Humming Filters

[blinky000]

Some filters can be a lot noisier than others, but I've noticed some filters that hum so much that I can feel the vibrations when I touch the tank. Cue my Fluval 2 plus. Surely this is disturbing to the fish? Is there anything I can do to minimise it?

 

[Rickzayne]

Nope they can't feel it.

You could buy an external if it's to loud tho

Also give the filter a good clean

Including impellet

 

[KittyKat]

Yes, it probably is disturbing to fish because the lateral line works based on pressure and vibration detection. If the filter is vibrating, the fish can feel it.

Rickzayne, what is your reasoning for saying that the fish can not feel it?

blinky000, have you cleaned out the impeller and made sure the filter is not touching anything other than the plastic sucker cups which attach it to the glass?

 

[Rickzayne]

You couldn't feel water vibrating unless you touch the edges or the surface where the movement would disturb the water. And it's not enough movement to start a wave effect.

 

[KittyKat]

You couldn't feel water vibrating unless you touch the edges or the surface where the movement would disturb the water. And it's not enough movement to start a wave effect.

The vibrations are inside the water as much as they are at the edges and surface, surface is the only place we can actually see them, but that doesn't mean that they're not there. No, I wouldn't feel them, but that's mainly because my nerve endings are not sensitive enough to pick up weak vibrations, unlike fish's lateral lines, which are. Lateral lines are sensitive enough to pick up water movement caused by an individual fish swimming. The filter would be causing a lot more movement than that.

What do you mean by "wave effect"? A standing wave? Surface movement? But still, without the surface rippling visibly, the water will still vibrate, if the filter does.

 

[Rickzayne]

Wave effect I meant as in,

Getting a bowl and moving it side to side causing it to make a wave.

Also all filters vibrate, if the impeller moves it's going to cause vibration

 

[blinky000]

A lot of fish actually hunt by detection of vibration which is why I thought it'd be a problem if it's constant. I've always done my best to stop the humming as best I can but even when it's silent I can sometimes feel the vibrations on the glass. I feel like I've tried everything to stop it. I've been suspending it in the water recently because it was worse with the sucker cups but even that hasn't worked. It's only been about 2 weeks since I cleaned the impeller but I'll give it another go and see if it helps. Thanks

 

[KittyKat]

Wave effect I meant as in,

Getting a bowl and moving it side to side causing it to make a wave.

Also all filters vibrate, if the impeller moves it's going to cause vibration

So… you mean making wave? Anyway, if you want proof that the water can move without causing waves, lower your filter outlet well below the surface (and don't forget to raise it after you're done with the experiment).

Yes, all filters vibrate… but the argument does not apply to externals (by the time the water comes back to the tank, it's just "flow" and rubber tubbing is quite good at dampening vibrations). But an internal should still not be vibrating enough for one to be able to feel it by touching the glass. I am sure that minimal vibrations would disturb fish considerably less than ones we can feel.

A lot of fish actually hunt by detection of vibration which is why I thought it'd be a problem if it's constant. I've always done my best to stop the humming as best I can but even when it's silent I can sometimes feel the vibrations on the glass. I feel like I've tried everything to stop it. I've been suspending it in the water recently because it was worse with the sucker cups but even that hasn't worked. It's only been about 2 weeks since I cleaned the impeller but I'll give it another go and see if it helps. Thanks

Did this get worse about two weeks ago? You may have not seated the impeller properly, or maybe some plastic bit is loose.

 

[Tolak]

Fish that breed are generally considered to be content with their environment. Besides the water & food quality this would also tend to include any disturbances, such as a noisy filter, harassment by more aggressive tankmates, and so on. Plenty of fish have been bred in tanks with a noisy filter, or other such environmental noise.