8 Best Aquarium Filters for Large Tanks in 2024 – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

Choosing an aquarium filter is an overwhelming task, but when it comes to choosing a filtration system for your large tank, it can be even worse. Not because there are more products available, but because fewer products are available to you, and all of them are an investment.

Large aquarium filtration systems don’t come cheap, so it’s important to choose a product that will meet the needs of your tank based on the size of the tank and the type of animals you’re keeping, as well as selecting a filter that will last for years to come. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve reviewed our eight favorite aquarium filters for large tanks.

A Quick Look at Our Favorites in 2024

The 8 Best Aquarium Filters for Large Tanks

The best overall aquarium filter for your large tank is the SunSun HW-304B Aquarium UV Sterilizer Canister Filter. This fantastic filter uses mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration, as well as includes a UV light for extra water cleaning. It provides filtration for tanks up to 150 gallons and is easy to set up and maintain.

It includes a built-in spray bar that helps aerate your tank while filtering it. It includes four trays that allow you to fill the canister with whatever filter media you prefer. It features a drip-free shutoff tap that allows you to avoid making a huge mess when it’s cleaning time. Compared to the price of similar canister filters, this filter sells for a budget-friendly price. The gaskets of this filter need to be replaced every year or two to maintain a proper seal.

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The Fluval Aquarium Power Filter is the best aquarium filter for large tanks for the money due to its functionality and budget-friendly price. This hang-on back filter comes in three sizes for tanks from 30–70 gallons.

It uses 5-stage filtration to ensure your water is being fully cleaned through its mechanical, biological, and chemical filter media. It uses a patented refiltration system that recirculates the water through the filter multiple times before returning it to the tank, ensuring a thorough clean.

It’s easy to set up and clean, and it features a pop-up indicator that lets you know when it is time to clean your filter media. The draw tab makes it easy to remove the filter media basket for cleaning and maintenance. It includes all the filter media you need to get started.

This filter is louder than some of the other options, and some people report it becoming clogged easily.

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The Eheim Classic 600 External Aquarium Canister Filter is the premium choice for filters for your large aquarium. This canister filter does only offer mechanical and biological filtration and is one of the more expensive options. However, it includes all needed filter media, and there is a built-in permo-elastic silicone ring in the pump head to ensure it doesn’t leak.

It includes thorough instructions and is easy to set up and maintain. This filter is compact for its power level, measuring only 15.7 inches tall with a diameter of 8.07 inches. It can be used for tanks up to 159 gallons, making it the ideal addition to your large tank setup.

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The Marineland Magnum Polishing Internal Filter is an internal filter that offers mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration, along with water polishing for maximum water clarity. This filter works for tanks up to 97 gallons and is a moderately-priced filtration option.

Since the motor is submerged, it’s easy to set up and get started pumping, and it includes two refillable filter media chambers that can be used to hold carbon or filter media of your choice. It comes with carbon and filter foam to get started.

Some users have reported this being a noisy filter option. It also has a very strong flow, which may be too powerful for some fish.

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The Eheim Pro 4+ 600 Aquarium Canister Filter is a high-quality but premium-priced filtration system. It offers an “Xtender” button that allows you to bypass the fine filter foam if it becomes clogged, allowing your system to continue to function until you can clean or replace the filter media.

It offers a quiet and powerful performance, and it includes a self-priming aid, top pre-filter, and locking safety hose adapters to prevent leaks. It has an adjustable flow rate of up to 330 gallons per hour, allowing you to set the flow to what your tank specifically requires.

It includes four filter media baskets for you to fill with the filter media of your choosing, but it doesn’t include any filter media to get you started.

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The Marineland Bio-Wheel Penguin Aquarium Power Filter is available in four sizes for tanks up to 75 gallons, and it is one of the more budget-friendly filters for large tanks. This hang-on back filter uses 3-stage filtration, including a patented Bio-Wheel that provides maximum surface area for beneficial bacteria growth.

The Bio-Wheel includes vented covers that reduce noise, although some people do still report noise from the Bio-Wheel turning. There is some maintenance and cleaning that is specific to the Bio-Wheel, so it’s important to read through those instructions to keep this filter working at its maximum potential for the longest period of time.

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The Marineland Magniflow 360 Aquarium Canister Filter offers 3-stage filtration for tanks up to 100 gallons, as well as water polishing for maximum water clarity. It features a valve block for quick release of the lid for cleaning and maintenance with minimal mess. It has a quick prime button that allows for quick and easy filling. The stack and flow filter media trays allow you to fill it with any filter media you prefer, and it includes all the filter media needed to get started.

This is a premium-priced filtration system. Some people report leaks if the gasket is not replaced regularly, so make sure to perform regular cleaning, maintenance, and parts replacement on this filter.

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The Marineland Emperor Pro 450 Aquarium Filter is one of the more budget-friendly filters for large tanks. It uses 3-stage filtration, including the use of the patented Bio-Wheel to maximize beneficial bacteria growth.

It’s made for tanks up to 90 gallons, and it has a built-in adjustable flow control, ensuring your Bio-Wheel has maximum contact with the water for proper cleaning and your water flow is appropriate for what your tank needs. It includes the filter media you need to get started, as well as an extra filter cartridge slot, although it doesn’t include an extra cartridge.

This may be a somewhat noisy filter, even with built-in noise dampeners, due to the Bio-Wheel. You’ll need to read up on and maintain the Bio-Wheel cleaning and maintenance schedule properly to ensure it continues to work correctly.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Aquarium Filter for Your Large Tank

When it comes to selecting the best aquarium filter for your needs, the first thing to do is make sure you are aware of the size of your tank. An under-filtered tank can lead to problems with water quality, but you aren’t going to over-filter your tank unless you keep very sensitive plants and animals. You’ll also need to take a serious look at your willingness to perform tank and filter maintenance. If it’s something that often gets put on the back burner, then you may need to invest in a filtration system that is larger than the size of your tank.

You should also consider what types of filtration are important to you. Some people are content not to use chemical filtration, but some people don’t like dealing with unpleasant smells from their aquarium that chemical filtration could remove. Some types of filters have added benefits, like UV sterilization or water polishing, which aren’t essential to your tank but can be very helpful.

Take into account what type of filter you’re in the market for. Many people prefer canister filters due to their functionality, but they tend to be more expensive and take up more room than other types of filters. Hang-on back filters need space on at least one side of the tank to hang from, while internal filters may not be suitable for all tank setups.

Conclusion

Once you’ve decided what exactly you’re looking for in a filtration system for your large tank, refer to these reviews to choose the best filter for your needs. The best overall option for large tanks is the SunSun HW-304B Aquarium UV Sterilizer Canister Filter, a moderately-priced option that is highly functional and includes a built-in UV sterilizer.

The more budget-friendly option is the Fluval Aquarium Power Filter, available in multiple sizes to suit your tank. If you’re looking for a premium product, then the Eheim Classic 600 External Aquarium Canister Filter is a high-quality product that might be just what you want.

You might also be interested in:

• 7 Best Aquarium UV Sterilizer Styles

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Featured Image Credit: Sergio Bertino, Shutterstock