# whisper filter question



## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

http://www.tetra-fish.com/sites/tetrafish/catalog/productdetail.aspx?id=1276&cid=3611
This is the filter that I have come into possesion of.
A friends friend was discarding all her aquarium stuff so I asked if i could have the box of stuff. Out of it came one whole filter! and a bunch of bits and pieces.
The above link is to the filter.
I soaked it in bleached water for a couple of hours then scrubbed it silly. I am unable to get the grungey organic matter out of the plastic fingers of the filter. I have never seen a filter like this before but figure maybe it will be better than the aquaclear? WHo knows. Anyway the plastic insert with all the 'fingers' seems to be really difficult to clean. It has obviouslybeen allowed to dry out dirty.
I have destroyed a couple of toothbrushes as well as a large floor scrub brush trying to clean the 'fingers". is this something That I can safely use again with some of the grunge left in it and how do you deal with this thing regularly?


----------



## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

I set up a tank for my neighbors with one of these! From what they say, it works well. As for the organics, I have no idea how to clean that part. Pocket knife? X-Acto knife?


----------



## AvocadoPuffDude (Jan 20, 2011)

If you've cleaned it as diligently as you say, you are going to be fine leaving the parts stained from the old algae and gunk. 
Bleach would kill anything living that might infect, so you're safe right there so long as you've rinsed it well. You don't have to take any extraordinary measures, just rinse well.
The way I clean such things is with table salt and a brush (tooth brush) or non-soaped scrubber sponge. The salt is abrasive, kills most any plant or animal it hits in such pure strength, and dissolves completely as you're scrubbing in the water. Again, just a normal thorough rinse afterwards is all you need. In fact, I would recommend either bleach or salt and no other cleaner on any and all of your aquarium equipment than needs cleaning. Sometimes boiling may help, such as with dirty encrusted rocks or pieces of wood where you want to boil out the crud or make sure they're not infested with something deep down in a crack where you can't reach.
The stains after either cleaning are only cosmetic, they will not harm the function of the filter or the health of the fish, although if you were to use an abrasive or sharp blade, you may be able to clean it more, if that's your thing.
Good luck to you!


----------



## AquariumTech (Oct 12, 2010)

You will be fine, whatever is on it was most likely dead before you even got it. If it was actually organic. If your really worried about it just replace the part, but I dont think you should have any issues, so be it that you did clean it as good as you say.


----------



## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

THANKS , I have really spent a lot of time on trying to remove all debris- I get paranoid at times about my critters.
I have bought a new brush and it removed a bit more but the fingers are very fragile and are starting to snap off.
Good to hear it is a good filter too.
I always like to have a couple of extra filters,heaters etc in the cupboard-. Don't like to be caught unawares!


----------



## AquariumTech (Oct 12, 2010)

Well, its not a great filter, I can name probably 5-10 better ones of the top of my head, but it should get you by. Id suggest a supplemental filter. The most of these filters are all in the same price range too; but a lot of times you save money because of what you can do with the media in the long run (IE: aquaclears, fluval c, rena smart filter, and etc.). Like for instance, the only thing you have to replace on an aquaclear (if you use stock media) is the carbon, which depending on the model is usually around 2 bucks. Not to mention it contains higher grade carbon and much more of it, so theoretically it will last longer than the cartridges as well. The cartridges of course are usually more expensive, and when you change them, OPPPP, there goes all your biological filtration. I know some of them have a bio grid of sorts, but those are usually worthless.

Anyways I can go on and on with this, I just wanted to try to help you with this information for future reference or when ever. Not trying to make you feel bad, I have had these filters before, and they are just to me, some what disappointing, although in some cases they can get the job done.


----------



## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

I have an idea to make the inside more like an aqauclear. When we get some plastic strawberry boxes i am going to experiment with making an insert that i can layer the media into.


----------



## AquariumTech (Oct 12, 2010)

Yes you can experiment with these filters, I have. Heres the problem, the aquaclear is designed to have the water pushed up through the media, basically its layered vertically. With those (the one you have, and their types) types of filters that the water just uses gravity, waterfall type effect, you do (usually not always) do get better mechanical filtration, which means media efficiency (just a part, like for instance they have horrible dwell time) (for what im implying); but, because it flows horizontally you really cant pack much media in there and you have to make sure you completely impede the water path or else it will be useless.

Also you might have overflow problems, among other things. Something I might suggest is a supplemental filter; AND since the cartridges they use stock, will usually get the job done mechanically and chemically, just stuffing some filter floss, sponge stuff, or any other biological media that will help.


----------

