Good canister filter

[Sleeping Giant]

Fluval 307 would be good, I have that on my 20 gallon. if you're looking for a skimmer, that will have to be a HOB type, Aquamaxx has great ones for the smaller tanks. I use a larger one on my 75 gallon.

 

[sfin52]

my modest tank with the fx4 as the guts of tank

 

[JamaicanReefer45]

I’m looking to buy a hood canister filter for my 20 gallon tank. I have clowns and corals. Is 160 gph okay? Where can I find a cheap decent one.

Fluval 307 Would be great for your setup, if you want a use one check out FaceBook Marketplace

 

[DrewonVanIsle]

Is it feasible to add a pre-filter sponge of some kind to a canister filter that would prevent the nutrients from building up in there? Have been looking into some options that don't involve getting the tank drilled - don't have anything setup just yet. Will be doing a 65 gallon reef.

Does this seem reasonable?

 

[edd59]

Is it feasible to add a pre-filter sponge of some kind to a canister filter that would prevent the nutrients from building up in there? Have been looking into some options that don't involve getting the tank drilled - don't have anything setup just yet. Will be doing a 65 gallon reef.

Does this seem reasonable?

eheim makes a pre filter that goes on the intake in the tank.

 

[Zgraggen Bruno]

Make sure you go with brand name like Fluval, Sicce, OASE, etc. While searching for my canister filter I learned that here a many cheaper knockoffs out there with nice features, basket set ups but are not URL certified. Fires from electrical issues are not covered by many insurance policies. Not worth the risk.

Went with the Whale 120 due to the compact size which is plenty of turn over for your 20gal. It's quite, easy prime, and love the quick disconnect in/out hose body .
Got mine from Petco for $105 with online order for pickup.

Would of bought the OASE 250 below with heater and pre-filter, but it was too tall. They also have less expensive Filtosmart, and Filtosmart Thermo versions that are oval in shape, but I didn't like the chamber/flow setup.

Sicce Whale 120 – 140GPH
Self-priming
Filter body disconnects quickly and floating filter baskets make replacement fast.
Can be hanged directly on the tank.
Compact size 6.9 x 6.9 x 8.5
$130 Amazon Can get at Petco

OASE Indoor Aquatics Biomaster Thermo 250
The built-in heater
EasyClean pre-filter module
9.4 x 9.4 x 14.6
$230 Amazon

Hello Jim, im from switzerland :) . What you think goes to for a 500 Liter Tank ???

 

[Jim Gomoll]

Hello Jim, im from switzerland :) . What you think goes to for a 500 Liter Tank ???

Lots of options, depends on your budget and features you want. For 500L these look to be sized for your tank.
Sicce Whale 500, OASE BioMaster Therrmo 600, Fluval 407 or FX4, possibly the Eheim Pro4+ 600

11 Best Canister Filters – Tested & Reviewed After 25 Years in the Hobby

Canister filters are Mark's go-to recommendation for larger tanks — and after 25 years of testing, he knows which ones earn that spot. An honest breakdown of 11 top models covering performance, media capacity, and long-term reliability.

aquariumstoredepot.com

 

[Nano_Man]

I always used Eheim never ever had any problems

 

[DrewonVanIsle]

eheim makes a pre filter that goes on the intake in the tank.

Yeah I've been looking at this as an option - seems I could block a bunch of crap from getting into the canister in the first place.

I've also seen people using a full on small canister as a pre-filter, with quick disconnects so you can shut off the flow and then just rinse the filter quickly and easily.

The big canister I got has 4 layers in it for media, plus it appears to have a UV bulb. I see all kinds of recommendations for saltwater media, not even sure where to start...

 

[peterhos]

Hi There Forc2o years I bought Eheim. Well engineered and reliable.

 

[WestMI-Reefer]

I have a couple canisters running on my freshwater tank.
1. Oase filtrosmart. Self priming. Internal heater. More customization for hiding equipment. sometimes gets bubbles and becomes noisy
2. Fuval 407. Manual priming. No heater compartment. Easy cleaning. Good flow rate. Reliable and quiet.

Both have been running for years without fail.
would recommend either but the oase can hide more equipment if thats something you’re looking for.