Review on EA Performance HOB Power Filter - Ideal for 4 Gallon Desktop and Betta Aquariums - Non-China Manufactured by Jean Ohm

I spent some time trying various low power filters for betta plants and found that most of them began to rattle within a month of use and died. I suspect that small pumps are either difficult to manufacture and quality control or frankly just cheap. Then I came across this one. There were few reviews but I decided to give it a try and I'm really glad I did. I got it up and running about five days ago. Here are some pros and cons: Pros: Small size Very quiet Adjustable water flow (surprising for such a small package) Low cost Cons: There are few filter media other than the ones included. As for the filter media, I bought a box of Fluval Foam Inserts Aqua Clear 30 and cut them in half and then cut them lengthwise (not all the way through, just enough for me to fold them like a book). I did this to add a small amount of carbon and zeolites. This sounds a little confusing so check out the photos - I took one with the lid off. I also took a photo of the foam inserts. In the photo, the yellow and black inserts are what comes with the filter. The center white foam block is a full-size AC30. The right one is half cut. As for the size, this is a big plus. If you are using one of the low profile LED lights as shown in the picture (I have two sets per aquarium) you will not be able to hang the filter from the back of the aquarium. However, the dimensions of this light filter are such that they can be hung sideways and saddle the legs of the lantern. They fit perfectly. Bettas don't typically like high current filters, so many of the standard HOB filters I usually use were out of the question. At the lowest level, the current is sufficient to keep the aquarium moving slowly, but does not disturb the fish or their food. Overall, I'm very happy with this release (I'm not sure how long these filters have been around, so maybe I'm just too late!). This is a great pickup for those with small Betta tanks. I'll update this review in a few months - long enough to see how well they hold up after extended use.