Recommended Filter For My Tank With Snails?

I have a 20-gal tank (12"x24"x16").

Currently I have a filter that came with the tank I bought off Craigslist a few days ago. The top of the filter says "Topfin 20".

I've read that HOB filters aren't great with snails. I have one Golden Mystery Snail right now but I plan on getting a few more. In my old tank, I've only seen the snail on the filter once. She can't really access the current one as none of the plants are tall enough in that corner...yet.

What filter would you recommend? I don't plan on getting a bigger tank anytime soon.

My current bio-load includes:
- 3 platies
- 1 molly
- 1 gold claw fiddler crab
- 1 mystery snail

Once my tank has stabilized it's cycle I may slowly add a few more fellas. Right now I "supposedly" have all males per my LFS but I'm not opposed to adding females in the future and thus possibly having fry.

 

That filter should support that bio load. If worried about the snail get a sponge prefilter for the intake. Or you could upgrade to something like an aquaclear 50.

 

HI there. I have used multiple hang on back filters with many snails, and had no issues. What problems have you heard that snails have? You could always switch to a canister.

The TopFin 20 only has a gallons per hour rate of 100. For a 20 gallon you should have a gph of 200. So you are under filtered by quite a bit.

I would upgrade your filter. You want to look for an adequate gallons per hour.

For Hang on Backs(hob) you need 8-10x’s your tank volume. That would be 160-200gph for your tank. For Canisters you need 4-5x’s your tank volume. That would be 80-100gph for your tank.

AquaClears are good filters, so an AquaClear 50 would work. It has a rate of 200gph. The Seachem Tidal 55 has a rate of 250gph. It is my favorite HOB. It would work too.

The SunSun 603b would work as a canister. It has a rate of 106 gph. I just bought one and it works great. It was only $26 on Amazon. Nice price too. (Be sure to get the ‘b’ version, it needs the one with the pump)

Tech'n'Toy SunSun HW-603B 106 GPH 3-Stage External Canister Filter

 

Thank you! I'm definitely going to upgrade.... would you recommend the canister plus the Topfin I already have? Or just replace the HOB I have with one of these HOBs?

What makes you like the Seachem more than the AquaClear?

 

Thank you! I'm definitely going to upgrade.... would you recommend the canister plus the Topfin I already have? Or just replace the HOB I have with one of these HOBs?

What makes you like the Seachem more than the AquaClear?

Seachem Tidals can self-prime, meaning that you don't have to pour water into the filter to start it and it will always restart after a power outage. Seachem Tidal also has a couple of nifty features. It has a clip for a heater, a surface skimmer, and the lid can be used a tray for the filter basket.

The Aquaclear is an older design. However, this does not mean it's inferior. It's a tried and true design.