SunSun Canister Filter Leaking Even with New Seal
- Thread starter 32Bit_Fish
- Start date
Bringing back an oldie here. Hoping for help!
I've got 2 Sunsun HW-302 canisters in operation. One is 5yrs old, the other a little over a year. A 5 yr old Marineland C360 too, but that all good.
The year old HW-302 unit started leaking after I took it apart for a cleaning yesterday. I didn't notice it right away and it leaked about 2-3 gallons of water into the basement carpeting. Yay! Fun..
I always clean all the sealing surfaces and lube the O-rings with silicone plumbers grease intended for drinking water. All that looks good. I ordered 2 new O-rings off eBay, but honestly, the OEM looks, feels and seems to seal perfectly?? Water is getting up into the barrel head (above the motor) somehow. The trays are seated properly. I lost my mind to the point I was about to start smashing things.. So I tossed all the bio media into a media bag, tossed it in the tank and yanked this 302's hosed and all from the tank for now. It could be awhile before I get the mail-order O-rings.
There is a backup filter on this 29g, a little AquaClear 30. That'll have to do for now. So frustrated. Had this thing apart like 4x.
I've got 2 Sunsun HW-302 canisters in operation. One is 5yrs old, the other a little over a year. A 5 yr old Marineland C360 too, but that all good.
The year old HW-302 unit started leaking after I took it apart for a cleaning yesterday. I didn't notice it right away and it leaked about 2-3 gallons of water into the basement carpeting. Yay! Fun..
I always clean all the sealing surfaces and lube the O-rings with silicone plumbers grease intended for drinking water. All that looks good. I ordered 2 new O-rings off eBay, but honestly, the OEM looks, feels and seems to seal perfectly?? Water is getting up into the barrel head (above the motor) somehow. The trays are seated properly. I lost my mind to the point I was about to start smashing things.. So I tossed all the bio media into a media bag, tossed it in the tank and yanked this 302's hosed and all from the tank for now. It could be awhile before I get the mail-order O-rings.
There is a backup filter on this 29g, a little AquaClear 30. That'll have to do for now. So frustrated. Had this thing apart like 4x.
Just an update on my leaking sunsun. I did some more experimentation on it given I haven't received the new O-rings yet. I ran it without the media baskets. Still leaked into the space in the top. I took the top apart which was real easy, by removing 6 screws and it appears to be leaking from the primer button, which best I can tell, is not serviceable in any way?
Since I've had this canister for just under a year (mail ordered it late Dec 2016), I emailed the eBay seller- cll_petsupplies. They basically told me to get bent. "Sorry, we have never encountered this issue." I've bought lots of stuff from this seller over the years. They are cheap and fast. Just don't expect much down the road from them. It's not the end of the world since this unit was $41.88 shipped, just ticks me off because I have another 302 that's been running for 5x as long and it's on all original parts, seals, etc! Canisters sure are awesome until they're not and leak all over the place. Ugh.
Since I've had this canister for just under a year (mail ordered it late Dec 2016), I emailed the eBay seller- cll_petsupplies. They basically told me to get bent. "Sorry, we have never encountered this issue." I've bought lots of stuff from this seller over the years. They are cheap and fast. Just don't expect much down the road from them. It's not the end of the world since this unit was $41.88 shipped, just ticks me off because I have another 302 that's been running for 5x as long and it's on all original parts, seals, etc! Canisters sure are awesome until they're not and leak all over the place. Ugh.
Had two SunSuns leak on me while the Hydor goes on and on. And both times, i was not in town and needless to say, the wife was not a happy lady.
Now it's just the hydor 450 and have ordered a Aquaclear 70 for the chem media.
Sigh, like you said, ain't nothing worse than a leaking filter. Especially when the tank is inside your house.
Now it's just the hydor 450 and have ordered a Aquaclear 70 for the chem media.
Sigh, like you said, ain't nothing worse than a leaking filter. Especially when the tank is inside your house.
I hear you. Because of my above incident, I've put my remaining canisters in a bucket/container just in case of a leak. I'm considering buying a few of those battery operated water leak detectors to keep in the containers just in case I'm not around or aware. Like you say, the darling bride wouldn't be happy and would be clueless if I wasn't around! Kids too.
And when the wife says if it leaks again, then the tank also goes, then it's time to be afraid!
So the Hydor 450 for full on bio media, Aquaclear hangon for Chem media and a good ol fashioned internal power filter for mech filtration.
And i sold off my 9 clown loaches to reduce the load
Good idea. I considered just sealing off the inside of the primer 'button' with a bead of silicone, but as luck would have it, I lost one of the plastic lid latches for this 302 in the process of taking the top apart! Ugh.. For ~$40 shipped for a whole new unit, they're hardly worth ordering replacement parts for.
I have two SunSun 304b's that leaked constantly. I finally got fed up with them and just built a sump, and now they've suddenly stopped leaking right after. I would always dread cleaning them because they would leak every time I had to open them up. I added a very thin/flat piece of twine behind the O-ring to push it out very slightly. I am not sure if that is what actually did the trick or not. I have yet to even open one up since I did that. I also lift the lever on the top where the hoses attach to cut off water circulation right before unplugging the unit when I do water changes, then I plug it back in and put the lever back down.
I would always dread cleaning them because they would leak every time I had to open them up. I added a very thin/flat piece of twine behind the O-ring to push it out very slightly. I am not sure if that is what actually did the trick or not. I have yet to even open one up since I did that. I also lift the lever on the top where the hoses attach to cut off water circulation right before unplugging the unit when I do water changes, then I plug it back in and put the lever back down.
Something else to consider if you own a Sunsun canister filter. I ordered a replacement cover O-ring from 2 eBay sources on Dec 11. One from the US, one from China. They only about $5/ea all-in, but it's been 2 weeks and no sign of them yet. You're almost better off ordering a whole new unit for replacement parts, or just to swap your media over to. I know when I ordered my 302s, they were at my doorstep in a few days.
