quietest filter for my tank..

[EWC88]

Hey guys I have a 40g tank and plain on making it into a reef tank. Corals not to sure, I like the softies, I just want a variety of color.

But I have a wet/dry filter and I built the Hofer gurgle buster, and thats still loud...took all the bio-balls out and added filter bag and thats really loud. I can't nor can everyone in my house take the noise that is producing.

So my question is what will be the best bet for a filter for me that is QUIET. I know sand bed and LR and PH is the main filter but I want a mechanical one. Just something quiet.

 

[bertoni]

You could run a canister for mechanical filtration. It'd like be quieter than the wet dry. I don't have any canisters, personally, but my friends' was inaudible.

 

[EWC88]

Should I take all the crap out of the canister ( if I can ) and add Live Rock or anything??

 

[uscharalph]

Sock Filter! LOL!!

 

[EWC88]

Really don't understand ^^^^

 

[bertoni]

I would use the canister to run activated carbon. Since you want a mechanical stage, that could be used, too. I'd remove all the other media.

 

[EWC88]

Ok so just the cardon run. What canister filter do you recommend?

 

[bertoni]

I don't use one, personally, and I've forgotten what my friends had. Hopefully, someone with experience will comment.

 

[EWC88]

Ok. Thanks alot bertoni, you actually helped me out alot! since I've joined here

 

[bertoni]

You're welcome!

There are other ways to run carbon, too, if you're interested, although lots of people like using canisters. I use a PhosBan reactor, which I think is so-so in terms of convenience, but does work.

 

[fish 511]

EWC88,
I have an eheim canister filter on my 50g and it is amazing! When it is under the stand, I can not distinguish it from the other things in my tank! It is very quiet. I would definately reccomend this. I have taken out all of the junk except for some filter floss and filled it up with LR...HTH

 

[EWC88]

fish 511, How many holes do I have to drill inorder to have it run from the bottom? and what is there sizes in the eheim if so what do you think will be the best for me?

Bertoni the PhosBan reactor, how does that work?

 

[EWC88]

Also fish 511 what is HTH? I can tell you what it is for a pool store but not fish.lol I don't know all the easy way to say things

 

[bertoni]

HTH = hope that helps, I think.

 

[otterpop510]

canister filter should be the quietest, have one on my planted tank right now in the kitchen and don't even notice its one..

for canister filters, if you are doing regular water changes , have pretty mature ls/lr and mainly softies, don't put anything in it (so like a closed loop) and your tank should be fine. if you want, you can put in carbon/phosban but make sure that your flow rate is slow enough that it is effective/doesn't disintigrate the media.

i have heard of others putting in lr rubble, as well as putting chaeto and getting a small light to shine in (i think they found a semi-transparent/transparent one like the magnums?) and get a mini-fuge out if it.

in terms of brands, the fluval 303 is what i have and its almost silent (can't hear it unless i'm 6" away with nothing else on), i believe the fluval '04 and '05 series should be similar and are able to clean/prime easier. obviously eheim is top caliber (similar to discussions around eheim pumps here on rc), and i believe the filstars and magnums were pretty good last time i looked (but hasn't been for a while.. since i dove into reefing.. ). look around at marinedepot/drsf&s or others and see what reviews they get. also, you can definitely oversize the canister filter too depending on what kind of flow you want in your tank.

hth.. (bertoni got it right..)

 

[EWC88]

Alright thanks guys for everything

 

[EWC88]

Just wondering are sumps loud? or are they pretty decently quiet?

 

[jmack]

I heard sumps are loud but can't speak from personal experience cause i have a non-drilled tank with two fluval canister filters. They are awesome! I have micron & poly filter pads, carbon and live rock rubble in them. When I change out the carbon I can see live crustacean like creatures that live in there. Fluvals are very quiet ...if you put them in a cabinet and shut the door you can't even tell they are there.

 

[davidryder]

Depends on what pump you use. If you use a Gen-X PCX-40 it will probably sound like a small plane under the tank. If you get Poseidon Titanium PS-4 or whatever you won't hear it. Submersible pumps' noise is absorbed by the water, too. So if you dropped a mag-12 in the sump it will be fairly quiet.

 

[fish 511]

Sorry, EWC, lost the thread. In order to have this go FROM the bottom of the tank, meaning drilled you would need to drill 2 holes. But the canister filter comes with an intake and outtake that hangs on the back of the tank. Everything is included.

Also, "HTH" stands for Hope That Helps.