Filters

[neon]

Whats the differences and advantages between underwater filters, fluvals, and hang on filters?  Which is better to have?  I have a hang on one and the water dosn't flow very well through it, just trickles, really.  There's nothing blocking it either and I clean it regularly.  I'm considering a Whisper underwater filter.

[mseguin]

I personally prefer the hang on back filters (never owned a canister, but I'm sure they're better). I find the underwater ones don't give u tons of flow, and don't disturb the surface all that much, which limits oxygenation. Obviously, the quiet is an advantage.

[kitten]

A lot of it is personal preference...

I have eheim canisters on two of my tanks.  They make almost no noise and are fairy easy to clean.

In the past I have had the waterfall/hang on the back style of filter and they worked well to but I found they didn't work well with my cats.  It gave my cats an easy spot to fish from.  With the canisters I don't have to leave as large of a gap on the lid.  The only problem I had with the waterfall style - and this only happened a couple of times - a couple of fish decided to jump out through the space between the lid and the filter.

I also have a pair of those stingray submersable filters in a 10g and a 5g.... they seem to be working fine so far... but I've only been running those for a little less than a month.  There is a great deal of water flow out of them and they make no noise at all.  The 5g is actually in my bedroom and I don't hear a thing.  

Overall I find I have to clean the canisters filters less often than the other styles I've used over the years... but I also now make sure to buy a filter that is actually rated for a tank at least one size larger than the tank I'm putting the filter on.