If you’re looking to buy a filter for your first aquarium or if you need a solid filter but don’t have the budget for a Fluval or an AquaClear, you may be considering a Tetra Whisper Power Filter.

Tetra is a highly respected brand in the fishkeeping industry, and they have been making high-quality fish food and aquarium products for over half a century.

But how do their filters stack up? Is the Whisper series of filters a good option for your tank?

In our review of the Whisper series of HOB filters, we dig into the details to help you make your decision.

Read on to find out if this filter is right for you.

Tetra filters are widely available and inexpensive, so they are often the first filter for aspiring fishkeepers. The Whisper HOB aquarium filter has been around for years, and so far they’ve stood the test of time.

While inexpensive, these filters are still good quality and offer a great bang for your buck. They may not have as many features or be as hyped up as some of the more expensive options, but they are good, solid, bare bones workhorse filters.

These filters come with filtration media included, but it’s very low-quality so you’ll want to purchase your own.

Video: Tetra Whisper Power Filter 60 Unboxing

Tetra Whisper filters come in five different models for different tank sizes:

• PF10 Tetra 25771: Tanks up to 10 gallons, 90 gph flow rate
• PF20 Tetra 25772: Tanks up to 20 gallons, 105 gph flow rate
• PF30 Tetra 25773: Tanks up to 30 gallons, 145 gph flow rate
• PF40 Tetra 25774: Tanks up to 40 gallons, 210 gph flow rate
• PF60 Tetra 25775: Tanks up to 60 gallons, 330 gph flow rate

Just like with other HOB filters, we recommend going a step up on the size, so if you have a 40-gallon tank, you’ll be better off with the Whisper 60.

Although the Whisper filters come in several different sizes, we tested a Tetra Whisper 40 for this review.

The filter definitely feels plasticky, but it seems solid and well-constructed enough. It comes with everything you need inside the box, but we recommend buying better quality filtration media.

The first thing we noticed when we started it up was a buzzing, rattling sound.

Other reviews on the noise level are mixed, so it seems like it may be a quality control issue. After taking it apart  we determined that the impeller tube assembly, which is in two separate pieces, was not seated all the way and was causing the noise.

When setting this filter up, make sure the impeller tube assembly is aligned properly and pressed in all the way, and you shouldn’t have problems.

Even after fixing the impeller assembly, the Whisper Power Filter 40  is far from being “whisper quiet.” It’s not deafening or anything, but it’s also not as quiet as higher-end filters. That being said, this thing works very well.

It has a good flow rate, and it was able to keep the water on our 30-gallon tank impeccably clear. The media basket design also allows you to play around with customizing your own media mix.

A big selling point of this filter is the ability to easily adjust the flow rate using the dial mounted on the top. We found that this worked very well, even better than the flow controls on more expensive filters.

The simple design of this filter makes it very easy to clean, and maintenance in general is fairly infrequent and trouble-free.

Overall, we were very happy with the performance of this power filter, and wouldn’t hesitate to put it on any of our tanks.

If you’re on a budget, need a solid backup filter, or are just getting into the fishkeeping hobby, the Tetra Whisper HOB Filter is a great choice. It may not have all the bells and whistles of some of the more expensive filters out there, but it’s solid, it works, and it’s easy to clean and maintain.

Because of its solid performance and low price, the Whisper power filter may just be the best HOB filter for those needing a quality filter that doesn’t cost a whole lot.