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Does any one have any suggestions on how to make an airpump quiter? My tank is in my room and it is annoying at night.

"A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man" Simpsons

Hi,
It depends upon why the air pump is noisey. If you have too
much back pressure it will clatter and be noisey.
Try using a gang valve and allowing some of the pressure to
escape. Others are poorly constructed and the armature
that vibrates within the pump swings over a large distance
and the result is a vibrating pump.

You dont want to smother it with padding as it draws its
air from the outside and can over heat. Some set it on
foam like the foam from an old pillow. When I had a
piston style pump, I stuck it in a closet, and ran the
airlines under the floor and up through the floor by the
tank.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

simply, get a new air pump, there are the new cool looking and very quite whisper air pumps. it looks like something from outer space, but very quite.

As frank mentioned, make sure whatever you're operating is free of obstructions and clean.

Failing that, there are always simple rebuild kits you can purchase for most major brands that come with new diaphrams, arms, seals etc that will make them as good as new.

Another thing you can do is hang your pump from the underside of the cabinet. if it has nothing to rattle against, it might not make as much noise. most have mounting feet on the bottom you can put string or fishing line through.

Try to put a foam cusion underneath it or try to hang it.



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My air pumps got real noisey when they were valved down. It creates back pressure and will eventually ruin the pump. I found the solution to be a very small pump made by Rena. It is super quiet, and I can leave the valves wide open without too much trouble or turbulence.

thanks

"A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man" Simpsons

after doing some research..i found out that rena tops the list...its quiet alright...i can barely hear the pump running in my room...the only way to know if its running is to go close to it or sumtimes touch it.

I get mine at walmart (not sure which brand) and they are usually pretty quiet, and I only hear them when they aren't sitting flat, or are rubbing against something...then the noise will drive me crazy. If it still appears that the pump is going to be loud, pull out one of those socks that the match has left the country, and stuff the pump in it, that usually helps, or even just setting it ontop of the sock or other piece of cloth will sometimes help...best of luck, i know a noisy airpump can and will drive someone out of their mind:%)

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

i have rena airpumps, they're a little more expensive, but they're super powerful and very queit...best pumps IMO

nick


Nick
"Impossumable- unable to play dead"

bcwcat22

I have a small new Rena next to the computer and I cannot hear it all. It is sitting on a piece of carpet this does help.

Here you have two choices make it seem quieter or go and buy a good quality quiet one to start of with.

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
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some things if ya haven't got the money you just have to put up with, like my breathing for instance

try rapping it in a blaket maybe

The wrapping things can impede air flow and can actually be a fire hazard, so do be careful if you choose that method.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

the noise can come from several sources, internal such as noisey pistins/motors etc, bad diaphrams etc. It can also be caused by back pressure, which is bad for the pump and will eventually kill it. Vibration is a big external source, from an inbalanced motor perhaps, the hose and cord vibrating against each other or against the wall (most annoying). Some recommend hanging it in an old sock (I don't). I put mine on the carpet out of the way, and another I have sitting on a mouse pad.
The best thing is to start out with a good quality, quiet pump from the start. I do recommend the rena, and here's a tip. Use one rated for much smaller than your tank's capacity. In my 29 gallon tank I have the 5 gal size pump. The reason is that I can run the valves wide open and not restrict the airflow causing back pressure. lol, I had one rated for a 30 gal tank and had to valve it way back to a useable level. the back pressure destroyed the pump in one day (OK it WAS a cheap pump... lesson learned).

Last edited by divertran at 24-Aug-2005 15:14