Pump/Filter Vibration

[Coys]

I'm getting an annoying hum from my Eheim Pro filter and Eheim 3000 pump. If I open the doors of the cabinet it mostly goes away, but with the doors closed it's like an echo chamber. Has anyone else seen this problem? Would lining the inside of the cabinet with acoustic tiles, cardboard or something else help?

 

[Martin in Holland]

A sound damping mat that are used under car hoods placed under the filter might stop the vibration transfer to the cabinet floor which is probably causing the hum.

 

[shrimpy1]

Sounds like this may be pipework reverberation. Have a look at where the pipework touches the cabinet and insulate this with some sponge.

 

[Martin in Holland]

You used hard pipes?

 

[shrimpy1]

No - standard fluval 406 tubing. I had a very similar issue, used foam under the filter to stop vibration, and then noticed that the output tube was touching the stand between the cabinet and tank. Put a bit of sponge in between and silence.
A bit like air pumps really, most of the noise is not from the unit but from reverberation where the airtube or cable touches some surfaces.

 

[Coys]

A sound damping mat that are used under car hoods placed under the filter might stop the vibration transfer to the cabinet floor which is probably causing the hum.

I've tried sitting both on a folded towel and polystyrene foam, but neither have made much difference. Leaving the cabinet doors open does make it much quieter though. I've just lined the cabinet roughly with bubble wrap and that does seem to help a bit. I may get some of this and completely line the inside of the cabinet.

Sitting here with the cabinet doors open now. It really does work.

 

[Chris Jackson]

I've had similar problems from time to time, well placed foam normally sorts it out. It could be that closing the cabinet doors pushes some pipework out of position? One hum I get from time to time is from a co2 on off solenoid...

 

[Coys]

It could be that closing the cabinet doors pushes some pipework out of position?

Definitely not; I've checked multiple times. The vibration starts when either door is almost closed. It's very strange.

 

[Chris Jackson]

Strange indeed...maybe closing the doors sets up some type of harmonic

 

[Martin in Holland]

Maybe the door puts the cabinet under some tension when it is closed, hinges could be in a slight angle which could cause this.

 

[Coys]

I finally gave up trying to silence it in the cupboard.

I moved it outside the cabinet yesterday and it's now on the carpet next to the aquarium and is completely silent.

 

[zozo]

If you are realy, realy, realy sure noting touches the cabinet, then you could always as last resort cover the inside panels of the cabinet with these cardbord egg crates..


They are even used to make studios soundproof.. Nothing cheaper, nothing more effective.. 🙂

 

[Coys]

Thanks for the egg box tip Marcel .

TBH I think I prefer it outside now 🙄. It's not visible behind a coffee table and I get the cupboard back for my other fish related junk.

Cheers, Steve.

 

[Coys]

I've now placed my Eheim Pro3 filter (still inside cupboard and generating a slightly annoying hum ) on two pieces of carpet. Result? Silence .

 

[MWS]

I had this problem and it drove me mad, although the filter itself was very quiet it would resonate in the cabinet and in exactly the same way as you describe, as soon as the door was closed it doubled the noise.

I did manage to eliminate it completely but it did involve drilling four holes in the base of the cabinet.

I took the (redundant) shelf that came with the cabinet, fixed four 150mm x 10mm coach bolts as legs to create a platform, drilled four 20mm corresponding holes in the base and stood the "platform" in the cabinet making sure none of the legs were touching (hence the 20mm holes v 10mm legs)

The filter now sits within the cabinet as it always has but without touching it actually sitting on the floor below - bliss.

I painted the legs Black so even when sitting on the sofa they can't be noticed unless looking for them.

Edit: for info this is a Fluval Roma cabinet but I'm sure this would be possible on most.

 

[Franks]

I have the same issue with my SunSun 1400 and Fluval Osaka cabinet. Crack the door slightly and the noise goes. Nothing is touching the cabinet. I actually think it's now what's known by audiophiles as a 'standing wave'.

You get these in poorly designed recording studios, sound rooms. Its the result of a particular low frequency waveform fitting perfectly inside the length of the adjacent walls. When this phenomenon occurs, that particular frequency is amplified. By cracking or opening the door, you remove one of the adjacent walls and the standing waveform is released along with the amplified hum.

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