tanks, a basic and safe filter would be one of the sponge filters. The less expensive ones which sit on the bottom of the tank have been criticized for fatally catching fry and fish under them. I have never seen that - I wonder if dead fish are just drawn under the filter. The tubes going into them can be altered size wise to fit small tanks. Using a cheap pipe cutter, replacement tubes can be cut from standard 1/2" tubing bought at shops. These filters can be fit into pretty small tanks. They also can be purchased in several sizes.
More expensive and more efficient are the hydrosponges such as Ken's sells. (Click on the link and then on the photo.) It looks like one can fit a powerhead on them too. I know I did that with one of the stand-up sponge filters in the past.
Tetra used to (and may still) sell a series of sponge filters (Tetra-Billi?) which hung from the side of the tank. They are probably the most expensive, but if one rigs a 2" metal can on a drill, they can punch out replacement sponges cheaper than the replacements for the above.
All of those sponges clean easily. All are great biological filters and pretty easily started. They don't suck fry into them. :) Also, they are good surfaces for microfoods such as rotifers to grow on. You will see fry picking on sponge filters and also on plants. In both cases they are grazing for rotifers and the like between regular feeding. That grazing is perfectly natural and will suppliment their diets.
You may not ever expand the numbers of your aquariums. However it is not a bad idea to plan on buying the same sponge filters so that you have interchangable parts - just in case. ;)
Two in a crowded tank may be a tad unsightly, but is also a realistic way to cope with a large population. Also, you can rinse one filter one time and the other the next time when cleaning the tank.
Sponge filters usually cost more than a plastic box filter (recently got a terrific deal on about 40 of these filters though), but, even with a pump to provide air, they are cheaper and safer than either power or cannister filters. You can run several tanks off of one air source. While whatever is providing the air for a system of several tanks can be a pretty expensive pump or blower, it is usually less expensive to purchase and run than having a power filter on each of several tanks. Sponge filters match up well in such a system. Knew a guy who ran over 120 modestly sized tanks (mostly with sponge filters) and one linear (?) blower.
All the best,
frugal aquarist
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