"Modified" tetra whisper filter

[jaketetra28]

Hey everyone, I got tired of using the "make you own filter cartridge" from tetra because they're made so that you basically throw them out every month or so.

I was at my LFS today and I was picking up filters for my brothers aquarium, when I noticed how small the Aquaclear 20 media was. So I picked some up (sponge, activated carbon, and biomedia) to try to fit it to my whisper filter.

So It fit perfectly, I layered it sponge, activated carbon, biomedia.



And I hung my old cartridge on the side with some clothes pins

• How long roughly will it take for the beneficial bacteria to establish on the bio media, with the old cartridge on the side? Thanks!

 

[Mattyfelts]

I would have put old media in with the new media. But shouldn't take and extremely long time, IME.

 

[jaketetra28]

I wish I had the option to do that, but there was no way of fitting the cartridge and the sponge/carbon/biomedia in the filter.

But okay it shouldn't take that long thanks good, and having the old cartridge in the tank should help a bit.

 

[Fresh2o]

You could cut it up and place a few sections in the filter next to the ceramic media.

 

[jaketetra28]

Thanks Fresh that's a great idea! I honestly wouldn't have thought of that, and there is some room to place it around the media I just checked!

Update: I just quickly cut some off, bc it's like 10:30 pm and the aquarium lights have been off since eight, and I just stuck them around the bio media

 

[Fresh2o]

Thanks Fresh that's a great idea! I honestly wouldn't have thought of that, and there is some room to place it around the media I just checked!

Good to hear, Jake. Kudos for coming up with the idea of putting a different brand of media in your existing filter. Good luck with this.

 

[jaketetra28]

Thanks!, So far it seems to be working great, and actually has improved the flow compared to a new cartridge!

 

[trennamw]

I keep eyeing my 2 Tetra filters and wondering about doing the same ... It seems to be built perfectly for this and you'd only need scraps or leftovers really. Thanks for sharing!

 

[BBradbury]

Whisper Filter

Hello jake...

You don't need to use any of those forms of media in the Whisper filter. I just attach a piece of cut to fit nitrogen reducer poly fiber padding from Acurel and use the clip to attach it to the Whisper frame. The poly fiber pad houses the beneficial bacteria. The biological filtration and large water changes keeps the water chemistry near perfect for the fish and plants and lasts for weeks. I finally quit testing the tank water, because it was pure all the time.

B

 

[jaketetra28]

I keep eyeing my 2 Tetra filters and wondering about doing the same ... It seems to be built perfectly for this and you'd only need scraps or leftovers really. Thanks for sharing!

Yeah agreed! the tetra internal filters are basically made for this as the water flow comes from the bottom of the filter, and no problem!