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Filters · Hang-on-back

hygger Backpack Aquarium Filter 6W

hygger rates it for 5–20 US gal aquariums up to 23.6 in long and 9.8 to 15.7 in tall; 132 GPH at most.

A hang-on-back filter with a see-through waste chamber: a stainless-steel drum just inside the intake catches fish waste and plant bits where you can see them, and a drain outlet lets you flush them out through a ½ in hose without opening the filter. Ceramic balls behind it hold the bacteria, with room for floss or carbon, a floating skimmer takes up the oily film, and a dial sets the flow up to 132 GPH.

Consider: You can see the waste it has caught and flush it out without a gravel vacuum, but it takes glass or a rim only up to 0.47 in thick, and its skimmer can pull in baby shrimp and small fish unless you cover it.

View manufacturer details ↗Compare this model →

US version, item HG150. Check what’s in the box before you buy.

Rated for a 10 gal tankDrawn to scale on a 10 gallon (example). Body 3.5 in deep and 10 in tall, hung on the back rim; check the gap behind the tank and the lid cut-out.
Drawing of an aquarium filter (not a photo of the hygger Backpack Aquarium Filter 6W)

Tank size hygger rates it for

5 to 20 US gal

Choose your tank to see where it falls.

Check it against your tank →

Specifications that affect fit

Manufacturer capacity
5–20 US gal
Power
6 W
Supply voltage
110–120 V / 60 Hz
Dimensions
7.3 × 3.5 × 10 in (L × W × H)
Pump output
Not published
Filter circulation
Not published
Maximum flow
132 GPH

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

  • Measure the glass: hygger’s clips take glass or a rim up to 0.47 in (12 mm) thick.
  • hygger sizes the 6 W for tanks up to 23.6 in long and 9.8 to 15.7 in tall: a standard 5 or 10 gallon. The 15 gallon, at 24¼ in, is just past that, and a 20 gallon long is the 8 W’s.
  • Prime it before you switch on: fill the intake pipe and pour water into the main chamber too, as hygger says, or trapped air keeps the flow weak and noisy for hours.

Our buying guides size it for these tanks:

5 gallon10 gallonBetta tankShrimp tank

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 with a see-through waste chamber and stainless-steel drum
  • 500 g of hollow ceramic filter balls
  • cleaning balls that keep the drum’s holes clear
  • floating surface skimmer
  • intake and outlet elbows, extension tube and spray bar
  • air hose for bubbles at the outlet
  • two mounting clips
  • vibration-damping support
  • user manual

Plan for the routine work

  • Clean the stainless-steel drum every week so it doesn’t clog, as hygger advises; the cleaning balls rub its holes clear between cleans.
  • Replace the filter floss every 2 to 4 weeks, sooner in a crowded tank.
  • To empty the waste chamber, fit a ½ in hose (not included) to the drain outlet and run it to a bucket: it takes out a little water with the waste.

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.