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In my opinion - if you are planning on keeping the usual assortment of freshwater tropical fish, it is worth the time effort and expense to build your aquarium with an under gravel filter system to enhance the "water filter". (they are quit inexpensive and available at all the dept. stores)
The main reason for this setup is that you will have to hand clean things less frequently.
Basically what it is, is a grate that you install below the gravel, which has (for a 10 gallon) two clear tubes extendng up into the water. You install an air pump, and have the bubbles coming up the two tubes. These bubbles cause water to flow down through all the gravel in your tank and travel back up the tubes with the bubbles.
Using the gravel as a second filter in this way keeps the system nice and clean (in fact I have only this system at home, and do not use an external water filter on the back of my tank at all)
Choose a couple of algea eating fish, and a couple of bottom feeders to compliment your other fish, and you'll have setup that requires little care.
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