Filter for a 20g

[SomethingsFishy]

I need help deciding on a filter for a 20g. It's going to be housing live plants, and 5 or so dwarf puffers and a couple South American puffers...so the bio-load is gonna be pretty high. I'm going to be running the undergravel w/bubble lift (is this ok with plants? i'm not sure because of the roots...), plus I am going to be getting a secondary filter. I can't spend over $50 on the secondary filter...I was thinking Bio-wheel. How would a Penguin 170ork? Or a Emperor 280? Are these going to be total overkill with the bubble lift, too?

 

[Moe]

Your filter is probably the most important piece of aquarium equipment you are going to buy. It's not the place to cut corners. I used to have a whisper 40 on my 20 gal but the water was always cloudy. About 3 mo ago I upgraded to the Rena - Filstar Canister filter XP1. I got it new on Ebay for $35.00 + 15 for shipping. It is absolutely fantastic. My water is crystal clear, it is easy to use and inexpensive to maintain and completely silent. Each month all I change is the filter floss which costs pennies.
I also have the Penguin 125 Bio-Wheel on a 10G tank. I hate this filter. It is so loud even when the water is up to the top of the tank. It sounds like a brook running through the room. People told me it would get quieter but it's been almost 4 months now and it is still loud. It does do a great job filtering the tank but the noise is enough to drive you mad.
I don't think you can use an under gravel filter with live plants. (not positive though).
IMO get a canister.

 

[thecichlidaddict]

IMO get the bio-wheel and ditch the undergravel. Undergravels are impossible to keep clean, and end up degrading water quality in the long term. The only purpose of the bio-wheel is bio-filtration, which means there is no need for the UGF.