Generally with a small tank you have the option of a HOB (hang on back) filter, and a in tank filter. A HOB tends to look cluttered and ruin the look of a tank, but an in-tank filter takes up the limited space inside the aquarium.
The Zoo Med 501 Turtle Canister Filter offers an alternative in that the intake and outlet go into the tank but the filter can be place a discrete distance away and easily covered up. I didn't use all the suckers and attachments, but just tucked both over the edge of the tank and behind the driftwood.
It is not completely silent but quiet enough that you would only hear it in a silent room. And the filter media provided with the filter is not great, but you can use anything you want in the large filter media compartment. So if you have a tank that is difficult to keep clean, and want a filter you can tuck away out of sight, this is a good option.
