Filter for Betta Tank

[Hollygirl]

I ordered a 6.6 gallon book shelf aquarium (24x9x10). From what I've read the Filter that it comes with isn't the best. Can anyone recommend a good small filter for a tank with those dimensions? The tank will be used for one male Betta.

[Matthew_Machine]

are you looking for a Hang on back? or sponge?

I use a AquaClear Mini (20 now) on my 10 gallon and it's probably too small. So it's going on my 5.5. I use a sponge and ceramic biomedia in it.

[Hollygirl]

The tank comes with a hang on back style, so I was thinking of replacing it with another hob.

[Hollygirl]

Other small filters I have seen are the Whisper 10i which filters 2 to 10 gallons, The Duetto Mini in tank filter, and the Duetto DJ50 submersible filter. Anyone familiar with any of these?

[Eupterus]

Yeah I'm using the whisper filter on my 30 gal. It's rated for a smaller tank, though it seems like it'd be awfully bulky for a 2-5 gal tank.

I got mine for $8 on ebay/w shipping new in the package. If it wasn't for this good deal I found, probably would have gotten the next size up for my tank.
It's like having a power filter that sits inside the tank.

[Hollygirl]

Thanks for the information! Besides the Whisper in tank, I was also looking at the Whisper 10 hob. It used to be called the Whisper E. I don't have the tank yet so I don't know exactly what I'll need but I want to get some ideas ahead of time. If you look at PufferFan's thread in General Freshwater regarding his 6.6 tank you can see what the tank looks like.

[Aislinn]

I don't like internal filters. They suck up tank space and are a pain to maintain. As for HOB filters, I like AquaClears much better than Whispers. Even though you can throw out that stupid useless cartridge in the Whisper and stuff the box with proper media, Whispers just don't last nearly as long as AquaClears without having mechanical problems.

My oldest AquaClear is one I've had since I was 16 (I just turned 30 a couple days ago, so that's 14 years - pretty old for an HOB filter) and it's still working away with no problems whatsoever. My brother (who is 28) has an AquaClear on a 20g long that he's had since he was about 10. I have a Whisper that's somewhere around 5 years old, but it's for a QT tank so it's hardly ever used and it still gives me problems sometimes. Even though it was only $6, I still don't really think it was worth buying.

I know Penguin also makes a wee little filter, but I've never used it. The Biowheel on it is so small it looks like a Barbie toy. For teeny tiny tanks, I like the Red Sea Deco Art nano filter, but unless you got two of them it wouldn't be enough for 6.6 gallons. For your tank, I highly recommend the AquaClear.

[ansbfish]

I have a 10g walmart kit that came w/Aqua-Tech 5-15
It works good, and the replacement cartridges are cheap.

[Hollygirl]

I don't like internal filters. They suck up tank space and are a pain to maintain. As for HOB filters, I like AquaClears much better than Whispers. Even though you can throw out that stupid useless cartridge in the Whisper and stuff the box with proper media, Whispers just don't last nearly as long as AquaClears without having mechanical problems.

My oldest AquaClear is one I've had since I was 16 (I just turned 30 a couple days ago, so that's 14 years - pretty old for an HOB filter) and it's still working away with no problems whatsoever. My brother (who is 28) has an AquaClear on a 20g long that he's had since he was about 10. I have a Whisper that's somewhere around 5 years old, but it's for a QT tank so it's hardly ever used and it still gives me problems sometimes. Even though it was only $6, I still don't really think it was worth buying.

I know Penguin also makes a wee little filter, but I've never used it. The Biowheel on it is so small it looks like a Barbie toy. For teeny tiny tanks, I like the Red Sea Deco Art nano filter, but unless you got two of them it wouldn't be enough for 6.6 gallons. For your tank, I highly recommend the AquaClear.
I haven't even looked at the Aqua Clear filters but I will now. Thanks!