right now I have a fluval 304 cannister filter and it is working fine. they are not outragously expensive, you may be able to get one for like $100. it depends though on what size tank you are planning to get though. what size are you looking for? If you want a small starter (10g), go to Petland and buy one for like $10-$11. Start out small and learn a little before jumping into the great world of swf. like you mentioned in another thread, it is not as simple as fw. there is a set up for everyone budget.