Quiet powerheads

[Spaced Cowboy]

An odd title, but bear with me

I'm putting together a new tank. There were compromises made on both sides - I lost my (too small anyway) "fish room", Cin gained the 1/2 bathroom, but the trade-off was that I got an 8'x2'x2 tank instead. It does mean that all the equipment is going into the (hitherto fairly quiet) living room though.

I've been trying to minimize noise throughout the planning stages...

• I'm using a Bean overflow
• I've got a reeflo Dart return pump
• The skimmer is a Warner Marine K2
• The lights will be LED, so no fans

Now I'm thinking about how to keep the flow up, but the noise down. I was thinking of using 2 vortech MP40's along with the 3000 gph I'll get from the Dart, but I've been reading that the MP40's are prone to breakage after a year or so (unlike the MP10's or MP60's), and that they are noisy (for power heads) presumably because the motor noise isn't being muffled by water.

Neither of these two things make me jump for joy...

So the other option is maybe a couple of Tunze 6105's. I know lots of people swear by Tunze, but from looking at their latest video, it seemed to me the Tunze flow was highly linear; does having two (one at each end of the tank) work well to give generalized flow if you use one of their controllers ?

I don't have a closed loop although the return will enter over the top rear of the tank with 8 lokline outputs, so I was hoping to get some to-and-fro water motion from the power heads, and I'm not sure if the Tunzes would be too directional.

I'm also not sure if the Tunze pumps are relatively quiet/noisy. Power heads don't generally seem to come with a dbA rating

Anyone have any thoughts ?

Cheers,
Simon

[tommy tomato]

the koralia magnums are silent.. no experience with the tunze

[frog.pauley]

+1 on Koralia's

[shifty51008]

i run 2 of the older tunze 6000's with a 7095 controller and they are dead silent. on an 8' tank I would go with 2 of the 6205's with the 7096 controller.

[allsps40]

Plus 2 on Koralias, all 3 of mine are dead quiet.

[Peeyow]

I run 2 Koralia 4's and I agree with above, and the price is right. I can assure you that my Vortech MP40ESW is not quiet.

[James77]

Originally Posted by Spaced Cowboy

Now I'm thinking about how to keep the flow up, but the noise down. I was thinking of using 2 vortech MP40's along with the 3000 gph I'll get from the Dart, but I've been reading that the MP40's are prone to breakage after a year or so (unlike the MP10's or MP60's), and that they are noisy (for power heads) presumably because the motor noise isn't being muffled by water.

With a very quiet or silent tank, you will hear the Vortechs. I have a similar setup.....siphon overflow, 19 dB fans, sound proofed stand.....and I could easily hear the MP40Ws in the next room, 15+ feet away. I tried 3 different pumps of theirs over the years, all similar noise. Most that feel the Vortechs are silent have tanks with the usual reef white noise of skimmers, fans, pumps, and overflows....that is why they can't hear them, that equipment drowns them out.

Originally Posted by Spaced Cowboy

So the other option is maybe a couple of Tunze 6105's. I know lots of people swear by Tunze, but from looking at their latest video, it seemed to me the Tunze flow was highly linear; does having two (one at each end of the tank) work well to give generalized flow if you use one of their controllers ?

I'm also not sure if the Tunze pumps are relatively quiet/noisy. Power heads don't generally seem to come with a dbA rating

Tunze 6105s are definitely more narrow, but only initially. That flow will widen greatly into the tank, and will be able to reach the ends of an 8' tank, and it will move the whole tank well. The MP40Ws flow is a little weak for an 8' tank. I had them on a 6' tank, and was not impressed with the flow opposite the pump. I currently have a shorter 4' tank, and swapped the covers with the 6205s to give broader flow. That would not be needed with a long tank. The controllers work very well.

As for the Tunze noise, they are as close to dead silent as you can get. I did maintenance on my tank today, and had all the equipment off. I then run the Tunzes at 100% for a while to move the water after sitting for a while. You cannot hear them unless you are right up against the glass, like 2 or 3 inches away.....even then it is the faintest of hums. Again, this is with everything off, no air conditioner running, all windows shu, TV off....a silent room.

[JohnM99]

Tunze are VERY quiet, and the Vortechs are slightly less so but still pretty quiet. Either of them can get off - kilter and vibrate and therefore make more noise. Mine are quieter than the water spilling over my overflow. (which is louder than I want). The Korallia is also very quiet.

The Echotech's advantage in some respects is it's weak point for sound - the motor is outside, of course.

Depends what you do in your living room. If you have an audiophile sound system and like classical music - that could be a problem with any kind of aquarium!

[Spaced Cowboy]

Originally Posted by James77

With a very quiet or silent tank, you will hear the Vortechs. I have a similar setup.....siphon overflow, 19 dB fans, sound proofed stand.....and I could easily hear the MP40Ws in the next room, 15+ feet away. I tried 3 different pumps of theirs over the years, all similar noise. Most that feel the Vortechs are silent have tanks with the usual reef white noise of skimmers, fans, pumps, and overflows....that is why they can't hear them, that equipment drowns them out.



Tunze 6105s are definitely more narrow, but only initially. That flow will widen greatly into the tank, and will be able to reach the ends of an 8' tank, and it will move the whole tank well. The MP40Ws flow is a little weak for an 8' tank. I had them on a 6' tank, and was not impressed with the flow opposite the pump. I currently have a shorter 4' tank, and swapped the covers with the 6205s to give broader flow. That would not be needed with a long tank. The controllers work very well.

As for the Tunze noise, they are as close to dead silent as you can get. I did maintenance on my tank today, and had all the equipment off. I then run the Tunzes at 100% for a while to move the water after sitting for a while. You cannot hear them unless you are right up against the glass, like 2 or 3 inches away.....even then it is the faintest of hums. Again, this is with everything off, no air conditioner running, all windows shu, TV off....a silent room.

James, thank you. I think you've just persuaded me to get couple of Tunzes and the controller ths weekend, while I can score a labour-day discount

Simon.

[barjam]

Originally Posted by tommy tomato

the koralia magnums are silent.. no experience with the tunze

My magnum 7/8s are by far the loudest parts of my (in wall) system and I am hoping that maybe the new tunze 6095 are a little quieter.

The sound is 53db and is around 125hz (so a hum). In a silent basement it is super annoying but when the AC/Heat is on (white noise) it is fine.

[scarface70706]

i have the mp40 and mine is very quite. at first it was loud but after it broke in its dead silent. if the mp40 is making noise its probably from the lack of aligning the two halfs together properly. i think you shouldnt rule out the mp40 just yet.

[James77]

Originally Posted by scarface70706

i have the mp40 and mine is very quite. at first it was loud but after it broke in its dead silent. if the mp40 is making noise its probably from the lack of aligning the two halfs together properly. i think you shouldnt rule out the mp40 just yet.

The noise that I heard from the Vortech had nothing to do with alignment. The noise is a whirring sound coming from the motor, and if you were to put it in your hand you would hear it.

[Saltwatercoral2]

MY mp40s were silent even ran at 100%. Tunze are eye sores IMO, too big and bulky.

[Saltwatercoral2]

if you think mp40s would be too loud for ya.. Why not try a closed loop?