Tetra Whisper Air Pump with Minimal Noise and Maximum Air Flow

I first began using Whisper air pumps as a child over thirty years ago. (Back then they were tan and the air filter could be popped out.) They were the best then and I am pleased to say that I find them to be the best now. I am using the Whisper 20 for an over stocked ten gallon tank. It is working very well to supply a large air stone. This pump was a replacement for an identical pump that was eight years old.The old pump had lost its power, but it was still going strong and it was ever so quiet. This new one is doubly powerful. I had no idea I had lost so much performance with the old one. I know I could have purchased a parts kit to fix the old one, but it was just easier and less hassle to buy a new one. The new pump is slightly louder than the under performing old pump, but the difference is negligible. I would expect no less of a brand new replacement device with about double the output of the old device.I am very happy with my purchase. I highly recommend this product for performance, longevity and silence.UPDATE September 30, 2021 - Just a few comments concerning longevity. I have purchased this pump from Amazon three times. This most recent third purchase a couple days ago was to replace my second pump which LASTED OVER 7 YEARS!! - That’s a pretty good run. While the old pump still did work, it had developed a terrible rattle.I noticed the new model says it’s for 10-30 gallons as opposed to 10-20 gallons like the older model. They’ve updated the color from blue to charcoal gray. (See my side by side photos of the old model on the left and the new on the right.) - I think they have phased out the 10-20 version. I didn't notice a change in air pressure on my tank. HOWEVER, IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PUMP DELIVERING A HIGHER PRESSURE, PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS NOW A VALVE INCLUDED TO ADJUST PRESSURE.And THEY HAVE NOW INCLUDED A CHECK VALVE. It’s really about time they did that because it’s a cheap fix to prevent tank water siphoning into the pump if the power goes out. That’s a disaster in the making. The valve even has an arrow to indicate which way the air flow should go (please notice my photo). If you are new to keeping fish, for safety reasons: Please keep in mind to always use a check valve, no matter where you position your pump.

I've bought two of these now and they're really quiet and work great. My first one is almost a year old now and no issues.

I purchased a 20-gallon air pump made by Top Fin and this was a big mistake. The unit provided a good deal of air, but the noise it made was so loud that it could be heard from two rooms away. I was lured in by the cheap price when I should have just stuck to the Tetra brand, which I finally did after returning the Top Fin 20.The Whisper 20 is what it claims to be--whisper quiet, although this is really a subjective opinion. You can still hear some slight buzzing, but compared to other air pumps, it is relatively quite. It provides a strong stream of air for your aquarium air stones or other devices. Tetra also includes a free air valve, which is a nice touch.If you're looking for a reliable and relatively silent air pump at a reasonable price, the Whisper 20 is a product to consider.

It's been a couple of years now since I bought this, but it's still working great. It's small and it's easy to fut behind my aquarium. The air flow is pretty good. The only downside is the vibration, I have to put a towel under it to decrease the amount of noise it makes. Otherwise a very great product. Definitely should buy.

This air pump is very quiet - I have two in my home office and it's just a slight hum that's easy to tune out. The output is great and keeps my aquariums well aerated. The price was also surprisingly affordable and I haven't had a problem with Tetra pumps in the past either. One big improvement they've made over the older models that I purchased a long time ago is the feet are very well padded, which eliminates movement and noise due to vibration.

Need I say more? It’s seriously dead silent, very inexpensive, and way quieter than a previous I had for months—which that old thing was $30 and sounded loud.This product is so worth it!!

I bought a slightly used pump. The Whisper is powerful, quiet, and stable on its low base. I recommend it.

for a 10 gallon. runs full blast and is behind a Cabinet. the main filter is louder then this thing. its Amazing. the 10-20 is more then EnoughEDIT: 06/20/2017 so I wanted to write a review for the 100 but since it wont let me. I'm updating and sending some words of "Caution" and removing 2 stars the 10-20 an 20-40 are both great pumps and Deserve High ratings but the Larger brothers 40-60 and 100 are in my Opinion something you should stay away from if you are sensitive about noise.most of the aquarium logic I encounter seems to be as follows: If its rated to 100Gal, its really 60-70Gal. Ectthis even stands true for the whisper 20 its really best at 10 gallons running a single device. on a 12" deep tank anything more and it starts to encounter pressure. and it cant run 2 sponges at good flow no matter what I tried.on the other hand the 100 gallon pump is INSANE. you could Split it off to a 4 gangway valve and run 2 airstones and 2 Sponges in 2 55 gallon tanks.. and still have enough airflow. the Flow was too much for it split between Two 55 gallons..then there is the noise...... the 100 is easily 3-4x as noisy as the 40 I own. and my whisper 40 is OLD. its 5+ years, so its worn out but its still quieter then this Whisper 100 thing. and it runs 2 sponges on one of my 55's with plenty of Flow.for any of you with less then a 75 Gal tank the whisper 40 is about all you should need to run 1 device at max flow.Noise goes up A LOT when you start getting the larger pumps. so be warned.