- Hey, it's Thomas here.
And today we're going to be checking out the RS line
or Reef Sumps by Eshopps.
And, that's better.
So if you like simple, quiet and functional,
and maybe really dig the color yellow,
then this Berlin-style sump might be
exactly what you're looking for.
Modern sumps range from simplistic to feature-rich from
budget-friendly to wallet-busting from,
(record scratching)
I think you get the idea.
The truth is a sump is just a simple box of water
that sits below the tank,
and you can get them in all different shapes, sizes,
configurations, and colors to match your specific needs.
Not every reefer is going to want every last bell
and whistle out there.
Having more chambers and more baffles often just means
having more nooks and crannies and small places
you have to get into to clean.
All those fine details and features also
end up bumping up the price,
so for reefers, who appreciate simplicity,
or just want to avoid spending more money
than they have to, a clean looking straight forward
Berlin-style sump is a great choice.
Eshopps reef sump is very much a simple
and elegant sump with a quiet water-entry system,
filter socks, and course foam block
to cover your mechanical filtration
and a nice big single chamber for a protein skimmer,
heater and any other equipment you'd like to run, you know,
be it an algae reactor or a chemical media reactor,
followed by the last chamber,
which is for your return pump.
This is a great example of keeping things
simple and functional.
And I must say, while yellow isn't my go-to color,
this does look pretty dang good,
and it's winning me over,
so it's pretty slick.
In the box you'll find the reef sump
with its lid and the foam block
already installed the filter sock or socks,
depending on the model,
the red drain pipe and the ribbed drain hose.
There are four different sizes in the reef sump lineup
that you can choose from the RS-75,
the RS-100 that I've got here,
the RS-200,
and the RS-300.
They're rated for up to, you guessed it,
75, 100,
200, and 300
gallon aquariums respectively with the smallest
measuring 20 inches in length
with a ten inch width
and the largest at 36 inches in length with a 14 inch width,
while all sharing the same 16 inch height,
meaning that they should be a really easy fit
for most standard aquarium stands.
The flow path is really simple,
water enters the sump on the far left
and flows up an initial baffle into the filter socks
section, through the sock into the first large chamber,
then through a second baffle set with a foam block,
and then into the last chamber where the return pump
will then send it back up to the tank.
It's a very straightforward design,
very similar to the Berlin sumps of the past,
but with that quiet water entry system,
which is a really nice upgrade.
As far as drains go, you'll get a single drain on the 75
and 100 models, which works perfectly for small
single drain overflow systems like the XAqua INOUT,
or even a Herbie style Overflow,
if you add a second emergency drain pipe
over the skimmer section.
The 200 and the 300 on the other hand,
come with three drains each,
which is going to work really great
for those Bean Animal style Overflow boxes,
which are super popular.
Circling back to the mechanical filtration
that the sump provides,
you'll get a filter sock or socks, depending on the model,
along with a coarse foam block,
the 75 and 100 come with a standard circular filter sock
while the larger 200 and 300 use rectangular socks.
Now if you're planning on using a drop-in fleece roller
or want to use mesh, instead of felt socks,
these 75 and 100 models with their standard circular socks
are going to be the way to go.
Like I was mentioning earlier,
the sumps have one large skimmer section
and are definitely geared towards the Berlin-style
of filtration, but there's nothing stopping you
from using a smaller skimmer alongside an Algae Reactor,
Zeovit reactor, or just about any other style
of nutrient control or skipping the skimmer and reactors
and setting it up as a Refugium.
If you are planning to make the most out of that single
chamber pairing up this sump with a space-saving model
of skimmer is your best bet.
The sumps don't include any sort of Euro-bracing
on the top, which makes it a really easy fit
for a number of accessories like dosing tube
or probe holders that are designed to clamp
on rimless tanks.
It also means it's easier to use the entire footprint
of each chamber since you don't lose
that few inches near the
top of the sump where the Euro-brace would be.
Eshopps manages this by fully enclosing
the filter sock section,
and by having that last baffle reach all the way to the top
of the sump, adding rigidity to those longer
front and rear panels.
When it eventually comes time
for that dreaded-some maintenance,
this is going to be a pretty easy sump to work with.
Rinse out or eventually replace
your filter socks and that foam block.
Drop in a Sicce Ultra Zero or a modified
power head with a vacuum tip to remove
any of that built-up mulm or debris.
And you're good to go.
The only little spot that might take a bit extra effort
to clean is the water entry area,
but that little power head with a vacuum tip attached,
will be pretty easy to slide back there
and get all that crud out.
So if a quiet, simple sump, matches your Ethan Mantra,
or maybe you just really love the color yellow,
you can pick up an Eshopps sump for yourself
by clicking right here.
(upbeat music closing)