Types of Aquarium Filters

🌀 Filter Type	✅ Pros	⚠️ Cons	💲 Cost	🐟 Best Use
💧 Hang-On-Back (HOB)	Easy to use & maintain, 3-stage filtration, compact	Not as powerful for large tanks, can be noisy	💲💲	Small–medium tanks, beginners
🗜 Canister Filter	Very powerful, customizable, quiet, external	More expensive, harder to clean	💲💲💲	Medium–large tanks, heavy stocking
🧽 Sponge Filter	Cheap, excellent bio filtration, gentle flow	Bulky in tank, little mechanical filtration	💲	Shrimp, fry, bettas, breeding tanks
⚡ Internal Power Filter	Easy setup, good flow, compact design	Takes space inside tank, limited capacity	💲💲	Small–medium tanks needing circulation
🛢 Sump Filter	Huge capacity, flexible, adds oxygen, hides equipment	Expensive, requires plumbing, space under tank	💲💲💲💲	Large tanks, marine setups, advanced aquarists
⬇️ Undergravel Filter (UGF)	Cheap, doubles as aeration, simple	Hard to clean, detritus buildup, not for plants	💲	Simple beginner tanks, hardy fish
🧱 Hamburger Mattenfilter (HMF)	Massive bio filtration, gentle flow, low maintenance	Takes up tank space, not aesthetic	💲	Breeding setups, shrimp/fry tanks
🌱 Plant-Only Filtration	Natural, beautiful, oxygenates water, nitrate removal	Depends on plant health, limited for high bio load	💲–💲💲	Planted aquascapes, Walstad tanks, shrimp