8 Best Aquarium Filters for Your Fish Tank in 2025 – Reviews & Top Picks

Filters play a vital role in keeping aquariums clean and their inhabitants healthy. They not only help to keep the aquarium water clean but also create a constantly moving environment, which in return helps to replenish aquariums with oxygen, which is essential for aquarium life.

Numerous filters are on the market to meet the needs of your aquatic pets. To reduce your research time, we have compiled a list of the best aquarium filters that are popular, efficient, and affordable, complete with in-depth reviews.

A Quick Glance at Our Favorites in 2025

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Marineland Bio-Wheel Aquarium Filter	Affordable Multi-stage filtration abilities Provides wet and dry filtration	CHECK PRICE
Best Value		Aquapapa Bio Sponge Aquarium Filter	Easy to set up and clean Ideal for fish fry aquariums Doubles as an aeration system	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice		AquaClear Fish Tank Filter	Equipped with filter media Offers three forms of filtration Comes in five different size options	CHECK PRICE
		Tetra Whisper Aquarium Filter	Easy to mount Includes air pump Adjustable settings	CHECK PRICE
		Hygger Aquarium Sponge Filter	Easy installation Provides 3-stage filtration Includes two spare sponges	CHECK PRICE

The 8 Best Aquarium Filters

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

The best overall aquarium filter is the Marineland Power Filter because it provides three types of filtration at an affordable price. It is a hang-on-back filter that consists of an intake system that suctions up old tank water and runs it through the filtration section. The newly filtered water gets returned to the tank through a waterfall system.

This filter features multi-stage filtration—biological, chemical, and mechanical—and the rotating bio-wheel provides wet or dry biological filtration. It comes in five sizes, so you can choose a size that fits your aquarium’s water volume.

2. Aquapapa Bio Sponge Filter (3 Pack) – Best Value

The best filter for the money is the Aquapapa Sponge Filter. For an affordable price, you get three filters so that you can purchase them in bulk. This is beneficial if you own multiple aquariums and want to stock them with efficient filtration systems. Sponge filters provide mechanical and biological filtration for aquariums and double as an aeration system.

The air infusion chamber produces numerous bubbles, which help promote gas exchange by increasing the dissolved oxygen level in the water. It is easy to set up, and all you’ll need to do is connect airline tubing to the top of the sponge filter. The sponge traps waste particles mechanically, which keeps your aquarium water clean.

3. AquaClear Fish Tank Filter – Premium Choice

Our premium choice is the AquaClear Fish Tank Filter because it is quick and easy to install in aquariums and provides three forms of filtration (chemical, biological, and mechanical). This filter has various filter media to keep the water crystal clear. Its filtration volume is up to seven times larger than other types of filters on the market. However, the filter media should be replaced every 2 weeks to ensure the filter is working optimally.

The filter comes in five sizes for tanks as small as 5 gallons and as large as 110 gallons, so you can purchase a size that fits your tank’s measurements. The filtration media that fits into the AquaClear filter must be purchased separately, but when you first purchase it, it will come with everything you need to get it working in your aquarium.

4. Tetra Whisper Internal Aquarium Filter With Air Pump

This filter mounts to the inside of an aquarium rather than hanging on the outside. It is quiet and efficient and can cycle a large volume of water through its system to keep the water column clean. The Tetra Whisper Internal Filter has adjustable water flow, so it can be used in various-sized tanks with different types of fish without the output current getting too strong. It also has mounting suction cups for easy placement in an aquarium, where it will stick to the inside of the glass.

Each filter comes with a pre-assembled filter cartridge, but when it gets dirty and clogged with debris, you’ll need to purchase new filter media from the same brand.

5. Hygger Aquarium Double Sponge Filter

The Hygger Double Sponge Filter is designed for small, medium, and large tanks to keep the water clean and clear. It helps beneficial bacteria grow to keep the water parameters stable. The filter parts are detachable and easy to install, and a bonus to purchasing the Hygger is that it comes with two spare sponges to replace the old ones when they become clogged with debris.

To clean it, the filter can be easily detached and rinsed in old tank water, and the sponges should be cleaned twice a week to ensure that the filter works efficiently. The sponges trap debris in the aquarium, and the filter media provides chemical filtration and a place for beneficial bacteria to grow.

6. Aqueon Quiet Flow Internal Power Aquarium Filter

The Aqueon Quiet Flow Internal Power Filter is economical, efficient, and easy to use. It is self-priming and includes hang-on clips for framed aquariums and suction cups for placing the filter inside the aquarium. This filter also includes a bio-holster, which is a place for beneficial bacteria to grow, and a replaceable cartridge with carbon for chemical filtration.

The filter also features a coarse media sponge for additional mechanical filtration. Altogether, the Aqueon filter provides aquariums with chemical, biological, and mechanical filtration to keep the water crystal clear and keep the water parameters stable through the beneficial bacteria that inhabit the filter media.

7. Fluval C Series Power Aquarium Filter

This Fluval C Series Power Aquarium Filter is designed for freshwater and saltwater aquariums. It features two mechanical stages that trap large and fine debris in the foam mat, which can easily be removed when it needs to be cleaned. The chemical stage of the filtration works through activated carbon to remove toxins from the water, while the biological stage features a bio-screen pad that blocks large debris and provides a large surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow in it.

It can easily be disassembled for cleaning and then reinstalled with fresh activated carbon that should be replaced monthly to ensure that the filter is working properly. The more filter media you add, the more efficiently this filter will work.

8. Marineland Magniflow Canister Aquarium Filter

This is a slightly more expensive filter compared to other models in this review. However, its durability and efficiency are worth the money. This high-quality filter has multi-stage filtration (chemical, mechanical, and biological) to keep large tanks clean and remove dirt and debris from the water column. Water flows through the media layer to filter the aquarium’s water. The canister is watertight, and the lid lifts to remove old filter pads easily.

The strength of the Marineland filter makes it ideal for larger tanks. It helps to keep the water crystal clear, while the filter pads provide mechanical and biological filtration by trapping dirt and growing nitrifying bacteria.

Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Aquarium Filter

What Are the Types of Filters?

With so many different filters available on the market, it can be challenging to find the right type for your aquarium. These are the main types of filters you will come across:

Sponge filters

This is the most popular and simple form of filter to use. Sponge filters provide mechanical and biological filtration by trapping dirt and debris from the water column into the sponge and releasing clean water through the top. Sponge filters also double as an aeration system because the bubbles that come out from the top increase the dissolved oxygen levels in the water.

The installation process is simple; you’ll need an air pump and airline tubing to connect it to the sponge filter. Once you turn the air pump on, air will get blown through the tubing and into the sponge filter for it to work. Sponge filters themselves may be cheap, but you will need to pay separately for the tubing and air pump.

It is common for filters to include a sponge section on a filter for mechanical and biological filtration while also providing a place for filter media (such as activated carbon) to be placed in cartridges.

Canister filters

Canister filters are slightly more expensive, but they are efficient. They remove water from the fish tank through an intake tube, valve, or sieve, which is then run through filter media in a pressurized canister. The clean water is pumped back into the aquarium.

With canister filters, you must purchase the filter media separately and change it once a month to prevent the filter from getting clogged.

Internal filters

Internal filters are easy to install, and you rarely have to buy separate items, such as air pumps, to run one. They can either have a large sponge in them or a place for filter media, which is where most of the filtration will take place.

These types of filters have an intake and an outtake section, where water is sucked in and then replenished into the tank through the output, which can either be a stream of water, a waterfall system, or a trickle system.

With most internal filters, you will need to replace the cartridge containing the media and any filter wool so that the filter does not become clogged, which can cause problems in a balanced aquarium environment.

As the name suggests, internal filters can be placed underneath the water and usually have suction cups that can be attached to the glass in the desired area.

Hang-on back (HOB) filters

Hang-on back filters are bulky and hang over the side of the aquarium, but they are usually great at providing 3-stage filtration. Most hang-on back filters have a long tube (the intake) beneath the waterline, and the dirty tank water is filtrated through the filter media cartridges toward the outtake, which generally looks like a mini waterfall.

Why Do Aquariums Need Filters?

Leaving a tank full of water to sit all day without movement will cause a stagnant environment. This is not the ideal environment for plants and aquatic inhabitants because there is no form of filtration to keep the water clean, provide a place for beneficial bacteria to grow, and provide aeration. Filters are essential for creating the perfect aquarium ecosystem.

Fish and invertebrates (and some plant species) greatly benefit from filters to thrive in their environment. Unless you are using the Walstad method to keep your aquarium water clean, a filter is vital.

Filters provide aquariums with three different forms of filtration; mechanical, where dirt and debris from the water column are sucked into the filter to keep the water clean, biological, where filter media and sponges are used to grow nitrifying bacteria, and chemical, such as activated carbon. All of these filtration methods play a role in the clarity and cleanliness of an aquarium.

How to choose the right filter for your aquarium

How We Determined This List of Aquarium Filters for Your Fish Tank

All the aquarium filters reviewed in this article were chosen by our writers, editors, and team of experienced veterinary professionals to ensure that they are safe and meet the care needs of your pet. When choosing which aquarium filters to feature, we took into account brand reputation, personal and hands-on experience, reviews from other customers, and of course, feedback from our beloved pets, to make sure to bring you only the best of the best. We at PangoVet want to give you only the best products to choose from in our reviews, to ensure that they meet your pets’ needs for optimal health and well-being.

Why Trust PangoVet?

We are a team of experienced veterinarians, writers, and editors who are pet owners ourselves, so we understand how important your pets and the products they use and consume are to you. Whether you are caring for a furry, scaly, or feathered friend, we make sure that you have honest and unbiased reviews of the top aquarium filters on the market, so you can make an informed decision.

Conclusion

Of all the aquarium filters we reviewed in this article, the Marineland Penguin Bio-Wheel Power Filter is our favorite overall, as it provides three stages of filtration while still being affordable. Our second favorite pick is the Tetra Whisper Internal Filter due to its silent operation. Plus, it comes with an air pump, so you will not have to purchase one separately. Hopefully, our in-depth reviews have helped you find the perfect aquarium pump to suit your needs!

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Featured Image Credit: M-Production, Shutterstock