TetraPond Clear Choice Biofilter PF-1 For Efficient Filtration

The product is great and I didn't know until after buying it if you use a bard tee adapter you can buy two of them and link them together to create a larger filter. It comes with attachment to add a smaller water feature such as a fountain so that's great. I though the bio balls it came with were oversized for the filter but for the price it's not a bad filter for smaller sized pond and it's pretty easy to put together with out doing much work. Wish I would of had one of these years ago.

This arrived by mail Monday. (we ordered it Saturday!). Installed it yesterday afternoon. The instructions were much better than a lot are. The tubing needed was standard size and there's an Ace hardware just up the road from us. After reading some of the reviews for this product and other products it appears that some of the poor ratings are a result of failure to read, both product description and instructions.Update:When we first set this up we used the universal fitting to the top of the filter but the lid leaked a little and the return tended to surge a bit. After replacing it with the venturi tee the lid no longer leaked and the return flow was constant. So far I'm quite satisfied with the product.For what it's worth no where in the product info does it state that a pump is included. The flow specs are also very plainly stated.

I have a backyard pond, 600 gallons or so. I use this in line with a UV light and my pond water is crystal clear. This thing works great and is very simple. You do need to purchase a pump and some hose to get the water from the pond through this and then back into your pond. All you have to do after is clean the sponge like filter once a week or two. You could probably get creative and put the filter further away and out of sight but I just simply put a nice plant on top of it.

I've read several reviews where people complain about it leaking. I think it's because the unit isn't located high enough above the water line. I've purchased 2 of these in the last 4 years (2 different houses - not because 1 broke) and it took me awhile to figure this out. If water is spewing out of the venturi, it's because there isn't enough downward pressure to move the water out of the unit fast enough, so it backs up and comes out that spout. Same goes for if the lid is leaking. It's because too much water is building up inside the unit. So try placing the unit up higher, and make sure your pump doesn't exceed 550 gallons per hour. This filter keeps the water clear. The replacement pads are reasonably priced and last a good amount of time. The only thing I don't like is that the replacement pads come as a set - 1 blue and 1 gray. The blue pad is plastic-y and lasts forever. The finer gray one, however, wears out quickly and turns to mush. But you have to buy both just to get the one you really need. But no biggie, it's still a very good filter.

UPDATE: 4/29/2018 - Zero stars for customer service. It's been over 2 weeks since I contacted the company about their leaky product and I haven't heard a single word.UPDATE: 4/14/2018 - After sealing the exterior around the leaking filter outlet with silicone, (as noted below), I put this filter back into operation on my pond. I had no leaks for the past month+. Then the other day I changed the filter pads, restarted the pump, and it LEAKED! I could see the water seeping right out from under my silicone sealer. I noticed the area under the outlet had a small puddle so it had already been leaking prior to my filter change. I e-mailed the company with my complaints a few days ago, but have yet to receive a reply. I'll be sure to update this review with the outcome, but for now, this filter is a total waste of time, money, and is a source of aggravation. I would not recommend it to anyone.FROM MARCH 6, 2018: Just the other day I had written a more favorable review for this filter because, after using it for nearly a month, it was doing a good job of keeping the pond crystal clear and was beginning to grow a good foundation for bacteria on the bio media. I had assembled it according to the manufacturer's recommendation of HAND TIGHTENING the fittings. I had been very careful to keep the rubber washers centered as I tightened the fittings, and the washers were in the recommended order for assembly. I set up the filter on a perfectly level service, and had no issues with overflow. Then today, at one month and one day of running the filter, I found the pond level to be a bit low.... I discovered water leaking from around the outlet nozzle - not the hoses, as they are properly clamped - but the actual fitting, past the rubber washers.So, I carefully removed the bio media into buckets of pond water to try to retain it's benefits, then disconnected the filter, dumped it out, dried and inspected it. There were no cracks or broken seams, so I unscrewed the outlet fittings and carefully inspected them for damage. Nothing. I can only assume that the rubber washers were failing to do their job. I reassembled everything, and applied silicone around the outside of both nozzles. I am hoping this will fix the problem. I will be sure to update this review with my findings.

Within a month a pinhole opened in the center of the lid. I was able to stop that tiny leak with flex tape. You have to make sure you get the lid on straight and tight or it will leak as well, bit that makes sense. I've had it about a year now and it was doing great. Never had to worry about the waterfall stopping and the water stayed pretty clear with normal maintenance. I wake up the other day and I only had about 4 inches of water in my pond, on the hottest day of the year no less! Turns out, the seam on the bottom of this sprung a leak! In one night it almost drained my pond!!!! Beware, the pressure this thing goes through can cause the plastic to leak at it's weak points. And my pump is only for 500 gallons!