• You liked BFD7 now you should join this forum and of course become a club member to see what CCA is all about.
  • Thank you to everyone who registered and showed up for the BIG Fish Deal #7.

Your approach to silence Marina breeder boxes

Marz

Administrator
Staff member
They might be the best in the market but the gargling noise is annoying as hell. I'm interested to know your solutions to silence the air-driven boxes. I found a couple of YouTube videos but they don't look efficient.

There has to be a better way!

U7NElYU.gif
 

chriscoli

Administrator
They do have a distinct sound. I saw something where someone was putting coarse filter padding under the water flow, but I think that wouldn't silence all of the noise. I usually just adjust the air flow down until it's not annoying or, now I tend to use Ziss BL-2 boxes.
 

lkelly

Members
I think making your own is a much better option. Cheaper and not very difficult. I'll post a picture when I have a chance.
 

lkelly

Members
Here's a couple of pics. Normally I'll add a little extension piece of PVC to the bottom of the elbow. I was just being lazy with this one.

20617
20618

Ingredients:

Walmart sandwich tupperware container thing (about $5)
PVC elbow
Some window screen
Rubber band
Piece of foam from a filter
4 waterproof strong magnets (could also drill small hole and use suction cups, but I prefer the option to slide it up and down and remove it easier with the magnets)
Airline tube
Air pump
Short piece of PVC pipe sized to ID of elbow

Tools:
Hole cutting bit sized to match your PVC elbow
Drill bit sized to airline tube
Drill
Your choice of tool for cutting a bigger hole (jigsaw, dremel)

Instructions:

  1. Cut hole for PVC elbow on one short side near the top, maybe a tiny bit smaller that outside diameter so it fits snugly
  2. Drill hole in PVC elbow for airline tube
  3. Cut rectangular opening in other short side about half way down (too low and you won't have much water left in it if you want to pull it out with fry)
  4. Stuff piece of low PPI filter foam in rectangular opening (don't make it too thick or too dense)
  5. Cover the bottom of elbow or PVC pipe extension with window screen using rubber band
  6. Insert elbow into hole with bottom intake inside container
  7. Insert airline tubing into hole (push down near bottom of PVC extension) and attach other end to air pump
  8. Put assembled fry saver into tank, allowing to fill with water, with top rim just a little above water line
  9. Fix it in place using waterproof magnets (or suction cups if you went that route)
  10. Breed fish and stick in fry saver when ready
When doing water changes I'll often take a spring loaded metal clamp and hold it in place to trim of tank so that when the water level drops it stays in place. There will be enough water to cover the fry if you didn't make your intake opening too low on the side. Alternatively you can just lower it down as the water level drops by sliding the magnets. Taking it out is easy - just pop off the magnets and lift it out of the tank with some water in it.

Hope that helps. They work great for me - you can stuff some java moss in there if you want. Build a few and the waterproof magnet order becomes cost effective. They can be used for a lot of things so having 10 or so on hand isn't bad.
 

Wet Sleeves

CCA Members
Staff member
Marz Marz You have to turn it down till the air flow keeps the steadiest stream of water coming in or you can turn it down even more if you dont want your fry getting stuck to the overflow. Too much air is pointless and noisy. You also need to extend the pick up tube till the top of the plastic sleeve is around 1/4" from the oring. The main thing is the air flow. If you push too much air, its just noisy and not as efficient. I run these and love them. Other than bumping them on occasion when Im cleaning or the fry getting stuck to the overflow, its been a great way too keep my fry healthy.
 

huuvinh88

CCA Members
I used small pump on Ebay 80l/h , it fit perfectly with the pipe came with breeder box . There is no sound at all. Used airline and headaches.
 

Marz

Administrator
Staff member
Here's a couple of pics. Normally I'll add a little extension piece of PVC to the bottom of the elbow. I was just being lazy with this one.

Hope that helps. They work great for me - you can stuff some java moss in there if you want. Build a few and the waterproof magnet order becomes cost effective. They can be used for a lot of things so having 10 or so on hand isn't bad.

THIS is a great idea! Thank you for the thorough instructions. I'll give it a shot this weekend.
 

Marz

Administrator
Staff member
Marz Marz You have to turn it down till the air flow keeps the steadiest stream of water coming in or you can turn it down even more if you dont want your fry getting stuck to the overflow. Too much air is pointless and noisy. You also need to extend the pick up tube till the top of the plastic sleeve is around 1/4" from the oring. The main thing is the air flow. If you push too much air, its just noisy and not as efficient. I run these and love them. Other than bumping them on occasion when Im cleaning or the fry getting stuck to the overflow, its been a great way too keep my fry healthy.

I did try turning them down, it reduces the gulping noise intervals but it's not canceling the noise, and I think I am getting better results with more flow (water changes) in the box.
 

Marz

Administrator
Staff member
I used small pump on Ebay 80l/h , it fit perfectly with the pipe came with breeder box . There is no sound at all. Used airline and headaches.

Hey Vinh, I considered that option but I think I'm gonna stick with being efficient and using air to move the water. Thanks though.
 

chriscoli

Administrator
lkelly lkelly where do you get your waterproof magnets?
 

lkelly

Members
lkelly lkelly where do you get your waterproof magnets?
I think this was the item #. You can adjust size/pull strength as you want. These will hold pretty well through a 75 gallon tank’s glass thickness.

Apex
 
Top