Finally, a canister filter for the small aquarium

I haven't been thrilled with available filters for the small aquarium but have kept looking. I thought the small tank would also benefit from a canister filter, but apparently I was the only one thinking this. I don't like sponge filters (even though they do a good job) as I don't want a black blob in my tank. No internal filter, uses up valuable space; no under gravel, I might want plants in my ten gallon. No HOB or HOT filter, to noisy and not enough filter room.

Basically I had given up on my search for the "perfect" filter for the small tank when I happened to spot this at Petsmart. Its designed for turtle tanks but claims it will filter up to a 30 gallon tank, which I think is optimistic, but think it would be great for a 10 or 15 gallon tank, heck even a 5 gallon tank. The only negative I have is that it is recommended to sit beside the tank, not underneath it like a normal canister, probably doesn't have enough "oomph" to get the water up with its 4 watt motor.

I prefer this filter as it is larger than most filters for small aquariums, I'd turf the charcoal and biotubes that comes with the filter and use Fluval biological media instead.

I thought you might enjoy seeing this; note: its not in the aquarium section of Petsmart but in the turtle section.

http://www.futurepets.com/TURTLE_FILTERS.HTM

A youtube video showing the filter in use in a turtle tank with the spray bar hooked up, would work fine in the small aquarium as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXWmiuyOYVc

Tetratec EX 400 is perfect for small aquariums. To be more exact for aquariums ranging from 10 to 80 liters(2G to 21G).

Not sure why the top part of my text is as big and bolded as it is... lol

There's also this one:

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.co...2&pcatid=16742

The one at foster and smith looks suspiciously like an HOB or HOT filter to me, not a canister. It also looks almost identical to the one I posted, suspect it is the same builder, different colours outside for different companies.

Well, you can hang it on the tank side or set it on the table. It is a canister filter, though. It's not like there's really any major differences between them anyway. HOB's just use an impeller to pull water into the filter and a waterfall to pour it back into the tank while canisters siphon water from the tank and use a pump to pump it back into the tank via a hose. The only real difference, fundamentally anyway, is that you can place the outflow of a canister below the water's surface, which that filter is capable of.