Noisy Aquaclear Filter

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Aces11

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
May 12, 2011
Messages
976
Location
Huntley, IL
I bought a second AquaClear filter to replace my Whisper 20 because it was noisy thinking it would be as silent as my first AquaClear but it makes the same noise that my Whisper did! I googled it and applied Vaseline to the impeller shaft and it was quiet for a few hours but it's making noise again. I know it's not the lid rattling because I have a bottle sitting on top of it so it doesn't rattle. Should I apply MORE Vaseline to the impeller or is there another simple fix I don't know about?
 
Just be sure your intake tube is sitting firmly in the filter housing over the impeller. That's the only time I have experienced rattling.

Did you affix the little rubber piece they include with the filter between the filter and the tank? Maybe you're actually hearing the vibration against the tank?
 
Ah, the age old fight of trying to silence our filters:) I've never heard of using vasoliene. how high/low is your water level compared to where the water trickles out of the filter? Too low and it's going to splash more. Too high and it will get drowned out.
 
LyndaB said:
Just be sure your intake tube is sitting firmly in the filter housing over the impeller. That's the only time I have experienced rattling.

Did you affix the little rubber piece they include with the filter between the filter and the tank? Maybe you're actually hearing the vibration against the tank?

I'm pretty sure the intake tube is in all the way. I'm not home now but I'll check it later. My filter didn't come with a little rubber piece.. It came with a plastic leveling thing but that was it. I don't think it's rattling against the tank, I think it's coming from inside of the filter.
 
Tetra1990 said:
Ah, the age old fight of trying to silence our filters:) I've never heard of using vasoliene. how high/low is your water level compared to where the water trickles out of the filter? Too low and it's going to splash more. Too high and it will get drowned out.

It not the noise of splashing water that's bugging me, it's some kind of rattling coming from inside of the filter. The water level is slightly below the rim because I'm trying to keep the tank aerated right now cuz I'm using mess for internal parasites.
 
It's the leveling thing that I'm talking about. It's actually meant to go between your tank and filter housing, I have no clue why they think it levels the tank. LOL

When you get home put your ear up to the filter and see if you can isolate the noise.

Perhaps there's something got in and is rattling around within your filter media?
 
LyndaB said:
It's the leveling thing that I'm talking about. It's actually meant to go between your tank and filter housing, I have no clue why they think it levels the tank. LOL

When you get home put your ear up to the filter and see if you can isolate the noise.

Perhaps there's something got in and is rattling around within your filter media?

Ok I'll try that later. I think it's supposed to keep the filter level though, not the tank :) I just set up the filter yesterday so I have no idea if there is something rattling in the filter media. The noise stopped when I put Vaseline on the impeller shaft, but it's back again so I think it has something to do with the impeller or motor..
 
Oh sorry, poor choice of phrasing on my part. Yeah, I know it's not supposed to level the tank, I meant filter. Whoo boy, it's gonna be one of those days. :lol:
 
I have read a lot on this as my 70 was noisy. I use pool lube from the pool store. It is inert and will cause no harm to fish. Petroleum Jelly will work as an insta fix but will eventually eat away your rubber. You could also try wrapping a rubber band around the inside lip of the lid and form a type of gasket between the lid and the side walls. This is the site I got all my info from.

Lubricate Canister Filter??? [Archive] - Aquaria Central
 
Ok so I just got home and it's not the lid making the noise, but it is amplifying it. The intake wasn't picked in all the way, but it didn't make a difference in the noise.
 
I have the exact same problem in both my ACs... it isn't the lid that rattles, but it amplifies it.
 
okapizebra said:
I have the exact same problem in both my ACs... it isn't the lid that rattles, but it amplifies it.

Do you know what causes the noise? Or how to fix it?
 
No idea! I always thought it was odd how both of mine do exactly the same thing. I am beginning to think it is myself. Did I put them together wrong? I don't know. I've never tried taking them apart and rebuilding them... So I have no idea.
 
okapizebra said:
No idea! I always thought it was odd how both of mine do exactly the same thing. I am beginning to think it is myself. Did I put them together wrong? I don't know. I've never tried taking them apart and rebuilding them... So I have no idea.

Well my first AquaClear 30 is dead silent. I got another, and it makes noise! I think I'm just gonna run it without the top for now. I think my first one made a little noise at first so hopefully it'll stop on it's own..
 
Back
Top Bottom