Redsea 425 Gen1 or Gen2?

[Bent17]

Hi all - So I have been planning to buy my Redsea Reefer 425 Deluxe and now my LFS told me that the Gen2 just came out... Its around $500 extra and not sure if I should go for the Gen1 or Gen2 model. I will be having the Redsea reefmat which is built for it in the Gen2. What are your opinions. G1 or G2?

 

[blaxsun]

Get the Gen2. Dual returns, precision valve, plywood cabinet and you can just pull the filter sock holders out to fit a ReefMat.

 

[TheBear78]

As a fairly recent buyer of the Gen 1 (version 3) it's interesting to see the differences.
The most obvious change to the return nozzle is a nice idea and I note that the side glass is now 15mm. All other glass is 12mm as was the entire Gen 1. More contact area for the silicone?.. The revised diaphragm valve may or may not be any different but so far the previous version on my tank hasn't been an issue.
It is also a touch wider with additional volume that that provides.
I cannot see any internal pictures to comment on sump design etc. but I know the sock holders are now easily removeable to allow fitment of the roller. My guess would be a similar layout just without the glued in holders.
It's £200 more in the UK (minus the roller) although the Gen 1 was on offer not that long ago.
I assume that the $500 extra that you've been quoted includes the roller?

Side by side I would say that the Gen 2 offers obvious improvements, most notably the return nozzles which should help with dead spots at the back and certainly give a cleaner look. The sump change (afaik) doesn't appear to offer any more than an easier route to roller installation. If fitting from new it's not really a problem either way although I am yet to see how they have incorporated the ATO reservoir. On the Gen 1 (if you want to keep then ATO reservoir) the roller goes in the skimmer section and the skimmer moves to the refugium. This leaves a big dead area where the socks used to be. It could probably work as a refugium but you definitely wouldn't design it that way given other options.

 

[TheBear78]

Gen 1 has a plywood cabinet.
Typical marketing spiel "...cabinets are now all fortified and made of plywood"
It just means that the two models that weren't plywood now are.

 

[Midrats]

Who needs two return nozzles? Tunzes are for preventing dead spots.

 

[josephfi]

Gen 1 has a plywood cabinet.
Typical marketing spiel "...cabinets are now all fortified and made of plywood"
It just means that the two models that weren't plywood now are.

getting a 425G2 soon. Hope i dont get the same problems. The g1 and g2 has the same plywood cabinet so what is the difference in the cabinet now on the g2 that wont get sagging and make the seams break? I looked at the cabinet diagrams but could not figure which part they are talking about that makes them say g2 has extra fortified cabinets.