive and well even after being a day late. I think the heat sealer does the best job, I just need to get the better quality one.

[LizStreithorst]

Has anyone tried breather bags shipping young quarter size Discus? The breather bags are a lot tougher than they look.

[Charlyc11]

There pretty tough I through them around for a wile to see if the would burst but it took a lot of force.

[LizStreithorst]

I'm more worried about punctures from their pointy little fins.