Best Fish Tank Filters 2021 Reviews

It’s not easy to maintain fish tanks. In fact, there are a lot of different fish as well as other sea creatures in your small space. You can deal with your problem with a filter.

It can be able to help to get the risk of all problems related to your aquarium. But, it may be a difficult task to choose a good filter because of many options available to choose from.

Keep reading this post to get essential information about choosing a filter for your aquarium.

Functions of Aquarium Filters

We can divide into three major classifications of the functions. They can help you to choose the best one.

Biological Function

The fact is that your fishes will produce ammonia when breathing. Also, their bodies release a part of the waste. So, you need to remove the ammonia from the tank because it’s toxic to your fish. Consider using a filter system. It can help to eliminate your fish’s waste from the tank.

Mechanical Function

You can see commonly debris in your fish tank because of excess food fed to your fish as well as other dust participles. You can remove this debris as well as any other visible waste thanks to the filter system. It can help to promote your fish a good health due to a clean tank.

Chemical Function

The water we use for drinking as well as cooking can be from different sources. Some of them may include hard metals or other harmful material to your fish. So, you need an aquarium filter to remove these materials from the water. In fact, we can get many different methods from different types of filters. They can clean up the impurities.

Types of Fish Tank Filters

There are some different types of fish tank filters you can see on the market today.

Air-driven internal fish tank filter

This type is a small filter. So, it’s ideal for compact aquariums used in a hospital or home. However, these filters are still very sturdy as well as constructed. They ensure to keep your fish healthy. At the same time, they help to prevent your small aquarium inhabitants from any harm in the water.

Undergravel filters

They are put in the bottom of the tank. Though these models are designed for biological filtration, some of them have also replaceable cartridges. They can help with chemical filtration.

Power filters

This type is commonly used in many aquariums. It’s easy to set up these filters. They can be able to last for a long time. Coming to these filters, you can get the best performance for mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration. You can choose these models for many different types of fish tanks. It’s easier to maintain when compared to others.

Canister filters

They ensure to give you all the functions you want in a fish tank filter as mechanical, biological, and chemical functions. Their bodies are larger than other types. You can easily set up and maintain them without more effort.

Wet/Dry filters

These filters are actually the best in biological filtration. They are great for the saltwater aquarium. These filters can be capable of increasing the beneficial bacterial for effective processing of waste materials.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Filter

3 Way Filtering

You can see there is a lot of mess in your aquarium. So, it’s time to get a help from a filter. It can help to clean everything. That’s why you need to choose ones that work 3-way filtering: chemically, biologically, and mechanically.

Cost

It’s important to look for a filter that suits your budget. Indeed, there are many expensive options on the market today. However, it’s not difficult to choose an affordable filter as long as you choose smartly.

Easy to Maintain and Powerful

We recommend you to choose a product that allows you to easily set up and replace the cartridges. You can get pain if you choose one that is hard to maintain. In addition, the filter you choose also should be powerful to do the job well. Also, it has to operate silently.

Recommended aquarium tank size

The fact is that not all filters can work well with all the tanks. That’s why you need to look at the tank size. Then, you can easily make a decision to buy the filter system.

Water-Flow Rate for the filter

This factor is measured in gallons per hour. In order to get ones that can fill the tank faster, you need to research for this rating before buying any filters. It’s best to compare different brands to determine the best water flow rate.

Fish tank filters brand

There is a lot of filter brands when choosing the best fish tank filter for your aquarium. Some of them provide more sustainability than others. Thus, it’s essential to choose ones that work effectively. There are some famous brands you can consult such as Penn Pax, Fluval, and many others. You can easily know the best brands if you sort the products by rating.

The fish tank filter reviews

You can identify a good fish tank filter for your aquarium through reading any filter review. At the same time, you can know more about the product you tend to buy. So, it’s important to read the reviews from top rated stores.

List of 10 Best Aquarium Filters

When choosing a fish tank filter, there is a wide range of models on the market. They come from different manufacturers. That’s why it’s not easy to choose the best filter. Now, look at the list of best aquarium filters below:

1. Penn Plax Cascade Canister Aquarium Filter

This is a good choice for both freshwater and saltwater aquarium tanks. Many owners choose this product because it can be able to deal with different types of aquarium.

You can even choose it for ones with sizes up to 200 gallons. In addition, it can be able to offer an impressive 350-gph water flow.

The thing you need to do is just keeping it maintained well. Just by this way, the filter can work efficiently and effectively.

There is a button to press for use. It allows you to use for a long time before you need to replace. Plus, it’s built with strong materials.

You can combine it with other media as bio-floss, bio-sponges, as well as activated carbon for various needs. However, you can feel bothered by its noise.

Things We Liked

• Sizes up to 200 gallons
• The filter can work efficiently
• Easy to clean
• Built with strong materials

Things We Didn’t Like

• Not a quite filter

2. Fluval External Fish Tank Filter

It provides superior filtering capability. So, you can use it for all sizes of aquariums from different manufacturers. This choice is also ideal for both freshwater and saltwater aquariums like the above product.

It comes with the powerful motor technology that’s great for speeding the filtration process. It comes with an instant start-up choice. It’s easy to lock due to clamps for better operation.

If you are looking for a product without disruptive mechanical sounds, it’s made for you. It includes independent modules for removing dirt from the filter easily. However, this option is expensive a bit when compared to other products.

Things We Liked

• Both freshwater and saltwater
• Powerful motor
• Easy to clean

Things We Didn’t Like

• Expensive a bit when

3. Marineland Magniflow Canister

This model offers a feature that provides a watertight seal. There is s polishing filter pad that can help to remove the fine debris from the water. You need clean water for your fish to avoid any problems.

This product comes with the bio-filter balls as well as ceramic rings. They are beneficial for offering a multifaceted surface area.

It also provides you the black diamond carbon in order to eliminate the discoloration, odors, and other water impurities. It ensures to give your fish clean water in the aquarium. However, this product is not sturdy.

Things We Liked

• Both freshwater and saltwater
• Powerful motor
• Easy to clean

Things We Didn’t Like

• Expensive a bit

4. EHEIM Classic External Canister Filter with Media

This canister filter is ready to be filled up with any loose filter media or filter sponges (included in the set) and has an easy mechanism for cleaning and maintenance due to the pump head’s permo-elastic silicone sealing ring. Alongside these features, the canister filter is able to filter tanks up to 95 gallons and comes with accessories such as the inlet pipe, hose, and spray bar.

Two connections are included: Inlet 12/16mm and Outlet 12/16mm, for a simple setup. What’s more, it has a flow rate of 164 GPH (check your fish species and tank size). The design of the canister filter is a combination of mechanical and biological filters.

In addition, the model comes with several accessories as inlet hose, a hose, a spray bar, and more. However, it has some parts that require to be checked for durability.

Things We Liked

• High flow rate
• Self-priming feature
• Easy to clean
• Has a flow rate lever
• Quiet design

Things We Didn’t Like

• Some parts can be obtrusive to the tank

5. Penn Plax Cascade Canister Aquarium Filter

If you are looking for a heavy-duty fish tank filter, we recommend you to choose this product. It promises to give you good quality and durability. It can be able to pump 265 gallons one hour. It’s normally used for 100-gallon aquariums.

As a canister filter, this one has a self-priming feature as well so it can save you time in setting and maintaining the filter. Its base has a tip-proof design so it will also stay in place while the rotating valve caps can go for up to 360 degrees for better spray aiming.

You can also adjust the water flow with the use of the cut-off valves. It has a flow rate of 185 GPH, which is good for tanks that have up to 65 gallons of size or capacities. There are 2 large media baskets that you can use to fill up your own media with.

Moreover, it offers powerful performance. It can last for a long time. It’s ideal for both marine and freshwater aquariums. It can help to remove the waste as well as excess food in the tank due to its coarse sponge.

Things We Liked

• Easy to set up
• Large media tray
• Adjustable flow rate
• The hose connections are strong
• The base is quite sturdy

Things We Didn’t Like

• Doesn’t have very good instructions
• The locks for the tray aren’t very strong

6. Aqua Clear – Fish Tank Filter

Ideal for fish tanks from 60 to 110 gallons in size, this one is a power filter that has an easy installation method with room for your chosen filter media. It comes with various filter media such as activated carbon, BioMax, cycle guard, AquaClear foam, and much more, which can be a great biological filtration method.

The bottom part is for the AquaClear Foam Insert, the carbon filter goes in the middle while the top part is where the BioMax ceramic rings go into. The kit includes all needed equipment for setup, as well as the filter basket, case, cover, leveling device, motor, mesh bag, locking clip, and others. Great for temperatures up to 35 degrees Celsius, the unit is backed by a 2-year warranty.

There are a lot of models with different variations in flow rates. It ensures to provide you an impressive filtration capacity. It can be able to work well for the multistage filtration process.

Things We Liked

• Large media baskets
• Quiet operation
• Easy to clean
• Durable spare parts

Things We Didn’t Like

• Needs to be primed

7. Fluval Canister Filter, FX6 Filter

The product comes with a purge valve drain at the base. It helps to empty the canister. Thus, you can easily maintain it. Moreover, it has an adjustable spout to send multiple streams of water. The product offers quiet operation in use. It can be able to spray cleaner as well as purified water to all parts of the tank thanks to the multidirectional nozzle.

As a large filter for aquariums up to 400 gallons, this one is great for large heaps of fish and for those who are maintaining a business. It can self-start so there’s no need to prime it and it also has a multi-stage filter to keep the water in good quality. Compatible with freshwater and marine aquariums, it has a head height of 10.8 feet or 3.3 meters.

It has a flow rate of 563 GPH, which may be ideal if you have a ton of fish and water to filter in one go. It also pauses after a 12-hour cycle to let out the trapped air bubbles. The height is only 21 inches so it fits well under many tank sizes.

Things We Liked

• Large filtering capacity
• Self-priming feature
• Less maintenance
• Can move a lot of water

Things We Didn’t Like

• Not ideal for small/baby fish

8. Ehm Fltr 2217 Classic Wm 264g

This product is the pump unit like a highly reliable module. This option is great for those who are seeking for a product without a lot of attention.

As a filter kit containing most accessories that you need to set it up, this one weighs 14.5 lbs and only consumes 20 watts of power. Its single-chamber design can combine mechanical, biological, chemical and adsorptive filtration in one go.

The maintenance is quite easy such that you only need to replace filter media every 3 to 6 months. Aquariums up to 160 gallons can benefit well from this powerful filter. It has an output of 264 GPH and it even has a spray bar for better control of the aeration. It is backed by a 24-month warranty.

It promises to give all the qualities you need for your aquarium filter, including improved performance, better technology, and a high level of efficiency.

Things We Liked

• 3-stage filtration
• Easy to maintain
• Good water flow rate

Things We Didn’t Like

• No self-priming feature

9. SunSun Hw304B 525GPH Pro Canister Filter Kit

This unit is a good choice for those who need a filter for large sized aquariums. It can work with many different aquariums up to 150 gallons. It offers the capability of 525gallons per hour. The fact is that it’s faster than most models listed above.

There is a three-stage filtration process that helps to clean the water effectively. They include chemical, mechanical, and biological filtration.

Besides, it has the 9W UV sterilizer that can kill the harmful algae as well as bacteria. You will get the low noise operation from this unit. Many people choose this product because it’s easy to use.

Things We Liked

• Up to 150 gallons
• Clean the water effectively
• Low noise operation

Things We Didn’t Like

• Expensive

10. 200 gallon Filter Aquarium Tank Fish Canister 9W Sterilizer

This product gives the capability of 525gph. It can give the power for better performance at all times. It can help to handle the dirty water from the aquarium in a shorter time than other models.

You can use it for large aquariums up to 200 gallons. It comes with the five stages of filtration for removing more dirt as well as other impurities from the water.

In addition, it also offers a 9W sterilizer to kill the algae in the water. Furthermore, it’s easy to set up and install this model. The product doesn’t require you to buy anything extra.

It can still be adjusted to suit the larger tanks because of the mounting options. With this model, you won’t worry about viruses and bacteria in your tank. However, this product may be harmful because of its long UV exposure.

Things We Liked

• For large aquariums up to 200 gallons
• Clean the water effectively
• Low noise operation

Things We Didn’t Like

• Long UV exposure

Conclusion

As mentioned above, there are several things you need to consider when choosing a good aquarium filter. Also, there are a lot of choices when it comes to the best aquarium filter models on the market today. Make sure you choose the best one that can work well for your fish.

Now, you have more knowledge about the best fish tank filter system. Hope they can help you choose the right one easily.