New Eshopps Axium x-160 protein skimmer?..
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Joeganja
2500 Club Member
Eshopps has been making skimmers for a while now and they always have good reviews. With this skimmer being less than 2 months old I doubt many will have it. This hobby is about trying new things. I would take the leap just because so many people have bubble magus. Try something new for a change.
Thanks for the response Joeganja. You're probably right, I am just one of those people that try to research before jumping into something. I found one link on someone who had purchased that skimmer and said they would do an update video of it skimming.. Although, to date they haven't. Will probably pull the trigger on this one rather than the bubble magus. Its only $100 more and seems to have a much larger heavy bioload capacity (in gallons). Although, I know a lot of times those rating are worthless. Wish BRS would do a review on them...lol
They have received some good reviews at RC. I'm trying to decide between the Eshopps X160 and the Icecap K2 160 which is also getting good reviews, although they look almost identical with the exact same pump. The Eshopps is a bit cheaper.
Kyle Sicard
Active Member
I set mine up on wednesday and its certainly doing a great job already. I have the x-160 on a 120g mixed reef. The skimmer isn't even fully broken in yet and its pulling some nasty skim. I have it set to dry skimming. The only thing I don't like about the skimmer is that the air silencer is some what noisy. If you close the doors of your stand you can't hear it but there's definitely a hiss to the silencer. From what I've read the ice cap skimmers do the exact same thing on their silencers as well. I'll attach 2 photos, 1 photo shows the simple modification I did on the silencer to muffle about 75% of the noise and makes it pretty darn quiet. The other picture is what the skimmer has pulled out in 6 days set to a dry skim (remember the skimmer isn't even fully broken in yet, so I expect its performance to increase a bit more).
I would definitely purchase the skimmer again, it's a little light weight but the build quality is pretty good and I don't see any issues resulting from its construction. Solid little skimmer. I took a leap of faith and purchased the skimmer despite it being brand new and I'm satisfied with my purchase. I was also choosing between a ice cap 160 and this eshopps skimmer and from what I've researched it seems like some people are having trouble dry skimming with the ice cap.
hope this helps.
I would definitely purchase the skimmer again, it's a little light weight but the build quality is pretty good and I don't see any issues resulting from its construction. Solid little skimmer. I took a leap of faith and purchased the skimmer despite it being brand new and I'm satisfied with my purchase. I was also choosing between a ice cap 160 and this eshopps skimmer and from what I've researched it seems like some people are having trouble dry skimming with the ice cap.
hope this helps.
I set mine up on wednesday and its certainly doing a great job already. I have the x-160 on a 120g mixed reef. The skimmer isn't even fully broken in yet and its pulling some nasty skim. I have it set to dry skimming. The only thing I don't like about the skimmer is that the air silencer is some what noisy. If you close the doors of your stand you can't hear it but there's definitely a hiss to the silencer. From what I've read the ice cap skimmers do the exact same thing on their silencers as well. I'll attach 2 photos, 1 photo shows the simple modification I did on the silencer to muffle about 75% of the noise and makes it pretty darn quiet. The other picture is what the skimmer has pulled out in 6 days set to a dry skim (remember the skimmer isn't even fully broken in yet, so I expect its performance to increase a bit more).
I would definitely purchase the skimmer again, it's a little light weight but the build quality is pretty good and I don't see any issues resulting from its construction. Solid little skimmer. I took a leap of faith and purchased the skimmer despite it being brand new and I'm satisfied with my purchase. I was also choosing between a ice cap 160 and this eshopps skimmer and from what I've researched it seems like some people are having trouble dry skimming with the ice cap.
hope this helps.
Thanks, great feedback!!!
The K2's are supposed to have a very good build quality, I wonder if better than Eshopps?
Do you thinks the X160 is too much for a 75 display with 40 sump, eventually heavy stocked?
Kyle Sicard
Active Member
I would say the ice cap skimmers have better build quality/construction but the reason I went with eshopps is because of the research I did a lot of people were reporting issues with dry skimming. If a skimmer cant effectively dry or wet skim it seems like there might be an issue with the design or water/air ratio. Granted, it's entirely possible those users were incorrectly using the skimmer from either user error or buying to large of a skimmer. I choose the Eshopps mainly because eshopps have been making skimmers for a long time and they were never the flashiest skimmers but they always performed well and used quality pumps. Ice cap on the other hand hasn't had as much time in the skimmer market from what I understand, also a buddy of mine had an issue with a broken ATO on the ice cap sump he ordered. When he contacted them to redeem his warranty they wouldn't send him a new sump unless he shipped them his current sump. The issue with that is that his tank is an establish aquarium and its kinda hard to keep an aquarium alive without a sump. To me that seems like bad customer service, so I choose the Eshopps.
I do think the x-160 might be too large for your system. I would go with the 120. the 160 of my 120 that has 19 fish in it still goes idle from time to time, so I would imagine on a 75 it might be a little too large. Same goes for the ice cap, and the issue with the ice cap 120 is that it does not use a sicce pump so I would go with the x-120 over the ks-120 since the eshopps x-120 still uses the sicce pump.
That's odd, I just googled the ice cap 120 and it says it still uses the sicce pump. That's weird because in a ice cap skimmer thread people were saying the smallest skimmer they make uses a different pump. I found the issue, the ice cap k2-50 is the one that uses a different pump =)
I do think the x-160 might be too large for your system. I would go with the 120. the 160 of my 120 that has 19 fish in it still goes idle from time to time, so I would imagine on a 75 it might be a little too large. Same goes for the ice cap, and the issue with the ice cap 120 is that it does not use a sicce pump so I would go with the x-120 over the ks-120 since the eshopps x-120 still uses the sicce pump.
That's odd, I just googled the ice cap 120 and it says it still uses the sicce pump. That's weird because in a ice cap skimmer thread people were saying the smallest skimmer they make uses a different pump. I found the issue, the ice cap k2-50 is the one that uses a different pump =)
Thanks Kyle, great info. I really appreciate the feedback, since there's so little available. Also, Thanks for providing pics as well. Looks like its skimming quite well for still breaking in. Ha! I'm afraid if I go with the x 120 instead I won't be happy, I think I would want a skimmer to work a little less, rather than having to work hard all the time. (& possibly wearing out quicker).. to be honest, I'm surprised that a skimmer with that small of a footprint can handle that large of a bioload. (Recommended 100-220 gallons depending on bioload) Much larger capacity over other skimmers with the similar footprint sizes, in that price range.
Now, only if they would've went with royal blue instead of royal purple.... ha!
Now, only if they would've went with royal blue instead of royal purple.... ha!
offthehook
Community Member
Bumping this thread back up. Considering the x120 but I have read a few folks are having issues with the sicci pump on other models pulling air in restart or after a power outage. It moves water but doesn't produce the bubbles. From what I have read they are just the Blowing into the tube and it fires the bubbles right up. Seems like a relatively small issue but I don't want to have to worry about that on a new skimmer. Anyone else having this issue? I think the guy on Rc also said that during cleaning one day he forgot to put the black cap back on the bottom of the air silencer (ozone port maybe?) and discovered no start up issues with the bubbles. Also I noticed the x120 has the sicci se where others have the psk. Not sure what the difference is going to look it up now. It is between the bm 3.5, axium X120 and the sca 301
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Reefer40b
Valuable Member
To my knowledge this was due to them not plugging the Ozone port if not in use, which makes sense. I vote you go for the Axium out of the 3 choices you listed.
rrgettle
New Member
I just received my Eshopps Axium X-120 protein skimmer and I think it's great. Well built easy to assemble and it already has skim in the cup and has only been running for 2 days.Hey everybody,
Trying to find out if anyone who has bought the Axium x160, what you think about it?
Was going to go with bubble magus curve 5 but ran across this one..
So if the 160 is anything like mine, I would say go for it.
Hope this helps
Ramon Estevez
Active Member
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Putting my together anybody please help? Where does this rubber washer go?
Neo Jeo
Valuable Member
I have the 160 and I’m not skimming that much from it. I have it on dry skim and the tech support said to have the bubbles up to the collection cup starting point in the neck. Is that right?
Also it’s making micro bubbles in my tank. My tank looks more like bubbles floating around. I have it 7 1/2” in water. Also the part where you raise and lower the water inside keeps popping out when I turn my return pump off. Anyone else have this issue?
Also it’s making micro bubbles in my tank. My tank looks more like bubbles floating around. I have it 7 1/2” in water. Also the part where you raise and lower the water inside keeps popping out when I turn my return pump off. Anyone else have this issue?
Neo Jeo
Valuable Member
I set mine up on wednesday and its certainly doing a great job already. I have the x-160 on a 120g mixed reef. The skimmer isn't even fully broken in yet and its pulling some nasty skim. I have it set to dry skimming. The only thing I don't like about the skimmer is that the air silencer is some what noisy. If you close the doors of your stand you can't hear it but there's definitely a hiss to the silencer. From what I've read the ice cap skimmers do the exact same thing on their silencers as well. I'll attach 2 photos, 1 photo shows the simple modification I did on the silencer to muffle about 75% of the noise and makes it pretty darn quiet. The other picture is what the skimmer has pulled out in 6 days set to a dry skim (remember the skimmer isn't even fully broken in yet, so I expect its performance to increase a bit more).
I would definitely purchase the skimmer again, it's a little light weight but the build quality is pretty good and I don't see any issues resulting from its construction. Solid little skimmer. I took a leap of faith and purchased the skimmer despite it being brand new and I'm satisfied with my purchase. I was also choosing between a ice cap 160 and this eshopps skimmer and from what I've researched it seems like some people are having trouble dry skimming with the ice cap.
hope this helps.
I know this was a year ago but how is it still working out? How did you do your modification? Im still trying to tune mine in and have been having troubles. Microbubbles also
Neo Jeo
Valuable Member
Yes. It’s just built better.Also less quiet.
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