Aqueon 06081 QuietFlow 20 Power Filter, 125GPH

love it!

I have never been so disappointed in an aquarium product. I purchased two of these filters, months apart, and both suffered identical, sudden pump failures. This is a clear and persistent design flaw. To make matters worse, the entire unit is disposable. When the filter cartridge is dirty, you are forced to buy a whole new unit—including another unreliable pump. This is a wasteful and expensive cycle. A product that fails at its primary function (pumping water) and then forces you to re-purchase its own flawed design is unacceptable. I strongly urge you to look for a more reliable and sustainable option. A complete letdown.

I actually bought this filter in the used/refurbish section on Amazon after months of searching for the right filter for my new aquarium, 10 gallon tank. Despite I bought it used this filter work like a charm! Here is a mini breakdown: Performance: Powerful. The pump was so strong that I ended up making a baffled to restrict some of the water flow but even then the water can be seen rippling through the surface. Not only is the pump strong but it is quiet as well, really live up to its name "QuietFlow". Occasionally some small water dripping and humming from the motor can be heard but you have to be right in front of the tank to notice it. This filter is also self priming, which mean that you do not have to pour water in the filter to get the filter to work and move the water flow. I found this a bonus, since I always unpluged my filter to do water changes. And every time without a failure when I plug it back in, the filter just automatically do its job and within seconds, water is already pouring out and silently too! Design: Bulky but functional. Its looks a bit big but will fit quiet nicely on the glass panel without any falling or sliding problem. If you have a 10 gallon tank with a standard hood, the 20 or 10 version will fit on the tank with the hood on just fine as well. The intake tube is adjustable meaning you can slide it up/down. Inside the filter there is some room for additional filter medias beside the one it originally come with. There is also 2 plastic meshes that help with aerating the water (you can see it in the picture, it is the blue thing) and store the beneficial bacteria. There is also a resting place on the side of the filter for the cord so it wont be hanging out unnecessary in your tank. Additionally, all parts on the filter including the propeller, and intake tube can be taken out and clean or wash if necessary. Con: Unfortunately with everything there has to be a drawback. The problem however, are really small and aren't really consider much of a nuisance. I found that the cover/cap of the filter do shake sometimes, especially when you open it and don't close it properly. This created a very loud rattling noise, which can be easily fix by closing it properly or use a rubber band to bind it securely down. Another thing was since the pump is so strong, it would be nice to have an adjustable option to restrict the water flow, but sadly there is none. A tip: If you decided to have live plants in your aquarium that have spiky leaves, especially the Hornwort, the falling leaves can get suck up by the filter and create a blockage overtime. So monitor this. Overall I have had this filter for over 3 months now and it is still going strong and keeping my aquarium super clean without any problem. I couldn't be happier with this filter.

Day one: took it out of box, felt very light and cheaply made. Got it all together, installed it on my 30 gallon hexagon tank and filled it. Noticed it was kinda loud, so I made sure to top it up. It's QUIET. I mean, it's honestly the quietest filter I've ever used now. Water current looks strong too. Hopefully it stays this quiet and works well!

I’ve owned this brand before. Reliable filter system, easy to clean and install filter cartridges. Only issue I have with this system is how long it takes to prime after a power outage and the motor is loud when jt is trying to prime itself. I have to manually prime it after loss of power.