Planning a QUIET tank!!

vertex · #1 10-25-2005, 12:40 AM

I'm interested in stepping up to a larger tank from my 33 sometime in the future and my primary objective will be to make it QUIET. I plan to have 3 sides visible probably a 75-120g with equipment from one small end.

I will likely build a stand for it to put the noisy skimmer in the cabinet and so I have the option to put in a refugium underneath as well. However, I want it to be silent and low flow so what are the best options for this? Doesn't anyone have such a system that is very quiet and still with a sump/refugium?

I may consider running without the sump/fuge but the problem then is how to hook up the skimmer so it is quiet, can a skimmer be converted to work like a canister filter that is enclosed under the stand?

Any ideas would be appreciated.

mark · #2 10-25-2005, 12:54 AM

Got a basement?

vertex · #3 10-25-2005, 02:46 AM

Yes, but unfortunately for the tank.

DanG · #4 10-25-2005, 02:48 AM

Just drill some holes in the floor and run all the equipment in the basement. Get a pump that still flows a decent amount of water at 10 feet of head.

Ruth · #5 10-25-2005, 02:52 AM

Do you have any way to build a small room behind the tank to house your sump/fuge and equipment? That might be the best way to make sure you get as quiet as is possible.

mr_alberta · #6 10-25-2005, 04:01 AM

Have a really small return from the sump (about 5x tanks volume) and run the rest through closed loops and quiet pumps (such as a Velocity series pumps) or powerheads. Also, have your standpipe higher up in the overflow so the water falls about 1/4" and your tank will almost be dead silent.

trilinearmipmap · #7 10-25-2005, 04:07 AM

Look up the thread on Herbie's silent sump system on Reef Central.

Put closed-cell foam padding under the sump, and underneath the return pump and the skimmer pump.

Look for silent pumps such as Velocity or Eheim return pumps.

vertex · #8 10-25-2005, 11:51 PM

Thanks for the ideas... I'd love to do a tank that extends from a wall with equipment in the other room but I want to place it on an outside wall in the middle of a large rec room to really show it off. So, I need everything to be within the cabinet.

I'll check out some of those pump suggestions also. I have a mag7 on a 90 gallon freshwater sump system and it is FAR too loud. Do any of you know how the velocity pumps compare to a mag7. I don't mind reducing the flow rate if it will make it quieter as I might only do a fuge, and not really a high flow sump.

Thanks for the help.

Shy_Koi · #9 10-26-2005, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trilinearmipmap

Look for silent pumps such as Velocity or Eheim return pumps.

I just switched out my noisy mag 9.5 for an Eheim 1260. Almost twice the price

but almost silent, and the tank is running about 2 degrees cooler...
I stuck a thin piece of neoprene foam under the pump, and have a stockman style (hang on) overflow, so all in all the system is pretty quiet. The trickling of water flowing through the pipe to the sump is all I hear now, but it's louder than I thought it would be, so going to experiment with a longer piece of air tubing.

~Tamara

vertex · #10 10-26-2005, 05:25 AM

Shy,

Glad to hear the eheim returns are much quieter. My wife and I run eheim canisters and nothing but for our freshy tanks and they are worth every penny since they are silent. I should have known the same would be try for their sump style pumps (guess I never looked anough though).

Thanks...