So Loud!!! Need Help!

[zibba]

My new set up is way too loud. Last night I had to unplug the skimmer and return pump because it was just way to noisy.

So first, I need help quieting the overflow area. Water is coming over the overflow by following the return pipe and falling into the water below, making a ton of noise...how can I quiet this? The water coming into the overflow from the "teeth" don't make any noise.

Second, my protein skimmer is fantastic but too loud for the bedroom. What can I do to make reduce the noise? It is a Euro-Reef RS135. So far I have tried putting a silencer on the air hose to the skimmers pump, which didn't help.

I really need help, since last night was horrible and my fiancée gave me the ultimatum ..either (a) reduce the noise drastically or (b) sell everything! Obviously I don't want the latter...so please help me!!! I can also post pictures if it will help but probably not for a few more hours. Also, we don't have anywhere else to put the tank so that option is out.

[gh0st]

A Stockman or Durso overflow silencer should do the trick for the overflows, search on google and you can't miss them.

As for the skimmer, reducing back pressure on the pump might help, and sometimes even reorienting the pump can make a big difference, if all else fails, hiding it underneath the stand in a sump if it isn't already.

[Aadler]

Slow down your return pump so less water is going through your overflow? (or get a bigger drain pipe)

Only run the skimmer between 9am and 9pm?

You are insane man... my wife gets ****ed at me for the noise my Aquaclear 50 HOB filter makes on my 20L freshwater tank in the bedroom. I would never ever ever ever ever ever dream of a saltwater tank in there! :c)

[zibba]

Originally posted by Aadler
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Only run the skimmer between 9am and 9pm?

Is that ok? I wasn't sure. The noise is pretty low when just running the return. It is the skimmer that is the problem. (Which is under the tank in the sump already)

Any more suggestions!!! PLEASE!!!

[Shagsbeard]

Suggestions?

1) If you're dead set on putting a tank in your bedroom, plumb the sump into another room or closet.

2) Run two skimmers for 12 hours a day.

3) Put a mouse pad under your skimmer/pumps.

On an upbeat note... noises tend to diminish over time. Once the bacteria and "slime" get to covering everything, the noises sometimes go away completely.

[jdjeff58]

Originally posted by zibba
It is a Euro-Reef RS135. So far I have tried putting a silencer on the air hose to the skimmers pump, which didn't help.

Man...you really left yourself open for wisecracks on this one. I have an RS180...just a little bit bigger than yours. It's a noise factory. I tried to set it on top of silcon potholders to knock down the vibration against the sump. It helped a little. Just be sure it's not touching the sides of the sump. If you have a loud buzzing, that could be the cause. But I really think that this skimmer is as quiet as it's going to get. It really doesn't bug me as my tank is in my basement.

As for removing the back pressure..like the other guy said. That down pipe that they call the 'outlet'...is not supposed to be underwater. It creates backpressure with the wedge pipe design. My skimmer kept overflowing until I removed it. It's something that Euro-reef never addressed in their so-called instructions. The problem is....now I hear the water splashing from that.

If it's that much of a problem, you won't have to get rid of your tank...maybe a different skimmer. But here comes the wisecrack....maybe you should be making more noise in your bedroom than the skimmer. Run that one by her

[lamphere]

Try having your return line from your tank submerged in your sump, i had to do that to quiet it down, helped alot. Alot less running water sound.

[Uncle Boo]

This is what I did to silence my Euroreef. I cut the outlet pipe at the water height and drilled a number of holes in it. It works for me.

[zibba]

Originally posted by jdjeff58
But here comes the wisecrack....maybe you should be making more noise in your bedroom than the skimmer. Run that one by her

The more noise the tank makes = less chance that I get to the point where she makes noise

Thanks for the help everyone...so I made a few mods to the outlet to stop the splashing into the overflow which seems to help a lot. Next I put the skimmer on some egg crate just to raise it out of the water a bit then angled the pumps inlet further into the water which helped some of the gurgling noise. Then I had to put some tape over the "exhaust" for lack of a better term which reduced the noise that the water exiting the skimmer was making as it splashed against the PVC 90-degree bends. I will attach a picture of the new set up in a few minutes...(if I can find the usb for the camera!)

[zibba]

Here is a picture of the skimmer with tape over the exhaust...it really helped with reducing the noise.