Sound-proofing stand

headshrink

headshrink

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My current tank is annoyingly loud. I am driving 2 mag 7 (1 return and 1 skimmer). I probably get some vibration, but it kinda sucks and has always been this way.

I'm not really going to try anything else to fix it, but do want to plan better for the next tank. My current one was the starter/learner. I am curious if there are any ideas/pics of sound-proofing ideas. I know I will go to an external pump, like a sequence or something, but what about some form of insulation for the stand. It would have to stand up to the environment of course. I was thinking green board - maybe even 2 layers, or one layer green board one layer melamine..... any other ideas?
 
I'm curious what others say. I've got a Mag 7 driving my 75 gallons. I'm upstairs and can hear it right now.

I put a silicon pot-holder under the pump and can't hear the difference. I also tried a piece of extruded polysterene foam cut to fit the back of the stand. It just makes it a reverberation chamber!

Perhaps the solution is simply more expensive pumps?

Dan
 
they make sound dampeners for car trunks and doors its a 1/2" thick black mat that you cut and stick maybe this on the inside of your stand
 
I'm having the same issues with a pair of MAK-4 pumps on a tank setup I bought used. I have a small apartment and the noise drives me batty. I was just running it through the freshwater test and now I refuse to set it up until I resolve the noise problem. The problem isn't one of vibration (the cheapest solution to that is to sit the pump on a piece of styrofoam), but the noise of the cooling fan on the pump. I would not recommend Mak-4/GenX pumps to anyone planning to occupy the same room the pump is in. They are unacceptably loud.

You could always build a sound isolation box for the pump, but that may easily result in heat issues. Anything thick enough to deaden the sound would almost certainly cause heat to build up. In any case, the only way to go from what I have read is with the Dolphin AmpMaster pumps, or Sequence ReefFlo Dart pumps, from what I have read. At about $220+ a pop, that is quite an investment. I keep reading the Iwakis are very quiet, too. Can anyone chime in from firsthand experience?

I don't know why people worry so much about overflow noise. The real noise and weak point of most reef tanks seems to be the pumps. I would like for someone to come out and definitively say, "THIS IS THE PUMP YOU SHOULD BUY."
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6722230#post6722230 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by keeperofthefish

I keep reading the Iwakis are very quiet, too. Can anyone chime in from firsthand experience?
Click to expand...

I used to have an Iwaki MD40RLT as a return pump from sump to tank. My sump is under the tank in the cabinet so was the pump. I coud hear it from my bedroom two rooms away. As mentionned, it is not the vibration sound but the high pitch sound of the cooling fan. It was a great pump, but definitely not suitable to be running in the living room.
 
My mag7 return is VERY loud. Everything was "hard plumbed". I'm going to try all soft plumbing. Supposedly that helps.
 
This is why I have velocity T4 pumps, less than 30db each. I would suggest getting rid of the current pumps and buying some t2's,t3's, or t4's well worth the price IMO.
 
I'll second the vote for the Velocity T-4 as the quitest pump I've never heard. I've had my T4 for 3 years and you have to touch it to know that it's running.
 
The drawback on the Velocity pumps, however, is that they are water cooled and that means they have the potential to add significant heat. Danair or BruiseAndy, have you had any problems with that?
 
That is true. When I switched to the T4, tank temp climbed about 2 degrees. A small fan took care of the heat issue and there is marital bliss due to the lack to a noisey pump (priceless).
 
Wow out of 11 posts 1 person answered the question and then the rest were about pumps:D

Someone suggested the sound proofing they use for cars, its called dynomat that would work, but I am unsure if it would leach anything over time if you have an open sump.

Another good thing is very, very dense foam, this tends to cut down on niose alot!

I hope this helps.
 
first you need to find out where the noise is coming from. is it the pump itself (does it make noise when detatched from the plumbing)? is it the pump vibrating the stand and/or plumbing?

as for sound proofing, the other option to the rubber is the foil lined bubble insulation. but becareful, if you don't do it completely you will turn your stand into an amplifier.
 
i also have a 75 gallon tank with mag pumps in my 45 gal sump...now i have the sump sitting on 3/4" plywood, with about 15 gallons of flow....i have all my plumbing done with pvc braided hoses...its super thick and strong...maybe this could be your problem....or maybe your pump is goin bad, because i have 2 mag 7's, a mag 2, and a mag 24.....runnin my 75 gallon tank and i have zero to slightly any noise what so ever, and let me tell ya the mag 24 kicks a$$.....
 
here are some excellent thread links on reducing noise. Start with the pumps as these are the MAIN source of noise in any tank unless you have a serious design flaws or malfunctioning equipment. And I think this answers my questions from before...

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=429465&goto=nextoldest

Then think about soundproofing. Anything that vibrates should go on styrofoam or a pillowcase filled with sand and sewn shut. Go here or shop around on the Internet for soundproofing but keep in mind that real soundproofing foam is specific stuff:

www.soundsuckers.com/

And then worry about canopy fans, etc. Silenti fans are VERY quiet but there are other fans out there that will be quiet. The Comair Rotron WhisperXL is a great one, also.

http://www.silenx.com/
http://www.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Criteria?Ref=12985&Site=US&Cat=32440856

Now we've answered the question, right?
 
A heavy duty stand will go a long way towards quieting the noise, a solid and dense wood like Ironwood or Ipe is a good choice, definitely not particle boards or spruice.
 
I battled the noise issue too and solved it with a few changes when I rebuilt my canopy and stand.
Here are some suggestions:

1. I used acoustic foam in 12" squares and affixed them to thstand doors and side panels. It makes a tremendous difference in reducing noise. I bought a huge box of 12" precut pads for about $20 on ebay.

Pics:
DSC01043.JPG


DSC01045.JPG


DSC01046.JPG



2. The T4 pum pis the quietest pump I have ever owned. However, I live in AZ and tank temps soared into the 90's. I was forced to buy a chiller. I later learned the source was the T4 and replaced it with a Dolphin Ampmaster 3000. The pump is very quiet and I have been pleased with the change. It adds no heat tranfer to the water either. The chiller only comes on occasionaly during the summer.

3. I have owned Iwaki and Little Giant magnetic pumps in the past. IMO they are noisy and I would not buy them again. I have heard good things about the Panworld magnetic pumps, but I wonder if the magnetic pumps are generally louder than the Frame 58 motor style pumps (this is a traditional motor attached to a wet end, like that used in the Dolphin).

4. If you want an alternative to the higher cost Dolphin then check out spa pumps. The AquaFlo Spa Pump CMCP uses the same Frame 58 1/15hp motor as the dolphin with a very similar wet end. This pump is $130 shipped to your door. I discovered this after buying the Dolphin, but have been curious to see one in use on an aquarium. BTW, the side discharge unit has higher output. Here is the link:
http://www.amerimerc.com/spa_n_hot_tub/spa_pumps/aw_circ-master_pumps.asp#

Good Luck
 
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