"So what do you guys think?"

Form follows function. I don't see functionality in either of these setups, but the single oval would do a much better job than the individual pots in my opinion. I think you need as much filtering area as you can see at the top of photo 3, in the background, on another motor. I'd use the oval design with a taller filter element or if a taller element isn't available, I'd stack two of them together with longer studs.