Quiet filters? NEED SLEEP!

[ronnieroach]

Hey all,

I'm currently using two Marineland 350gph hang-ons for my 55gallon african tank. I love how they keep my water perfecto, but the racket they make is a little much for our bedroom.

Can anyone suggest a quieter filter? Are canisters a lot quieter?

Part of the problem is that my tank is on a SLIGHT slant due to our 150 year old house so I'm thinking any hang-on is gonna be somewhat noisy on one side.

Anyway, all advice is appreciated!

Thanks

 

[Terrance]

Yes canisters are a lot more quiet.

 

[Cornstar]

Canisters are more quiet but more costly. I currently have a marineland emperor 400 on my 55g and it has been getting more noisy over the few months.

I now have an aquaclear 110 and it seems to do the job and keep it quieter.

 

[Phranque]

Yes canisters are a lot more quiet.

Absolutely!! The loudest thing on my tank is the cooling fans for the lights, so I just got up and turned them off and sat back down. Fluval 204 on my 29g, I'm less than 5' away, and I can't hear a thing.

 

[paytertot]

Definitely! My fluval 205 is so quiet, I have to stick my head in the stand to hear anything.

 

[ronnieroach]

Thanks homies

Looks like the fluval fx5 is what I'm gonna need / want. I googled it & found ones under $250. & I can probably sell my two 350's to friends for like $60-$80.

Thanks again

 

[Convict2161]

Hey Ronnie just to add, I have the fx5 and LOVE IT!! I don't hear a thing except when it turns off for a minute to release air from the chamber. It's quiet!! Your gonna love it my man!!

I run Fluval pre filter then bio media.

Hope all is well!!

 

[ronnieroach]

I run Fluval pre filter then bio media.

Can you, or anyone else, elaborate on what that entails? Obviously I'll have to do some research but at this point I'm kinda clueless.

Is the fluval prefilter like "prime" or "nutrafin cycle?"

And when you say "bio media" do you mean filter pads, gravel, etc, that already has bacteria?

I should've learned about cycling by now but I've been lazy the past 3-4 years so I've read very little on the topic. Plus, I've always done fish-in cycles with good results, except with community lol

ANY AND ALL HELP IS APPRECIATED!!

THANKS YALL!!

 

[manmythlegend]

Sometimes they clack if the impeller and housing needs to be cleaned. Stuff can get down around the impeller shaft and it causes it to bang against the sides of its housing and make noise. If this has been going on awhile you may need a new impeller because the shaft can be damaged from the banging around. The HOB should be pretty darn quite in general.

 

[ronnieroach]

Sometimes they clack if the impeller and housing needs to be cleaned. Stuff can get down around the impeller shaft and it causes it to bang against the sides of its housing and make noise. If this has been going on awhile you may need a new impeller because the shaft can be damaged from the banging around. The HOB should be pretty darn quite in general.

noooo its not the filter itself .. its the water filtering back in hitting the water in the tank.. even if i top the tank off it's so powerful it still makes a pouring sound.

 

[manmythlegend]

There's really no way to change that part of a HOB's noisiness. They're gonna make the watery sound. Unless you put the return from a canister well under the water level you're going to have the same splashing sound on it too. I personally consider it "white noise" and just ignore it. If it's in your bedroom it might cause you to have to pee more often during the night (it seems I get up more at night if I sleep where I can hear the water) but eventually you won't be able to sleep WITHOUT the sound.

 

[paytertot]

Can you, or anyone else, elaborate on what that entails? Obviously I'll have to do some research but at this point I'm kinda clueless.

Is the fluval prefilter like "prime" or "nutrafin cycle?"

And when you say "bio media" do you mean filter pads, gravel, etc, that already has bacteria?

I should've learned about cycling by now but I've been lazy the past 3-4 years so I've read very little on the topic. Plus, I've always done fish-in cycles with good results, except with community lol

ANY AND ALL HELP IS APPRECIATED!!

THANKS YALL!!

Pre filter would be like the sponges and bio media would be where bacteria can grow like biomax or bio balls, etc. But bacteria will grow in any filter media you put in there. Just make sure you give it time to get seeded before you remove the old filter.

 

[jeep_n_hog]

I was having that issue with my Aquaclear 110, and was able to add a few more gallons to bring the water level up much closer to the bottom of the return spout. It's whisper quiet now. HUGE difference.

 

[meegosh]

I was a big supporter of AC HOB filters for years. Now that I've tried a Fluval 406 on my 75g I can say without a doubt, the Fluval is soooo much quieter. You can hear it when you are within a foot or two of the filter but from 4'+ you can't hear anything.

I had my AC50 running pretty quiet by extending the return from the filter down below the water line. I used a piece of filter floss for a while and then attached a piece of plastic to extend the return/outflow below the water line.

 

[ronnieroach]

Pre filter would be like the sponges and bio media would be where bacteria can grow like biomax or bio balls, etc. But bacteria will grow in any filter media you put in there. Just make sure you give it time to get seeded before you remove the old filter.

ok, still a little lost LOL

do the sponges / biomax / bio balls come with the fx5?

if not, will my filter pads from the HOB's suffice as bio media? or the bio wheels perhaps?

my plan so far:
- get the fx5
- then .......... ?

if anyone is bored & wants to give me a step-by-step of how to set one up i'd be down to read it haha

or if anyone knows of any threads that have some sort of directions, please forward me a linky

again, thanks for all the help homies!!

 

[meegosh]

Set up FX5 Part 1

Set up FX5 Part 2

The filter should come with one of everything you need to get up and running. My Fluval 406 came with everything I needed in the baskets. I just had to remove them from the shipping bags and rinse them off.

 

[ronnieroach]

Set up FX5 Part 1

Set up FX5 Part 2

The filter should come with one of everything you need to get up and running. My Fluval 406 came with everything I needed in the baskets. I just had to remove them from the shipping bags and rinse them off.

AWESOME!! thanks meegosh!!