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Suggestion for "Best Looking" Canister filter for 10 gallon?

4K views 13 replies 11 participants last post by  Higher Thinking 
#1 ·
I am looking for some ideas for a good looking canister filter that I can place next to my tank. The reason "next to it" is because I have it on my kitchen counter and I want to refrain from drilling any holes (especially since I rent). In the past I've used a Eheim Pro 2 and Ecco models but both were for large tanks and hidden inside the cabinets.

I glanced quickly at ADA's Super Jet filters and the price is just too much. I'm not cheap either, I just am being practical as for the lowest price of ~700 dollars I could start a new 100+ gallon tank and have a sweet setup for a big ol' Oscar named "Manny". So yea, the Super Jet is 99% out of the question (especially since I don't thin kit's any better than Eheim's... it's just in a sexy stainless steel container).

So I think for practical purposes I would go for an Eheim 2213 but again, it's not pretty.

Would going for the Fluval G3 be complete overkill for a 10.5 gallon tank? It's one of the prettier filters I've seen and if I could make it so the flow wasn't blowing my fish/shrimp out of the tank I might consider doing that.

Let me know your ideas thanks!
 
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#3 ·
Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately I'm not a great DIY'er but I could give it a look. After reading more on the Fluval G3 it doesn't look like it's the best of so I'll keep looking.

After perusing Home Depot's website, I found a good case to cover up my canister filter lol

 
#5 ·
Eheim 2004
May not be the best looking but is one of the shortest eheims at only 21CM tall and 1ltr volume
 
#10 ·
I'm using a decent one right now, the Fluval C2. It's been nice but I have to go away for a week in December and I know the Fluval C2 flow will be horrible if it's given that long without cleaning. So basically it requires too much maintenance which I'm fine doing every 3 days, but it won't be good when I go on vacation. I can't ask my cat sitter to clean the filter haha
 
#9 ·
Canister filters are not meant to sit next to an aquarium. It will be difficult to find one that is shorter than a 10G tank and still meet the minimum installation height requirements.

You would be better off using an external/internal power filter, or even an air pump with sponge filter.
 
#13 ·
It's probably the prefilter that I'm using on the Fluval C2 that is causing the decrease in flow after 3 days. It's probably not something I have to do but it's not that much of a hassle so I've been doing it. I do know after a week or so the water barely flows at all which is bad.
 
#14 ·
I run a finnex 360 and a tom's rapid canister filter. Flow is good as each of these are on their own 20 gal. The finnex is on a 20L and the Tom's is on a 20 Acrylic. My finnex has decent flow even with an inline CO2 reactor and a sponge over the input. I would go with either of these. I haven't opened up the tom's in over a month and it is going strong. It houses a couple bristlenose and 7 tiger barbs.

Oh yea, both these filters come with a cradle to hang the filter from the side of the tank.
 
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