What is a good filter for a 10 gallon?

[grimlock3000]

I have the 10 gallon tank package from Wal Mart which included the Aqua Tech 5-15 filter (rated 100 gph, no bio-wheel, uses thin filter cartidges). I have 12 small fish in my tank, and I do not think the filter is doing that great of a job because of the bio load. I am looking for a better filter that will help keep my water cleaner and make sure the fish are as healthy as possible. At the same time, I do not want to go overboard and put so much current in the tank that the fish are swimming against it constantly. Any ideas on what a good filter would be? Thanks.

 

[d9hp]

Bio wheel

 

[grimlock3000]

If I get a Penguin Bio Wheel, would the 125 model be the best, or do I only need 100 gph?

The Penguin Bio Wheels looks just like what I have now, with the wheel of course.

 

[Zic]

I have the same walmart ten gallon kit. I think the filter is doing a good job. I have eleven fish in my tank. I've had it since December and all is well in fishville.

However, I bought another ten gallon tank. I wanted the same filter so I could just buy the same kind of filter cartridge. The one I bought was the same model and make, but it was more powerful than the one in the kit. I couldn't figure it out.

Look at the filters on any other brand and they are the same thickness.

I guess I'm just saying that I'm happy with my Aquatech 5-15

 

[grimlock3000]

"The one I bought was the same model and make, but it was more powerful than the one in the kit. I couldn't figure it out."

Maybe I got a bad one then? I am not sure. The filter seemed to work great when I first got it, but recently the water is less clear no matter what I do. Tried replacing the filter cartridge (at 4+ weeks old) and it did not help. I have a friend who has a few tanks and has used Aqua Tech and a couple of Fluval filters. He swears by the Fluvals over the Aqua Tech filters and says they keep his water much more clear. I see all kinds of small filters around for less then $35 or so, so I was hoping I could get a better filter that would help my tank be more clear.

 

[justDIY]

get an aquaclear filter, or a whisper filter

I think both come completely apart, which is great for cleaning ... sometimes the motor gets real gunked up on my whisper 2, so I just drain the filter (into a bucket, not the tank!) and snap off the motor unit from the bottom, and give the motor a soak in bleach water and a scrub with a bottle brush

the aquaclear is neat because of the way the media is layered inside the filter - allows for a lot of options ... the whispher bags are reusable however, and seem to catch a lot of debris.

 

[grimlock3000]

how many gph should i shoot for in getting a new filter?

 

[justDIY]

well ... gph for most of your "standard" HOT / HOB style filters is usually exaggerated, with the exception of the Magnums - they have awesome flow, but it comes at the expense of noise

I would aim for 120 to 150 gph ... that way as your media begins to clog, your flow still maintains a good turnover rate.

btw, don't worry too much about fish having to swim against the current, with the exception of big finned fish like betta's, and those fancy fan-tailed goldfish, most fish like a good current and you will seem them play in it, and it gives them excersise.

 

[lmw80]

I have a penguin bio-wheel mini on my 10 gal....and I highly reccommend it. It's great!

 

[Allivymar]

I've a Penguin 125 on my 10g as well. I try for 6-10x turnover in my tanks (which would be 60-100 gph in a 10g). The 125 obviously runs even higher, and as glmclell said, the more the better (long as your not knocking the fish against the side of the tank LOL).

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

I really like the Millenium filters. Very reliable, has a bio grid that doesn't get thrown out, and also has a Venturi air system to keep the bio bugs well aerated. A Millenium 1000 does a great job on a ten gallon system.

 

[TankGirl]

I have a Penguin 125 on my 10 gal and I am very pleased with the performance. There is excellent flow in there, and you cannot beat a BioWheel. They are slightly noisy to begin with before the wheel gets good bacteria going, but after a few weeks it is quiet as a mouse.