SAMPLE BUILD · SPS SHOWCASE

The $15,000 SPS showcase: a 131-gallon full-automation reef on a Reefer 625 G3

By rico · Founder, ReefRig · Built from catalog data verified 2026-07-03

THE BUILD IN ONE PARAGRAPH

This is a high-end SPS equipment list for a 131-gallon sump system built on a Red Sea Reefer 625 G3, with full automation: three lights, three wavemakers, an Apex controller with automated alkalinity/calcium/magnesium testing, twin dosing pumps, a DC return pump, battery backup and a six-stage RO/DI — $15,237.36 against a $15,000 budget. Every part is chosen by ReefRig’s rule engine from data verified 2026-07-03.

TANK 131 gal · 59.1″ · sumpSUMP 32 galCORALS SPSBIOLOAD mediumBUDGET $15,000EXPERIENCE Experienced

$15,237.36 total · $15,000 budget$237.36 overCustomize this build for your tank →

A 131-gallon SPS system is where automation starts to pay for itself. On a Red Sea Reefer 625 G3, the engine reaches for its premium tier throughout: an Apex controller with an automated alkalinity/calcium/magnesium analyzer drives twin dosing pumps off measured consumption, and a battery backup keeps the flow pumps running through a power cut. It lands at $15,237.36 against a $15,000 budget — most of the extra sits in the automation and the three lights over a 59-inch tank.

BEFORE YOU BUY

Nyos Quantum 220: Your sump runs ~11″ deep but this skimmer is rated for 8–8″. Add a 2–3″ skimmer stand/riser to drop it into its foam-producing range.

The equipment list

17 products, each sized against the rule engine and priced from catalog reference data. Reference prices are the going street price or MSRP on the verified date — not a ReefRig sale price. Availability and prices change; confirm before buying.

131-gallon SPS showcase · equipment · USD · reference prices
Slot	Product	Key spec	Qty	Ref price	Verified
Display tank	Red Sea REEFER 625 G3	131 gal display / ~163.8 gal system · 59.1×25.6×23.6″ · 32 gal sump	1	$4,499.00	2026-07-03
Aquarium controller	Neptune Systems A3 Apex Pro System	full controller · monitors temp/ph/orp/leak/level · 8 switched outlets	1	$1,169.99	2026-07-03
Automated tester	Neptune Systems Trident ACM (Alk/Ca/Mg Water Analyzer)	add-on analyzer · monitors alk/ca/mg	1	$779.99	2026-07-03
Protein skimmer	Nyos Quantum 220	rated ~500 gal (light bioload) · in-sump · 8″ water depth	1	$639.99	2026-07-03
Lighting	EcoTech Marine Radion XR30 G6 Pro	215W · 32×32″ spread	3	$2,999.97	2026-07-03
Wavemakers	EcoTech Marine VorTech MP40 mQD (QuietDrive)	up to 4500 GPH · propeller · 50-500 gal	2	$863.98	2026-07-03
Wavemaker (cross-flow)	EcoTech Marine VorTech MP60 mQD (QuietDrive)	up to 7500 GPH · propeller · 120-1000 gal	1	$809.99	2026-07-03
Heating	Bulk Reef Supply BRS Titanium Heater Element 300W	300W · titanium · external control	2	$119.98	2026-07-03
Return pump	EcoTech Marine Vectra L2	3100 GPH max · 21.5 ft max head · DC (controllable)	1	$539.99	2026-07-03
Dosing pumps	Neptune Systems DOS QuietDrive	2-channel · Apex	2	$749.98	2026-07-03
Auto top-off	Neptune Systems Apex ATK V2	dual-sensor auto top-off · 14 ft lift	1	$279.99	2026-07-03
RO/DI system	Bulk Reef Supply 6 Stage Deluxe Plus 75 GPD RO/DI System	75 GPD · 6-stage · chloramine-capable	1	$251.99	2026-07-03
Salinity meter	generic Analog Salinity Refractometer (0-100 ppt / SG 1.000-1.070, ATC)	refractometer · salinity (with ATC)	1	$25.00	2026-07-03
Reef test kit	Salifert Alk/Ca/Mg Single-Parameter Kit Combo	alk/ca/mg · titration	1	$50.05	2026-07-03
Alkalinity checker	Hanna Instruments HI772 Marine Alkalinity (dKH) Checker HC	alk · digital-checker	1	$67.49	2026-07-03
Salt mix	Red Sea Coral Pro	175 gal box · ~12 dKH	1	$99.99	2026-07-03
Battery backup	EcoTech Marine Battery Backup (VorTech Battery Backup)	216 Wh · ~36 h typical	1	$259.99	2026-07-03
Equipment subtotal				$14,207.36

Reference prices verified 2026-07-03. ReefRig is not a retailer and does not sell these products; prices are systematically collected reference figures, not offers.

Beyond the SKUs

These are not single products you add to a cart, but real costs the build needs — sized by rule from tank type, system volume and coral type. They are part of the total.

Non-SKU budget lines · USD
Line	What it covers	Budget
Live rock, sand & filter media	Sump system over 100 gal display: ~80–120 lb rock, sand, plus carbon/GFO for the reactor.	$400.00
Plumbing (unions, valves, Loc-Line)	Sump builds need bulkhead unions, a gate/ball valve on the drain, and return-line fittings.	$80.00
Saltwater mixing station	A high-turnover SPS reef burns through saltwater — budget two Brute cans, a mixing pump, and a heater.	$350.00
Quarantine tank kit	A 20 gal QT with a cheap light and heater pays for itself the first time it stops an ich outbreak.	$200.00
Allowances subtotal		$1,030.00

Equipment $14,207.36 + allowances $1,030.00 = $15,237.36 total, just over the $15,000 budget. Excludes livestock, corals and everyday consumables.

Why each part

Every line is chosen by the same rule engine that powers the System Builder. Below is the check each pick passed — the headline reason plus any caution.

Display tank

Red Sea REEFER 625 G3 · $4,499.00

R6 A 131 gal sump-ready system anchors the build — every other component is sized off the ~131 gal display volume you entered.

Aquarium controller

Neptune Systems A3 Apex Pro System · $1,169.99

R4 Its 8 switched AC outlets run the heaters through the external control R4 demands, plus lab-grade monitoring (temp, ph, orp, leak, level) across the system.

Automated tester

Neptune Systems Trident ACM (Alk/Ca/Mg Water Analyzer) · $779.99

R7 The Trident ACM (Alk/Ca/Mg Water Analyzer) tests alkalinity, calcium and magnesium automatically and feeds the Apex controller, closing the loop so dosing tracks real consumption (±0.05 dKH).

Protein skimmer

Nyos Quantum 220 · $639.99

R1 Rated for 500 gal (light bioload) — comfortably above the 254 gal floor R1 sets for your 130 gal system, without being so oversized it starves for organics.

R1 Your sump runs ~11″ deep but this skimmer is rated for 8–8″. Add a 2–3″ skimmer stand/riser to drop it into its foam-producing range.

Lighting

EcoTech Marine Radion XR30 G6 Pro · 3 × $999.99

R2 No published 24″ PAR for this fixture; estimated from wattage at ~191 PAR (target 200–400). 3 fixture(s) cover the 59.1″ length — verify with a meter and dial intensity to your corals.

Wavemakers

EcoTech Marine VorTech MP40 mQD (QuietDrive) · 2 × $431.99

R3 SPS wants 40–60× turnover (5240–7860 GPH). 3 pump(s) — 2× VorTech MP40 mQD (QuietDrive) — deliver up to 16500 GPH combined, run throttled for random turbulence rather than a laminar jet.

Wavemaker (cross-flow)

EcoTech Marine VorTech MP60 mQD (QuietDrive) · $809.99

R3 SPS wants 40–60× turnover (5240–7860 GPH). 3 pump(s) — 1× VorTech MP60 mQD (QuietDrive) — deliver up to 16500 GPH combined, run throttled for random turbulence rather than a laminar jet.

Heating

Bulk Reef Supply BRS Titanium Heater Element 300W · 2 × $59.99

R4 130 gal needs 390–650 W of heat, split across two 300 W elements so one stuck-on element alone can't overheat the tank. Both run through the A3 Apex Pro System; a mechanical thermostat is the classic tank killer.

Return pump

EcoTech Marine Vectra L2 · $539.99

R5 You need ~650 GPH net through the sump. With ~6.9 ft of head this DC pump still delivers ~1916 GPH off its head curve, and being DC you can dial it to your overflow so it never floods the drain.

Dosing pumps

Neptune Systems DOS QuietDrive · 2 × $374.99

R7 A stony reef burns alkalinity past ~0.45 dKH/day — water changes can't keep up. Two DOS QuietDrive heads (4 channels) dose alk + calcium off the Apex, metered to measured consumption. This doser requires the Apex it's paired with here.

Auto top-off

Neptune Systems Apex ATK V2 · $279.99

R6 Evaporation swings salinity on a reef; this dual-sensor ATO tops off automatically with 14 ft of lift and anti-overfill backup, sized for a ~163.8 gal system.

RO/DI system

Bulk Reef Supply 6 Stage Deluxe Plus 75 GPD RO/DI System · $251.99

R6 Tap water poisons a reef with phosphate, chlorine and metals. This 6-stage 75 GPD unit makes your top-off and mixing water, and its dual carbon blocks strip chloramine if your city uses it.

Salinity meter

generic Analog Salinity Refractometer (0-100 ppt / SG 1.000-1.070, ATC) · $25.00

R6 Salinity is the one parameter you must nail from day one — a refractometer (with ATC) beats a swing-arm hydrometer for the ±0.001 SG accuracy corals need.

Reef test kit

Salifert Alk/Ca/Mg Single-Parameter Kit Combo · $50.05

R7 Stony corals live and die by alkalinity, calcium and magnesium. Test all three weekly to catch the consumption trend before it burns tips.

Alkalinity checker

Hanna Instruments HI772 Marine Alkalinity (dKH) Checker HC · $67.49

R7 A digital dKH checker removes the color-match guesswork from your most important parameter — dial dosing to a stable alkalinity within ±0.1 dKH.

Salt mix

Red Sea Coral Pro · $99.99

R6 High-alkalinity (12 dKH) reef salt fuels stony skeletal growth — one 175 gal box to mix your startup water; rebuy as a running cost.

Battery backup

EcoTech Marine Battery Backup (VorTech Battery Backup) · $259.99

R8 A power cut kills flow first — corals suffocate within hours. This backup runs your EcoTech pumps on a dead outlet. Note: a return pump in the same ecosystem may need a separately-sold battery-backup booster to be covered — check the model list.

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