Filters · Hang-on-back
hygger Backpack Aquarium Filter 8W
hygger rates it for 15–30 US gal aquariums 19.7 to 31.5 in long and 9.8 to 15.7 in tall; 158 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 158 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.
US version, item HG150. Check what’s in the box before you buy.
Tank size hygger rates it for
15 to 30 US gal
Choose your tank to see where it falls.
Check it against your tank →Specifications that affect fit
- Manufacturer capacity
- 15–30 US gal
- Power
- 8 W
- Supply voltage
- 110–120 V / 60 Hz
- Dimensions
- 8.9 × 3.9 × 10 in (L × W × H)
- Pump output
- Not published
- Filter circulation
- Not published
- Maximum flow
- 158 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 8 W for tanks 19.7 to 31.5 in long and 9.8 to 15.7 in tall: a standard 15 or 20 gallon long. The 20 gallon high, 29 and 30 gallon stand 16¾ to 18¾ in tall, too tall for it.
- 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:
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.