Review on 🐠 Efficient Tetra Whisper Air Pump for Aquariums (Non-UL) - Simplify Your Aquatic Aeration! by Mark Sergio

Got a Whisper 10 to replace the weak filter that came with the small air filter used with the 2.5 gallon betta tank. I've had it for a little over a year. It definitely started out quietly. However, I have experienced what others report as an increase in volume over time. I saw someone notice that one of the stationary magnets inside was loose and vibrating against something. That wasn't the case with mine. I found that the rattle is coming from the housing that the pump sits in. The two sides of the body vibrate together. The screws holding the two sides of the pump body together are fine, but the softer plastic that the screw shaft sits in seems to wear out over time. If you try to tighten the case so it doesn't rattle, the metal screws will actually work its way out of the plastic when it's tight enough, making it even looser and noisier. I solved this problem by opening up the pump housing, removing all the screws (doubling up on all the magnetic screws for a tight fit), applying strong epoxy to the rim where the housing seals, and then screwing it back in. After the epoxy has cured there is almost no noise, very little vibration from inside the engine and no rumble. In fact, much quieter than new out of the box. While it's no longer possible to open the pump for repairs, for $7 it's more or less thrown away if the engine fails. It's been working for me with this mod for almost a year now, and it still doesn't rattle. If it weren't for this shortcoming, I would give it 5 stars, very stable, stable little pump.