Canister Dump - Your Reality

[Nick72]

O-ring failure between motor head and canister body, quick release valve leaking, intake/output line connectors leaking, output line breaking loose and dumping outside the tank, cracked casing...

How common / How serious / How catastrophic - what's the reality:

For those of you that have owned a / multiple canister filters for more than a year -

 

[Cichlidude]

I've never had a problem with 7 years with a Sunsun. But make sure you get at least 1000 folks to respond for a good sample.

 

[Nick72]

I've never had a problem with 7 years with a Sunsun. But make sure you get at least 1000 folks to respond for a good sample.

I want to like and funny that one Cichlidude - so +1 Like, +1 Funny

 

[kallililly1973]

I had a mI nor issue with my Fluval 406 where the valve was leaking small drops . Contacted Fluval and they sent me a brand new valve assembly. been good ever since.

 

[grump299]

Only leak I had on canister was an o-ring started to leak on fluval 404 after maintenance but in defense for the filter it is 18 years old and I have never had an issue with it.. Always lubricate o-rings on maintenance day and replaced aqua stop on same filter leaked only when it was disconnected for maintenance again 18 years old..

 

[Ronniethewitch]

I had no leaks with mine but it used to spit so much back when priming it that I have stopped using it anyway....but mine had a uv in it which cleared up my algae and Ive never suffered from it again...

 

[Nick72]

I had no leaks with mine but it used to spit so much back when priming it that I have stopped using it anyway....but mine had a uv in it which cleared up my algae and Ive never suffered from it again...

Good to hear you've had no leaks Ronniethewitch - this survey is aimed to assess how common, or not, leaking canisters are. So reports of no leaking are just as important as reports of leaking.

Not sure what you mean by 'Spit so much back when priming ' can you explain?

 

[Islandvic]

Never had an issue with my Hydor 600 canister, its hoses or the connections.

Best advise is to use patience and don't rush during the initial set-up and when breaking it down to clean the media in the baskets.

 

[aussieJJDude]

Never had an issue with leaky canisters (owned numerous canisters over 10 years, closer to 20...) only time it leaked was an old fluval 303 (believe its discontinued) and if you didnt place the o ring just right it would leak. But had no issue with the unit.

 

[Ronniethewitch]

Good to hear you've had no leaks Ronniethewitch - this survey is aimed to assess how common, or not, leaking canisters are. So reports of no leaking are just as important as reports of leaking.

Not sure what you mean by 'Spit so much back when priming ' can you explain?

whenever I was priming the canister after cleaning it (swishing the media in old tank water, rinsing out detritus etc and refilling with clean treated water) every time I hooked it all back up again and pumped the primer there was gunk being spat out from the spraybar into the tank... not sure where it came from and it only took an hour or so for the water to be clear again but it bothered me so much I stopped using it. I still have it as a back up if my other one fails or if I get an algae issue (it has a uv filter incorporated) the gunk it spat out looked like white water mould that you get with pool filters. Do you know what I'm talking about? Took a lot of trolling through internet photos to figure that out.

 

[EbiAqua]

Had a hose pop off of a Sunsun 304B at 1 in the morning, dumped half of my 46 bowfront on the floor. Was my fault, forgot to tighten the hose clamp after maintenance. Luckily my floors are ceramic tile.

 

[Thunder_o_b]

I have been using Marineland canisters Magnum 350 (5) for over 20 years and Magnaflow 360 (3) for a year and only had a slight leak in one of the twenty year old valves.

Many leaks are from people not handling the equipment properly. Lub the 'O' rings and gaskets with 100% silicon lube not vaseline. Patroluium lubes damage 'O' rings. Also make sure that the gaskets are seated, not twisted and no foreign particles are on them.

 

[leftswerve]

I've had a valve leak. I think that was due to tiny snail damage. I admit, of all the different filters I've used, canisters work best but most PIB to clean.

 

[grump299]

whenever I was priming the canister after cleaning it (swishing the media in old tank water, rinsing out detritus etc and refilling with clean treated water) every time I hooked it all back up again and pumped the primer there was gunk being spat out from the spraybar into the tank... not sure where it came from and it only took an hour or so for the water to be clear again but it bothered me so much I stopped using it. I still have it as a back up if my other one fails or if I get an algae issue (it has a uv filter incorporated) the gunk it spat out looked like white water mould that you get with pool filters. Do you know what I'm talking about? Took a lot of trolling through internet photos to figure that out.

That’s exactly what it is junk from your hoses that build up over time I get the same thing when I do filter maintenance. How I get around this is I disconnect the power bar and put a filter media bag over the out put pipe before I start it to catch that .

 

[casuk]

Never any issues on any eheim classics of mine in fact in durability terms nothing comes close

 

[Feohw]

My eheim ecco pro 300 has never leaked - it's a great filter. I bought an all ponds solution 1000ef a month or so ago. That was a mistake. I set it up, primed it, realised it was leaking and turned it off. Went to get the manual and my phone to do some research, came back and a little more than 20 gallon of my 52.8g tanks water had leaked out. Luckily I had the filter in a big bucket just in case especially as it was on a wooden floor. The water was literally 10 seconds from overflowing the bucket though, so I'm very lucky I entered when I did. Pretty sure the o ring has something wrong with it, but the filter has sat in a bucket every since.

 

[Beneful1]

I have a Fluval 404 which must be around 18 y.o. now as well. I used it for a number of years then put it in storage for 12 years after we moved. I noticed on re setting it up a few months ago it wouldn't prime and a few drops of water dripping down the side so I put in a new O ring and voila.. Back to being good as new.

 

[Nick72]

So while the majority have found canisters to be trouble free, and 75% of respondents say they have lost less than a litre, that still leaves a remarkable 16.7% who's canisters have dumped more than 20 Gallons!

There are some admissions of user error, but quality control at the point of manufacture also appears to play a part.

So perhaps canisters do, at least in part, deserve the reputation of fiddly / leaky?

Our poll size of 12 can hardly be considered statistically significant and does not meet the Cichlidude 1000 standard - so please continue to share your experiences and caste your votes.

 

[Cichlidude]

So while the majority have found canisters to be trouble free, and 75% of respondents say they have lost less than a litre, that still leaves a remarkable 16.7% who's canisters have dumped more than 20 Gallons!

There are some admissions of user error, but quality control at the point of manufacture also appears to play a part.

So perhaps canisters do, at least in part, deserve the reputation of fiddly / leaky?

Our poll size of 12 can hardly be considered statistically significant and does not meet the Cichlidude 1000 standard - so please continue to share your experiences and caste your votes.

And Fluval has the most failures!!!! OMG!

 

[leftswerve]

I posted my reply, not knowing it was a poll (didn't see the poll on my cell phone).
For sure, quality name brand do not deserve a bad rep. Most of any rep is due to NEWBIE error, yet these boards continue to perpetrate myths and not call them out.

 

[Thunder_o_b]

Never any issues on any eheim classics of mine in fact in durability terms nothing comes close

I have heard they are good, but I think 20 year old Marineland canisters that have been trouble free all those years comes more than close

 

[casuk]

My eheim was made in west Germany over 40 year ago

 

[Nick72]

.....For sure, quality name brand do not deserve a bad rep. Most of any rep is due to NEWBIE error, yet these boards continue to perpetrate myths and not call them out.

This thread is to survey canister owners and hear real life accounts regarding there reliability or otherwise.

Far from perpetrating myths it is designed to provide an insight into the true user experience.

I appreciate your input and look forward to hearing from as many additional members as possible so that we can get a valuable survey size.

 

[Pescado_Verde]

I've never had a leak in either of the 2 Eheim filters I've run. I did have a huge mess with the first one I purchased but that was due more to me being a bonehead/hardhead. It arrived and in setting it up I noticed a manufacturing defect and proceeded to use the filter anyway. The first time I shut the power off it caused the pump head to pop up and begin siphoning water out of the tank. I was there when it happened but still lost around 15 gallons of water all over the living room floor. I just watched this video last night from Corey and it's got me thinking about my love affair with canisters and might be a good subject for another thread too.It's his opinion that canister filters are, in my words, "over sold". That is, they're really not suitable nor necessary for most aquariums but manufacturers and retailers really like to sell them.

 

[Nick72]

Pescado_Verde - I really like this video. It's not actually 'anti-canister' although it does feel like that in parts. It's is however very thought provoking as to whether canisters are / should be the default option for medium and large sized aquariums.

 

[jmaldo]

Using 6 Eheims Classics (2211 through 2217) for nearly 2 years+ on a few, no problems. As mentioned clean and then lube the O-ring with silicone grease then install, ensure no kinks. Good to go. (Knock on Wood).

 

[Pescado_Verde]

Using 6 Eheims Classics (2211 through 2217) for nearly 2 years+ on a few, no problems. As mentioned clean and then lube the O-ring with silicone grease then install, ensure no kinks. Good to go. (Knock on Wood).

Not to derail the thread but how often have you cleaned them? Was it because you felt like it or was there some reason? I'm asking because my Classic 600 is right at 6 months in service and I haven't done anything to it. I have an Eheim prefilter on it that I clean once a week or so but that's been it.