Is complete silence possible?

[davocean]

Adding my comment about smell was a quick add that you should just keep in mind some of the other things that come w/ the tank that could be considered undesireable, tank maintenance and such.
Really my tank does not smell or at least nothing I notice, until I do dump that skimmer or something of that nature.
So if sound is really your only issue I think you could work it, maybe.
My tank right now is barely noticeable, and really it's my old vort 20's, you are talking much more quiet drivers, and I've heard good things.
My skimmer has a faint hum, nothing a closed door can't mask, a regular door/cab, no sound proofing or whatever.
I am one for keeping simple, and my drain and return is stupid simple, but crazy quiet too.
Yes, you could at least try.

 

[mxm]

Adding my comment about smell was a quick add that you should just keep in mind some of the other things that come w/ the tank that could be considered undesireable, tank maintenance and such.
Really my tank does not smell or at least nothing I notice, until I do dump that skimmer or something of that nature.
So if sound is really your only issue I think you could work it, maybe.
My tank right now is barely noticeable, and really it's my old vort 20's, you are talking much more quiet drivers, and I've heard good things.
My skimmer has a faint hum, nothing a closed door can't mask, a regular door/cab, no sound proofing or whatever.
I am one for keeping simple, and my drain and return is stupid simple, but crazy quiet too.
Yes, you could at least try.

Thanks, that gives me the confidence to proceed ahead. Any recommendation for the quietest skimmer for 50-100 gallon.

 

[shifty51008]

Tunze and vertex skimmers are very quiet imo

 

[ScienceRulez]

I'm working with salt water at work, but I can tell you with my own fresh water tanks at home, that complete silence will not happen. You will forever be chasing one sound or another and it quickly becomes a case of diminishing returns vs. the money you spend.

My wife has some medical problems which makes her very sensitive to background noise, so much so that even the hum of air pumps sets her teeth on edge. I've managed to get my 2 tanks at home pretty quiet, but they aren't totally silent.

 

[EPRuss]

She is very supportive in everything else, no limit on spending etc, but noise is the one thing she will not stand.

If you truly have no limit on spending, your only hope of achieving near silence is dedicated fish room, with a in-wall display to your living space.

Let's be realistic, nothing is silent, not even your home itself. You can hear the wood in the walls when it expands and contracts with temp/moisture changes.

If she can live with background noise of your A/C, Heat, refrigerator, dishwasher, shower, toilet, etc... Then you can make your tank quiet enough to satisfy her, I would think.

 

[mxm]

I'm working with salt water at work, but I can tell you with my own fresh water tanks at home, that complete silence will not happen. You will forever be chasing one sound or another and it quickly becomes a case of diminishing returns vs. the money you spend.

My wife has some medical problems which makes her very sensitive to background noise, so much so that even the hum of air pumps sets her teeth on edge. I've managed to get my 2 tanks at home pretty quiet, but they aren't totally silent.

I have a 20 gallon freshwater tank and I've made it basically 100% silent, not a single sound is emanating from it. Yeah, my wife is similar in terms of sound sensitivity. If i get it down to 25 db that would work.

 

[mxm]

If you truly have no limit on spending, your only hope of achieving near silence is dedicated fish room, with a in-wall display to your living space.

Let's be realistic, nothing is silent, not even your home itself. You can hear the wood in the walls when it expands and contracts with temp/moisture changes.

If she can live with background noise of your A/C, Heat, refrigerator, dishwasher, shower, toilet, etc... Then you can make your tank quiet enough to satisfy her, I would think.

I'm renting so that's not possible. Yeah I understand nothing is silent, she wouldn't mind a very mild hum (20-25db) or white type of noise but anything that sounds gurgling or the sound of water will be a no no. I'm hoping a beananimal system can achieve that.

 

[toothybugs]

My Magus Curve is incredibly quiet. I'm sitting maybe 5 feet away from it right now, no cabinet, and I have to look to see if it's running. I honestly cannot hear it over the whisper of the air conditioning.

I have a Curve 5, you may want a 7. There are a few recent threads on quiet skimmers that are really good.

 

[EPRuss]

In that case I'd start small (smaller investment) and see how it goes.

Also because you're renting, it would be easier to move if needed, and will cause less damage if you have a problem.

 

[Shawn O]

No experience with equipment other than what I currently have but here goes... As far as wavemakers go, the ones in my tank are the cheapies that have the motors in the tank and I can't hear them at all when they're submerged. My skimmer has a pretty good hum that I can hear across the room, it's a HOB model. My HOB filter? Forget about it. Can hear it over the TV and sometimes even over the AC.

If you can manage to use equipment with pumps submerged, you should be good. Smells, on the other hand, can be noticeable at times. My tank is open with no canopy, fyi.

 

[wild1]

My wife doesn't like my tank, calls it "my box of rocks", im going to miss her

 

[ca1ore]

What else contributes to the sound in the day apart from the fans? If I get mine at 25 db that would be ideal but without the basement treatment.

I run a closed loop during the day that is off at night; plus my three vortech run at much lower speeds at night. That and light fans accounts for the extra 15 db.

 

[oblio]

You can make a tank pretty quiet, quiet enough most people wont hear it. But if you want it so quite that you can't hear it when you stand in front of it in the middle of the night? Not going to happen. I understand your wifes concerns, but your AC makes noise, your refrigerator makes noise, your washing machine makes noise, plus you probably have the tv on if anyone is home. There is so much noise in the average house that simply staying under that noise floor requires just a small effort. How ever, the idea of "complete silence?" I think your best bet might be a gold fish bowl.
You will have living creatures that depend of you to stay alive, and making things quiet is fine, but not when you compromise the health of your tank, because your wife is being unreasonable (yea I said it)

 

[Dayson]

I'm starting my journey in learning about marine tanks and want to create a 60-80 gallon tank. My main concern is noise. Is it possible to create a 100% silent reef tank?

I know that buying the right pumps and skimmers for silence is important, but I'm looking at the actual tank design/sump system to be 100% silent.

So far from my research I've found the following

Beananimal overflow with sump
Vortech with Quiet drive power head and pump

Provided I get the right skimmer (or only run it when wife is not home) will the above setup be basically near 0db levels silence?

My wife will not let me start this exciting journey unless I can guarantee silence or she will throw it out.

Let me know if my above plans will work.

I was in the same boat. I am running a 180g with bean animal over flow, 2 MP40 QD, and a vertex alpha 170 protein skimmer with the red dragon pump. It wasn't cheap or easy but this thing is vertually silent. It is in the middle of my living room and doesn't bother anyone or anything. Whenever other reefers come over they are amazed at how silent it is running.

The loudest thing I have is literally the little CPU fans blowing air out of my canopy.

It can be done!

 

[mxm]

I was in the same boat. I am running a 180g with bean animal over flow, 2 MP40 QD, and a vertex alpha 170 protein skimmer with the red dragon pump. It wasn't cheap or easy but this thing is vertually silent. It is in the middle of my living room and doesn't bother anyone or anything. Whenever other reefers come over they are amazed at how silent it is running.

The loudest thing I have is literally the little CPU fans blowing air out of my canopy.

It can be done!

That's awesome and I'm looking to get the exact setup (not cheap but worth it). Just to confirm when you mean virtually quiet, is it below 25 db? Is it just a faint hum noise that remains? Can you hear anything from say 3 meters away?

 

[Dayson]

It's actually 24.3 DB... Haha

I have no idea...you can hear a little water movement from time to time but it is very quiet. I have greatly suggest the alpha skimmer if you are looking for silence and have a large budget.

Let me know if you set up this tank and I'll help you out. Make sure you get full siphon with the bean. It may take a little effort. This will put more pressure on your plumbing and may create leaks you wouldn't see otherwise.

 

[mxm]

Posting an Update.

I have achieved 100% silence.

Here is the pic, just started cycling

Not a single sound is coming from this Reefer 250. It is truly 100% dead silent.

Skimmer : Bubble King Mini 160 (Had to tweak it and add some silicone pads)
Return: Royal Exlusive RD3 Mini
Light: Maxspect Razer 180w 15k
Wave: Quiet Drive Vortech MP40
Tank: Reefer 250 with Silent Overflow

Wife is very happy.

 

[Sk8r]

I have a nearly silent tank...but I have a basement sump, an Aquavim tank, which is large and heavy, canopied and glass-topped, and has an overflow with a submerged intake, the lighting is Radion with a quiet fan, and the really noisy pumps are in the basement.

 

[ca1ore]

Not a single sound is coming from this Reefer 250. It is truly 100% dead silent.

Have you turned anything on yet? :lmao::lmao:

Just kidding ... would be interested if you put a SPL meter on it, what reading you get.

 

[mxm]

Have you turned anything on yet? :lmao::lmao:

Just kidding ... would be interested if you put a SPL meter on it, what reading you get.

It would read 10-15 db or less, it's truly silent. I did have to put some sound proofing in the cabinet to get it that low.