If you’re looking for the best canister filter for a 30 gallon tank then you’ve come to the right place. On this page, you’ll find the best canister filters for a 30 gallon aquarium that will keep your fish healthy even if you have fish that produce a lot of waste.
Best Canister Filter for 30 Gallon Tank
Best Canister Filter for 30 Gallon Tank
Fluval Canister Filter 206
The Fluval Canister Filter 206 (Buy Online) is one of the best canister filters for a 30 gallon tank. This filter has a pump output capacity of 206 US Gal/h (780 L/h), and it has a maximum aquarium capacity of 45-gallons.
The Fluval Canister Filter 206 utilizes a Multi-Stage filtration process that is made up of mechanical, chemical, and biological stages. Each stage is separated into its own module, and you can replace each type of filter media individually. The Fluval Canister Filter 206 also has Quick Change Mechanical Filter Media that makes filter changes quick and easy.
The Fluval Canister Filter 206 also has an instant prime feature which eliminates the need for manual siphoning. You can also easily stop the water flow through the filter using the built-in AquaStop Valves, which definitely helps speed up maintenance, and the valves will reduce the risk of messy leaks.
The Fluval Canister Filter 206 can also be used on both freshwater and saltwater aquariums, and it has a high flow rate that makes it a good choice for a nano reef tank.
You can also get the newer Fluval Canister Filter 207 if you’re looking for an upgraded version of the Fluval 206 Canister filter. The Fluval 207 Canister Filter’s most notable feature is that it has a quiet pump, which makes it a better choice for areas where you want to keep noise and vibrations to a minimum.
Hydor Professional External Canister Filter
The Hydor Professional External Canister Filter (Buy Online) is one of the most well-designed canister filters for a 30-gallon tank. This filter has a pump output capacity of 225 US GPH and a filter circulation rate of 200 GPH. The Hydor Professional 250 External Canister Filter is your best choice for a 30-gallon tank since it’s rated for 40 to 75-gallon aquariums.
The Hydor Professional External Canister Filter utilizes a 3-Stage filtration process (Mechanical, Chemical, and Biological). The mechanical stage is made up of a filter sponge and a fine floss filter pad to remove detritus and debris from the water column.
The chemical stage can be filled with Hydor Labs Activated Carbon, or Natural Zeolite to remove a wide range of chemical impurities from the water before they harm your fish.
The biological stage makes use of Sintered Quartz BIO-Rings that have a very large surface area for bacteria to colonize.
The Hydor Professional External Canister Filter also comes with a long spray bar attachment that you can use to return the water across a larger area for better surface agitation and aeration.
Overall, the Hydor Professional External Canister Filter is the best canister filter for a 30-gallon tank if you’re looking for a filter that can handle a fully stocked tank.
Check Out: Fish Tank Stocking Calculator
Eheim Canister Filter Pro 4
The Eheim Canister Filter Pro 4 (Buy Online) is one of the best canister filters for medium-sized tanks. This canister filter has a pump flow rate of 250 US Gal/h (950 l/h). The Eheim Canister Filter Pro 4 is rated for use on tanks that range from 30 to 65 gallons.
The Eheim Canister Filter Pro 4 is a 4-Stage filter that will maintain safe crystal clear water in a densely stocked aquarium. Also, each stage has its own filter basket for quick and easy filter maintenance.
The Eheim Canister Filter Pro 4 also has a unique “Xtender“ function that allows the filter to run at its full flow rate even if the mechanical filtration media gets clogged with debris. The Xtender flow valve will bypass the mechanical media while still allowing water to pass through the biological media, which can help buy you a few days before a filter change.
The Eheim Canister Filter Pro 4 also comes with everything you’ll need to set up the filter including filter media, inlets, outlets, hoses, and additional canister filter accessories.
Marineland Magniflow Canister Filter 160
The Marineland Magniflow Canister Filter 160 (Buy Online) is a low-cost canister filter that’s perfectly sized for a 30-gallon aquarium. This canister filter has a flow rate of 160 GPH, and it can be used on 20 to 30-gallon tanks.
The Marineland Magniflow Canister Filter 160 is a 4-Stage filter. The first stage is a coarse sponge filter that removes large debris from the water column before the water enters the main filter compartment.
The coarse sponge filter is then followed by the activated carbon filter which removes organic and inorganic chemical impurities. The next stage is the biological filter which is composed of BIO-Balls and Ceramic BIO-Rings. Then finally there is a fine floss filter pad that polishes the water before it’s returned back into the aquarium.
Each filtration stage can be changed individually, and it’s possible to fill the filter baskets with any type of filter media. That makes the Marineland Magniflow Canister Filter 160 one of the best canister filters for a 30-gallon tank if you’re looking to save money on filter media
EHEIM Classic 150 External Canister Filter
The EHEIM Classic 150 External Canister Filter (Buy Online) is another great budget canister filter for a 30-gallon aquarium. This canister filter has a flow rate of 79 GPH and it’s rated for aquariums with a capacity of 13 to 40 gallons.
The EHEIM Classic 150 External Canister Filter is best suited to tanks that are lightly stocked since it doesn’t have a high flow rate or a large filter capacity. However, if you’re only keeping smaller fish that don’t produce a lot of waste then it would be fine to use the EHEIM Classic 150 on your tank.
OASE Indoor Aquatics Filtosmart Thermo
The OASE Indoor Aquatics Filtosmart Thermo (Buy Online) is one of the few canister filters that has a built-in heater. This canister filter has a powerful flow rate of 260 GPH (1000 l/h), and it has an inline 300-Watt heater that’s powerful enough to heat a 30-gallon aquarium.
The OASE Indoor Aquatics Filtosmart Thermo is a great choice if you don’t have room for a heater in your tank, or if you don’t like the look of a heater in a planted tank. The inline heater also ensures there won’t be any hot or cold spots in your aquarium, which is a common problem with submersible heaters especially in low flow areas of a fish tank.
Overall, this filter has a large filter capacity and plenty of pumping power, and then add on top of that the built-in heater, which makes this one of the most affordable full-featured canister filters for a 30-gallon tank.
OASE Indoor Aquatics Biomaster
The OASE Indoor Aquatics Biomaster (Buy Online) is a high-capacity canister filter that can handle aquariums with a high biological load. The Biomaster has a pump with a 250 GPH (900 l/h) flow rate, and it’s rated for use on 30 to 60-gallon aquariums.
The OASE Indoor Aquatics Biomaster is a 3-Stage canister filter, and it has individual filter modules that can be removed and serviced separately. It also has a convenient handle that makes it easy to pick up and carry around during regular maintenance.
The OASE Indoor Aquatics Biomaster also has a heater compartment that can hold a submersible heater. The filter will work with or without the heater, and you can get 25 to 400-watt heaters from OASE that are made to fit the Biomaster canister as a modular upgrade.
Aqueon QuietFlow Canister Filter 200
The Aqueon QuietFlow Canister Filter 200 (Buy Online) is designed for use on both freshwater and saltwater aquariums. This filter has a flow rate of 200 GPH, and it’s rated for use on aquariums up to 55 gallons.
The Aqueon QuietFlow Canister Filter 200 uses a 4-Stage filtration process that’s made up of coarse foam, activated carbon, Bio-Balls, Bio-Ceramic Rings, and a water polishing cartridge. It also includes all the hoses and connectors you need to set it up, and it even comes with a spray bar, which is a nice canister filter accessory you don’t get with most budget canister filters.
Penn Plax Aquarium Cascade 1000 Canister Filter
The Penn Plax Aquarium Cascade 1000 Canister Filter (Buy Online) is one of the most popular canister filters on the market. This canister filter has a 265 GPH flow rate, and it’s rated for 50 to 100-gallon aquariums.
The Penn Plax Aquarium Cascade 1000 Canister Filter might be overkill for a lightly stocked 30-gallon tank, but if you are keeping goldfish then you’ll appreciate the extra filtration power. Alternatively, the Cascade 500 or 700 would be a better option if you have a lightly stocked 30-gallon aquarium.
SunSun Canister Filter
The SunSun Canister Filter (Buy Online) is the best canister filter for a 30-gallon tank if you frequently experience cloudy or green water. The SunSun line of canister filters are one of the few canister filters that incorporate a built-in UV sterilizer that will kill bacteria and algae blooms that can cause cloudy water.
The SunSun Canister Filter is the best filter for a 30-gallon goldfish aquarium. It is also an excellent canister filter for a turtle tank since it can control any water clarity problem that may arise due to excess food and waste floating around in the tank. And best of all the SunSun Canister Filters come in a wide range of sizes that are rated to support aquariums that range from 30 to 300 gallons.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Size Filter for 30 Gallon Aquarium?
A 30-gallon aquarium will need a filter that has a flow rate of at least 180 to 240 GPH (680 to 910 l/h ). This will ensure the water in the aquarium is completely cycled through the filter 6 to 8 times each hour.
Learn More: Aquarium GPH Calculator
How often should you change the water in a 30-gallon fish tank??
You will need to change the pre-filter on a canister filter every 6 weeks to keep the pump operating at peak capacity. If your canister filter has a coarse sponge filter you can also rinse it out in tank water every six weeks. Activated carbon can also be replaced on this schedule. However, biological media should not be changed unless it’s seriously degraded in order to maintain a healthy bacterial colony.
How often should you do water changes for a 30-gallon tank with no filter?
A 30-gallon tank with no filter will need a 50% water change at least once a week. If any ammonia or nitrite are present then daily water changes might be necessary. Otherwise, be sure to keep track of your nitrate levels using a Nitrate Test Kit (Buy Online), and try to keep the nitrate levels below 20 ppm to maintain a healthy tank.
Learn More: Unionized Ammonia Calculator
Where can I buy a filter for a 30-Gallon Aquarium?
You can buy a filter for a 30-gallon aquarium using the links to the following retailers:
Amazon
Petco
MarineDepot
eBay
Walmart
