Fish 'R' Fun Green Killing Machine Internal UV Sterilizer with Power Head, 24W Upto 400 Litre

I hope this is useful information for those who are contemplating the purchase of this item.I have owned the smaller 9W version of this 24W uv sterilizer and it was also very good. I never needed to replace the lamp and it did its job for 3 years. The flow rate was very gentle however and not sufficent to circulate my 165 litre (36 uk gallon) aquarium so I used a seperate small powerhead to provide greater flow. The 9W version broke after 3 years as the cable entering the pump unit broke where it was connected because the cable bends repeatedly at this point. Greater care could avoid this happening but I did not realise. When it broke the green water returned again shortly afterwards showing that it had been working effectively even with a 3 year old 9W uv lamp.This larger model cleared the green water within 3 days and a further improvement in clarity resulted after a week of use. The flow with the larger 24W model is much greater and perfect for a gentle flow in my 165 litre aquarium. It does have a larger body and so there is more to accomodate within the aquarium but this is not a problem for me as it fits behind the same rock as the smaller unit. Interestingly, the point where the cable enters the pump unit has a reinforced connection which bodes well for longevity. Also worth noting is that the transformer is very heavy and cannot be left hanging as I did with the smaller model. Luckily the cabling is long enough for me to fit the transformer within the cupboard underneath my aquarium so there is again no issue there.Importantly, I recieved good service from Rocket Aquatics and the sterilizer was a brand new one in new packaging and arrived swiftly. On 01 Jan 2016 I had bought a 700IF from All Pond Solutions which is a 700 l/h internal filter with 9w UV steriliser but this was supplied in opened and damaged packaging and was not working. It was sent back for a refund which after much prompting eventually arrived on 10 Mar.I have found that when the water flow on this 24W reduces I can back-flush it by disconnecting the pump and reversing the flow while holding the pump onto the light unit. This seems quite easy to do. Also, I needed a cable tie to secure the unit to a rock in my aquarium as I found the sucker ineffective in my application.

The media could not be loaded. Tried an external UV light as water would quickly go green after cleaning but it leaked and flooded the room so this was the next best thing. First one came and lasted a few hours before it died, most disappointed and wasn't going to bother with a replacement but I'm glad I did, refunded after returning the faulty one and gave it second chance. Easy to install, 3 wires go to a block that has 3 connectors all different so you can't make a mistake. It is quite large but not to large for my tank, it's virtually silent and has quite a low flow rate which gives a nice trickle and the water has had a noticeable change. I would change about 30% of the water every Saturday as well as vacuuming the gravel (Fluval FX6 gravelvac is superb) but by Wednesday the water would start to green, not sure if it's tannins from the wood, the tank is not heavily stocked and is not in direct sunlight but the water would quickly green. This has made a big difference, now after 3 weeks'ish I've not had anywhere near the level of green and the water is clear and crisp after two weeks without a water change.Edit: after nearly 2 years without issue I noticed the glass getting some algae on it and the water was going green a couple of days after weekly water changes. Even though it showed it was still working I thought I'd try a replacement UV Light, glad I did, I can't believe how much the water flow had slowed down, although the flow is a low trickle it's far faster than it was, I'll see how long the replacement light last but nearly 2 years I'm very pleased with.

It does its job which is why I give it three stars BUT this is a big but, its huge, it looks ugly and bulky, it has so many wires which might not be able to be helped but it still impacts my review. I'd get it if your tank is big enough to sort of hide it but I personally wish I had a look around for a more compact one ( if they exist ).Still works well though. You can decide how you feel about its look from the picture. I'll get used to it but your immediate thought is going to be oh god that is huge and ugly.REVIEW EDIT:After a few days of using it, I have got used to it so I've gave it 4 stars. The water is crystal clear so who can really care about the design when the results are this good.

Update: It seems the electronic quality of this unit isn't up to much. This power unit has burned out. Luckily for us not catching fire or causing any damage. We noticed the burning smell and tracked it down to the UV filter. I would definitely not recmmend this product. It's a potential fire hazard.Had a thick 'pea soup' aquarium for 2 weeks and tried everything, including chemicals, daily water changes, no light and feeding to clear, but nothing worked. I bought this light with little expectation, but it started working within hours on a 350 litre aquarium. 48 hours my water is the clearest it has ever been. Highly recommend as an investment.