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*Quietest* filtration for 120G mbuna tank?

bossanova

bossanova

Members
Hi folks, I've got a new 120 full of Mbuna being filtered by 3 Filstar canisters (2xXP3 and 1xXP4) at the moment, and the combined noise is driving me nuts. I'm wondering if I should just replace all of them with an FX6 and leave it at that? or, is there another solution i haven't thought of? HOBs are a no-go because of the noise. Tank is in my living room... 'nuff said!
 
jonclark96

jonclark96

Past CCA President
I filter my 180 with 2 FX5s and a couple of sponges. The tank is directly next to my recliner in my living room and is pretty much silent. Good fitting lids on the tank help with the noise.

Where is the noise on your Filstar's coming from? Do you just need to replace the impellers or impeller shafts on them? I've never used them, but in my experience, you shouldn't hear much of anything out of a canister filter except maybe the hum of the pump motor.
 
bossanova

bossanova

Members
jonclark96 said:
I filter my 180 with 2 FX5s and a couple of sponges. The tank is directly next to my recliner in my living room and is pretty much silent. Good fitting lids on the tank help with the noise.

Where is the noise on your Filstar's coming from? Do you just need to replace the impellers or impeller shafts on them? I've never used them, but in my experience, you shouldn't hear much of anything out of a canister filter except maybe the hum of the pump motor.
Click to expand...
i'm gonna try a new impeller for one and see if that helps. the company 'forgot' to ship the glass canopy so that isn't helping either... i'm also super sensitive to noise, i know these Renas are good filters
 
finzz

finzz

Members
It's old-school, but I've got a Marineland Bio-wheel sump system on a SA 125 and it's dead silent until the water level gets low enough so that the pump (also Marineland) sucks air. The transformer fan for the halides makes more noise than the filter.
 
jstlstn

jstlstn

Members
IF you get an FX 6 you can count on hearing the air clear out when the unit shuts down every so often. a loud gurgle gurgle every so often keeps you alive though.
 
JLW

JLW

CCA Members
The thing about the FXs is that they clear out once every 24-hours. You just time it so that you're not usually around when it burps. Unplug the filter at 2PM on a Saturday. Wait five minutes and replug it. It'll only burp at 2 PM, and you're not around then. :)

Of course, you can then only clean the filters at 2 PM on Saturdays, but ...
 
CichlidAddict

CichlidAddict

Members
The quietest filtration I have used in my 125 are three Penguin 350 HOBs. But you need to be diligent to keep the operation quiet. First, you have to keep the tank water level high to always submerge the return flow. Second, you have to change the media as soon as it gets clogged up triggering over spilling noise. Third, you need to replace the impeller every 3 to 5 years as soon as it gets worn out and starts making clicking noise. Forth, don't use the biowheel as it makes splashing noise and is more trouble than worth it.

Canister is apparently the quietest filter because you hide the motor inside the cabinet noise barrier, and the return flow is normally set submerged. Not so if you leave the canister outside as its motor is much stronger than a comparable HOB motor.
 
CSnyder00

CSnyder00

Bearded Wonder
CichlidAddict said:
The quietest filtration I have used in my 125 are three Penguin 350 HOBs. But you need to be diligent to keep the operation quiet. First, you have to keep the tank water level high to always submerge the return flow. Second, you have to change the media as soon as it gets clogged up triggering over spilling noise. Third, you need to replace the impeller every 3 to 5 years as soon as it gets worn out and starts making clicking noise. Forth, don't use the biowheel as it makes splashing noise and is more trouble than worth it.

Canister is apparently the quietest filter because you hide the motor inside the cabinet noise barrier, and the return flow is normally set submerged. Not so if you leave the canister outside as its motor is much stronger than a comparable HOB motor.
Click to expand...

I'm a fan of HOBs as well, but I use sand substrate and it's nearly impossible to keep up with impellers. I'm in the process of switching over to air driven/foam filters. Helps keep noise down and better biofiltration. All of my air pumps are under the tank, so all you hear is a very very quiet hum and the bubbles at the top of the water.
 
bossanova

bossanova

Members
To close the loop on this, the filstars have quieted down tremendously after a couple of days of operation, and I've got crystal clear water with no micro bubbles and no noise anymore, thank god all I had to do was be patient and set everything up properly
 
R

Robinhud

CCA Members
my sump with overflow is completely quiet but there were a couple of things I had to do to get it like that.
1. Placed a open celled sponge in the overflow tub to stop gurgle.
2. Placed the bottom end of those over flow into the water in sump.
3. Placed return spray bar into tank water so no splashing there.
completely noise free.
 
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