Pros
- Excellent durability
- Provides solid filtration
- Highly customizable internal layout
Cons
- Louder operation than comparable models
- Smaller models suffer from flow issues
Overview
Tetra is one of the oldest and most respected names in the aquarium industry. It has been providing high quality fish food and aquarium accessories for over fifty years now, and their filters are among the most popular items that they sell. The Tetra filters of old were synonymous with quality and whisper quiet operation – something that no longer seems to be the case.
That’s not to say Tetra filters aren’t a solid, dependable filter. The problem is that they are loud. Sometimes very loud. No one expects a filter to do its job completely silently, but the difference between this filter and an Aquaclear Power Filter or Marineland Penguin Power Filter is surprisingly large. However, it does seem that not all Tetra filters are equally loud, so it may be a quality control issue.
Now for the good – these are still solid, long lasting filters. While they may be loud at times, they make up for it by lasting for years with little to no maintenance.
They are also fairly customizable internally, so you can personalize which filter inserts you want to use. Also, the ability to simply control the flow of the filter with a dial mounted on the top, is another major selling point. This is very handy when you need to lessen the flow, and is great for flow sensitive fish.
Buy the Tetra Whisper Power Filter Now at Amazon.com
Personal Experience
Anyone who regularly reads Aquarium Tidings knows that I mainly use Aquaclear Power Filters and Marineland Penguin Power Filter on my aquariums. But to test out the Tetra, I replaced several of my current filters with Tetra filters. I had had some bad experiences with Tetra filters a few years ago, and I went into the testing expecting the worst. But when it was over, I pleasantly surprised with the results.
The filter was louder than I would have hoped for, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as some people have made it out to be. As long as the filter is properly maintained, and care is taken when cleaning it weekly, it remains relatively silent.
The filter was also quite durable, and didn’t exhibit any problems during testing. Based on other reports online, you should be able to get several years out of the filter with little to no mechanical problems. I didn’t experience any issues with the Tetra filters that I was using, but it should be noted that the testing was only done for six months.
Overall, this is a solid filter, and while my recommendation stays with Aquaclear and Marineland Penguin Filters, you can’t go wrong choosing this filter.
You can read more reviews on the Tetra Whisper Power Filter at Amazon.com
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