Out of these choices what would you do with your tank?

[Wiskey]

I've been in this hobby a long time and I love it, but the tank occasionally makes noise (drains out of sync making splashing, snail on powerhead rattling, skimmer overflowing and causing splashing etc) and that's become a problem for the household. The biggest trouble is that my wife can't do anything to stop or get away from the noise because the tank is in a central area of our house.

My tank has always been in the living room because I just love to look over from the couch and look at it. I spend hours each day looking over at it instead of looking straight forward at the TV but for household bliss having a reef tank in the living room is no longer an option.

I have these Choices:
1. Move the tank to my home office. I get to keep it, but I would not see it unless I go into the office to sit in front of it.

2. Convert the tank to Fresh Water Planted and keep it in the living room. I get to see my fish all the time, but I wouldn't have an SPS tank anymore. I could setup a simple salt Nano though.

It seems like an easy choice to keep the tank, but at least with the freshwater tank I could see fish in my livingroom.

What do you think? What would you do?
Whiskey

 

[homer1475]

Why go FW? Why not FOWLR?

YOu wouldn't need the PW or a skimmer if you went with an ATS.

 

[DreadCapn]

As happy as it sounds it makes you, I would try converting to freshwater (and since most of the marine equipment won't be used, maybe put it to use in a smaller tank in your home office).

That said, I don't enjoy my freshwater tank (slowly in the process of getting rid of it), so I would also take a look at what it is you love about watching your marine tank and let that guide your ultimate answer. For me, the diversity and 'personality' of my marine fauna is what I enjoy the most, and that's just not what you (usually) get out of a freshwater setup. This is a great read on Quora if you are interested in that topic specifically.

Have you considered a remote/dislocated sump in an ajoining room?

 

[Cheapreef]

Keep it SPS and move it to the Office, I don't think you would be happy going fresh water.

 

[Dmorty217]

Can't see turning any saltwater tank into a freshwater, but that's just me

 

[on the spot]

I voted for move it but would explore quieter solutions first. BeanAnimal overflow, DC return pump, and other "things" can lower the extra noise.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Move your tank AND your couch to your office.

 

[WLachnit]

I also vote to move it


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[KHahnOkc]

I would explore the ways you can reduce the sound. Baffling your overflow, beananimal style OF, silicon mats under your skimmer, foam basket for your return pump, good DC power heads to eliminate the AC clicking on, covers on your sump, neoprene lining in your cabinet and curtain covering the back to absorb sound (hood also if necessary). Just be sure not to seal it up too tight so you maintain gas exchange and release heat


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[Daddi0]

I have several tanks and to me freshwater just doesnt have the same appeal. I would try to move the sump first. Perhaps you can drill through the wall or floor and put it in the garage, your office, or even in the yard in an insulated shed. I would think once the sump is moved it would be at least 80% quieter.
Good Luck! Mark

 

[oldhead]

I would move it. You can then stream video to your tv and watch it there. This way you wouldn't have to turn around.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

I voted for move it but would explore quieter solutions first. BeanAnimal overflow, DC return pump, and other "things" can lower the extra noise.

This is what I was going to suggest, upgrading to more silent drains and equipment. If that not an option move it. I started with fresh water in the late 90's as a teenager, in my mid 20's I got the saltwater itch which almost instantly into a reef addiction which lasted until about 4-5 years ago when I sold off all my aquarium equipment and took a break. After 2 years I got a free 55g fresh water setup that I cleaned up and turned into a planted cichlid tank and I never really go into it and ended up selling it as well. Long story but point is fresh water just does not had the same appeal after having an awesome reef tank with everything that goes on in that type of biodivers marine system. So if you must either upgrade or relocate. Or a 3rd option is to go swap the larger tank to fresh water and use the equipment not needed to do a smaller reef tank in the office.

 

[Daltonbilecki]

get a new wife


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[Wiskey]

It's about as quiet as possible right now. The stand is soundproofed with material you would use on the walls of a music studio, it uses a Bean Animal overflow, and I only use Tunze Stream style pumps over rated and turned down to 50%.

The tank is nearly dead silent when running perfect, but the trouble is that sometimes a snail gets between the pump and the glass causing a rattle. Sometimes the skimmer overflows causing a splashing sound into the sump. Sometimes the topoff pump wears out it's parastolic tube causing the topoff to stop and the sump to splash. Sometimes a sponge breaks off in the tank going down the overflow and getting stuck at the drain valve causing more water to go down the secondary drain and making a trickle,...

Each one of these things may only happen once a year, but if you add up all of them it ends up causing disharmony once every couple months and now the tank is simply a problem.

To add to that issue, the bright (blueish) lights aggravate migraines. I did install a button on the APEX so the lights can easily be shut down for 12 hours, and set the lighting cycle so it's never bright after sunset but,...

My wife doesn't mind me spending money, she doesn't mind me spending time on it, but she wants to be able to close a door and shut it out when she needs quiet and dark.

It's unfortunate but I understand her position.

Thank you for the ideas and thoughts everyone! It's helping me consider my options.

Whiskey

 

[outy]

Tanks can be made quiet, not so much for the wives

 

[Reef_Pilot]

Make your home office into your wife's quiet space.

 

[on the spot]

...the tank occasionally makes noise...and that's become a problem for the household. The biggest trouble is that my wife can't do anything to stop or get away from the noise because the tank is in a central area of our house.

It's about as quiet as possible right now. The stand is soundproofed, it uses a Bean Animal overflow, and I only use Tunze Stream style pumps over rated and turned down to 50%...

Each one of these things may only happen once a year, but if you add up all of them it ends up causing disharmony once every couple months and now the tank is simply a problem.

To add to that issue, the bright (blueish) lights aggravate migraines.
My wife...wants to be able to close a door and shut it out when she needs quiet and dark.

It's unfortunate but I understand her position...

With a complete picture moving becomes the no brainer. Good luck with the move.

 

[urban_s]

Move it.

 

[mako61]

My tank is in the living room. I did everything to get the noise down. It is very quiet, but like you said makes an occasional noise.

The last thing I did was add Sonos speakers so my wife can play music. We typically have either TV going or music.

 

[BlueMarlin2]

Dont go fresh water, maybe try FOWLR?