Can I start with a nuc in an ideal size frames

Beekeeping - Basics
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I am wanting to start bee keeping in Northern Tasmania and the only bees that I can find for sale come in an ideal size super. How would I go about transferring them into a flow hive that comes with full depth supers?

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You can. You essentially transfer the same way. The ideal frames are shallower so you’ll likely get comb built on the bottom but if you monitor and manage it it isn’t the end of the world. Transfer them over and after the hive is better established in a few weeks just swap it out or cycle or via a Super.

Note: this is an opinion and not something I’ve actually done as I’ve only used full depth and half depth frames.

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I would leave the ideal frames in an ideal box under the deep box (assuming you actually want bees in the deep box) and let them move up into the deep box. But then i would just use the ideal instead. In my opinion, the deep frame boxes are too heavy.

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Hello Stephannie, So that we don’t get confused lets use the term of a ‘super’ as being any box that is above the QX as a super and below the QX as a brood box.
There is a couple of ways you can set up the hive but in your climate what I would do is to but another full depth box with frames that are wired and have full sheets of foundation fitted and fit that on top of the ideal brood box so that the colony has room to expand to a strong colony that will withstand the Winter climate. All of that can be bought from your local bee gear shop or on EBay. While you are ordering that you will need a QX when you need to add a super, spend the extra to buy a metal QX that will way outlast the plastic junk.
If you want to make it into a Flow Hive all that you need do is buy the ‘Flow Hive Super’ and the frames and assemble and paint the super box. I paint mine with acrylic white paint.
So you brood area becomes two boxes below the QX, and when the colony is busting at the seams then add the Flow Super. A common mistake is the adding of the Super too early which is not a good thing as bees like to live in ‘high density housing’.
Don’t put the ideal frames into a different sized box.
Cheers

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Thanks for all the information and suggestions. There is so much to learn and this community is so generous with their time and knowledge…

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Thanks for taking the time to respond and for your suggestions.

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Thanks for your help.

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Hi Stephannie.

How did you go with this?
I am curious how you went?
Also based in northern Tas.

Gareth