Red Sea Reefer 425 Xl Vs 525 Xl Review

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The Reddish Sea Reefer was the first ready to run reefer arrangement that delivered on quality simple install and operation. Today, I'll do a comprehensive Ruby Ocean Reefer review. Ruby Sea with its Reefer line has made reefing much simpler to approach even to showtime timers. The Reefer was featured in my Best Rimless Tank round up article, but I did not get into full detail in the review. In this post, I will swoop into how Red Sea set the criterion for anybody and is what every manufacturer now tries their all-time to imitate their approach.

Very few competitors come close to Red Sea'south approach and even fewer can compete. The Red Sea line really brought reef tanks to the forefront of our hobby and to the masses.

In this review, will go over the following:

• Features
• Craftsmanship
• Ease of Use
• Value for Money
• Product Support
• Price

In a hurry? I recommend purchasing the Cerise Sea Reefer 350

Blood-red Body of water Reefer Features

The Red Ocean Reefer is loaded with many features. It'due south then much more than a glass box. It all starts with the construction.

Glass Construction

Red Sea has i of the most transparent manufacturing processes on the market place. The only aquarium industry that comes close is Elos. Here is the quality and care you will get from every Red Sea Reefer that is created for y'all:

• Ultra clear forepart and side glass. All drinking glass is beveled edge glass
• All cut glass edges are ground down to size and polished on all all 4 sides
• Each piece of drinking glass that is cut is inspected for blemishes
• Aquariums are assembled in batches of 20 units per model
• They are and then stored for 3 to half-dozen days to allow for the silicone to cure
• All aquariums and sumps are then water tested for 24 hours to ensure they practice not leak
• They are and so hand-cleaned and polished
• A final QC inspection is done earlier the organisation is boxed for shipment

You can run into the full video of their manufacturing procedure process of their display tanks, sumps, and cabinets. It's quite impressive!

Overflow System and Plumbing

The overflow box and system on the Cherry-red Ocean Reefer is based on the bean animal pattern. The bean animal is considered the all-time do for reef tank plumbing to mean solar day and creates a silent downward flow system. Many cheaper systems withal use an old way durso system, which can exist loud and not as fail-safe equally the bean animal. Due to using the bean animal design, the Reefer overflow is very serenity. The main matter is adjusting the drain valve.

The Reefer comes with a standard control knob showed beneath. You just turn the knob clockwise to raise the weir h2o system and counter clockwise to lower it. You lot slowly adjust until your overflow becomes tranquility. Just make sure y'all adjust slightly and give it a few minutes for your aquarium system to adjust. One time yous have the level right, it's a ready information technology and forgot information technology design. The box itself is easy to have apart and clean out.

Beneath you can see the plumbing on an installed arrangement. The Reefer comes with all the plumbing parts ready to go so you don't accept to worry about cutting pipes or going to the hardware store to get pipes. My ane critique is the lack of unions. I do know that some aquarists upgrade the arrangement by calculation unions and replacing the knob with a Spears gate valve. Information technology'south really up to you lot. I'd get with unions myself, merely it'southward not needed.

Sump

The sump on the older Reefer systems used to be it'due south biggest weak signal. Since the V3 redesign, the sump is more than on par with other competitors like WaterBox. The chief upgrades from the V3 design is a improve cup system that supports media cups, a separate refugium section, adjustable baffles, and the ATO reservoir housing itself on top of the sump.

Epitome Courtesy of Marine Depot

The refugium wall is too removable if you do not want to use it. This gives yous the flexibility of either having a 2 stage or iii stage sump.

Below is the outline of the Reefer 425 sump so y'all tin can see the different configurations available. The height on the skimmer chamber tin can also be adjusted to suit multiple protein skimmers without having to purchase a skimmer stand. There are multiple holders for media cups, filter bags, and filter socks. In that location shouldn't exist any issues with air bubbles given the baffle design. They actually put a lot of pattern work in the redesign to give you the well-nigh options possible.

The water direction system sits at the top of the sump. Because of how information technology sits now, y'all go a lot more space to business firm all your equipment controllers and plugs. I really like how everything fits on one side. They put a wall betwixt the sump and all your equipment. You do not have to worry about salt creep getting into your outlets and have the room to actually design your control console on your reef organisation. There have been a crazy amount of cool designs and inspirations y'all can find online from other Reefer owners. The options are countless!

Reddish Body of water Reefer 425 Sump Installed

Cabinets

Every bit we saw in Red Sea's manufacturing process, the cabinet has as much quality in the construction procedure equally the aquarium itself. Every lath is hand-finished and cleaned in the construction. The Reefer cabinets are constructed from MDF. The top of the line Reefer Concept models are made of plywood with adjustable feet. Considering the cabinet is built for the aquarium, it seamlessly follows the contour of the drinking glass and gives a very modern look

The cabinets are available in either black or white finishes. I'k fractional to the white terminate. The cabinets are a far superior than what you lot would normally get at a chain pet store and you would have to be put quite a scrap of effort to construct one of like quality yourself.

RedSea Reefer Craftsmanship

Red Bounding main has been the pioneer in our industry when it comes to creating the get-go e'er ready to run reef aquarium organization. There have been attempts in the by with reef ready systems, but you still had to do the plumbing yourself and build or get a sump. Red Body of water has taken all the judge work and skill out. It is a well designed and advisedly engineered product line.

The plumbing is now colored and no gluing is required. The overflow is clean and top notch. They go with a elementary approach to plumbing considering they are targeting the masses versus the hard core reefers who desire every toy in their arrangement.

They accept even gone and then far as to create their own line of skimmers, LED lights, and wavemakers in order to make your determination easier when you can literally just buy everything Red Ocean to become yourself started. The only thing Ruby-red Sea hasn't fabricated of their own line is their return pump – which I'yard happy with. Simply mate this system with a Sicce pump and never worry well-nigh information technology failing again!

Cerise Sea Reefer Value For Money

Red Sea Reefers seem expensive at beginning, merely y'all need to business relationship for everything you lot go out of the arrangement when you purchase it. They are also available in a diverseness of models and lines for multiple budgets. The Reefer line is separated into the following lines

• Reefer
• XL
• Peninsula
• XXL and 3XL

Blood-red Body of water Models – Reefer Serial

The Reefer series is the original model. This is the line that made ready to run aquariums mainstream. All other ready to run manufacturers are judged against this line. It is one of the all-time reef aquariums available on the market today. They start at 21 gallons and go up to a 4 foot long 73 gallon system.

Model	Nano	170	250	350
Picture
Price	$	$$	$$$	$$$$
Dimensions (LxWxH)	xviii″ x 18″ ten 52″	24.five″ x 20″ x 54″	35.5″ 10 20″ 10 55″	47″ x xx″ x 55″
Aquarium Volume (Gallons)	21	34	54	73
Sump Volume (Gallons)	vii	9	11	18
ATO Reservoir Volume (Gallons)	1.2	1.v	two.1	2.8
Full Arrangement Volume	28	43	65	91
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Red Body of water Models – Reefer XL

The Reefer Forty models takes the Reefer concept, merely works on maximizing aquascaping space. These models all accept 22.6″ wide and 22″ high dimensions. They stay every bit shut to the ideal 24″ wide and high dimensions that aquascapers love. These cabinets are also upgraded with plywood versus MDF.

Model	XL 200	Xl 300	Xl 425	XL 525
Picture
Cost	$$	$$$	$$$$	$$$$$
Dimensions (LxWxH)	24″ x 22.half-dozen″ x 55″	36″ x 22.vi″ x 56″	47″ x 22.6″ x 56″	59″ x 22.6″ x 56″
Aquarium Volume (Gallons)	42	54	90	116
Sump Volume (Gallons)	11	15	24	31
ATO Reservoir Volume (Gallons)	i.8	3.2	five.5	5.5
Total Organisation Volume	53	eighty	112	139
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Cerise Bounding main Reefer Models – Peninsula

The Reefer Peninsula are a top of line model that are see through from 3 sides. They are smashing to place as a room divider or in an function. The cabinets have boosted features here like a ventilated compartment for chiller and control systems.

Model	Peninsula 500	Peninsula 650
Picture
Price	$$$$$	$$$$$$
Dimensions (LxWxH)	49.ii″ x 23.6″ ten 63″	63″ x 25.two″ ten 63″
Aquarium Volume (Gallons)	105	140
Sump Volume (Gallons)	27	35
ATO Reservoir Volume (Gallons)	6	7.5
Full System Book	132	175
Link

Crimson Ocean Reefer Models – XXL and 3XL

These are the beast systems. The are some of the largest set to run reef aquariums you can purchase today. No expense is spared here. Super clear and super thick low fe drinking glass is used. On The largest organization, you become a dissever sump system and a dual return setup so you take redundancy on the returns.

Model	625 XXL	750 XXL	3XL 900
Picture
Price	$$$$$$	$$$$$$$	$$$$$$$$
Dimensions (LxWxH)	59″ 10 23.6″ x 58.3″	71″ x 23.6″ x 58.three″	79″ x 25.6″ 10 60″
Aquarium Book (Gallons)	133	160	192
Sump Book (Gallons)	32	40	48
ATO Reservoir Book (Gallons)	seven.v	7.5	Not Included
Total System Volume	165	200	240
Link

Red Sea Reefer Aquariums Ease of Use

Crimson Bounding main Reefers are easy to put together and well constructed. Beneath are two sample images of their teaching booklet. The first is the cabinet associates instructions. I feel that the cabinet install is fairly straight forward. The instructions aren't as clear as Waterbox, but the components are easy to identify.

The next photo is the plumbing install. The images aren't as clear, but in that location are so many pictures and videos online of folks who accept put together these systems that information technology shouldn't be also difficult even for a beginner to put everything together. RedSea lacks a video of the actual install, which I experience is a downer.

Carmine Bounding main Reefer Production Back up

The product support isn't actually from Red Body of water themselves, but from the customs. When you purchase the Reddish Sea Reefer, you enter into an exclusive social club of Reefer owners. There is even a individual Facebook group for owners that Red Sea promotes where you can connect with other owners and share tips.

Other forums like Reef2Reef even accept their ain Reefer trends and some of the big marine clubs accept their ain niggling Reefer cliques. It's pretty cool how the community of owners are super passionate and work together to make other hobbyists successful. Y'all volition find the customs of Reefer owners as i of the nigh passion hobbyists out there and are very open about sharing their successes and failures in the hobby with you.

Outside of the community. Cherry Sea at present offers a 3 twelvemonth warranty for 2020 models and beyond. This was a response to other competitors like Waterbox taking market share away from them. I'm glad to see competition pushing Red Sea to push button for a better warranty. The days of lifetime warranties from manufacturers like Aqueon seem to be fading away these days.

Blood-red Body of water Reefer Cost

The Red Body of water, while it executes simplicity and quality at a very high level, has also received criticism for being expensive. On the surface, Reefer prices seem very expensive, merely nosotros accept to expect at the value their bring by having everything in a kit in an piece of cake to assemble parcel. To build like you would need to:

• Buy a rimless aquarium
• Obtain plumbing parts, glue everything yourself, and notice colored PVC
• Build or buy a separate aquarium sump
• Become an overflow box and possibility drill the tank to install it.
• Buy an aquarium cabinet or go one fabricated of similar quality

Almost people will go with a standard rimmed tank to save money. This will not present likewise aesthetically as the Reefer. As well, many reefers tend to purchase the best available for their budgets. Every bit a event, they often go overbudget. It's not uncommon for a full set purchase to be nearly the toll of a set package like a Reefer. Other times the time cost of money of DIY'ing a solution is a major consideration.

So in my mind, I feel that the Blood-red Sea offers great value for someone looking to build a high quality setup. Most reef owners tend to go high end because they want the best for their coral reef systems and aquatic animals. To me the upfront investment is worth information technology.

Ruby-red Sea Reefer vs Waterbox

The biggest consideration for someone looking at these systems is which is better – Carmine Sea or Waterbox. There are a number of differences and I can list them here. Overall, they both take their strength and personally I feel the Waterbox is a meliorate buy if you are trying to futurity proof or get a white cabinet:

• Waterbox's plumbing has a manifold, Red Sea'south does not
• Waterbox has unions. Red Bounding main uses elbows for a simpler install
• The overflow on the Waterbox is 100% glass while the Red Ocean overflow is acrylic on the teeth. Waterbox'south overflow volition be more than resistant to scratches long-term
• White finishes are cheaper for Waterbox models then Cerise Body of water white finishes
• The cabinet quality on the Red Sea overall is superior. The higher end models of the Reefer take leveling anxiety
• The community I feel is superior on the Red Sea. Carmine's community is older and more broad. Waterbox is still developing theirs
• The Reddish Bounding main brand name is strong and has greater resale value
• Cherry-red Sea warranty is better

Neither system includes a return pump. I would highly recommend you purchase a Sicce Air conditioning or DC Pump to consummate your aquarium.

Closing Thoughts

Red Bounding main Reefers offer great value for aquarists who desire a how quality build without having to go through the headache of picking all the parts separately. It'due south a ready made solution and Red Sea has only components in their system like proteins skimmers that integrate with the aquarium. They were the pioneers when they debuted the first generation models and today they continue to gear up the bar for quality.

Red Sea Reefer Review – An In-Depth Look

The Best Brand Proper name In Ready To Run Reef Tanks Today

Overall, the Cerise Sea Reefer is a loftier quality parcel and their success with their tanks cannot be denied. The tank is a smashing i and you volition exist well on your work to a great looking tank and setup with your buy.

Pros

Brand Name

Easy To Assemble

Cons

Expensive

Sump

Plumbing

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Source: https://aquariumstoredepot.com/blogs/news/red-sea-reefer-review

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