Reefer 200 Mixed Reef · Balanced
A mid-size sumped Reefer is the real bridge from beginner to intermediate. You learn plumbing, you learn skimming, and you have room for fish without crowding. The 42g volume is forgiving.
The build, piece by piece
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Tank + Stand
Red Sea Reefer 200 G2+ System (42 Gal)Red Sea · sumped_reef_ready$1,799Some links may earn ReefCrafter a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn how ReefCrafter is funded.
Lighting
AquaIllumination Prime 16HD Reef LED BlackAquaIllumination · puck LED$329Some links may earn ReefCrafter a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn how ReefCrafter is funded.
Return Pump
Sicce Syncra SDC 3.0 WiFi Controllable Pump (260-800 GPH)Sicce · DC return pump$249Some links may earn ReefCrafter a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn how ReefCrafter is funded.
Protein Skimmer
Bubble Magus Curve 5+ Protein SkimmerBubble Magus · in-sump internal$219Some links may earn ReefCrafter a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn how ReefCrafter is funded.
Flow / Powerheads
AquaIllumination Nero 3 Wave Powerhead (2000 GPH)AquaIllumination · DC controllable powerhead$150Some links may earn ReefCrafter a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn how ReefCrafter is funded.
Heating / Temperature
Cobalt Neo-Therm 150W Submersible HeaterCobalt Aquatics · thin-profile heater$70Some links may earn ReefCrafter a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn how ReefCrafter is funded.
ATO + Dosing
Tunze Osmolator 3 Auto Top OffTunze · ATO with redundant sensor$279Some links may earn ReefCrafter a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn how ReefCrafter is funded.
Filtration / Media
BRS GFO Carbon Reactor DualBulk Reef Supply · reactor$129Some links may earn ReefCrafter a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn how ReefCrafter is funded.
Understand the weak spots before you customize.
What this template can and cannot decide.
Template pages run the live ReefCrafter rule engine against the saved gear list, then expose the exact warnings that fired. They cannot guarantee fit after you swap equipment, change livestock, alter plumbing, or skip the maintenance assumptions behind the build.
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Swap components, change tiers, see compatibility update live.
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