# Zoo Med 501 Turtle Filter VS Tom Aquatics Rapids Mini Canister Filter C-80



## Camper (Feb 7, 2009)

Currently I'm looking for a Canister filter for my 10 gallon tank. Does anyone using the Zoo or Tom Mini Canister filter at the moment? And what are the pros and cons for both of them, and what other suggestion will be welcome 

also my main concern is noise, i need something that is quiet.

Thanks

Jim.


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## cablemike (Jan 7, 2009)

i was looking into them a while back also. from what i read they are delicate a brake easy. thin plastic. i ended up getting a jebo canister filter from the pickering flea market and its been going for two years strong. it was only 45.00 and way better then those little ones. its rated up to 60 gallons.


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## clock906 (Nov 22, 2007)

i use the ZooMed 501 in my 5.5 gallon tanks.
It works very well for me, and for list of pros & cons

Pros:

Good build quality, doesn't feel cheap
Comes included with all the media (large bag of carbon, ceramic ring & sponge)
Self-priming (takes a few minutes and noisy during priming)
Very quiet
Tiny & portable (I use the hanger and hang it at the back of my 5.5g tank)

Cons:

Sponge (mechanical) filter AFTER carbon and bio-filter filter (it makes the carbon & bio filter dirty quick)
Small media capacity (i also have the eheim 2213 which can hold 5-10x more media)
Low flow rate (actually..perfect for 3-5 gallon tank)
NO WAY this thing is rated up to 30gallon turtle tank
Bunch of dirt and gunk build up inside the water tube after 2-3 months of use.

If you are keeping a fair number of fish, I wouldn't use it for a 10 gallon tank. This thing can't handle too much bioload and will get dirty and reduced flow rate very quickly...
I guess it's okay if you are just keeping shrimps or a few small fish, but otherwise, get a 2213. I think someone on Pricenetwork sell it new for $100. about $50 more than the 501 but it will work a lot better for a 10gallon tank.

Never used the Tom Mini Canister, but I heard it is the exact same design as the 501, just cheaper and poorer build quality.


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## Camper (Feb 7, 2009)

I wanna know will the Eheim 2213 be too much flow rate for my 10 gallon tank? 
and is it quiet?


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## clock906 (Nov 22, 2007)

Camper said:


> I wanna know will the Eheim 2213 be too much flow rate for my 10 gallon tank?
> and is it quiet?


I think the flow rate is good for a 10G...even tho they are rated up to 60gallon, their flow rate is actually similar to a aquaclear 20/30.
Plus with the spray bar, the water flow is spread out much better than most HOB.

as for noise, that's kinda relative...but I run it next to a aquaclear 20 & 30, and a emperor 400, the 2213 is definitely the quietest of all (similar to the 501)

biggest down sides I see with the 2213 are its huge size (you will actually need to find a place to put it), and its lack of priming mechanism...(when the instruction said to prime it I need to suck on the outlet pipe i was like wtf... $2 turkey blaster from the dollar shop help fix that tho)


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