Any / All Aquatop IF-201 Water Filter, 10 Gallons

Tank Size:

1-9 Gallons

The Aquatop IF-201 Water Filter is a cute filter comes with two attachments, one that is a curved bar and another that jets water straight out of the opening. What is nice about it is that you can use the curved bar to direct water against side glass and soften the current level, making this filter usable for bettas and other fish that don't like fast moving currents at the top of the water. It is rated for 10 gallons and it's more powerful than it looks. I would not use it for anything less than 5 gallons as the current might be too strong and there is a smaller model for that. However it can be done. I'm not sure how effective it will be in a 10 gallon tank and wouldn't recommend that large. But on my 5 gallon cube it does a surprising job, especially if I stick some fine filtering material to get out small bits floating in the water.

The Aquatop IF-201 filter comes with a coarse black foam filter and I didn't really see replacement foam. It will probably last indefinitely and is washable. I haven't had problems with it for months. For $12-15, this filter is very acceptable for small tanks.

Originally I was debating getting a different filter for my 5 gallon cube which houses some CPO crayfish and shrimp. Aquatop makes other models, including the IF-202 model for 20 gallon tanks. Using the typical "twice the actual capacity" scale that many use in choosing water filters, selecting the Aquatop IF-201 Water Filter was the correct choice for this 5 gallon cube. At times the water pressure will slightly diminish, which is usually a sign that it requires cleaning. Having the filter for several months, I can say that it is reasonably durable and what one would expect for a filter that costs under $20 and can be found around half that price on sale.