Jumping In! My tank diary begins.

[TheReefGeek]

I used to run one of those, not super loud, but not super quiet either. 3 of them is going to make quite a hum I think.

Maybe the icecap ones run quieter, does anyone know?

Good point on the fans.

I have no proof on this, but I like one pointing to the other end and having it sucked out because it just seems as though you are dealing with the heat more "directly". By passing onefan right over the bulbs and ballast the heat is getting "pushed" to the other end of the canopy where the other fan sucks it out. Like I said I don't know that this is more/less efficient.

In terms of safety I don't think it matters.

[lastlight]

one fan would be in the end and blow the heat to the other end and on that end the fan would be in the top of the canopy. I figured if heat rose it'd work as well but maybe i'm wrong here. luckily i can try one in the top first and if it isn't great patch it without messing my finish up. unless a guest is 6'6" or higher the top can be torn up a little without fear of it looking too ghetto.

[Delphinus]

I run Icecaps (DC) in one canopy and Orions (AC) in another. The Orions are actually quieter. The Icecaps are neat though in that they come with heat sensors and will run at slow, medium or fast speed depending on temperature. At the slow speed I couldn't hear them, but when my halides are on they switch to 110cfm (the max speed) within seconds. They do make a bit of a noise at that speed (could be worse, but we're not talking "whisper silent" unfortunately).

I think one thing to try, when you mount the fans onto your canopy, put some small o-rings over the screws to act like a bushing or whatever the term is, they'll (hopefully) suck up some of the vibration and prevent it getting transmitted to the hood.

It's amazing how a simple oversight here or there can accumulate into a lot of tank noise. One of my canopies just howls sometimes, it's because it just barely touches one of my sump return pipes, and the vibration is transferred to the hood and it just resonates.

There's never a shortage of "Oh I never thought THAT would happen" moments in this hobby, you'll always make it better "next time" and even then you'll still think "Dang, I wish I could have forseen THAT such-and-such happening..."

[lastlight]

i totally hear you. i had the system getting pretty quiet. i added the canopy and now all the weight resonates with the dang return pump! maybe some rubber bands under the canopy will help...