which filter to buy - Aquarium Advice

confusion · 06-08-2006, 11:31 AM

I have a 10G tank that came with a small 10G top fin cheapo filter. I suspect that it's inabiltiy to keep things clean may be the source of some of my tank problems. So, I'm looking to repalce it. Any suggestions?

One crazy thought I had was to buy a canister filter for my 55G and take the pengiun 350 and put that on the 10G

35 water turnovers per hour baby! The fish might not have any place to hide though. Any thoughts on that idea?

Big C · 06-08-2006, 12:21 PM

I have been running an aquaclear HOB in my 10 gal for years and it's working like a charm. The firs filter I ever bought (12 years ago) is still running in the 5 g.

I have a Penguin biowheel in the 30g but I'm not to thrilled about it. The silly wheel keeps getting stuck when the filter intake collects just a few dead leaves. I do pwc every week and get rid of the leaves then it starts working again.

JRagg · 06-08-2006, 01:55 PM

I replaced the top fin that came with my 10gallon with a penguin 125 (don't know if they still make those).

I would get rid of the top fin. It's garbage. I came home after a long weekend to fish gasping at the top and a filter that wasn't running (good old top fin). It burned up or something. Piece of junk if you ask me.

sith j · 06-08-2006, 08:51 PM

i have a penguin 150 on my 10 gal, althouth the tank is not planted, so i dont have to worry about leaves getting in the way. it the quietest filter i have. the biowheel holds alot of good bacteria also. does a very good job, i have another 10 gal im thinking of setting up and i will buy another penguin when i do.

SCFatz · 06-08-2006, 09:12 PM

Aquaclear and marineland/penguin with bio wheel are mentioned most often here...Oversize a bit with with whatever choice.

tdalessa01 · 06-08-2006, 09:34 PM

Both those are a little much. Aeration is healthy, however a filter to big for a tank can suck in the fish, make them uncomfortable, and do more harm than good. In my opinion the Aqua Clear 20, formerly Mini is the absolute best for smaller tanks like yours. They work great and now that they added the third layer of bio-balls it is even better. And it is only about $15 and the replacement carbon is cheap.

Musket · 06-08-2006, 09:35 PM

I have the same issue - sortof. I don't now what type of tiny filter it is, and it works okay, I use aqua clear sponges and biothings in it instead of the filter pad it came with. It ran great for a few months, but is very slow now. The tank just doesn't seem good enough to me, even with an UG fitler also running. THe water is clear and everything anf it seems to do better if the water is either an inch low, or right up to the top.
I just bought an aquaclear 30 for it. This is a 10g tank, planted, slightly overstocked.. 11 -1" fish (betta, mollys, guppy, gold swords), 1 ghost shrimp and by lobster who molted 2x since her introduction to the tank and is now 4" long.
I may have to put the new filter on low so the flow isn't too much for them.. If so I'll get a 20 and use the extra on my 46g.
I really like Aqua CLears.

06-08-2006, 11:31 AM	#1
confusion Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 72	which filter to buy I have a 10G tank that came with a small 10G top fin cheapo filter. I suspect that it's inabiltiy to keep things clean may be the source of some of my tank problems. So, I'm looking to repalce it. Any suggestions? One crazy thought I had was to buy a canister filter for my 55G and take the pengiun 350 and put that on the 10G 35 water turnovers per hour baby! The fish might not have any place to hide though. Any thoughts on that idea?

06-08-2006, 12:21 PM	#2
Big C Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 375 Images: 3	I have been running an aquaclear HOB in my 10 gal for years and it's working like a charm. The firs filter I ever bought (12 years ago) is still running in the 5 g. I have a Penguin biowheel in the 30g but I'm not to thrilled about it. The silly wheel keeps getting stuck when the filter intake collects just a few dead leaves. I do pwc every week and get rid of the leaves then it starts working again. __________________ Gracias amigos! 5 g w/ Minows 30 g planted: 3 aurulious barbs, 4 tiger barbs (2 green), 2 Gold barbs, 1 lemon fin barb 75 g planted:1 dwarf gouramis, 4 guppies, 1 sword tail, 1 SAE, 1 gold gourami, 4 black phantom tetras, 3 serpae tetras, 6 brilliant rasboras, 2 diamond tetras, 10 rummynose, 1 blush koi angel (huge!), 3 clown loaches, 3 yo yo loaches, 1 golden nugget, 2 GBR 10 gal QT tank -almost always going with new "projects"

06-08-2006, 01:55 PM	#3
JRagg Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: May 2006 Location: Olathe, KS Posts: 847 Images: 3	I replaced the top fin that came with my 10gallon with a penguin 125 (don't know if they still make those). I would get rid of the top fin. It's garbage. I came home after a long weekend to fish gasping at the top and a filter that wasn't running (good old top fin). It burned up or something. Piece of junk if you ask me. __________________ 10g Heavily planted - 1 mating pair of Apistogramma Cacatuoides "Orangeflash" and a whole lot of MTS

06-08-2006, 09:12 PM	#5
SCFatz Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 814	Aquaclear and marineland/penguin with bio wheel are mentioned most often here...Oversize a bit with with whatever choice. __________________ Fatz 90g SW FOWLR 50g tall fw planted at .6wpg 29g fw planted at 1.2 wpg 10g fw planted at 3 wpg cf

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06-08-2006, 08:51 PM	#4
sith j Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: johnson city, tennessee Posts: 137 Images: 6	i have a penguin 150 on my 10 gal, althouth the tank is not planted, so i dont have to worry about leaves getting in the way. it the quietest filter i have. the biowheel holds alot of good bacteria also. does a very good job, i have another 10 gal im thinking of setting up and i will buy another penguin when i do.

06-08-2006, 09:34 PM	#6
tdalessa01 Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 39	Both those are a little much. Aeration is healthy, however a filter to big for a tank can suck in the fish, make them uncomfortable, and do more harm than good. In my opinion the Aqua Clear 20, formerly Mini is the absolute best for smaller tanks like yours. They work great and now that they added the third layer of bio-balls it is even better. And it is only about $15 and the replacement carbon is cheap.

06-08-2006, 09:35 PM	#7
Musket Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 546	I have the same issue - sortof. I don't now what type of tiny filter it is, and it works okay, I use aqua clear sponges and biothings in it instead of the filter pad it came with. It ran great for a few months, but is very slow now. The tank just doesn't seem good enough to me, even with an UG fitler also running. THe water is clear and everything anf it seems to do better if the water is either an inch low, or right up to the top. I just bought an aquaclear 30 for it. This is a 10g tank, planted, slightly overstocked.. 11 -1" fish (betta, mollys, guppy, gold swords), 1 ghost shrimp and by lobster who molted 2x since her introduction to the tank and is now 4" long. I may have to put the new filter on low so the flow isn't too much for them.. If so I'll get a 20 and use the extra on my 46g. I really like Aqua CLears.

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