Noisy Air

[mhancock]

I have a 90cm air curtain, and the pump was not doing much, so I've upgraded to a 480lph pump which makes loads of bubbles but is not, contrary to the description, anything at all like silent - it is really noisy!

I therefore have two questions:

• Is it possible to get a high powered air pump that really is silent?
• At the moment I only have it on for 8 hours a day, will this provide enough aeration?

Thanks,



M

 

[mike455555]

suspend it in a cupboard. it will keep it quiet less vibrations on the surface its sitting on

 

[DrRob]

Long air line, different room?

 

[mhancock]

It's not vibrating against anything, even if you hold it in your hands the noise is the same! It is too noisy to go in any other room too.......

 

[raptorrex]

I have a 90cm air curtain, and the pump was not doing much, so I've upgraded to a 480lph pump which makes loads of bubbles but is not, contrary to the description, anything at all like silent - it is really noisy!

I therefore have two questions:

• Is it possible to get a high powered air pump that really is silent?
• At the moment I only have it on for 8 hours a day, will this provide enough aeration?

Thanks,



M

first up, dont worry about how long, you keep it on for, there is no real need to have an air pimp and stone/curtain.
if you are worried about your tank getting enough o2.
just ensure there is some disruption, on the waters surface, and all will be fine.

as for the noise?
unfortunately, because of low production standards, even the same models of pump can have a big difference in the noise, it makes.
Ideally I'd prefer to hear then running, prior to buying.
may be do a forum search for "air pumps".
there have been a fair few threads on the subject, overt he years, so you may get some help there.
but, placing the pump on a rubber mat, or suspending it as suggested here, will help.
make sure you use, reasonable, quality "none return valves".
keep its air filter clean, and unrestricted.
also air stones break down, over time, even air curtains, too.
so, baring in mind how low the cost of an air stone is, it may be worth replacing older ones.

a suggestion, made once, said to ask the LFS what pumps they use, and if you could see and hear one.

 

[Mamashack]

Thanks for the air pump suspension advice - it has worked for mine! Got a Resun Air 3000 (3L/min) on Ebay quite cheaply and contrary to what it said in the advert and on the box it was not quiet. It has 2 outlets altho I only use one and limiting the one I'm not using helped a little but not enough. Had it placed on a horizontal surface above the water level and it didn't half vibrate. Following your suggestion it is now suspended with its feet against a solid wall (still above the water level) and altho it is not completely silent it has made the noise much more bearable so thanks for that!

 

[Liz xty]

Put a none return valve in the airline (very cheap little gadgets at lfs) and the air pump can then go in the cabinet below without worry of siphoning off the tank! + the cabinet deadens the noise a bit more.
Tank siphoning by the airline really can happen!!! My oh had a 4' aquarium when we met (many moons ago / ) and he found an almost empty tank one morning!! I think it had been a power failure which stopped the air pump blowing, so the pressure reversed and siphoned the (?160l) water back out all over his mum's dining room
I'm running a huge (well quite big!!) external fluval 406 filter and a small air pump for an air curtain and although its 1 of the quieter air pumps Ive had, the air pump makes more noise than the filter!!

 

[levahe]

Wrapping the pump in a towel or something works well.

 

[mhancock]

In the end I put the pump in the garage and run an airline into the house which then splits for different tanks.

It works well and is of course silent unless you are in the garage!