Alessa

Fishloreans I have a question of which will depend the final stocking of my 55 gallon...

as some of you know, I've been having noise issues with my filter. I am looking for options since family members disconnect it at night, right now its not a big deal, since its cycling fishless, but we know that if I ever want to have fish in there I cannot disconnect it at night.

I was thinking, are sponge filters SILENT? my idea was to keep several sponge filters working at night (12am- 7am) and then turning on the main (noisy) filter in the morning. That way my fish will have bio-filtration and my people will sleep.

I am just wondering, are those filter REALLY silent? Please, think from the point of view of a non-aquarist, because we both know that we, as aquarists would stand the noise of a train just to keep our fish happy.

If they don't have a horrible humming noise and operate silently, then that is what I will do.


Thanks again in advance for your input!

Nate McFin

It seems you might kill the bacteria if on the biowheel if you turn it off at night.
I have the same wheel and no problems at all. Why not call Marineland and ask them for a replacement? (sorry if I missed you trying this already!)
EDIT: I do have the constant sound of water running though which did bother me at first.

Alessa

The bacteria will not die at night... I know this because I have been cycling and the cycle is progressing fine, even though I turn the filter off at night. As long as the pads are kept wet the bacteria can survive like three days without food.

I don't think my filter is damaged. It does not bother me, but it bothers my other family members. Plus the splashing of the water will still happen one way or another. (its humming + splashing)

Speedy

The sponge filters do not make any noisy at all. They are great. But make sure you do not get the Elite ones because they are so noisy I had to take them back they where awful. The kind I have is the Hydro sponge filters they are the round ones. I know exactly how they feel I'm a very light sleepier myself.
What is making the humming sound is it your pump if it is your filter I have never heard a filter hum. That would be odd. I promise the sponge filter will not cause any humming or splashing.

sirdarksol

Sponge filters are as silent as the pumps that operate them. If you get the bubble-operated ones, then it will be the noise level of the air pump you've got to worry about. If you get a powerhead-operated one, it will be as loud as the powerhead (my powerheads have all been silent as long as I don't try to use the aerators with them).

As an alternative, I have found that the Whisper "i" series filters are absolutely silent. The waterfall they create is entirely smooth, and can fall a couple of inches without making a splashing noise.

agabr123

The sponge filter itself is silent, but mine is actually louder than anything else because the top of it sits below the water line and is therefore bubbling all night

have you tried just wrapping a towel around the filter? that should muffle any vibrations

Alessa

Yup, I have tried that

prairielilly

I agree with sirdarksol, the sponge filter's main sound issue will be with the air pump that operates it.

I have a penguin biowheel filter and an airstone run by an aquaclear air pump. The water level's right up to the lip of the filter which minimizes the waterfall sound. The filter has vibration issues and is therefore loud, but the off times I can get it to not vibrate and just run normally, the air pump makes a lot more noise than the filter does.

Alessa

Ok, so the sponge wont do... any other type of filter that would be silent as a tomb for the night? (and cheap )

agabr123

my biowheel was vibrating a bit and the waterfall was pretty loud, so what i did was cut a biobag in half, and rubberband it to the output. the combination of the rubber bands as well as the extra media helped to cut down on the noise a lot

actually, a whisper filter might work. i don't like them at all really but they're in-tank filters and mine don't make any noise.

sirdarksol

The only other suggestion I have is the whisper "i" series that I mentioned above.

Alessa

I think I will try the whisper then... I needed extra filtration anyways so...

MeGustaUnaPez926

I have a whisper. It's great. It will make a little bit of a splashing noise if the water line isn't at the top, but even then, its pretty quiet, you can't hear it when you are out of the room, even with the door open, and my room is small.

CHoffman

I have a whisper in two of my tanks and they are super quiet...I was impressed. I think it would be your best bet.

Speedy

O.k. a little confusion here? I thought you wanted a quite filter and a cheap one at that. So lets see if I get this right you have a noisy filter that splashes and hums. Or you have a noisy filter that splashes and a noisy pump that hums. I'm I making that out right? Not trying to be mean or anything I just think I misunderstood.
The sponge filter it's self is very quite if it is position right in the tank but if it is the humming from your pump that is bothering your family as well then the whisper I series that sirdarksol recommended is what you need. There is other pumps in my own opinion that are more quite then the whisper but they are very expensive. I hope you get the right filter and pump to stop all the noise for you. Good Luck

Alessa

a noisy filter that splashes and hums

Yup, I think I'll try the whisper... as I said, I needed extra filtration anyways.

thanks to everyone!

Speedy

O.K. I understand now I thought you where talking about whisper pumps for some reason and I know that you mean whisper filters instead..... Duh....

namehater

have you ever tried a canister filter? ive heard that they are next to silent, but i cant confirm.

Red1313

hmmm... I'd have to ask you've tried any aqua-clear filters? They're not cheap but all the ones i've had are silent. If not then I'd suggest the sponge filter. Once you've got the air-pump silencer worked out their the best.