Which External Filter is best?

[CupcakeMurder]

I'm new into the hobby.

I have now a 60l (about 15gallons) tank with some live plants along with the fish. It's an old Tetra tank (very similar to Tetra AquaArt LED that is out now) so with lid and everything.
Now I have an internal filter (Biobox 1) which is ok I guess ?.

I want to change it for an external. The furniture that the tank sits on is not made for an aquarium so the space below is limited. I have a square space of 32cmx32cm box to place the filter in.
I was looking at the Tetra EX 400 plus or Eheim (not sure which model so suggestions are welcome). I've also looked into Fluval 107 but it's not easy to come by in my country although it looks nice.
Do you guys have any reviews or suggestions for these external filters? I want it to be as quiet as possible and easy to use so I would appreciate your input as you are more experienced people.

 

[Oughtsix]

I generally prefer sumps or HOB filters for ease of maintenance.

My daughter insisted on setting up a fancy goldfish tank recently in a Hex tank recently. Out came the ~20 year old Eheim Pro 3 and off it went after a ~10 year hiatus. I primed it, plugged it in and it has been running flawlessly for a couple of months now. Since the tank is right next to her bed the Pro 3 being almost completely silent was a big bonus!

My vote is for the Eheim Pro III if you have to go with a canister filter. MUCH better than the Fluval filters I have used!!!!

 

[duanes]

All filters do the same thing whether HOB, can, or sump, and/or internal or external.
The biomedia converts ammonia and nitrite to nitrate, mechanical media takes out the particulate, its as simple as that.
So the basic concept is the same across the board.
Better is kind of a question of whether the manufacturers use of better or worse parts, size of pump for water flow etc.
And what the aquarists needs and aesthetics require.
For a 15 gal tank whether or not you want something in the tank you can see, and taking up space, or something hanging on the back, less visual, and leaving more room for the fish may be your only realdilemma.
To illustrate the extreme.....
I have a 180 gal tank with a 125 gal tank as a sump/refugium/filter using Porrett foam for mechanical, ceramic rings for bio, and lots of plants to use anyexcess nitrate. The sump sits next to the tank slightly lower so I can see what's going on, and for ease of maintenance (so I don't have to bend down and contort),and uses a 1500gph pump to cycle the flow throughout.
In the past, some of my filters have been larger than the main tank.
I like extremes and once used a 1500 gal pond, as a sump to filter for a 55 gallon tank to stabilize temp and other conditions because the 55 gal tank outside in the back yard, and sat in the sun during the day heating too much, and at night getting drastically cooler. Using the pond mitigated those drastic fluctuations.

 

[jft]

EHeim all the way!