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Post by Dan MacMillan on Feb 25, 2013 19:21:34 GMT -5
I am starting up a salt water aquarium and was wondering who on this site lives close to the ocean that is not frozen in. Reason being I would like to get a few small shells, corals, actual beach sand {the type made of crushed shells etc.} live rock. The items must come directly out of the ocean and into a plastic bag. No washing them, no drying them. Shipping must be United States Postal Service to Hanmer Ontario, Canada P3P1B1.
Can anyone help me out?
Thanks
Dan
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Post by horen2tas on Feb 25, 2013 20:25:00 GMT -5
Not sure about the corals but we got beach sand & shells galore, down here in Boynton Beach FL, how big a plastic bag were you thinking?
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Post by smyrnaguy on Feb 25, 2013 21:07:19 GMT -5
I can help you out with some Cape Lookout NC beach sand/shells.
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Post by Dan MacMillan on Feb 25, 2013 22:08:15 GMT -5
Nothing too big maybe a standard grocery bag. Not sure what shipping will cost, wet sand is heavy. Bit of sand but mostly small {no bigger than a soft ball}shells, urchin/starfish skeleton/ coral skeletons, whatever. Interesting items from the ocean.
Thanks
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Post by Dan MacMillan on Feb 25, 2013 22:10:17 GMT -5
d**n censoring, what is wrong with salt water being combined as one word?
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Post by horen2tas on Feb 25, 2013 23:05:58 GMT -5
I know that a USPS priority large box (12" x 12" x 5-1/2" ) is around $14.85 and you can send up to 75 lbs. but I'm not sure what the out of USA charge is.
11" x 8-1/2" x 5-1/2" is $12.35 in the USA
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Post by itfitz98 on Feb 26, 2013 9:55:42 GMT -5
you really probably dont want stuff directly from the ocean...it will wreak havoc on your mini ecosystem. When you do an aquarium things are cleaned for a reason, to keep all the nasty stuff out. the ocean can handle it because of its size, your fish tank in your living room will not.
I had salt tanks when I lived on the gulf of mexico and tried that same thing and every time i did, everything died and I had to start over.
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Eric A
Full Member
It's an obsession not an investment!
Posts: 223
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Post by Eric A on Feb 26, 2013 11:07:23 GMT -5
I live on the Gulf of Mexico. I also have two big reef tanks. I use to do water changes with ocean water and it worked but after a while I had to pull all the sand and ocean acquired stuff out because of the level of phosphate. It leaches out of everything! I fought it for six months to finally got it out of the tank. It was coming out of the sand, shells, rocks and water. So just use due caution. This is not a big problem as long as you don't want coral in the tank just fish.
Eric
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Post by Dan MacMillan on Feb 26, 2013 20:28:58 GMT -5
Ok I understand the issue with cleaning the stuff. Point noted and will ensure things are cleaned well. I am also testing water for phosphates, calcium etc.
USPS to Canada is
Priority Mail®
International Medium Flat Rate Box
11" x 8-1/2" x 5-1/2"
Maximum weight 20 pounds.
Post Office Price$40.95
A lot more expensive than shipping within the US but far cheaper than buying the stuff locally.
Given the advice by itfitz98 and Eric A I will not go with the sand. So 20 lbs of shells, live rock etc would be a great help. {no stones please}
Anyone feel like going to the beach for a treasure hunt, followed by a trip to the post office?
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Eric A
Full Member
It's an obsession not an investment!
Posts: 223
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Post by Eric A on Feb 27, 2013 19:01:38 GMT -5
Will you be putting coral in it? I have some live rock but it was cultured in Tampa Bay during a time when there was a dam failure at a phosphate holding pond. So it was all soaked with that water. I had to pull it from my tank it is now in a holding tank with no fish. I am not sure how "live" it still is. I have about 50 pounds I think. But it can Not be used with any coral. As a side note phosphate mining is a horrible thing when done near estuaries. Before the dam break Bishop Harbor was one of my favorite places to kayak. It was full of fish and rays you could see six feet deep. Now after the break I went back and did not see a single live animal not even bugs and visibility was less then an inch. Very disheartening.
Eric
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Post by Dan MacMillan on Feb 27, 2013 20:13:19 GMT -5
I will be having corals. Too bad, LR sells for $10 a pound up here. Sorry to hear about the harbour. Corporations suck. Our govt gave the all OK for the mining co I work for to use a 100 hectare fresh water lake, full of fish and wildlife around it, for a waste tailings pond.They also took about 5000 lakes off of the protected list.
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Eric A
Full Member
It's an obsession not an investment!
Posts: 223
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Post by Eric A on Feb 28, 2013 17:09:02 GMT -5
I have paid about $14 a pound for LR here.
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