Eshopps R-200 Refugium / What to put in it?

[madweazl]

So since my display tank is 180 gallons I would need 18 gallons in my refugium section so it could be beneficial ?

If your primary goal for the refugium is nutrient control, yes. The number of fish, how often and how much they're fed, are additional factors that will dictate how large the refugium needs to be.

 

[Franco323]

If your primary goal for the refugium is nutrient control, yes. The number of fish, how often and how much they're fed, are additional factors that will dictate how large the refugium needs to be.

I’m only going to have 6 fish in there and going with soft corals I feed my fish about twice a day with rods food

 

[Franco323]

If your primary goal for the refugium is nutrient control, yes. The number of fish, how often and how much they're fed, are additional factors that will dictate how large the refugium needs to be.

 

[Franco323]

If your primary goal for the refugium is nutrient control, yes. The number of fish, how often and how much they're fed, are additional factors that will dictate how large the refugium needs to be.

These are the specs my sump was build so from what it looks like I’m going to need a bigger sump then ‍ Now I gotta spend another 400 on a bigger sump

 

[O'l Salty]

Yes 144 gallon. It is the r-200 second gen. I hope it's big enough, I quized a couple of stores in my area and explained it would be set up in a room behind the tank and they all told me yes go with this one. Now I'm starting to worry. Today is the last day to return to amazon. This is an example: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001...opps+r-200&dpPl=1&dpID=31gL6DOHcYL&ref=plSrch

I have that sump and honestly I'd return it. For the most part it works well but that area under the refugium is difficult to clean. I had chaeto and an eshopps light and it grew well. Now I just have a piece of live rock and one naughty fish. lol

 

[Flexin]

I have the E-100. I had to cut back half of my chaeto in the refugium since my nutrient's are too low. It really depends on the load you want to have. I've bee happy with it, but to each their own. Also, I never run the return pump without a sock in place so I don't have debris in the non-refugium compartments.

 

[Franco323]

I have that sump and honestly I'd return it. For the most part it works well but that area under the refugium is difficult to clean. I had chaeto and an eshopps light and it grew well. Now I just have a piece of live rock and one naughty fish. lol

Does my refugium section on my sump really gotta be 10% of my display volume or is that incorrect information that I’m reading because of that’s the case then my refugium section in my sump should be 18 gallons

 

[Franco323]

I have the E-100. I had to cut back half of my chaeto in the refugium since my nutrient's are too low. It really depends on the load you want to have. I've bee happy with it, but to each their own. Also, I never run the return pump without a sock in place so I don't have debris in the non-refugium compartments.

Does my refugium section on my sump really gotta be 10% of my display volume or is that incorrect information that I’m reading because of that’s the case then my refugium section in my sump should be 18 gallons

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Franco, I think that is what they are saying. In my case I couldn't return my r-200 in time. I will be forced to use what I have until I can afford otherwise. If it works for me then I will just keep using it. To much money invested in the build at this point. I'll build something bigger at a later date and use what I have one something else. I'm sure my wife will have plans for another tank in the future, ya she's addicted!

 

[Franco323]

Franco, I think that is what they are saying. In my case I couldn't return my r-200 in time. I will be forced to use what I have until I can afford otherwise. If it works for me then I will just keep using it. To much money invested in the build at this point. I'll build something bigger at a later date and use what I have one something else. I'm sure my wife will have plans for another tank in the future, ya she's addicted!

Yeah for my situation it’s a little more complicated I got my sump custom made a few weeks back paid 400 well the refugium in the sump I just had made is small it only carries 8 gallons of water so I’m short 10 gallons so either I use the sump and just see how everything goes or call it a lost try selling it online and having the same company make me a new sump but with the correct gallons I need in my sump section so I’m still a little confused on what I’m gonna do at this point I will call the company 2moro that made my sump and see how much it would be to have them build me another sump with the proper gallons I need in the refugium section max I wanna pay for another sump $550-600

 

[hdsoftail1065]

I feel your pain. The folks on this forum are great and full of knowledge. So many different answers pointing you in so many different directions. All you can do is tap the resources available and decide your buid from there. I am fortunate because I have a 6' x 8' room behind the wall of my aquarium. If mine doesn't workout I can build a massive unit myself and put it in the room and use the eshopps on something else.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

I have that sump and honestly I'd return it. For the most part it works well but that area under the refugium is difficult to clean. I had chaeto and an eshopps light and it grew well. Now I just have a piece of live rock and one naughty fish. lol

Thanks for your input but to late to return, I thought I had to the 5th to reurn it but it was actually the 4th...oh well. So I take it you were happy with the eshopps light? I haven't decided on what refugium light to go with but I know I don't want to spend tons of money on one.

 

[Oberst Oswald]

I have the eshopps r-200 3rd generation sump on a 65 gallon tank running the Triton Method. The 'frug section is 4 1/2 gallons. The sumps works pretty good if you do the right things...

Use socks

Get a "real" light for over the 'frug... Kessil H380 https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/h380-spectral-halo-ii-led-algae-grow-light-kessil.html , Kessil 160Sun https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/kessil-a160we-tuna-sun-led-light.html or equivalent.

Skimmer... I use a Nyos 160 https://www.marinedepot.com/NYOS_QU...r_Aquariums_Reefs-Nyos-6D92020-FIPSIS-vi.html

Pump... here is where you will have your troubles. The pump area is very small. The Octopus Vario-4 is what I have and is probably the biggest one you can fit it there. MAG 7 or maybe a MAG 9 would also fit and be a lot cheaper. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/varios-4-controllable-dc-pump-1050-gph-reef-octopus.html Do your research on this to check if there are other pumps that will fit.

Here is a thread on the sump... https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/review-of-eshopps-3rd-generation-r-200-refugium.203465/

 

[Oberst Oswald]

Does my refugium section on my sump really gotta be 10% of my display volume or is that incorrect information that I’m reading because of that’s the case then my refugium section in my sump should be 18 gallons

I think the 10%+ rule applies to the Full Triton Method. Get a big skimmer to do the heavy lifting and your "frug will be something extra (hold pods, plant food to feed tangs and it's cool to watch what is in it) to help it along.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

I think the 10%+ rule applies to the Full Triton Method. Get a big skimmer to do the heavy lifting and your "frug will be something extra (hold pods, plant food to feed tangs and it's cool to watch what is in it) to help it along.

Wow, thanks for tips!