Leaking EHEIM Pro 4+ 350

[Drill]

I just purchased a new EHEIM Pro+ 4 350 canister filter and it has been leaking right from the start. I went ahead and bought a new gasket for it and that took care of it. I bought this filter because of all the good reviews regarding the company but so far I am not impressed. I used to have a Fluval 206 but when it started to leak frequently I decided to replace it with the EHEIM. While it is not leaking now I was surprised that water will pour out of it If I tilt the canister. The Fluval never did this and I wonder if this is normal for the EHEIM. I also thought the fiter would be quieter. I seems to cycle between quiet and making a churning noise every few seconds. I need some advise, please

[BFG]

Not normal for it to leak that way , might be it was stored too long and the rubber seal wore off causing the leak in the 1st place . Honestly , I would avoid the Pro series even though I have a few Pro 3 running and was also using the Pro 2 previously , luckily bought them used at slightly half price . Placed them in a bucket or a small tub to collect the leaking water or you could return them back and exchange for the Classic series , made in Germany , bucket canister filter , Eheim largest model as far as I know .

My personal experience is that the leakage would occur at the point where the pump is used manually , to start the siphon for the filter . I did not use the Pro series manual pump but instead circumvent it by using the Eheim Installation Set 1 to start the siphon , by filling the hose with water through the Installation Set 1 cap , wich can be unscrew to provide an opening for you to pour water in .

Caveat Emptor ! The Classic series bucket canister filter is a beast ! The size alone is huge , able to fit 2 of Marinepure 8 x 8 x 4 inch block easily with room to spare to add more filter media . With filter media fully filled plus tank water , it could weigh heavily , as heavy as a few bags of concrete ! To overcome this , I would advise you to get another canister filter to act as a pre-filter to trap all the large particle of fish waste , uneaten fish food and plant matter . Use this pre-filter , with cheap sponge and or filter wool only and just do maintenance on the pre-filter only , leaving the main filtration unit untouched for a few years or so . Connect the 2 canister filter in series , leaving the main canister pump operating while the pre-filter canister filter pump switch off and the impeller removed . You could diy the pre-filter using large diameter pvc pipe if you are handy .

Do a research before starting this project . It might be too much of a hassle for some people . By the way , I am not employed by Eheim nor is being paid or am accepting anything from Eheim . Although I really like this brand because it is easily available where I am located , certain model of their product I would avoid because of what I experienced from .

Hope this helps !