Something Has Occured To Me...

[themissingelf]

I've just set up a dinky Aqua 40 tank for a few fish that will not be going in to my 20g planted tank (they're diggers and I just couldn't bear to see my HC floating).

Anyway...

The internal filter supplied with the Aqua 40 is a noisy bugger. It started me wondering whether the noise of vibration would trouble the fish?

In the wild they're probably subject to all manner of sounds and vibrations resonating through their habitat - I just wondered whether there is any evidence, points of view, opinions, etc on this subject.

I've probably just asked the dumbest question ever -

 

[starrynightxxi]

i don't have an answer to this, just thoguht i'd say i had this same exact thought last night...

 

[PaPeRo]

Well commonsense would point to a quite filter being better than a noisy one both for the fish and the owner.

 

[starrynightxxi]

mine makes no noticeable noise to ME, but the motor makes noise within the tank.

 

[lozronz]

I have wondered the samething about my airator when it bounces its self against the wall it makes a horrible noise.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

some fish can be extremley sensitive to noise, sound carries better underwater than through air so is actually louder, however i don't know how fishe's hearing has evolved around this. you do have to be careful where you put tanks sometimes. if you have 'jumpy' fish then it's best to keep them in a fairly quiet room. i always worry over fish tanks in nightclubs and stuff like that

 

[Bignose]

sound carries better underwater than through air...

this part is true

...so is actually louder

but this isn't. There is nothing in water that will increase the amplitude of the sound waves, thereby making them louder. Sounds in water are not louder, but do not diffuse and become muffled as quickly as they do in air.

In a post from almost a year ago, I wrote quite a lot about this topic. See here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=82771

 

[themissingelf]

Some interesting responses. Thanks.

Just bought an Eheim internal (whisper silent) to replace the one that came with the tank and sounds as though it has gravel in the impeller.

Cheers

 

[n3ont3tra]

I put a bit of cloth under mine. It seems to reduce noise.

 

[pinkdolphin_113]

if you had a noise following you where ever you went, just the same noise 24/7, you'd end up gettin used to it n not realising its there. im sure fish aren't bothered by the noise of a filter/pump after the first week of living in the tank. it'd end up being just an everday thing. right?

x

also, i took one of my pumps apart a while back to see if there was something wrong with it because i thought it was too noisy. theres a place you can stick a peice of paper or cloth without risk of gettin too warm n setting on fire, out putting the same amount of air as well as being alot quieter.