Do you keep your tank in your room? And how loud is it?

I recently relocated my 7g from my bathroom to my bedroom. I like having it somewhere where I can watch my fish all the time, but I'm finding the noise level hard to get used to, especially at night. The filter is fluval chi, and I don't know if those are known for being loud, but the hum is noticeable the moment I walk into the room. I've had the tank in my room for a week and a half and I still haven't gotten used to the noise.

So I want to know, from those who keep their tanks in their room, how loud is it? Can you hear it at night? Did you have to get used to the noise and how long did that take?

 

I have 2 10 gallon tanks in my room. I personaly can't sleep if I can't hear the filter. To me its very soothing but Ive also had a fish tank in my bedroom for over 10 years.

 

I have my five gallon betta tank in my room. It is about ten feet from my bed. The filter is a Tetra Whisper, so it just kind of hums. It only gets annoying when the water level drops too low and it starts dripping, or when the filter pad is way due for a change (like months of use). My room is a converted garage that I share with two of my sisters. We also have the ceiling fan on all the time so the sound from the tank really is not bad.

 

I keep my betta tank in my room, my 10 Gallon in the living room, and right now I'm thinking where I should put my African Dwarf Frog tank.

 

I have the 55 and 30 in my Nephew's room. He likes it in there because it makes a soft trickling noise so it blocks out all the city noises and it's actually soothing to listen to. The filters I have are nice and quiet too so it's mostly a very tiny hum but mostly trickle from the outflow.

 

It might be the lid of the filter buzzing ever so slightly; it is hard to hear by most people but to me very irritating. I used a hot glue-gun and put a small ball of heated wax on each corner of the lid; let it dry slightly, but while still warm, then set it back on the filter. The small bits of wax took the shape of the corners but still stay attached to the lid when I need to open it. I've had to do this to 2 different fluvals and am happy with the results.

The real problem may be your hearing is too good!

 

I have a 20 gallon with a filter

 

I have my 30 gallon right next to my bed. It's a loft bed, and there's no cover on the tank, so if I'm on my bed, I can literally stick my hand into the tank. Sometimes I'm worried something is going to fall into the tank...
I have a loud, slightly broken power filter (new one on the way) and it's very loud, and an air pump powering a sponge filter and an airstone in the middle of the tank. It does make a lot of noise, and so do the bubbles, but it actually helps me sleep.

 

I keep all three tanks in my loft office upstairs. The noisiest piece of equipment is the air pump that I run once or twice a week for a few hours in the 6G Edge.

 

The only sound the filter on my 40 gallon makes is the sound of running water and I find it quite pleasant.

If you have a really noisy filter it is often caused by a dirty or worn out impeller.

 

OH that's a thought I was just thinking my tank must be getting louder over time

I'll go open up the filter and see what state the impeller is in. Hopefully a quick washing will clear the noise issue up a bit

 

I have in my room:
(1x) 55 gallon
(1x) 20 gal tall
(3x) 10 gallon (2 aren't running, but getting ready to.)
(2x) 5 gallon (one not running YET)
(2x) 2.5 gallon (neither are running yet.)

Hang on back filters make a LOT of noise if the water level isn't high enough.
The hums and small noises don't irritate me anymore.
I hate going and sleeping in a hotel or at a friend's house because it's TOO quiet.

Unfortunately. When I move, I'll have 1-2 tanks at least in every room.
It's amazing to wake up in the morning and see all my fish in their tanks without the lights on yet. So beautiful.

 

I can hear the hum of my filter, but I have sensitive hearing.

 

I cleaned the impeller and now the filter is LOUDER?? Does anyone have any idea what I did wrong? Because now its far too loud, of it doesn't quiet down in the next few hours then the tank is returning to its original home in the bathroom...

Is it possible that the gunk on the impeller was making it quieter? Or did I put the thing back together wrong? It's now making a very loud hum.

 

I have all 3 of my tanks in my room the nosiest bit is the water trickling from the canister filter but that is not that loud though I find it very relaxing lisening to it. I have a allpondsolution canister filter on my 56 gallon and some fluvlal internal filters in my 10 and 56 gallon and I have a sponge filter in my 7 gallon witch is powered by a tetra whisper air pump. it was a lot louder when I had 2 cheap air pumps defiantly glad I got the tetra whisper because it is a lot quieter though I paid more than I would of liked to for it didn't realise it was coming from the united states till it was shipped it didnt say on the uk version of amazon were it was coming from so I had to buy a power converter so I could use it which was cheaper than sending it back though took a long time to arrive

 

Had a 10 gallon in my room when I was a kid with a HOB, which was much more quiet than the box filter I had originally. It really only bothered me when the water level dropped. The only time the motor made a racket was when a curious and unlucky fishy jumped into the filter box, squeezed under the cartridge, and decided to investigate the impeller... Sad day in the Jelly household.

 

I cleaned the impeller and now the filter is LOUDER?? Does anyone have any idea what I did wrong? Because now its far too loud, of it doesn't quiet down in the next few hours then the tank is returning to its original home in the bathroom...

Is it possible that the gunk on the impeller was making it quieter? Or did I put the thing back together wrong? It's now making a very loud hum.

Whatever piece that you push in place to hold in the impeller, try not pushing it so tight. Or conversely try to push it on tighter if that makes no difference. The noise is from it being out of balance, that is why as they get older the moving parts get sloppier and don't spin as smoothly. Keeping them clean makes them last longer. One of my pumps gets really noisy if I push the parts together too tight but is totally silent if I don't.

 

I hate going and sleeping in a hotel or at a friend's house because it's TOO quiet.

I do love the sound of the water in the tanks from the filters! But my thing is fans. I cannot sleep without the white noise from a fan, and I have a fan running every night 365 days a year... unless there's a really good thunder storm. Then I turn the fan off. I love the sound of a good storm with rain on the roof.

 

I wish I could hear my tanks. But my filters are too quiet, and my AC is too noisy! And my bedroom has no windows, I would love to be able to hear thunderstorms but I can't.

 

In my experience, the filters are always rather quiet and unintrusive.

It's the dog-gone BUBBLER that drives me up the wall and across the ceiling (true story.)

 

Would oiling the impeller help at all? I thought I could dip it in a bit of vegetable oil and see if it runs smoother. I really hope I don't have to get a new filter because I'm saving my money for the 55 gallon I'm hoping to get at some point

Also the lid thing was on really tight before, it took me a while to get it off actually

 

I only hear my 20G in my room at night, when the air pump is running.
The tiny bubbles are just like white noise, and quite soothing.

My reef tank is a bit different, it's in the family room. When the house is quiet (like now), I can hear it quite distinctly. It's like a trickle of water.

But both are quite relaxing

 

Would oiling the impeller help at all? I thought I could dip it in a bit of vegetable oil and see if it runs smoother. I really hope I don't have to get a new filter because I'm saving my money for the 55 gallon I'm hoping to get at some point

Also the lid thing was on really tight before, it took me a while to get it off actually

Erm. If anything, you would want to clean the impeller (the spinny bit) and oil the motor housing (the... the rest of it). Since the two don't directly touch, and the impeller sits in your water, oiling the impeller would just introduce oil into your aquarium water. As for the motor housing, I realize I'm suggesting opening things up that are meant to stay sealed for electrical safety and voiding the warranty, so ah... don't actually do that.

It's possible the motor and impeller piece aren't aligned very well so the latter rattles, but I am not familiar enough with the fluval chI to know from experience if yours is operating as intended or not.

If you still think oiling the impeller would help, don't use vegetable oil - it is too light to stick where you want it. apply a very thin (as in wipe off excess so you don't see it much at all) coat of vaseline/petroleum jelly - if it's intended to be used on people and doesn't have any other additives, it won't react with anything, shouldn't leech anything into your tank, and it's thick enough it will stay stuck to what you want coated.
Just keep an eye, ear, and a finger in the tank to check the impeller is still spinning freely after you try that - it does NOT take much to gum one up.

 

My 125gal is the headboard of my bed and has 4 penguin 350 bio wheels on it its a little loud but I sleep with a fan at my head so I can't hear them. I also have a 20 gal at the foot of my bed, but the aqueon filter is super quiet. You will only hear it if the water level is low. I love the sound of water so its never been a problem.

 

Most name-brand pump manufacturers sell replacement impellers for just this reason. Probably not going to find one for a $20 HOB but they are available for many others.

 

before I had fish tanks I kept gerbals, hamsters, rats, and degus. all of which are nocturnal. so I was used to the sound at night.
I then got a 20 gal tank with HOB filter and I could hear it a little but that helped me sleep. I have always used HOB filters on my tanks and I personally can't sleep without hearing them. I also usually have a window fan on in my room which is louder than my tanks.
I now have a 75 gal that has an Aqua-Clear 110, and a large (rated for 180 gal) sponge filter, as well as a 10 gal shrimp tank next to my bed (ie- the tank is like 2 inches from the head of my bed) and the water level is down about 2 inches (very loud) and I can still get to sleep as if it wasn't even there.
you will get used to the noise after another week or 2. just give it time. I read a review on amazon () and in that review the person says that the filter is silent. could it be that the water quality is to low in your tank?

 

I currently do not have a fish tank in my room (not sure whether my SO would approve) but I voted how it used to be for me... and also if I was to sleep in the room with the tanks. I've fallen asleep on the couch before, lol. The tanks are noises I've gotten used to. Only thing to note is I have one filter that is especially loud, but that is only because of water bypass. Otherwise it would be not too noisy.

 

I have a 10 gallon in the dining room, which is very near my bedroom(I live in an apartment.)
The filer itself doesn't make any sound, but the waterfall of filtered water that comes out and makes bubbles gives off a tinkly, watery sound. My family find it annoying, but I find the water sound calming.

 

I have all my tanks in the bedroom. As long as the water level is high, and I wedge something between the aerator and tank, it is fine.
When I get the 75 (Still working on the parents!), I will have that on my fish shelf, and I will put the 10 beside my bed.
If I was an adult, (Or if my parents allowed!) I would run the 29 for my stunted pleco.
Are canisters quiet?

 

Since we've had a tank it's been in our room. I like to keep the water level down to hearthe water dripping. I don't hear the filter itself, and I don't have the air pump on all the time so it's no issue. Even when it is on its not too loud.

 

I have all my tanks in the bedroom. As long as the water level is high, and I wedge something between the aerator and tank, it is fine.
When I get the 75 (Still working on the parents!), I will have that on my fish shelf, and I will put the 10 beside my bed.
If I was an adult, (Or if my parents allowed!) I would run the 29 for my stunted pleco.
Are canisters quiet?

I have a 75 gal in my room as well as a 10 next to my bed. I used to have a 50 gal, it was nice but lacked enough width to really do anything with it. I am so glad I replaced it with a 75 (half a foot wider).

and as for the canister question- typically they are quieter because most people have the out take below the water level, and have the filter underneath the tank within an enclosed stand.

 

I think canisters are supposed to be quiet especially if you keep them in the cabinet under the tank. If I ever get a canister filter I'm going to line the inside of the cabinet with soundproofing material, which is supposed to cut the noise level down to zero

Unfortunately I'm so used to silence that the hum is impossible to sleep with, so Ive decided to put the tank in the dining room instead. Which should be nice but poor Pumpkin the honey gourami is getting moved around a lot. This'll be the third room I've put the tank in..

(as I type this I just saw Pumpkin spitting water into the air. Didnt know he could do that. Well, I learn something new every day...)

 

the tank in my room is a NPT- no noise at all.

 

I have 7 loud fish tanks in my small bedroom LOL.

 

I keep my tank in my dorm room and it's a small 2.5 and it has a marineland power filter and occasionally if it's really quite I can hear the motor. The trickling sound is all dependant on how far the water level is from the filter itself. I keep mine fairly close together to keep the sound very quiet. So far my roommate hasn't complained about it yet.

 

My filter makes a bit of a noise, but I have gotten used to it.

Reason I chose this is because with three tanks in my bedroom the combination does make a little bit of noise, not enough to drown out a conversation between 2 people, but with the fact I have a mild case of ringing sound in my ears it is nice to have the fish tank noise drown it out. I cannot stand a fully quiet room for then I notice the ringing sound.

 

I have an underwater powerhead for my 29 in my room. Can't hear it unless it's dead quite.

Whats louder than my aquarium is a timer that has a grinding sound-very annoying.

 

I have a 10 gallon with a tetra whisper 20, and air pump reading my bubbling volcano in my bedroom. I sleep on the left side of the bed, and the tank is on the right side of the bed. It doesn't bother my hubby and he's only about 3 feet away from it.