Media Donation, Best Way To Facilitate A Transaction

[tmiller]

I am quite interested in acquiring some mature media once my new filter shows in the mail.
however i am curious as to how the transaction should generally be facilitated.
I am totally OK with paying all incurred cost plus a payment for the media itself to the kind soul who will be "donating" the media.
I also realize that there is no guarantee that the bacteria will survive shipment or take in my system "as is no guarantee".

My question is what is the best shipment method, how long can the bacteria remain viable,what is the best method to package for transport " ice or..", and how best to introduce to the new system once acquired.

any other pitfalls you could point out would be appreciated.

thanks to all who can share their expertise

 

[Aqua Tom]

I am quite interested in acquiring some mature media once my new filter shows in the mail.
however i am curious as to how the transaction should generally be facilitated.
I am totally OK with paying all incurred cost plus a payment for the media itself to the kind soul who will be "donating" the media.
I also realize that there is no guarantee that the bacteria will survive shipment or take in my system "as is no guarantee".

My question is what is the best shipment method, how long can the bacteria remain viable,what is the best method to package for transport " ice or..", and how best to introduce to the new system once acquired.

any other pitfalls you could point out would be appreciated.

thanks to all who can share their expertise

I have donated plenty of media through the post with very good results. I package the media in a sealed take away box along with a small amount of my tank water & a drop of ammonia. I then post it first class so that it should arrive the next working day.
The postage plus a small donation toward the cost of media (I have to replace what I have donated) is payed to me via paypal when I know the exact cost. It is usualy no more than £4.

This system seems to work.

Of course the other method would be for yourself to go & collect the media if the donator is local. Where are you?


Tom

 

[tmiller]

Tom you are a saint however an ocean and 1/2 a continent separates us considering this " It is usualy no more than £4",
I am N. Denver CO. us,
closest on the list (whom i have yet to contact) is in salt lake, this is about 550 miles away, an easy overnight fed ex likely $15 us shipping cost
2nd is an IL address could be up to 900 miles ,still 1 day for low cost.
I am willing to replace the forfeited media as well as a payment for expended time and energy of course.
it is late at the moment ..
I'll be of much more use mentally in the AM.

 

[OldMan47]

Use priority mail and a flat rate box. I just sent that way for $5.35 yesterday. I am sending from Illinois to Arkansas, at least double your distance, and I expect good results. Don't forget to include very little water in your bag and lots of air. As long as things stay moist the bacteria will do well but a lack of oxygen will do them in. They are aerobic bacteria.

 

[tmiller]

Use priority mail and a flat rate box. I just sent that way for $5.35 yesterday. I am sending from Illinois to Arkansas, at least double your distance, and I expect good results. Don't forget to include very little water in your bag and lots of air. As long as things stay moist the bacteria will do well but a lack of oxygen will do them in. They are aerobic bacteria.

So From this I gather that the bacteria , if packaged correctly can/will survive for several days in transit?
this is good news as it will take a bit of cost out of it.
As soon as my new canister filter shows up ( I expect no later than Wed). I will begin to try and negotiate out purchasing some mature media.
OldMan47 you seem to be about 950 or so miles from me. would you be interested in possibly parting with some?

 

[OldMan47]

I can't rob that filter of much more media right now. I sent all I thought I could afford to lose. I might be able to rob another filter of some but your distance seems wrong to me. Are you sure that is not closer to 1500 miles? I drive to Oregon every year or two and it is 2200 miles for me. I always go all the way from Colorado to the coast in a day or less, the last day of the trip.

 

[tmiller]

I can't rob that filter of much more media right now. I sent all I thought I could afford to lose. I might be able to rob another filter of some but your distance seems wrong to me. Are you sure that is not closer to 1500 miles? I drive to Oregon every year or two and it is 2200 miles for me. I always go all the way from Colorado to the coast in a day or less, the last day of the trip.

I do have a PM out to a member in Utah, last active in September tough so we will see
Not a huge deal and wouldn't want you to take more than your system can manage.
No hurry I have another filter that is about 1/2 cycled now.. showing all the right numbers for being just over 2 weeks in.
It will get there I'm certain, I am getting a 55 up and going very soon and was entertaining the idea of a jump start.

as for the distance i got my numbers from a maps search

Forsyth, Illinois to Denver, co = 950miles via I-72, I-35, I70

 

[OldMan47]

Right, I had my states wrong. You are near the end of day 1 when I use I-80.

 

[tmiller]

All good, I used to drive commercially coast to coast,
it has been a few years so I had to double check when you questioned the distance, I have been wrong b4.

For now I think I'm going to extend out my time table a bit since my fish in cycle with the HOB (rated for a 55gal tank) is showing great results so far.
The ammonia is starting to flat line already (still see the .25 from tap water till late in the day and then its gone) Nitrites are on the rise and getting traces of Nitrates in my tests now.
I figure a week or two more and it will be doing its thing nicely. Ive added this 3-4" cube of Filter sponge into the HOB that I should be able to transplant when cycled.

So I figure I'll run my new canister side by side with the HOB(this will be a ton of filtration on a 30gal,)but as long as my tank doesn't look like the rapids in a river i should be ok I'm thinking.
After a bit I should have 2 cycled filters and can move one or the other to the new(yet to even be set up) tank.
Does this sound like a decent course of action?

 

[Aqua Tom]

Tom you are a saint however an ocean and 1/2 a continent separates us

First time in my life I have ever been called that , now I see your problem, your country is huge compared to mine with an equaly huge poulation. However, population density in the UK is much higher (we are an island nation after all) so its a bit easier for us to find someone localy to lend a hand.


Tom