Sunnydaze Cascading Caves 14-Inch Indoor Tabletop Water Fountain with LED Lights - Electric Submersible Pump - Resin

Purchased 2 of these to place on opposite sides of my 220 gallon South American Cichlid Aquarium. I must say they blend in nicely and give the ends of the tank that curb appeal it had been missing! I also purchased some fake ivy from a different seller to add to the area as well I will try and link that item.So now on to what seems to be the common thread and only a few people have figured out about the leaking etc. Dealing with very large aquariums and numerous water fountains and other water features I am very aware of how and where many leaks come from, short of there actually being a crack or hole in something water will always find those little unthinkable ways to escape. It appears the leaks are caused by the outlet area for all the cords! As most people will just let cords do the natural flow. There are a min of 4 cords coming out of the back.The solution I found that works is get all the cords together zip the them in 3 places, get some water safe silicone and silicone the rounded out area that is located in the lower left of the pump access door. Then place all 4 cords against the silicone then add a bit more to ensure the cords and fountain are covered with it. I then just installed the pump cover purposely pushing into the silicone to form a seal around the cord area. Using a small 3m adhesive strip/hook I then looped the cords up the back just to make sure water if any would not follow that path.I can tell you this stops the mystery leaking. The cords inside the fountain get dripped on by the led lights especially if the seals for them are not tight. Water then flows along the cords and out causing the leaks! Should consumer's need to do this? Absolutely not but that is what needs to be done! I only put theses in 10 inch planter bottoms to add black rock to match my Aquarium. Overall the water volume is nice and pump is quiet. Shimmering lights effect it gives off is also relaxing. I have found no splashing with these fountains. Having these on timers they run about 16 hours a day I average about adding water once a week that is lost through evaporation!

I've owned this for 15 months. It's been in use almost seven days a week the whole time, often longer than 12 hrs a day, once for 24+ hrs just to see. I bought it to bring life to my small home where my pets are alone for way too long.It's still working like it's brand new and looks that way too. I only clean it monthly and do that by using really hot water and the kitchen sink sprayer along with my finger to check for sliminess inside and in the pools. I've used vinegar but not sure if it made any difference. Other than that, I add a microbe treatment for general protection, available from Amazon: Ecological-Labs-10TTFC4-Microbe-Fountain which is supposed to be safe for people and pets. I know my little ones drink from the fountain and 15 months later everyone is still okay.TIPS:Keep it level to help avoid splashing and possible leaking.Keep it relatively clean to protect the motor and any little ones that will drink from it.Keep it in a 12 inch plant pot or similar pan to catch potential leaks, then make that look pretty.Added benefit of using a plant pot - portable nature scene if you'll need to move it around.Use only mineral free / distilled water (not spring or municipal) to prevent mineral build up that can mess up the motor and discolor the fountain.Fill it directly in one of the pools. So much easier. There is a rim / lip on the lowest pool that you can fill it up to. Any more will get you a mess. This is the amount I filled it to and got over 24 hrs use one day** BUT NOT IN THE HEAT OF SUMMER!Don't let it run dry or the pump will be damaged and likely not work anymore.Takes approximately 1 1/2 quarts to fill, maybe a little more. That's not exact but real close.Get a storage bin: doubles for coverage if it needs to stay semi-outdoors when rain or heavy winds are expected.Mine stays on the porch in the summer and uses more water due to evaporation.The motor is almost soundless. All I hear is the water falling into three pools. Beautiful sound and beautiful to look at if it gets doctored up a bit. Improves every place I've put it in, adds life, comforts my little ones, sort of makes a regular room feel like a destination, and everyone who sees the fountain comments on it. If this dies I'll get another one in a heartbeat.

Read Jeff Thompson's review. He talks about how to set up the cords and silicone the opening to make sure you don't get leaks. It takes a little work, but once you get it set up correctly, it is really wonderful. I also agree with the buyer who said it pumps plenty of water at the lowest pump setting. I took their advice and I'm glad I did. It pumps quite a bit of water at the lowest setting. The lights are perfect, the sound of the water is amazing. I really like it.Here's a few tips:1. Put it in a container in case it leaks.2. You can fill the water from the front so seal the bottom part of the back opening with silicone (see picture).3. The lowest point of the back opening is about 3.5 inches from the bottom. So if you fill the water from the front, get the level to where the water just covers the LED light in the lowest basin. That is about 3 inches from the bottom so it won't be overfilled and the water won't leak out the back.4. Use a water treatment that is meant to stop bacterial growth and mold. I use one that is meant for swamp coolers and humidifiers.5. Like others have suggested, use small rocks at the base of each waterfall to change the sound to fit your preference.6. I took out the black screen on the second tier waterfall because I didn't like the way it looked. After I took it out, I didn't notice any difference in splashing or the flow of water, so I would recommend doing that.I just want to give another special shout-out to Jeff Thompson. I don't know you, but I'm very grateful for your idea on stopping the leaks! I took the time to write my suggestions because Jeff took the time to write his.Overall, after taking the time to get it set up right and making a decorative base for it, I absolutely love this waterfall! It's so relaxing and peaceful. I'm so glad I got it.