# Small, quiet, durable air pump -- any ideas?



## characinfan (Dec 24, 2008)

Hi all,

One of my friends is looking to purchase a small, quiet, durable air pump. I haven't used an air pump in years. Do you have any suggestions about which brands are the best? 

Thanks!


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

characinfan said:


> Hi all,
> 
> One of my friends is looking to purchase a small, quiet, durable air pump. I haven't used an air pump in years. Do you have any suggestions about which brands are the best?
> 
> Thanks!


Hi characinfan.

I've had good luck so far with the Tetra Whispers. I have 2 x 20's. I also have 2 Jetstream 3500's. They're quiet as well and come with 2 air outlets per pump so for smaller tanks you can put 1 line in one tank and the 2nd line in another.

Cheers.


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## characinfan (Dec 24, 2008)

Cory_Dad said:


> I've had good luck so far with the Tetra Whispers.


Thanks for this.

Just to clarify, my friend is not planning on using the air pump in a tank. She wants to use it to blow air around inside a little enclosure where she is growing lichens for a lab experiment -- so the pump doesn't need to be super-powerful. It just needs to be small, quiet and durable.


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

Oh.

If you're handy electrically, buy a computer cpu fan and hook it up to a 12v DC transformer. They are pretty quiet and will run for a long time esp. if you buy a fan with ball bearings.


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## By-The-Lake (Nov 21, 2008)

I will second Cory_Dad on the Whisper, I have one of those also and it is very quiet and no issues with it so far.


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## characinfan (Dec 24, 2008)

Cory_Dad said:


> Oh.
> 
> If you're handy electrically, buy a computer cpu fan and hook it up to a 12v DC transformer. They are pretty quiet and will run for a long time esp. if you buy a fan with ball bearings.


It's a good idea but I'm not sure if it would be appropriate for the misty lichen enclosure. It might short circuit.


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

Ah, you didn't mention 'misty lichen enclosure'.


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## characinfan (Dec 24, 2008)

Cory_Dad said:


> Ah, you didn't mention 'misty lichen enclosure'.


Yeah, I know it's a little unusual.  I'll tell her about the Whisper pumps.


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## blossom112 (Mar 19, 2008)

whisper pump (small) is on sale at big als for 10.00


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