Imported/Transhipped corals? "West to East coast"

[eddie]

I TOTALY respect MARY & SEAMAIDEN & You but they are not the only ones in the world with the skills or potintal skills & knowledge to do this
but if they let me know all they know then what would that lead to...

I only claim to want to have skills.. & looking unbias advice & bias

my recent acusition of funding & purchase of a large Taylor woodfired boiler for the greenhouse spured my intrest in transhipping 10-15 idonesian box orders since I now have almost free heat without power for those 3 bad months out the year I face


IM ONLY HUMAN

but I also understand the needed aliance between the few business orieanted people that seem to attack me since I will be providing a competitive service that could potintaly stand alone aginst other larger retailers

far as a business plan

I let someone else do that for me & it is a ongoing process seems Im just helping & learning still

I'll just be doing the manual labor really

FWIW I grew up in the Florida Keys area & lived in a family that collected from the keys for pet shops in the 70's-80's

I have extensive experiance with salt aquariums from childhood

my goal is to be able to atleast operate a greenhouse the size mentioned in Anthonys book on private property to provide a service to hobbiest local & abroad that is competative aginst larger companys

I do have potintal funding & ground to grow large as I could ever imagine

my experiance grows each day

as I change my mind and say

dang I wish I knew that last year

btw I do have a very good full time job that I work 4 10 hr days that I have'nt quit yet so dont worry 2 much about me

I'll be fine...

I thought changing your mind & taking chances was part of life.

 

[eddie]

mary

I dint catch your last post at first

THANK YOU

you wouldnt even tranship the same corals people are shipping priority thru TRADING

 

[JennM]

::::deep breath:::::

Nevermind.

 

[chriss]

Eddie,
This is just a thought, but since you're in the Southeast, why don't you just focus on Carribean corals? You wouldn't be dealing with as many issues with shipping imo.

 

[eddie]

chriss

THANKS for the input

I'm personaly interested in SPS so....

but I did just recieve a large shippment of turbos this morning from the keys

I will have a large selection of florida corals both cultured sps/fish & also wild carribean corals

Jenn I am hearing you ..you are just so aggressive & negative u must be doing extremly well for yourself since you seem to know so much....

Thanks for your efforts also but people have differant prespectives in all walks of life IMO & I try to keep a open mind I dont just take other(authority figures) advice as gospel before futher investigation though I do seriously consider those who I consider experts advice as being plan A

I have'nt disputed any advice given from those I feel are experts yet just asked more quetions

thats how I learn

 

[JennM]

chriss

Jenn I am hearing you ..you are just so aggressive & negative u must be doing extremly well for yourself since you seem to know so much....

Respectfully, you are not hearing me. I'm not negative at all. I am REALISTIC.

I too, went out on a limb starting my own aquarium business -- but I did a heck of a lot of research first, I didn't rely on somebody else to, and I worked for somebody else for a year, FIRST. That after spending almost 15 years as a hobbyist...

If I wasn't trying to be helpful I would flame you, or more probably, since I don't think flaming is constructive (and goodness knows I've seen lots of "flammable" stuff on this board LOL! ) I wouldn't post at all.

Jenn

 

[eddie]

OK then Jenn but

Im sure you & most here dont have much if any experiance running a large greenhouse so how can you you tell me I hav'nt planned f. MY situation is'nt like yours nor are my goals..not much info you have given has actualy been on the same page yet IMO but I do THANK YOU ANYWAY & think you ARE TRYING to help me

REALISTICLY I could never quit my job & work in a LFS that in my experiance I have been more experianced at actualy keeping coral than them .....for A MAJOR income cut like $25 k per year to learn little that I dont learn just hanging out there once & awhile
1 LFS in paticular in Raliegh has stood out for me as knowledgable & I plan to do alot of work with him since we seem on similar pages

for instance I just brought 4 of my 400 watt halides to improve his SPS holding/display tank... I plan to sell on consinment to him

I wish we'd meet in person or talk over the phone since Im not the best typer

I think you'll see Im well experianced in keeping corals ALIVE & HEALTHY

& my intentions are in the right place

BTW I recived personal mail from someone TRUELY seeming to help that understands my situation it seems

so this thread was'nt in vain to me

I'll learn dont worry

thanks also to all who responded to the thread

I'd love to hear more

btw jenn I have ATLEAST 15 years experiance as a hobbiest FWIW

 

[naesco]

You will learn all right.
The problem is in your learning it will cost the lives on hundreds of corals and fish. That way of learning is dated thinking and completely unacceptable the almost all of the members of this forum.
LURK and learn please

 

[Anonymous]

NOT to mention that Mr. Calfo will more than likely find this manner of going about things absolutely abhorrent. I'll just ask him myself, though.

 

[JennM]

Im sure you & most here dont have much if any experiance running a large greenhouse so how can you you tell me I hav'nt planned f. MY situation is'nt like yours nor are my goals..not much info you have given has actualy been on the same page yet IMO but I do THANK YOU ANYWAY & think you ARE TRYING to help me

Nope I've never run a greenhouse -- I'm not a horticulturalist. In fact I just have to look at a terrestrial plant and it dies. But that wasn't your question. Your question was about transhipping to your location from the West coast, and that's what I tried to answer, and Mary and Seamaiden tried to answer. Naesco summed it up rather bluntly and rather accurately though -- how many things will you kill in transit? Doesn't matter if you are the best greenhouse/coral keeper in the world, if they arrive dead it's a mute point, isn't it?

REALISTICLY I could never quit my job & work in a LFS that in my experiance I have been more experianced at actualy keeping coral than them .....for A MAJOR income cut like $25 k per year to learn little that I dont learn just hanging out there once & awhile
1 LFS in paticular in Raliegh has stood out for me as knowledgable & I plan to do alot of work with him since we seem on similar pages

So is this just a sideline? Care of these animals on a large scale is a full time job for me - and I don't have a huge greenhouse/prop system or whatever, but even working 60+ hours a week I'm never caught up...

for instance I just brought 4 of my 400 watt halides to improve his SPS holding/display tank... I plan to sell on consinment to him

Best to get your cash up front -- JMO, but from experience in this industry, "pay as you go" is the best and only way....

I wish we'd meet in person or talk over the phone since Im not the best typer

Well I'm pretty much attached to my store with a short chain. Phone number's on my website, linked in my sig line -- I'm there 90 % of the time.

I think you'll see Im well experianced in keeping corals ALIVE & HEALTHY

I am sure you can, but if they arrive dead, that's irrelevant -- and again I refer back to your original question in this thread. The transit time is long, and the costs prohibitive, and in my opinion, and in that of many of my learned peers here, not a good idea based on your location.

& my intentions are in the right place

What ARE your intentions? I've read many of your postings - you want to do this part time or on the side, and undercut all the LFS, but you aren't quitting your job to make it a full time business -- would it not make more sense to set up a small scale home prop system and trade frags to your LFS for a few bucks, for the fun and experience of it? You are going at this in large proportions but are not commiting large TIME to it --

BTW I recived personal mail from someone TRUELY seeming to help that understands my situation it seems

Which makes "them" different from the rest of US as we are TRULY trying to help the animals you are so eager to experiment with in long transit.... I'll stick to door number 2 thanks...

so this thread was'nt in vain to me

It was to me... I didn't accomplish anything (again) but it was interesting to read others' point of view and know I'm not alone in my thinking.

I'll learn dont worry

At what cost? (and I'm not just talking about money.)


btw jenn I have ATLEAST 15 years experiance as a hobbiest FWIW

I've also got nearly 20 years in working in small businesses, several different KINDS of small businesses, where I did everything from scrub toilets to balancing books and budgeting -- you?

Jenn

 

[eddie]

HMMM.....jenn


let me get a few things straight

I have 3 days per week that I am totaly avalible to look after the greenhouse plus evenings

the other 4 will be done by my brother inlaw who is also well experianced & retired also my wife has lots of experiance

but we plan to TOTALY automate things so really work loads should be extremly low once going well

I now realize Transhipping is a bad idea to the east coast for NON HARDY CORALS accroding to those who have actualy done it & belive it or not I had several personal emails from people who are also experianced who did'nt negatively post to this thread .....not saying everyone who posted was negative either

I still hav'nt decided if I'll even tranship the hardy ones yet

on another note people ship all kinds of stuff priority mail thru trading OR DO YOU NOT AGREE WITH THIER SUCCESS

I just asked a few questions if I was set on transhipping I'd be picking up a box at RDU tommarro before posting to this form .........like I told the importer I wanted to ask around before transhipping

so why the attacks I never said I WAS DOING IT

I should also mention the closest LFS that even has the first coral stocked is 1 hr from me so I dont go much

my personal SPS system consists of 2 300 gal rubbermaids remotely located & connected to a 180 inside

I have given away & traded more soft corals from this system than I can count before switching over to a full blown sps system with 1000 watt 20k's actualy it was a 135 & several 45 gal sterilites connected to start

now Im sorry if you think that I should'nt setup a business like Im working on

but you should wait & see what I do before cutting me down

so all you that keep thinking Im killing animals STOP & THINK cause I hav'nt killed the FIRST thru transhipping

JUST TRYING TO LEARN ABOUT IT

also jenn all you 've talked about is how I dont plan

I've planned this greenhouse atleast 4 years

long before I even knew Calfo exsisted & Im sure you can find threads by me about it that are floating around

I was inspired by DICK PERRIN at first then Anthony

anyway I never asked the first thing about running a LFS nor is that my GOAL nor do I CARE about running one EVER

all I care is that this first greenhouse gets filled with healthy & colorfull corals
that I WILL be offering at a competitive PRICE

thats BUSINESS not buying a skilter for $12 & selling it to someone for a 90 gal for $65 & saying

ya it will work

I COULD'NT DO THAT

also I would'nt want a bunch a fish to die in transit & will never transhipp them

but dont you EAT TUNA

I have COMPASSION TO A DERGREE BUT I DO EAT THEM POOR TUNAS THOUGH

I WILL NOT TRANSHIPP YET

BUT I HAVE'NT QUIT LOOKING INTO IT

I HAVE A LONG LIST OF WHOLESALERS THAT I'll START WITH

THANK YOU AND THE REST ONCE AGIN

 

[eddie]

also for the record

cost on transhipping 10 large full boxes I was told would be around $200 thats total cost freight from Indo to CA & CA to NC

that was with reox charge which everyone has told me is worthless

NOT THAT I'LL BE TRANSHIPPING ANYWAY

just wanted to post the price I was given

 

[MaryHM]

cost on transhipping 10 large full boxes I was told would be around $200 thats total cost freight from Indo to CA & CA to NC

that was with reox charge which everyone has told me is worthless

Eddie,

You are either being lied to or are completely misunderstanding what this supplier is saying. You can figure your own freight costs- and should. An average indo box weighs 40 lbs. Current domestic freight rates are about $.65 per lb. That $260 for freight alone from LAX to RDU. That does not include tax (whatever the rate is in your area) and add another $20 if you're paying COD. Now add in the "reox" fee per box, the freight and handling charges from Indo to LAX (which are usually about $30 per box plus $4.30 per kg).

Ok, so let's add this up and get a reasonable number on 10 boxes, assuming they are 18kg each= 40 lbs

INDO-LAX
10 boxes at $30 handling/clearance/box charge per box= $300
10 boxes at $4.30 per kg x 18 kg= $774
Plus whatever the reox charge is per box (you stated earlier it's $17- I don't know if that's per box or what)
TOTAL INDO-LAX= $1074 not including reox

LAX-RDU
10 boxes at 40lb each x $.65 per lb= $260 not including tax and COD fee

TOTAL= $1334

 

[Anonymous]

but they only want $6.00 for the coral!

*snicker*

 

[JennM]

HMMM.....jenn



also jenn all you 've talked about is how I dont plan

Of course, eddie, how foolish of me. You're absolutely right, about everything.

What would I know, anyway?

I'm through trying to be helpful so I'll just stop now, before I really say something "negative". :roll:

Jenn

 

[eddie]

Marry

Thanks for the reply

if you like I'll email you the name of the importer


they even have a web site

But i prefer not to post it here

also I'd forward the email about shipping cost if you like

mabey they did'nt plan to charge from Indo to LAX

$17 per box was for the water changes

this would have brought it to around $370

but several who've emaild me agree with you that this is worthless unless they have somewhere to properly acclimate

also a few say fish & hardy corals will transhipp like this ok

once I got some experiance

Jenn THANKS


mick you must know who Im refering to

 

[MaryHM]

Eddie,

Maybe they don't plan to charge you freight from Indo to LAX?? I swear, that is the most naive statement I've ever heard. Did you see the amount I posted for freight from Indo to LAX?? It's probably about twice as much as what the animals cost!! People don't just give you free freight. Please forward me the email- I'm dying to see what is really going on here.

[email protected]

 

[eddie]

I've been told that I'd be better off flying to CA & handpicking myself from importers in the long run

this from someone who transhipped into a airport only 83 miles from me


I had been searching round trip tickets to do just that before considering just transhipping

I'd also like to mention once agin if any hobbiests near lax want to do this for me email me to talk costs

I only have one prospect so far that seems more than experianced ....I'd like to get atleast one more potintal jober to contact if things dont work out there

 

[eddie]

mary I'll sent you the email

 

[Anonymous]

You know, eddie, if I thought that you'd be a viable partner, I would be your gal. I know quality, I live under the freakin' approach path to LAX, and I know my stuff (both the animals AND how this is done).
However, I don't want to touch this with a ten foot pole. You want a hobbyist to do your picking for you?