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Is the Tetra Whisper Air Pump any good?

The Tetra Whisper Air Pump is used to direct air into your fish tank. So, is this product any good? You can find out in this review article at Aquarium Blueprints.

How many versions are there for the Tetra Whisper Air Pump?

The Tetra Whisper Air Pump have five different versions as you can pick between the following:

  • Up to 10 Gallons
  • Up to 20 Gallons
  • Up to 40 Gallons
  • Up to 60 Gallons
  • Up to 100 Gallons

The 10 Gallons and 20 Gallons versions are the same size (at 3.9 inches x 2.8 inches x 5.5 inches) and have the same power output (at 2.5 watt). The 40 Gallons version are also the same size as these two although it features a bigger power output (at 2.9 watt). All three of these air pumps comes with a single air outlet.

The 60 Gallons and 100 Gallons variants are bigger with measurements of 3.4 inches x 5 inches x 8.4 inches). The 60 Gallons version has a power output of 4.0 watt while the 100 Gallons version uses 4.8 watt. Both of these more powerful versions come with a pair of air outlets.

This review is based on the Tetra Whisper Air Pump that has been rated for up to 100 Gallons.

Installation

Installing the Tetra Whisper Air Pump is pretty simple as the product comes with T-valves and air control valves. With that said, you still need to get your own airline tubing (this product supports tubing with a diameter of 3/16 inch). Of course, you also need to get your own air stone, bubbler or filter to attach to the other end of the airline tubing.

The Whisper Air Pump can be placed anywhere. However, we recommend that you avoid putting it directly above or directly below the aquarium as it is not water proof.

To learn more about how to install this product, you can follow the steps laid out in this setup tutorial.

Performance

We used the one air outlet from the 100 Gallons version of Tetra Whisper Air Pump for a sponge filter in a 20-gallon tank and the other air outlet for a sponge filter in a 55-gallon tank. In both cases, we found that the air flow to be too strong and need to use the air control valve in order to lower it to a more appropriate level.

Therefore, you most likely won’t have to worry about having too little air flow when using this product.

Noise Level

Despite being built with noise-dampening chambers and having rubber feet to reduce vibrations, the Tetra Whisper Air Pump can still produce a lot of buzzing noise.

When using the Sound Meter App on our Google Pixel 6 phone, we found that the product is constantly generating above 60 dB of noise level up close. To reduce its noise levels, we put the air pump unit on top of a soft cloth inside of a cabinet.

Durability

We have been using the Tetra Whisper Air Pump continuously for 18 months without any noticeable issues despite a few power outages.

With that said, some of its parts will wear out over time and will eventually need to be replaced. Thankfully, Tetra also sells the replacement part kits for this air pump.

Pricing

You can take a look at the current price tag for this aquarium product on Amazon with the following link:

Summary

Tetra Whisper Air Pump is easy to install and does a great job at pumping air into your fish tank. Based on our experience, it is also very durable and haven’t show any signs of reduced performance after 18 months of continuous usage.

The only problem we have is that, despite of its name, the air pump unit can still get noisy. Fortunately, there are some ways where you can reduce its buzzing noise.

Aside from the product being a little too loud, the Tetra Whisper is a great product if you are looking to add an air stone, bubbler or filter that requires an air pump to be operational.

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