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Tetratec EX 1200 filter

:twisted:

So last night I cleaned it out, removed and cleaned the O ring and all around the seal area - but its brand new so of course, no dirt. Put it back and left it running- not a leak. This morning it was sat in a small puddle. I pulled the plug and left for the office without isolating it from the tank with the taps - big mistake - wife called me 4 hours later and it was cascading down the sides, overflowing the dish I left it in and flooding the living room with 5 or 6 litres. I'm in serious trouble now!

I rue the day I bought this thing. I will try to get some service out of Tetra but this is a real pain.

Does anyone know the biggest Eheim I can get through a 50cm high doorway?
 
Ray said:
So last night I cleaned it out, removed and cleaned the O ring and all around the seal area - but its brand new so of course, no dirt. Put it back and left it running- not a leak. This morning it was sat in a small puddle. I pulled the plug and left for the office without isolating it from the tank with the taps - big mistake - wife called me 4 hours later and it was cascading down the sides, overflowing the dish I left it in and flooding the living room with 5 or 6 litres. I'm in serious trouble now!

This is deja vu for me. I contacted Tetra and they sent me a replacement O ring and a replacement tap fitting for the top and not had a problem since.

I was cleaning the lot fitting it and fine. after a few hours it was starting to leak.

It maybe that if you remove the large O ring that you can se a blemish on the moulding which is what was causing mine (I think)

Contact Tetra. The filter has a 3 year warranty and their after sale IME are superb.

AC
 
:rolleyes: Just bought one of these filters off fleabay (supposedly new!!) however, when i opened it I found a dirty great scratch down one of the main clasps & body. Anyway, set the thing up, plugged it in & voila .... water leaking from all clasp area's :twisted: I took the unit apart, cleaned the seals & applied vasoline, refitted & all that was achieved from my exercise was to get water all over my wooden floor. I did manage to get it running for approx 30 minutes give or take without a leak but when I went to move the filter into the cabinet it started to trickle then pour out of the filter head. I am totally fed up with this filter & wish I had stuck to my original plan & gone for an Eheim. I found the filter to have a noticeable humming noise from the motor whilst it was running (with no leaks) which I found rather annoying as I have an Eheim 2324 in a tank in my bedroom (at the foot of the bed) & cannot hear the slightest noise from the motor even in the dead of night! So I cannot understand why people have said on many forums that these filters are as quiet as Eheim. I also found this filter to be messy when removing & refitting the head unit. If the head unit is removed (to try to re-seal the damn thing!) & then refitted, water shoots out of the inlet/outlet tubes unless some water is poured out of the main body. I have spent one evening cussing & cleaning up that I needn't have. I wish I had found this thread before purchasing. I suppose you get what you pay for in the end. Am sending this thing back & getting another Eheim. Sod the expense! :arghh:
 
eljaes said:
Am sending this thing back & getting another Eheim. Sod the expense! :arghh:

That's exactly the conclusion I came too after my experience with the ex2400.

Sam

Edit - I will add that the ex600 I have it whisper quite and works well. ALthough even with this its annoying how the filter head gets filled with water when you take the taps off though!!! Grr! :twisted:
 
There seems to be a growing number of us who have had a bad experience with the Ex1200. As sam says above, the ex600 is great, iv not had a leak and its quiet..apart from the problem mentioned above.

Its a shame as for the price (if it worked properly) itd be a good filter.

Thanks, Howard
 
I'm having a nightmare with mine right now, starting leaking very small drips now i come home and its soaked my bedroom floor!
 
My old post from a previous thread

Mine was leaking in June 2008 after a filter clean. I found the water was filling up the void between the plastic case of the head and the head itself and manifested as a leak from the latch.

If you look really closely you should be able to tell if it is the main pump head seal or not.

If the pump head seal is ok there are two other sets of seals, the ones on the adaptor unit that you can see where it plugs into the head and have spares for that were included in the box, and the ones INSIDE the adaptor unit.

The seals inside are not available as spares you have to replace the adapter unit itself. I took the unit apart (4 screws) and found two seals that had dried out. Relubed put back together and all ok.

I should point out that taking apart the filter could void the warranty but in my case i had no option as it was the weekend and Tetra have been excellent about it and sent a new adapter unit. I even sent the pictures of the problem to them and they were still fine i'd taken it apart.

Great service though.
 
I rang Tetratec and they confirmed it was the valve adapter thing, they replaced it in 2 days and it works a treat. Although my filter is now alot more noisier... dont want to take it apart incase it breaks again ha!
 
I'd give them a call again and tell them it is noisier. I expect they will help you out...
 
I know this is an old post, but my second tetratec has failed me for the last time. It was only luck that I spotted it had been leaking for some days and sensible of me to have had it placed in a tray.

Yes helpful customer service, but that is no good on what IS a substandard product in comparison to Eheim 2080 or Fluval FX5 which I bought and have run for around the same time as my two Tetratec ex1200s since 2008. Those other models have not leaked on me yet but both tetretecs have dones so.

I know there are many people who have had issues with these filters and initially I gave them half a chance. I cannot recommend the ex1200s to anyone though.

If I was going to recommend a good filter that i have found to stand the test of time and have far more good reviews than bad I would say Fx5 (of which I have two) and the Eheim 2080. I cant talk about other Eheims or fluvals.

Obviously this is not a review with statistical facts of testing hundreds of products, but this is one more person(who is peed off) and gives the ex1200s the thumbs down.
 
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