I have a Whisper HOB filter... three years old that suddenly doesn't want to work right. It slowed to a trickle, then stopped. I cleaned it and got a trickle again. I saw the other threads on filters and saw that no one recommended a whisper... I assume that is my problem? Any ideas or suggestions before I run out an buy another filter?
Filter reliability
- Thread starter Six6McKinneys
- Start date
If thats your only filter replace it! They are built fine and work as well as their design allows. These are beginner filters and lack many key components to filtration. i think if youv gotton by for 6 years on it consider yourself lucky and move on. Either get a real nice and expensive canister or get a better HOB filter that works well in all three parts-mechanical, biological, and chemical. For that I recommendfirst the Aquaclear and then as a second pick the Emperor.
My Marineland Emperor 280 has been solid as a rock for about 5 years now. I definitely stand by Marineland products. The only problem with them is the expense and hassle of going out to the store to replace the filter media. It gives you three filters: the biowheel, an empty case for whatever you want to put in it (I use Ammo-carb) and a carbon filter with blue sponge material on it. The carbon/sponge filter needs to be replaced every 3-4 weeks, and a package of 3 (or is it 4?) costs about 15-20 bucks.
I've had a couple Aquaclears in the past, and one of them crapped out on me. The other one works, but the motor makes some ugly grinding noises on occasion. Cleaning the sponges is easy, and replacing filter media is cheap. When they're going, they work fine. Much cheaper to buy and maintain that the Emperor, but are they as effective and reliable? It all comes down to how much you're willing to spend.
I've had a couple Aquaclears in the past, and one of them crapped out on me. The other one works, but the motor makes some ugly grinding noises on occasion. Cleaning the sponges is easy, and replacing filter media is cheap. When they're going, they work fine. Much cheaper to buy and maintain that the Emperor, but are they as effective and reliable? It all comes down to how much you're willing to spend.
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i have small whispers...but no large ones. Is it a 'in the tank' one? Those actually are pretty easy to take apart and clean...gunk gets up in the motor and really gums up the works and slows the output to a trickle. I have to take mine apart every 4-6 months...PITA i know...but they are a very betta-friendly filter.
I have a lot of whisper filters...they all work pretty well...but as others have said, none of them are very old and tend to just konk out after awhile. I found that to get them going again you can't just clean them....you really have to get that impeller out of there and scrape the gunk off...I think its probably the design of the impeller that does it.
Also, disagreeing with Turtlefish here....Whisper filters have all the same components of filtration as any other HOB filter or otherwise...they're just a lot cheaper, they say you get what you pay for. I have one very large Whisper on my 29G and then all the different sizes on my other tanks. I've really only ever had one just die on me...and I still think if I take it apart and really clean it it'll be ok...just haven't had a reason to try yet.
Also, disagreeing with Turtlefish here....Whisper filters have all the same components of filtration as any other HOB filter or otherwise...they're just a lot cheaper, they say you get what you pay for. I have one very large Whisper on my 29G and then all the different sizes on my other tanks. I've really only ever had one just die on me...and I still think if I take it apart and really clean it it'll be ok...just haven't had a reason to try yet.
Since I consider myself a handy-man, I hate to just throw away the filter without trying to get it apart for cleaning. Problem is, I applied quite a bit of pressure in trying to ket the propeller out but it didn't budge... I was afraid of breaking it. Of course, if I have to buy another, I probably shouldn't worry about breaking it. Does it just pull out or am I doing something wrong? Should I use pliers? BTW, it is a HOB, 30-50.
Heck ya...just yank that impeller out of there. If you're going to have to replace it anyway you might as well yank on it a bit! I think they usually stay in there through gravity...mine are usually pretty loose in there...if you have enough gunk locking it in it might be worth putting the whole filter under the faucet and spraying some really hot water out of a sprayer into it or something...
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All the HOB's I've seen have a rubber stoper that just kind of hold it in place with the intake tube. If your having trouble getting that out then good chance that its really gunked up.
If water output is slow and it is not going over the overflows then something is cloged in either the input tube, the impeller, or the impeller chamber.
If water output is slow and it is not going over the overflows then something is cloged in either the input tube, the impeller, or the impeller chamber.
Yes. Marineland also makes the Penguin line, which is a bit cheaper. However, it doesn't have some of the features that the Emperor does. The Emperor has an extra filter case that you can pour whatever filter medium into, and it has a spray bar that keeps a constant stream of water on the biowheel, presumably for more baterial exposure.
This week I bought a little Penguin 100 for my 20H, and I am very impressed with it. I can't even hear it running. The Emperor's spray jet seems a bit gimmicky to me, since the biowheel on my Penguin has plenty of water on it and hasn't slowed down. The spray bar just seems like another thing to get clogged up. But it would be nice to have the Emperor's extra filter case so I can put some Ammo-Carb or Bio-Max in there.
I've said it before, but I really like Marineland products. For the money, you won't find an HOB that is as solidly built and effective as a Penguin or Emperor. I've heard people complain about the noise they make once the water level goes down a little. What the hell? All filters make more splashing noises when the water drops.
This week I bought a little Penguin 100 for my 20H, and I am very impressed with it. I can't even hear it running. The Emperor's spray jet seems a bit gimmicky to me, since the biowheel on my Penguin has plenty of water on it and hasn't slowed down. The spray bar just seems like another thing to get clogged up. But it would be nice to have the Emperor's extra filter case so I can put some Ammo-Carb or Bio-Max in there.
I've said it before, but I really like Marineland products. For the money, you won't find an HOB that is as solidly built and effective as a Penguin or Emperor. I've heard people complain about the noise they make once the water level goes down a little. What the hell? All filters make more splashing noises when the water drops.
I have a 10 gallon whisper that I think is 5-6 years old, and it works fine. At one point it slowed to a trickle, but cleaning all the gunk of the impeller brought it back up to speed.
The no-name brand (Regent) on my 37 has worked fine for almost a year, and it came used with the tank (hard to find filters that fit it right, though).
The no-name brand (Regent) on my 37 has worked fine for almost a year, and it came used with the tank (hard to find filters that fit it right, though).
I have a Whispers, Penguins and Aquaclears and they all have their strengths and weaknesses.
I recently just bought a new Penguin, 350B and the build quality looks much better than that of the Whisper and Aquaclear filters. The casing is also more rigid and less likely to crack like on the Aquaclears.
I must just be lucky because all my filters have been working well for over 5 years, but some do tend to get noisy.
My Whispers have been silent and the filter media is the cheapest to replace of the 3 brands I mentioned. I usually change the filter media every other water change or once a month, while only rinsing the black sponge in old tank water to maintain the beneficial bacteria. The pumps seem a little weak for what they're rated.
The new Penguins are built very solid and the 350B has enough slots for 4 filter cartridges. My older Mini has been silent for over 3 years, but my 330 is making some ridiculous chatter from the impeller region. I got this used from a friend so I dont know how old it is and I haven't had a chance to buy a new impeller. The filter media is a bit more expensive to replace compared to the Whisper and has less floss material per cartridge. The flow adjustment is also not very precise. I like Whispers and Aquaclears much better.
The Aquaclears are very versatile. You can add what ever media you like in the basket. Comparing similar models to other brands, the Aquaclears hold more volume. If you run carbon, that's probably the only thing you'll need to replace as the foam block is easily rinseable/resuseable.
It's pretty much a hit or miss with any filter. Sometimes when I restart the Aquaclear, I need to tap the impeller a bit to get it started. Again, maybe I just need a new impeller.
I would just pull out the impeller, not the pump, from your filter and try cleaning it. If it doesn't start, you could also try tapping the pump or imipeller to give it a kick start.
HTH
I recently just bought a new Penguin, 350B and the build quality looks much better than that of the Whisper and Aquaclear filters. The casing is also more rigid and less likely to crack like on the Aquaclears.
I must just be lucky because all my filters have been working well for over 5 years, but some do tend to get noisy.
My Whispers have been silent and the filter media is the cheapest to replace of the 3 brands I mentioned. I usually change the filter media every other water change or once a month, while only rinsing the black sponge in old tank water to maintain the beneficial bacteria. The pumps seem a little weak for what they're rated.
The new Penguins are built very solid and the 350B has enough slots for 4 filter cartridges. My older Mini has been silent for over 3 years, but my 330 is making some ridiculous chatter from the impeller region. I got this used from a friend so I dont know how old it is and I haven't had a chance to buy a new impeller. The filter media is a bit more expensive to replace compared to the Whisper and has less floss material per cartridge. The flow adjustment is also not very precise. I like Whispers and Aquaclears much better.
The Aquaclears are very versatile. You can add what ever media you like in the basket. Comparing similar models to other brands, the Aquaclears hold more volume. If you run carbon, that's probably the only thing you'll need to replace as the foam block is easily rinseable/resuseable.
It's pretty much a hit or miss with any filter. Sometimes when I restart the Aquaclear, I need to tap the impeller a bit to get it started. Again, maybe I just need a new impeller.
I would just pull out the impeller, not the pump, from your filter and try cleaning it. If it doesn't start, you could also try tapping the pump or imipeller to give it a kick start.
HTH
Man, I just dont get it..Ive bought two Penguin 150's for my 20H. And both of them just stopped working randomly. I would clean em out and start them back up and they would quit again. But i've also noticed that people that have problems with the penguins have problems with the 150....and no other... I dont know why this is...?? So I gave up and went back to my aquaclear 200 which works great day after day and doesn't just shut off. And if its gravel thats doing it, why make a filter that is so sensitive and cant handle it.