10 Best Aquarium Filters 2025 – Top Picks & Reviews

Reviews are the best way to find the right product without wasting your own time and money. This is especially important when it comes to aquarium filters. It can be difficult to guess how effective a filter will be for your aquarium, and choosing the wrong filter can lead to problems within your tank.

Knowing what features you can expect from a filter can help you make the best decision to keep your tank filtered and healthy. Keep reading to learn about our top picks for aquarium filters this year!

A Quick Glance at Our Favorites in 2025

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Marineland Bio-Wheel Emperor Power Filter	HOB filter with telescoping intake Three stage filtration Can be used in freshwater and saltwater tanks	Check Price
Best Value		Tetra Whisper Internal Power Filter	Three tank sizes available Bio-Bag cartridges catch large particles and absorb odors Three stage filtration	Check Price
Premium Choice		Penn-Plax Cascade Canister Filter	5 sizes and GPH speeds available Freshwater and saltwater tanks Three-stage filtration	Check Price
		Marina Aquarium Power Filter	3 tank sizes and GPH speeds available Low profile design Easy installation and ultra-quiet operation	Check Price
		Marineland Magniflow Canister Filter	Valve block allows for spill-free, easy maintenance Freshwater and saltwater tanks Three-stage filtration	Check Price

The 10 Best Aquarium Filters

1. Marineland Bio-Wheel Emperor Power Filter – Best Overall

The Marineland Bio-Wheel Emperor Power Filter is the best overall aquarium filter. This filter is made for tanks up to 80 gallons, and it runs at 400 gallons per hour (GPH). This hang on back (HOB) filter features a telescoping intake.

It uses mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration to keep your tank clean, and it can be used in freshwater and saltwater tanks. It includes a Bio-Wheel, which provides a high surface area for the colonization of beneficial bacteria. It has almost twice the filter cartridge capacity of comparable filters, and it uses a dual-impeller design for efficient flow.

The Bio-Wheel does need routine replacement, but it is exclusive to this brand, so you will have to find the correct replacement for your Bio-Wheel.

2. Tetra Whisper Internal Power Filter – Best Value

The best aquarium filter for the money is the Tetra Whisper Internal Power Filter, which is available for three sets of tank sizes and three GPH functions. This internal filter uses three-stage filtration, and it comes with the appropriately sized Whisper Bio-Bag cartridge for the model. The dual-sided Bio-Bag mesh catches large particulates, while activated carbon absorbs odors and discoloration. It uses bio-scrubbers to increase surface area for beneficial bacteria colonization.

Although this is an internal filter, the top of the filter needs to be out of the water for proper functionality.

3. Penn-Plax Cascade Canister Filter – Premium Choice

The Penn-Plax Cascade Canister Filter is the top premium aquarium filter pick, and it retails for a premium price. This canister filter is available for five tank sizes and has five GPH speeds. It can be used in freshwater or saltwater tanks, and it uses three-stage filtration to keep your water clear.

The push button primer makes startup quick and easy, and the tip-proof rubber base prevents big messes and tank draining. It’s easy to install and includes all the necessary accessories to get the filter up and running. Just make sure to install it below the level of your tank for proper function.

4. Marina Aquarium Power Filter

The Marina Aquarium Power Filter is a budget-friendly HOB filter that is available for three tank sizes up to 20 gallons. It’s made to be lower profile than most HOB filters, allowing you to get your tank closer to the wall than most HOB filters allow.

It has an ultra-quiet operation and can be started up instantly and easily. It includes two types of filter cartridges, and this filter uses three-stage filtration for maximum tank cleaning. It has an adjustable flow control with a strainer sponge, which ensures that small fish and invertebrates aren’t sucked into the filter intake. If the media in this filter is allowed to get too dirty, the filter may overflow, so make sure to remove large particles from the inside of the filter as needed.

5. Marineland Magniflow Canister Filter

The Marineland Magniflow Canister Filter is a great canister filter option for tanks up to 100 gallons. It features a valve block that shuts down the water flow quickly and allows for spill-free filter maintenance when it separates the lid from the housing without messes.

It can be used in freshwater and saltwater tanks, and it uses three-stage filtration via included filter cartridges. It has a self-priming button that makes installation and startup quick and easy. It also includes clear instructions for the startup. For the tank size, this isn’t the most expensive canister filter option, but it still retails for a premium price.

6. Eheim Classic External Canister Filter

The Eheim Classic External Canister Filter is suitable for tanks up to 75 gallons. It uses biological and mechanical filtration, and it comes with all filters and valves needed to get it started. It also includes a spray bar, inlet pipe, and all necessary accessories for installation. The pump lid has a permo-elastic silicone ring that ensures a tight, secure closure to prevent leaks.

This canister filter is smaller than most canister filters, making it a good option for limited space. This filter retails for a moderate price, so it isn’t the most budget-friendly canister filter for your large tank.

7. Fluval Underwater Filter

The Fluval Underwater Filter is an internal filter that is available in four GPH speeds for tanks up to 65 gallons. It uses three-stage filtration, and it has three-way flow control, allowing you to adjust the top, bottom, and spray bar flows, ensuring appropriate oxygenation, circulation, and water flow speed for your tank. The flip-top lid allows for easy and quick filter cartridge access for maintenance.

This filter can be used in freshwater, saltwater, and reptile tanks. The attachable spray bar allows this filter to be used in tanks with delicate fish and invertebrates. This filter retails for a premium price compared to the cost per filter function size.

8. Aqueon QuietFlow LED Pro Power Filter

The Aqueon QuietFlow LED Pro Power Filter is a HOB filter that uses enhanced five-stage filtration for maximum water filtering. The Bio-Holster filter design reduces splashing and noise, keeping the water noise low. The LED indicator light lets you know when the filter cartridge becomes clogged and needs to be changed or cleaned.

This pump has a self-priming function that ensures it restarts properly after power outages. Although it doesn’t have an adjustable flow, it produces gentle enough water movement for fish like Bettas. This filter doesn’t produce a lot of water noise, but the motor function is a little noisier than many comparable options.

9. Lee’s Aquarium & Pets Premium Under Gravel Filter

The Lee’s Aquarium & Pets Premium Under Gravel Filter is available in eight tank sizes for tanks from 10 gallons to 135 gallons. It features a multi-level under-gravel plate with molded gravel guards, which keep loose gravel from getting into the filter. It has a height-adjustable uplift tube, as well as carbon cartridges and coarse Discard-a-Stone filter media. It includes all parts needed for function except an air pump.

As with all under gravel filters, this filter isn’t suitable for use with sand and other fine substrates. It also only uses biological filtration.

10. Fluval C3 Power Filter

The Fluval C3 Power Filter is available for three tank sizes and with three GPH speeds. It uses five-stage filtration, and this filter has a telescoping intake tube. It also has an adjustable water flow and a water recirculation function that processes water through the filter multiple times for maximum cleaning power. The draw tab and filter media basket make for easy cleaning and maintenance on this filter.

The impeller in this filter tends to clog quickly, so regular cleaning is necessary to maintain function and prevent motor burnout or overflow. The motor of this filter operates somewhat noisily as well.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Find the Best Aquarium Filter for Your Tank

The Types of Aquarium Filters

Hang On Back

HOB filters are the most common filter used in aquariums, especially small aquariums. These filters hang on the edge of the aquarium, giving them their name. They tend to be relatively low maintenance, but they do require routine maintenance to prevent clogs and ensure the filter media is functioning effectively. This type of filter tends to be more on the affordable side, and they’re extremely easy to use.

Canister

Canister filters are ideal for large or overstocked aquariums. They process large quantities of water quickly, and they are designed to hold a large amount of filter media. Most canister filters allow customization of filter media, so you can pick the filter media types you prefer. Canister filters require the least amount of routine cleaning and maintenance of the main filter types, but they are more complicated to set up and maintain.

Internal

Internal filters function similarly to HOB filters, but they are fully submerged within the aquarium. These can be a good option for small tanks, but there are internal filters that are made for larger tanks as well. They are typically easy to use and easy to maintain, as well as typically being an affordable option.

Under Gravel

Under-gravel filters are a little more old school, but they are an effective source of biological filtration. They don’t perform mechanical filtration, and their ability to perform chemical filtration is limited. They are an ideal way to improve the beneficial bacteria colonization within a tank, but under gravel filters are typically not a good option as the primary source of filtration in most tanks.

Sponge

Sponge filters are similar in functionality to under gravel filters. They don’t perform chemical or mechanical filtration, but they are an excellent way to improve the surface area for beneficial bacteria colonization. They are a good option for tanks with a very low bioload, like shrimp tanks.

Final Thoughts

These reviews cover the best aquarium filters on the market today, and most of them are affordable for a variety of budgets. The best overall pick is the Marineland Bio-Wheel Emperor Power Filter, which uses a Bio-Wheel to increase surface area for beneficial bacteria, and it uses three-stage filtration for maximum water filtering. The most budget-friendly filter option is the Tetra Whisper Internal Power Filter, which uses three-stage filtration and helps to improve oxygenation within the water. For a premium aquarium filter, the top pick is the Penn-Plax Cascade Canister Filter, which is pricey but also high quality.

See also:

• Fluval Edge Gravel Cleaner Review: Pros, Cons & Verdict
• 10 Best Aquarium Vacuums For Sand – Reviews & Top Picks

Featured Image Credit: Dovzhykov Andriy, Shutterstock