Easy Whisper Internal Mod to lower flowrate for Bettas
I have a new 5.5 gallon tank for my Betta, and when putting it together I got a Whisper 10i internal filter. After introducing my Betta to his new home, rather than happily exploring, he was flung across the tank, back and forth, by the current from the filter. I tried tying a sponge in front of the intake, but that really didn’t make much of a difference. So I came up with a different solution. I had a couple of Via Aqua 80 pumps sitting around, and after playing with it for a bit, I realized that I could do a direct swap for the existing pump in the Whisper, no cutting, drilling or adjusting needed. I cranked the flowrate down to just above minimum, and now I have a filter which doesn’t punish my Betta. The mod is cheap, easy, and quickly accomplished.
What you need:
Work the existing pump free, and unclip the cord from the side of the filter.
Take the tubing, and run it under warm-hot water for 10-20 seconds to soften it up. You should now be able to work it over the outflow of the Via Pump. Gently rock it back and forth to get it worked down onto the outflow pipe.
Take scissors, and cut the tube off so that it sticks above the existing pipe by about a quarter to a third of an inch. Don’t try to get a shorter length at the store, you need the extra to work it onto the fitting, and its cheap. Also don’t worry if the cut is even or not, its not important.
Adjust the flow on the Via Aqua by turning the dial down. I turned it all the way down, then backed off a tick.
Now take the base, and place the Via in it so that the intake is facing the back of the base. Try lining up the two spokes and the outflow pipe with regular filter, and check for fit. You may need to turn the pump a bit one way or the other.
Once you are happy with the fit, press the pump downward to fix the suction cups in place. Route the power cord out the hole in the side, then fit the base to the filter again.
Put the screws back in, and tighten then until you get a decent amount of resistance. Don’t over tighten, as you are screwing into plastic.
Run the power cord up, and clip it into holder near the top.
Congratulations, you have just taken a decent filter and made it useful for small tanks with Bettas. The mod takes maybe 20 minutes, and can be done for less than $20 total. Your fish will thank you for it.
Scott
I have a new 5.5 gallon tank for my Betta, and when putting it together I got a Whisper 10i internal filter. After introducing my Betta to his new home, rather than happily exploring, he was flung across the tank, back and forth, by the current from the filter. I tried tying a sponge in front of the intake, but that really didn’t make much of a difference. So I came up with a different solution. I had a couple of Via Aqua 80 pumps sitting around, and after playing with it for a bit, I realized that I could do a direct swap for the existing pump in the Whisper, no cutting, drilling or adjusting needed. I cranked the flowrate down to just above minimum, and now I have a filter which doesn’t punish my Betta. The mod is cheap, easy, and quickly accomplished.
What you need:
- Whisper 10i Internal Filter (Walmart, Petsmart etc)
- Via Aqua 80 (very cheap and readily available on eBay)
- ~6” of 1/4" ID 3/8” OD Plastic Tubing (acquire from any hardware store)
- Small Phillips head screwdriver
- Scissors (large)
Work the existing pump free, and unclip the cord from the side of the filter.
Take the tubing, and run it under warm-hot water for 10-20 seconds to soften it up. You should now be able to work it over the outflow of the Via Pump. Gently rock it back and forth to get it worked down onto the outflow pipe.
Take scissors, and cut the tube off so that it sticks above the existing pipe by about a quarter to a third of an inch. Don’t try to get a shorter length at the store, you need the extra to work it onto the fitting, and its cheap. Also don’t worry if the cut is even or not, its not important.
Adjust the flow on the Via Aqua by turning the dial down. I turned it all the way down, then backed off a tick.
Now take the base, and place the Via in it so that the intake is facing the back of the base. Try lining up the two spokes and the outflow pipe with regular filter, and check for fit. You may need to turn the pump a bit one way or the other.
Once you are happy with the fit, press the pump downward to fix the suction cups in place. Route the power cord out the hole in the side, then fit the base to the filter again.
Put the screws back in, and tighten then until you get a decent amount of resistance. Don’t over tighten, as you are screwing into plastic.
Run the power cord up, and clip it into holder near the top.
Congratulations, you have just taken a decent filter and made it useful for small tanks with Bettas. The mod takes maybe 20 minutes, and can be done for less than $20 total. Your fish will thank you for it.
Scott
