# Anyone have a Tetra Whisper Air Pump?



## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

I am just curious as to whether any of you use this pump with only one tube? Do you just let the other hole blow air or do you block it somehow? I was thinking that if I just let it blow air in the cabinet and had the one tube hooked up it might be a little quieter and smaller bubbles? Yeah, I am sure it is obvious, I am NOT mechanical.

Oh, and I like the pump in the cabinet underneath, is that an issue?


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## DKRST (Jan 11, 2011)

I use to have one and mine had a "T" connector to connect the two outputs together. You could purchase an inexpensive gang valve to work as a "T" connector. That also allows you to vent excess air pressure giving you finer control of the output. You don't want to totally block a tube. If I'm correct, the pump has two diaphragms and a total block would damage one diaphragm, making it noisier eventually as it fails.

In a cabinet is fine, they don't get overheated.

I think it's noisier if you have one tube "wide open"


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## k19smith (Aug 19, 2011)

I have 2, like dkrst said you have to use a t connector, if you leave it open your pump won't work and I believe it would cause damaged if you blocked it, a connector is less than a dollar. The whisper 100 I bought sucks it's less than 6 months old and has quit working I think it may just be bad luck, the deep water one I have is amazing the best air pump I've ever bought.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

DKRST said:


> I use to have one and mine had a "T" connector to connect the two outputs together. You could purchase an inexpensive gang valve to work as a "T" connector. That also allows you to vent excess air pressure giving you finer control of the output. You don't want to totally block a tube. If I'm correct, the pump has two diaphragms and a total block would damage one diaphragm, making it noisier eventually as it fails.
> 
> In a cabinet is fine, they don't get overheated.
> 
> I think it's noisier if you have one tube "wide open"


Is a "T" connector something one can buy at a hardware store? I was kind of thinking that leaving it open would sort of help control the amount of air but I guess it makes sense to have it partly blocked at least.


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## DKRST (Jan 11, 2011)

You might be able to find one at a hardware store, but probably not at a "big-box" store.


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## Strand (Jul 20, 2011)

I almost bought one but the reviews are so mixed. I mainly found them saying it quit working or got noisy after a few months. Then I find DIY fixes on the noise... I didn't hassle with them.

I bought some cheap Ebay pump so if and when it blows up it's not really a big deal. My dad has some cheap Walmart pump and it's been running for 8 years now non-stop. So you really can't tell with those things it seems. 



I found those T connectors at Walmart. Any LFS will have them also. 


If, for some reason, you don't have either in your area go to the plumbing section of a hardware store. If you can't find plastic ones the copper waterline ones will work.




If all that fails I'll send you some.


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## k19smith (Aug 19, 2011)

The t connectors are at walmart in the aquarium department or any pet store, you don't want to block it but run all the air into one air tube. Give me a minute and I'll go take a picture. If you leave one side open on my pumps they will not work at all, all of the air goes outside not into the line. Maybe the whispers aren't great like I was saying my 100 gave me problems from the day I bought it, my big deep water whisper pump is amazing and it has a lifetime warranty but it's rated for tanks over 150g.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

k19smith said:


> The t connectors are at walmart in the aquarium department or any pet store, you don't want to block it but run all the air into one air tube. Give me a minute and I'll go take a picture. If you leave one side open on my pumps they will not work at all, all of the air goes outside not into the line. Maybe the whispers aren't great like I was saying my 100 gave me problems from the day I bought it, my big deep water whisper pump is amazing and it has a lifetime warranty but it's rated for tanks over 150g.


 
I would so appreciate a picture. I am a visual kind of person. Thanks


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## k19smith (Aug 19, 2011)

I'm sorry I got distracted, I will go take a pic right now and have it up in about 10 min.


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## k19smith (Aug 19, 2011)

Here you go, I did not take a pic of the gang valve but I can it you need me to.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Thank you so much, I will go look for something like that. I appreciate the picture, as I said, I am a visual learner. Do you also have some kind of valve so the water can't back up into the pump in case of a power outage? Not sure how that happens since I have turned off my pump without it doing that but... I guess it can. I just have a drip loop at the bottom but not a valve. I want to keep the pump under the cabinet rather then above both for quiet and looks.


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## k19smith (Aug 19, 2011)

No problem sorry I didn't do it sooner. Any aquarium store or walmart will have what you need a t connector is maybe $1, a check valve is just a little valve you cut your airline tubing and put it right in the middle in case of a power outage it prevents a siphon from starting and draining your water into the floor.


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