Looking to buy a canister filter for my kids 20g low tech planted tank. We'll probably have 6 tetras a couple corys and a bristle nose once we get it set up. I already have more tanks than my wife will stand for so i have to do this obe on the cheap side. Meaning no purchases over $50. Looking at cascade 300 or zoo med 501. I have a 501 on my 10g and dont mind it but it doesn't have an idealflow rate for a 20g. Any others I should look in to?
Decent budget canister filter for 20g planted tank
- Thread starter Foxshane54
- Start date
Do you really have your heart set on a canister? I have an Aqua Clear 50 on a 20g long but I've also added a Whisper 30...not really needed but my fish like the added flow. Your fish don't really need high flow & to me, HOBs are easier to maintain than canisters IME.
You might looked for a used canister either on Craig's List or at your local club, I'm not sure there are >$50 cans out there in retail, but maybe an HOB or 2
The budget canister I have experience with is the Sunsun 302. I've had one going for close to 4yrs now. They can be had on eBay for under $50 shipped to your door with media. The only mods I've done to mine is with the media. My bottom tray has several layers of sunsun foam pads. Middle tray is loaded with plastic pot scrubbers and the top tray is filled with Seachem Matrix bio media. I run it on my community 55g w/ plants along with an AC70 HOB. Given the AC70 does the majority of the mechanical filtration due to it's flow, I only have to open and clean the Sunsun 3-4x per year. A Sunsun 302 by itself would offer plenty of flow for a 20L or 20H.