Tetra Whisper Power Filter - Crystal clear water is only a Whisper away...
Written: May 30 '01 (Updated Aug 30 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Whisper quiet operation, decent power and filtration capabilities. Easy to use and maintain.
Cons: Carbon can settle a bit in the filter bag.
The Bottom Line: Powerful filtering abilities for large tanks with a decent fish population. Great quality and performance.
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| jag2112's Full Review: Tetra Whisper Power Filters |
For anyone who is thinking about or already involved in the soothing hobby of collecting and maintaining tropical fish, always remember that the proper filtration and cleansing of the aquarium water is the single most important aspect of keeping a healthy and happy fish.
That being said, there are a number of filtering options to choose from. With the Whisper (2) line of filtration devices, you get a system which draws up the water from a single-hung plastic tube, which is adjustable in length. The tube is directly connected to the filter's motor which ensures a powerful and consistent flow of water. The water is then filtered in two compartments before it spills out in a waterfall-like effect back into the aquarium.
Set Up
Setting up the filter for the first time is very easy. There are only a few parts to this filter and as long as you start it up with water in the compartment, the motor will do the rest. No more fussing with submerging the water-collection tube to start the flow of water. The motor does it all.
Filter Cleaning
The Whisper 2 holds two cotton filters and two bio-mass filters. The cotton filters, which also contain the carbon, are very easy to change. Just lift them out of the the water compartment and throw them away (or recycle part of them). It's that easy. With the bio-mass filter, you do the same - lift and clean or lift and dispose of. Nothing could be easier.
Performance
Speaking from my own experience, I rate the Whisper 2 to be above average in filtration capabilities. My set up consists of a 47 gallon bow-faced tank with the following fish in it:
4 Silver Dollars (about 3 inches each)
10 Neon Tetras
2 Black Neon Tetras
6 Zebra Danios
2 Cory Catfish
4 Black-skirt Tetras
4 Rumy-Nose Tetras
2 Headlight Tetras
2 Dwarf Gouramis
So I have no shortage of fish in this tank :)
And while some would say that, based on the size of the tank and number of fish that I have, the Whisper 2 is too small for the job, I've found it to be perfect for the job. Of course, I do compliment the filtering system with a weekly regiment of chemicals to help clarify the water and add conditioners to it. Additionally, I do a 15-20% water change every other week. The results are consistently crystal-clear water with very healthy fish.
And because I have too much time on my hands (so my wife would say) I once tested the output capacity of the Whisper 2 (with new filters). Based on this peak-efficiency set up, the Whisper 2 pumped out close to 1/2 gallon of water every minute. That equates to a complete water filtration (for my tank) in about 90 minutes. That's exceptional by any standards.
Cons
My only complaint, and it's a minor one, with the design of the Whisper 2 (and similar Whisper products) is related to the Carbon components of the filter. The cotton-filtration bags stand vertical. As they contain the carbon-matter, it can tend to settle down at the bottom of the bag. The structure that holds the bag is a plastic contraction that has vertical and horizontal spines on it. Those spines are designed to hold the carbon at all levels. This works, but it can be tricky shaking the carbon around until it settles evenly. A better solution would have been to have a self-contained carbon fiber to ensure consistency. But with a little effort, the current set up seems to function fine.
Filtration Opinion
Just my 2 cents here on Under-gravel filtration systems (which I used to have). They simply do not work as well as a water filtration system like the Whisper line. Consider this: With an under-gravel system, all waste matter is maintained in the aquarium. True, it might be (slowly) sucked down below the gravel, but it's still in there. Any waste matter that remains in the tank is not healthy for the fish you keep.
While the under-gravel systems are basically maintenance free and virtually invisible, they won't guarantee you crystal-clean water like a water filter will. And eventually, you're going to have to perform a complete water change on the tank - something that's not an easy thing to do. Ok, there's my 2 cents worth :)
Bottom Line
The Whisper 2 does a fine job with little effort of cleaning aquarium water. Depending on the size of your tank and the amount of fish you're going to keep, one of the Whisper models should suit your needs very well.
Happy Fishing!
Wait - that didn't come out just right ;)
Recommended:
Yes
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jag2112
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Member: John
Location: Clinton, NJ
Reviews written: 304
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