Sound-proofing stand

[keeperofthefish]

Honestly, Dynamat is not what you want. It is made to reduce low frequency rattle as it resonates through metal--not the high frequency sound of fans, pumps, etc. If you've ever heard a car driving by that sounds like a tin can with an egg beater in it, that is what Dynamat is designed to absorb. I don't know a lot about acoustics, but it seems to me that you want the acoustic paneling like cerreta recommends, which is also a lot cheaper. I am certain that it would become somewhat caked with salt, etc., but could likely be wiped clean. It is unlikely to deteriorate very quickly. It sounds like the T4 is great if heat isn't a concern. I am a bit wary of any spa pump because it is unlikely to have been designed to hold up in a marine environment. The Dolphin, on the other hand, is known to hold up quite well in a marine environment. If price is an issue, it sounds like the PanWorld is the way to go.

 

[gsxrguru2]

What about using the foam insulation board? I know I've heard of ppl using that before. I was actually going to give it a shot a week or two ago, but could've sworn I had read that certain kinds of boards work better and I couldn't remember what color those particular boards were..

FWIW, I have a Dart in my living room and while it isn't bad persay, it definitely needs something to help deaden the constant humming.

 

[shag26272]

yeah I imagine that green board drywall stuff would work too.

 

[gsxrguru2]

is that the foam insuation you're talking about?

 

[shag26272]

yeah its like sheetrock but its for bathrooms and such

 

[cerreta]

Keeper, I'm not so certain your assessment of the spa pump is accurate. The only difference between the spa pump and dolphin may be the wet end. The motor is the same. A wet end, regardless of type is designed to be leak proof and little is to go wrong with them. The only place on the pump that may be a potential for problems is the seal between the motor shaft and the wet end. The dolphin has two types of seals available, standard and marine grade. I have the standard seal and have replaced it once in three years. My guess is that the Dolphin pump and spa pump use the same seal anyways. I may venture to buy one of these in lieu of a Panworld pump just to check it out. If the seals are the same size than you can interchange them, however, the dolphin pumps come with standard seals, not marine seals.

As for the foam becoming caked with salt kreep, I have yet to see it. I have been using this system for 2.5 years and have only cleaned one spot on the foam from a leaking bulkhead. It washed out with warm tap water.

 

[gsxrguru2]

Scott, the foam pads you used were effective at reducing the noise from the pump, correct? Just wanting to make sure it worked for that particular noise sourse before I buy them. Thanks for the suggestion on those too!

 

[keeperofthefish]

Cerreta, you are probably correct. Companies are notorious for calling something "reef ready" and then charging double. I guess I'm just a sucker! If you do end up with the Dolphin, let me know how it works.

And as Cerreta said, the foam shouldn't really have any problems. Someone in another threat said they had purchased special antimicrobial foam. This seems like a bad idea. I'd rather have inert than something actively killing microorganisms. As a matter of fact, I just bought a bunch of foam off of e-bay. I went for the cheapest I could find and will end up paying about $40 with shipping included for more acoustic foam then I'll ever use. Should come in hand to silence the yipping poodle who lives above me.

 

[gsxrguru2]

You think you'll be able to get enough down its throat??? :lol:

 

[cerreta]

I use the Dolphin pump, which runs quiet. The motor is actually outside the stand, while the wet end is inside. I can't say that it reduced pump noise due to this, however, it does reduce all other noises within the stand like the skimmer and chiller. I think you will be please with it.

But, nothing works as well as repacing noisy components with quieter ones.

 

[kalare]

I used something called "america mat" 1/2 inch.

http://www.soundproofingamerica.com/Soundproofing_definitions.asp

They're located in Socal. I covered the whole interior of the stand. Bottom, top, sides and back (with holes for tubes and fans to circulate air). It makes the aquarium amazingly more quiet.

 

[jmccalip]

Wow, that stuff is $10.00ft. Way to much for me!

 

[kalare]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6736372#post6736372 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmccalip
Wow, that stuff is $10.00ft. Way to much for me!

Yeah, not the cheapest stuff, but if you don't want to hear anything coming out of your stand, this is the ticket. Just like buying cheap knockoff "dynamat," the cheaper soundproofing usually will not work as well (though I'm sure there are some cheap ones out there that work decently enough)