SUNSUN HW-302 Outside Filter setup & test

CWO4GUNNER said:
In any-event one thing I do know is that for a "Stacking-Basket lid-Pump" style canister filter the Sunsun performs my Fluval 404-405 in stock configuration by a very large margin and I suspect most others in its class. The Sunsun also spills far less water when removing the valve block only a few drops compared to a puddle with my Fluval 405. Only draw back is you must be gentle handling the fragile components, no forcing of parts in assembly or disassemble.
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Great update Gunner! I really like how it all catches nicely at the top there. My fluval is usually entirely dirty when I clean it, I'm sure it saves lots of time with the cleaning by not having to clean the bottom media as much. But I have question... Just how long do you think those "fragile parts" will last? Will they loosen up over time? I've had my Fluval for 12 years now and I haven't had many problems with it.

taralm13 said:
wow..thanks for updating. I haven't opened mine up yet (planning on doing it this weekend for the 1st time). How often do you clean yours? I only have mine on a 20 gallon guppy tank so it probably won't get as dirty as your does.
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That's going to be some serious filtration on a 20 gallon! =)
 
taralm13 said:
How often do you clean yours? I only have mine on a 20 gallon guppy tank so it probably won't get as dirty as your does.

Seems every time I did anything to my old one it would stop working or make a huge mess in my tank due to too much flow.
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I have had mine continuously running since March 10th 2010 almost 6 months and flow has not diminish, however previously it did not capture this much dirt I suspect because this time I used evenly an even layer of spacers (bio-balls) in the bottom of the basket so that the filter pad on-top would have to spacing or slack between the bottom and top basket preventing the edges of the filter pad from bending and allowing bypass, seems to work better anyway.

Make sure to be gentle like handling a baby when removing the canister. First by gently moving the swiveling hose valve block connections if they are blocking the valve block handle from reaching its full upright unlocked position. 2nd make sure you have shut off the pump then lift the valve block on/off-release handle all the way. 3rd carefully unlatch the wire latch handles (easy), then carefully and gingerly lift a little at a time the cam-lock handles which unlock and lift the pump-lid off the canister body. You should help this process by pulling up on all sides of the pump lid and working the cam
locks until the lid finally comes loose and comes off. If you simply force and yank the handles up, you may brake off a handle, a very common occurrence with all top-motors lid canisters when people force them.
 
Lillyan said:
I just bought my Sunsun earlier today!
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Good Show ... You're goin' to Love it!!! :nilly::y220e:

In the mean time, get some filter media of your liking. There are several options and it is really a matter of preference in most cases.

Best wishes,
Wes
 
A few notes about Sun Sun HW series filters.

I've noticed the USA seems excited by these "new" HW series Sun Sun's well they have been around about 3 years since they replaced the old CF and CFD (OEM in USA for Marineland, TetraTec in Europe and Japan, Aqua One in UK and Australia) filters.
Yes they are cheap, yes the baskets and pipe fittings are of cheaper plastic then used in the filters made for other brands but they use the same motors and impellers and the same basic design and as you have noticed they work quite well.
Just to clear up a few things SunSun are not COPYING Marineland or Tetra or JBL filters they actually designed and make these filters for these companies (when you go to the SunSun factory you see filters stacked according to brand) there are various options for each OEM customer as to type of fittings and quality of plastic used. The SunSun brand uses the cheaper materials but the pump and canister head are the same for all filters regardless of brand.
SunSun make more canister filters then Fluval and Eheim put together you might think they are new but if you have bought a Marineland C series or a JBL or a Tetra cannister filter over the past 7 years then you have bought a filter actually made by SunSun.
SunSun is a brand that has been in Asia for over 10 years and is one of the big 4 of Chinese OEM Aquarium manufacturers any one of which is bigger then anything in the US or Europe. The Aquarium hobby is huge in Asia compared to the US or Europe and the Asian manufacturers have become very large businesses themselves.
Nothing wrong with SunSun ... a HW-302 is only $21 ex factory compared to $63 for a Eheim 2217 (which is also contrary to popular belief made in China).
The lack of parts and replacement pads etc can be a issue but as more people use these filters they will become more widely available.
Enjoy your SunSun's ..... I've got plenty ...and they do better then ok.
 
I still have the problem with mine in that the 'dirt' is always on the top pad and not getting caught by the first two (bottom two) trays. How can I fix this?
 
Remeber it goes from bottom to top you should place course foam at the very bottom of the bottom basket (cut it to size using the white pad as a template) if your in Australia the Heto green, blue or Orca black foams are good and can be found at most aquarium shops.
My baskets are set up as follows... (from bottom layer to top)
Bottom Basket Course foam covered with loose ceramic rings
Next Basket (or 2 if its a HW-304) ceramic rings
Top basket layer of ceramic rings topped by white pad
 
Make sure that your intake pipes that pass through each filter grate are aligned and telescoping into one another fully as you stack the baskets, most especially the top grate lid which is an extension between the top basket and the inflow port. If that very top grate lid is missing, misaligned or up-side-down the piping segment will not reach and leak water never making it to the bottom of the filter. Also nothing should go on top of that top grate lid because it will hit the motor and block flow. Other then that I don't know as I'm not there to inspect how you have your filter packed and aligned.
 
I just got mine yesterday. I tested it quickly last night with a 5 gal bucket and everything looks great. I should have it in my 55gal turtle tank this weekend.
Thanks for the great reviews and step by step explanations Gunner!
 
If your talking about that 'hole' that runs down the side of all of the baskets and the top protector, then yes they are all allined but the intake does not sit over the hole.. because its on the opposite corner if you kniow what I mean. Like its impossible to alline the intake to the line of holes...
 
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