Eshopps ADV model refugiums. Do they work?

Crush Coral · 09/18/2015, 12:56 PM

I bought an Eshopps ADV-200 refugium. The more I look at it the more I wond r if I just bought a box of snake oil. Anyone know anything about these sumps?

Greybeard · 09/18/2015, 02:48 PM

I have an EShopps 3rd gen R100 Refugeum, similar design, but doesn't have a spot for bio balls, which I wouldn't have... Flow through the system is actually quite nice. After the splashdown compartment, half the water flow goes through a sock, then to the skimmer compartment, where it flows back into the return chamber. The other half flows from the splashdown compartment into a refugeum chamber, and from there to the return chamber. I've removed the filter pads that it came with between the baffles... just don't like that sort of thing.

I've only been running this system for a couple of months, but I like it so far. One issue I do have, if you want to use a submersible return pump, the return compartment is small (3.5"x7"), and has a built in ATO float, which takes a bit more of an already tight space. Either drill, and use an external pump, or look a the more compact return pumps.

Flow through my sump is about 400gph, gives a nice, slow flow through the skimmer and ref compartments. On my 60g tank, that's about 6x tank volume per hour, which is about what I wanted.

fish flipper · 09/18/2015, 08:41 PM

I just picked up a brand new rs-200 and a rs-75 off craigslist for $125 for both. Brand new in the box never even opened!

Crush Coral · 09/18/2015, 09:52 PM

Greybeard, so my main concern was that the filter sock would not work well and also that the water would not circulate well through all the compartments. You have found that I do not have to worry about those two things?
What a deal on those two sumps. Where they warm to the touch?

fish flipper · 09/18/2015, 10:44 PM

Warm to the touch?

Crush Coral · 09/19/2015, 10:19 PM

"Hot" stolen?

Greybeard · 09/21/2015, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crush Coral

Greybeard, so my main concern was that the filter sock would not work well and also that the water would not circulate well through all the compartments. You have found that I do not have to worry about those two things?

'Don't worry about it' isn't something that I would say... your worry level is up to you

In my case, I find that the filter sock does what it's supposed to do... all water headed for the skimmer compartment goes through the sock. Water headed for the ref compartment does not, which I like... feeds the refugeum critters better that way. Flow through my sump appears to be about half through each water path. I have to judge that on watching the overflow from the ref and the skimmer compartment into the return pump compartment, I haven't made any attempt to measure it, but it seems to me to be fairly even amount of water coming from both sides.

chefdesanto · 02/25/2016, 12:58 PM

I've had the Adv-200 now for 5 months. It replaced a homemade sump I had on a 100 gallon tank that has been stable for 2 years.

I really loved the sump design when I purchased it.

I threw some rubble in the bottom, and LED fixture on top and a ball of chaeto in.

After a couple days I realized the chaeto wasn't spinning. Then a brown algae bloom formed in the refugium. I threw a small pump in the refugium section to spin the chaeto, cleaned up the algae by hand scraping. No effect.

The algae is a constant bloom in the refugium section only for the past 3 months.

I definitely think there is a design flaw in the flow to the refugium. I am contemplating cutting some additional flow holes in the sectopm, but haven't decided where yet.

billbunton · 02/26/2016, 05:43 AM

I had an ADV-200 for a week. (Well, actually I had it for a couple months, but after the first week it was sitting in the back yard). In mine, it appeared about 80% of the water was going through the refugium section. There was also enough water splattering all over the place that I had terrible salt creep. I pulled it out and replaced it with a Trigger Systems sump.

mikeatjac · 02/26/2016, 06:12 AM

I am very dissatisfied with mine. Had to make lots of modifications and still not happy. I will be replacing it soon.

Mark426 · 02/26/2016, 07:03 AM

Several other better choices than the quirky Eshopps design at similar costs.

09/18/2015, 12:56 PM	#1
Crush Coral Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Central Wisconsin Posts: 1,233	Eshopps ADV model refugiums. Do they work? I bought an Eshopps ADV-200 refugium. The more I look at it the more I wond r if I just bought a box of snake oil. Anyone know anything about these sumps?

09/18/2015, 02:48 PM	#2
Greybeard Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Buffalo, MO Posts: 651	I have an EShopps 3rd gen R100 Refugeum, similar design, but doesn't have a spot for bio balls, which I wouldn't have... Flow through the system is actually quite nice. After the splashdown compartment, half the water flow goes through a sock, then to the skimmer compartment, where it flows back into the return chamber. The other half flows from the splashdown compartment into a refugeum chamber, and from there to the return chamber. I've removed the filter pads that it came with between the baffles... just don't like that sort of thing. I've only been running this system for a couple of months, but I like it so far. One issue I do have, if you want to use a submersible return pump, the return compartment is small (3.5"x7"), and has a built in ATO float, which takes a bit more of an already tight space. Either drill, and use an external pump, or look a the more compact return pumps. Flow through my sump is about 400gph, gives a nice, slow flow through the skimmer and ref compartments. On my 60g tank, that's about 6x tank volume per hour, which is about what I wanted.

09/18/2015, 08:41 PM	#3
fish flipper Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: PA Posts: 189	I just picked up a brand new rs-200 and a rs-75 off craigslist for $125 for both. Brand new in the box never even opened!

09/18/2015, 09:52 PM	#4
Crush Coral Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Central Wisconsin Posts: 1,233	Greybeard, so my main concern was that the filter sock would not work well and also that the water would not circulate well through all the compartments. You have found that I do not have to worry about those two things? What a deal on those two sumps. Where they warm to the touch?

09/18/2015, 10:44 PM	#5
fish flipper Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: PA Posts: 189	Warm to the touch?

09/19/2015, 10:19 PM	#6
Crush Coral Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Central Wisconsin Posts: 1,233	"Hot" stolen?

02/25/2016, 12:58 PM	#8
chefdesanto Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 3	I've had the Adv-200 now for 5 months. It replaced a homemade sump I had on a 100 gallon tank that has been stable for 2 years. I really loved the sump design when I purchased it. I threw some rubble in the bottom, and LED fixture on top and a ball of chaeto in. After a couple days I realized the chaeto wasn't spinning. Then a brown algae bloom formed in the refugium. I threw a small pump in the refugium section to spin the chaeto, cleaned up the algae by hand scraping. No effect. The algae is a constant bloom in the refugium section only for the past 3 months. I definitely think there is a design flaw in the flow to the refugium. I am contemplating cutting some additional flow holes in the sectopm, but haven't decided where yet.

02/26/2016, 05:43 AM	#9
billbunton Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Alamogordo, NM Posts: 77	I had an ADV-200 for a week. (Well, actually I had it for a couple months, but after the first week it was sitting in the back yard). In mine, it appeared about 80% of the water was going through the refugium section. There was also enough water splattering all over the place that I had terrible salt creep. I pulled it out and replaced it with a Trigger Systems sump.

02/26/2016, 06:12 AM	#10
mikeatjac Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 2,433	I am very dissatisfied with mine. Had to make lots of modifications and still not happy. I will be replacing it soon.

02/26/2016, 07:03 AM	#11
Mark426 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 2,479	Several other better choices than the quirky Eshopps design at similar costs.