# Filter noise



## jameson_uk (3 Jun 2020)

Just wondering if I am over sensitive to noise compared to most. After setting up a little canister today I am still annoyed by the hum from the filter when I am sat next to the tank.

Everywhere I read says canisters are silent, you can't tell there on ... To me this would mean I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between when it is on or off (in a quiet room).

All my filters (eheim 2217 which has always been noisy, the Oase FiltoSmart 60 I have just setup and two JBL CristalProfi m Greenlines) at best sound at least as noisy as a fridge. I can hear the filters from the other side of the room. It is always the particular him which for me seems to cut through everything.

I have put vaseline on impellers (and replaced the impeller in the Eheim), made sure there is no air in the canister, cleaned them, tightened hoses ...

Moving parts = noise but are these people who say their filters are silent just less sensitive to it than me or is there something I am missing?


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## Ed Wiser (3 Jun 2020)

Noise is very subjective. What is noises to you is quiet to someone else. 
The best thing you can do is seeing if you can dampen the noise. This can be done with a simple rubber mat. As many times the vibration of the pump transfers down to the cabinet that the filter is sitting in. One can also add sound damping to the inside of the tank stand. Take it one step at a time till it is quiet to you. 
I do listen to my canister filters to make sure they are running correctly. I can tell when they need to be cleaned by the pitch on the sound they make. Even though I have to concentrate to hear them making any noise.


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## Tomp91 (3 Jun 2020)

Quietest filter I have used is a Fluval U2, its internal but if you don't use the bubbles its completely silent, to my ears anyway. You have to see water moving to know its on.

I have just bought an Eheim 2217 to replace it and I thought it would be quieter from reviews, but its acceptable to me.


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## scapegod96 (3 Jun 2020)

depends on the filter I find, I braught a cheap one of eBay and had a noticeable hum but I  then got a fluval 306 and there was still a hum but much less than the cheap one


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## OtyTzutzu (3 Jun 2020)

Check that you pipes are not touching the cabinet at any point , i found that in my case i have a oase biomaster 350 thermo and after water change and cleaning the pipes the filter was humming well was noisier than before , it turned out it was the pipes was touching the cabinet , other than that the filter itself is pretty  silent ! Good luck !


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## Siege (3 Jun 2020)

Have you got all the air out by tilting the filter?

the oase is silent.


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## jameson_uk (3 Jun 2020)

Siege said:


> Have you got all the air out by tilting the filter?
> 
> the oase is silent.


There is certainly no air coming out when it is angled / shook. The noise I am hearing is different to air (I think). I find air is a whooshing noise and you can see the bubbles as it comes out.

When you say silent do you mean that is a quiet room you cannot tell any difference between it being on or off?


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## foxfish (3 Jun 2020)

The easy way to see how noisy the actual motor is would be take the head off remove the impeller and switch it on..


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## Simon Cole (3 Jun 2020)

What you need is an acoustic box. You can make one out of some 1" plywood in about an hour. Then it's sorted for life. Plus if you give it nice handles or wheels then you can move it around. And best of all, you can paint it any colour you want. How about tie-dye effect or camouflage. You could even wallpaper it and make it an artistic statement for the room.


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## Siege (3 Jun 2020)

jameson_uk said:


> There is certainly no air coming out when it is angled / shook. The noise I am hearing is different to air (I think). I find air is a whooshing noise and you can see the bubbles as it comes out.
> 
> When you say silent do you mean that is a quiet room you cannot tell any difference between it being on or off?



yes can barely tell the difference between on an off.


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## jaypeecee (3 Jun 2020)

jameson_uk said:


> Just wondering if I am over sensitive to noise compared to most. After setting up a little canister today I am still annoyed by the hum from the filter when I am sat next to the tank



Hi @jameson_uk

The 50Hz/100Hz hum will be coming from the motor itself. It's unlikely to be coming from any moving part. The filter is probably using an induction motor. The trouble with these is that the tiny vibrations get coupled to anything with which the filter is in physical contact. A soft(ish) material on which you can sit the filter is the best bet. Neoprene foam might do the trick and it's very economical.

Good luck!

JPC


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## Geoffrey Rea (3 Jun 2020)

jameson_uk said:


> I have put vaseline on impellers (and replaced the impeller in the Eheim)








One can lasts years and it does the job far better than Vaseline.



jaypeecee said:


> A soft(ish) material on which you can sit the filter is the best bet. Neoprene foam might do the trick and it's very economical.



Works well but...




OtyTzutzu said:


> Check that you pipes are not touching the cabinet at any point , i found that in my case i have a oase biomaster 350 thermo and after water change and cleaning the pipes the filter was humming well was noisier than before , it turned out it was the pipes was touching the cabinet



A lot of the time vibration that’s been dampened by the base is still being transferred by the pipes contacting the cabinet.




jameson_uk said:


> Just wondering if I am over sensitive to noise compared to most.



Maybe you are, but having a wife who can hear a mouse fart from a hundred yards means any noise reduction must be found in this house so have been through the lot.

Oase filters if fully empty of air by tilting the air out, with the provided feet attached, prop greased with silicone spray and the filter hoses not resting on the cabinet should be unnoticed by all but those who are extremely sensitive to noise.


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## jaypeecee (3 Jun 2020)

Geoffrey Rea said:


> A lot of the time vibration that’s been dampened by the base is still being transferred by the pipes contacting the cabinet.



Hi @Geoffrey Rea 

Yes, that would make sense. In which case, just use the same principle and, possibly, the same material.

JPC


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## jameson_uk (3 Jun 2020)

jaypeecee said:


> Hi @jameson_uk
> 
> The 50Hz/100Hz hum will be coming from the motor itself. It's unlikely to be coming from any moving part. The filter is probably using an induction motor. The trouble with these is that the tiny vibrations get coupled to anything with which the filter is in physical contact. A soft(ish) material on which you can sit the filter is the best bet. Neoprene foam might do the trick and it's very economical.
> 
> ...


I am not convinced it is resonance. I normally test by lifting the thing up off any surfaces. I don't seem to respond to the same frequencies like a table or cabinet 

Don't get me wrong, the Oase is quiet (once I have got all the air out, put it on a filter sponge and rotated it to about 45 degrees....) but in a quiet room I can quite easily tell the difference when I turn the filter off.

The same goes for the JBL filter, other powerheads etc. The Eheim however I suspect is something different.

One thing I did wonder was whether a restricted inflow could cause noise? The glass inflow attached to the Oase only has a few slots which doesn't make me think that much water could flow through it. The Eheim had a pre-filter which I guess could also reduce the volume of water reaching the filter.

Is it ok to run the filter without the impeller fitted? Tempted to try this with the Eheim just to see.


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## foxfish (3 Jun 2020)

Yes just like i said,  take the head off, take the impeller out and switch it on.
You can just hold it in your hand to see if the motor makes a noise.


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## Geoffrey Rea (3 Jun 2020)

jaypeecee said:


> Yes, that would make sense. In which case, just use the same principle and, possibly, the same material.



This is exactly what I did @jaypeecee 

Bit of double sided tape and some foam right where the pipes would contact the cabinet if they moved... Noise complaints stopped.


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## jaypeecee (3 Jun 2020)

jameson_uk said:


> I am not convinced it is resonance. I normally test by lifting the thing up off any surfaces. I don't seem to respond to the same frequencies like a table or cabinet



I wasn't actually suggesting that it's resonance. It's just physically-coupled vibration. The word 'resonance' has specific meaning, which I can't easily explain without drawing a picture.

JPC


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