# Whisper filter vs sponge filter



## love4bettas (May 6, 2013)

I bought the tetra 10i filters and they work great except the outtake interfers with the intake of debree by the outflow pushing debree away from the intake. Is this filter just really for airation although you don't get the bubbles.

The sponge filters give off bubbles. I'm noticing all of a sudden (did water changes today) a couple of tanks aren't as clear as I would like. What filters, if any should I use. I just can't figure out what's wrong with the tetra ones. They work great except for the poor design of it. Thanks.


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## Mr Degausser (Apr 22, 2013)

Everyone has their own opinion, but I'm not a big fan of the tetra 3i and 10i design. I think it's pretty awful and the only reason I haven't replaced mine yet is I don't have the money to buy a different one.

Especially for a betta, I'd suggest a sponge filter.


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## love4bettas (May 6, 2013)

*Sponge filters*

Thank you for your help. I don't like them for cleaning, since they don't. I can get 10 sponge filters real cheap and am going to go that way. I have a friend of a friend thing and there are lots of supplies to go through. It's like a junk yard. You have to do the pickin's and it's yours for a song. So I'm out of here and will start my treasure hunt for 10 filters. Have a great night and thanks again. Lyn


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## Blue Fish (Jun 11, 2012)

Sponge filters are awesome.  And the bubbles, especially if you do one with an airstone, are tiny and don't disturb the water much at all. If you want the water absolutely still, just put some plants that come from below and up out of the water around the outflow of the sponge, and they'll baffle the ripples completely.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I'll just add this in: I've never had a sponge filter but I haven't really heard anything bad about them except that the pumps can be a little loud and they can take up a bit of space. Ill agree that they are better because of the decreased water movement, but I haven't really had issues with my whisper filters in regards to them doing what they are supposed to. The 10i does need baffled but this is relatively easy and the cartridges are useless. I just use filter sponge or foam. I don't have a 3i but I know they use an air pump that can be noisy. Otherwise I have the mid-sized ones that only come in kits, and they're adjustable flow makes them PERFECT.

But anyways, what I mean by them doing what they're supposed to is that they will cycle the water. They don't really pick up debris, which is fine because they really aren't needed to. They are really only to establish BB and a nitrogen cycle. You should be siphoning out the debris in your tank. No filter is going to do that for you, although some will pick up some debris, no filter is going to pick up ALL debris. It's important to be siphoning the gravel for that reason.

You should want a filter for the right reason: because it keeps the parameters safe (once cycled) and keeps your fish safe, not because you want them to do the work for you. If you have the money and would like to get a sponge filter, I say go ahead! But the whisper should do fine if its baffled. This is mostly personal preference, IMO.


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## love4bettas (May 6, 2013)

Blue Fish said:


> Sponge filters are awesome.  And the bubbles, especially if you do one with an airstone, are tiny and don't disturb the water much at all. If you want the water absolutely still, just put some plants that come from below and up out of the water around the outflow of the sponge, and they'll baffle the ripples completely.


.

Um......I always thought filters helped to pick up debris. So is using a sponge filter just for the sponge to help with just cycling? If so, then an air stone would do the same thing but on a very smaller scale if the stone is in the water then instead of using a piece of sponge to help bacteria stick and cycle then it would stick on the air stone and cycle just as well but on a smaller scale? I'm thinking of an airstone in an ornament that blows bubbles. What do you think?


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## love4bettas (May 6, 2013)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> I'll just add this in: I've never had a sponge filter but I haven't really heard anything bad about them except that the pumps can be a little loud and they can take up a bit of space. Ill agree that they are better because of the decreased water movement, but I haven't really had issues with my whisper filters in regards to them doing what they are supposed to. The 10i does need baffled but this is relatively easy and the cartridges are useless. I just use filter sponge or foam. I don't have a 3i but I know they use an air pump that can be noisy. Otherwise I have the mid-sized ones that only come in kits, and they're adjustable flow makes them PERFECT.
> 
> But anyways, what I mean by them doing what they're supposed to is that they will cycle the water. They don't really pick up debris, which is fine because they really aren't needed to. They are really only to establish BB and a nitrogen cycle. You should be siphoning out the debris in your tank. No filter is going to do that for you, although some will pick up some debris, no filter is going to pick up ALL debris. It's important to be siphoning the gravel for that reason.
> 
> You should want a filter for the right reason: because it keeps the parameters safe (once cycled) and keeps your fish safe, not because you want them to do the work for you. If you have the money and would like to get a sponge filter, I say go ahead! But the whisper should do fine if its baffled. This is mostly personal preference, IMO.


Thank you for explaining what the filter actually is meant to do. I never really thought of it that way. Always used in a tropical fish tank and a much bigger filter really cleaned the tank. Bettas are different in alot of little ways. My whisper filters don't have a way of adjusting the water flow. How would I baffle the flow? Put long plant in front of filter to block some of the flow?


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I'm not sure BB would grow on just an air stone... They need little water disturbance as well.

Cycling develops bacteria that remove ammonia and convert it to nitrates. Nitrates are bad in high amounts but not near as harmful as ammonia. I really think that a filter is just for the health of the fish, not for looks. A bubbler alone doesn't help a betta at all since they don't need oxygenated water.

Edit: I tied filter foam to the front of my 10i using fishing line. It doesn't look pretty but I put plants and stuff in front of it to kind of hide it. I also shoved filter foam in the filter. However if you have the HOB it works a bit differently. You could use a PRE-filter sponge over the intake, too.


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## love4bettas (May 6, 2013)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> I'm not sure BB would grow on just an air stone... They need little water disturbance as well.
> 
> Cycling develops bacteria that remove ammonia and convert it to nitrates. Nitrates are bad in high amounts but not near as harmful as ammonia. I really think that a filter is just for the health of the fish, not for looks. A bubbler alone doesn't help a betta at all since they don't need oxygenated water.
> 
> Edit: I tied filter foam to the front of my 10i using fishing line. It doesn't look pretty but I put plants and stuff in front of it to kind of hide it. I also shoved filter foam in the filter. However if you have the HOB it works a bit differently. You could use a PRE-filter sponge over the intake, too.


What a smart idea!!! Boy can you really learn alot here and you all are so inventive. I'll have to try that. Will let you know how I do, ok. Really, great idea! I do tend to lack in the imagination department. :dunno:


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Lol most of our tricks were learned by other forum members, too


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## love4bettas (May 6, 2013)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> Lol most of our tricks were learned by other forum members, too


That's what I love about this forum. Doing the right thing for our "babies" for nominal cost especially when you have almost a dozen tanks.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

We can usually contribute all those tanks to the forum, too 

Started with one... joined here... now I have five, 3 "fostered" fish and 13 altogether if you count the snail and the shrimp. However, only 8 are bettas. I'm settling in a new tank ATM, haha.


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## love4bettas (May 6, 2013)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> We can usually contribute all those tanks to the forum, too
> 
> Started with one... joined here... now I have five, 3 "fostered" fish and 13 altogether if you count the snail and the shrimp. However, only 8 are bettas. I'm settling in a new tank ATM, haha.


Ok, I'm really new it looks like. I have no idea what ATM stands for.  Are there special abbreviations for fish I should know for posting that everyone knows. Don't want to waste a post for a dumb question as this one since it's not really productive and want to adhere to the forum rules.:thankyou:


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## Picasso84 (Feb 11, 2013)

love4bettas said:


> Ok, I'm really new it looks like. I have no idea what ATM stands for.  Are there special abbreviations for fish I should know for posting that everyone knows. Don't want to waste a post for a dumb question as this one since it's not really productive and want to adhere to the forum rules.:thankyou:


Lol, (Laugh Out Loud) I don't think u have to worry about "dumb" questions... Where I come from, there's no such thing!  And, I'm still learning all these abbreviations too, so no worries! 

ATM: means At The Moment


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## love4bettas (May 6, 2013)

Picasso84 said:


> Lol, (Laugh Out Loud) I don't think u have to worry about "dumb" questions... Where I come from, there's no such thing!  And, I'm still learning all these abbreviations too, so no worries!
> 
> ATM: means At The Moment


Thank you! lol


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Sorry I'm lazy and I'm usually typing on my phone  ATM is kind of a universal abbreviation. But some fish related ones are IAL (Indian Almond Leaves) and SBD (swim bladder disorder) haha. Not to forget tail types like veil tail (VT) crown tail (CT) half moon (HM) plakat (PK) double tail (DT) and delta tail (DeT). Those you catch on to quick when you spend enough time on the forum


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## love4bettas (May 6, 2013)

One another post I mentioned that yesterday I finally figured out how I wanted to do my filters. Thanks to all of the suggestions here I did all 10 tanks and am so happy on how they all came out. I actually used to methods I ready about. I put a sponge in from of the flow outtake and then made a baffle for each tank. There is still water movement but very little and the "boys" aren't bothered by it one bit. So happy I found this forum. You are all so knowledgeable and imaginative. It cost nothing to do this. Already had the filters and was going to go with sponge filters but I had these, so I worked it out and not a penny was spent. Now I have money to look for another betta or two. Looking at females. "Hi. My name is Lyn and I'm a bettaholic". I am in need of a serious intervention! :shock:


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