Review on SunSun HW-704B 525 GPH 5-Stage External Canister Filter with 9W UV Sterilizer: Superior Sun Filtration Solution by Sandra Price

No wonder they cost as disposable items. One was DOA, another died after 6 months, the third is still working fine. I bought two of these to replace two Rena Filstars I've been using on two large tanks for the past 9 years. I was also attracted by the low cost and advertised capacity. Of the first two I bought, one leaked from the start. The other one was ok. I tried putting some silicone grease on the seals to see if that would stop the leak but it didn't so I had to return it. The second worked fine for the first 3 months, but after the power cut I noticed that it also started leaking when the pump wasn't working. This was a big problem for me as I live in an area with strong lightning (Tampa Bay Area) so power outages are frequent. By this time the replacement for the first filter had arrived and it has worked fine all along, although I'm still not confident enough to leave the house for a few days. Meanwhile, the second filter got worse and worse. All my fish started dying. But the water was clear and everything looked normal. In the end, all the fish died except for one cavalryman. A few blennies, starfish and hermit crabs also survived, but all the others, about 12 fish, died. I have decided that something bad has gotten into the water and I need to clean the aquarium. When I touched the reservoir, I felt what I thought was a discharge of static electricity. But then I touched the water and got a shock from it. I found out by exclusion that it was of course my cheap filter. I received a shock standing on a dry carpeted floor. I wonder what would happen if my tank leaked some more and soaked the carpet THEN I touched the water. Luckily I only fill my tank with interesting fish from the bay so the expense was minimal, although I felt some regret for slowly electrocuting my fish. This puts me in a quandary now. because although it was sold by an American seller and eligible for Revain Prime, the company is Chinese. Therefore, after the first month, all problems must be solved by a Chinese company. This means repairs or replacements will likely take up to a month there and a month back. Even if they send a replacement before they receive my return, it takes at least a month. That means I'll have to find another filter to keep me going this month. Then I'd have to hope that the FOURTH filter doesn't turn out like two of the first three (not a safe bet). I am 51 years old and have spent most of my life in aquariums and terrariums. I've never had filter failures at such a ridiculous rate as this. In fact, I don't even remember the filter failing. I only bought new filters a few years later when I thought they were no longer strong enough or for larger aquariums. These filters were filled with only three bowls when I used them. The first two had progressively thinner filter pads and the third was a bio-dome layer. The fourth was empty. They were cleaned every two months. There was nothing disturbing the flow to cause such an outage. They are cheap because they are cheaply made and unreliable. Even if they are functioning normally, they can leak or have system failures even under normal circumstances and without warning (except for a drop in water level). And again, you can never be completely sure that leaving the house for a few days won't empty your tank. My reservoir has two large reservoirs in a downstairs closet in case of leaks. When I realized the second filter was leaking, the water was only an inch from the top of the drain tank. If I didn't have this reservoir I'd have about 30 gallons of water on the floor, and if I did I might have 40 more. It's too much risk and concern for the future to save about $50. Shot for me, but let me save you the trouble. take something better No hassles and much more peace of mind well worth the extra money. I'll try to return the second block for a refund and find something I don't have to worry about as much. Update: NO RESPONSE FROM CUSTOMER SERVICE! I emailed Sunsun the same day I posted my review. I have escalated it to their complaints department, their North America manager and their corporate manager as stated on their website. I sent a reply every day. Still no answer. I'll update if they ever reply.