Filters · Hang-on-back
Aqueon SmartClean Power Filter 10–20 gal
Aqueon rates it for aquariums of 10–20 US gal; uses a Medium EcoRenew cartridge.
Aqueon’s hang-on-back filter with adjustable flow and a spout that doubles as a drain: lift it to stop the flow, turn it and the filter empties tank water for a water change, then push it back down. It runs on EcoRenew cartridges of carbon-infused natural fiber, held in a Bio-Holster over a NoDrip basin.
Consider: Its spout doubles as a drain for water changes. Aqueon doesn’t publish the flow or the power; if running cost matters, choose a model that lists them.
US version, item 100551030. Check what’s in the box before you buy.
Tank size Aqueon rates it for
10 to 20 US gal
Choose your tank to see where it falls.
Check it against your tank →Specifications that affect fit
- Manufacturer capacity
- 10–20 US gal
- Power
- Not published
- Supply voltage
- Not published
- Dimensions
- Aqueon lists 6.6 × 4.3 × 7.0 in, about its box size
- Pump output
- Not published
- Filter circulation
- Not published
- Maximum flow
- Not published
To see what it costs to run, enter the watts on its label and your daily hours in the electricity cost calculator.
Pump output, filter circulation and maximum flow are measured in different ways. Your filter will move less water than the box says once media and hoses are in. Measure it with the flow calculator.
Before choosing this model
- Confirm item 100551030, the 10–20 gallon size.
- Measure behind the tank: Aqueon lists it at 6.6 × 4.3 × 7.0 in, about the size of its box in Aqueon’s catalog, so the filter itself is no bigger than that.
What Aqueon doesn’t publish
- Aqueon doesn’t publish the flow rate or the electrical ratings. Don’t compare its flow or running cost with a model that has published figures.
Our buying guides size it for these tanks:
10 gallon20 gallonBetta tankShrimp tank
Tank-size rating from Aqueon 2026 Aquatic Product Catalog, page 23, SmartClean Power Filter item 100551030.
A filter rated for your tank can still be too tall for your cabinet or too strong for small fish: see how to choose one.
Check it against your tank → Something not working? See the troubleshooting guide.
Choose and care for mechanical, biological and chemical media before buying replacement supplies.
Included items & upkeep
- filter body
- Medium EcoRenew cartridge
Plan for the routine work
- For a water change, lift the spout to stop the flow, turn it to drain, then push it back down.
- Change the EcoRenew cartridge in its Bio-Holster about every 4 weeks, before it starts to decompose, as Aqueon advises; the NoDrip basin catches the drips.
- Turn the flow down for small or slow fish.
To budget for replacement media and supplies, use the first-year cost calculator. For how often and how to clean it, follow the maker’s manual.