Have you spent time setting up the QUIETEST reef possible? Tell us about your setup! - Page 2

sirreal63 · 11/28/2012, 02:26 PM

I have had a few requests for a pic of the baggie baffle, so I took one. I peeled the corner on one end to show a little better detail.

I used a toothpick and put just a drop of super glue at the top of the teeth and held the baggie for a second so it would hold. It was a thick baggie and there is only one ply, and it has been cut to conform to the GH internals. This allows the water to flow downward without the water fall sound. This also works on any toothed overflow equally well.

kelp47 · 11/28/2012, 08:35 PM

Thanks for posting the pic of the baggie. I really had no idea what you guys were talking about, but I see how that could really help!

88rxna · 11/28/2012, 08:51 PM

My bean animal overflow is pretty much quiet...BUT, when a turbo snail decides they want to clean inside the coast to coast overflow.
It gets VERY noisy.

zakstrong · 12/08/2012, 01:08 AM

just struggled with this myself. I had gravity fed overflows. switched to the bean overflow. night and day difference. the only noise is the fan. literally there is not a sound of water trickling. tunzes are in and they vibrate a little.

atreis · 12/08/2012, 06:01 AM

My overflows are pretty quiet - the BeanAnimal design is great. Once you've tackled that one though, you might find the same thing I have.

I've tried 4 different skimmers now, and have yet to find one that's quiet. Currently, the skimmer is the single biggest source of noise. It's not loud, mind you, and no louder than the skimmers of other people (so it's not that it's set up badly or something like that) just that it's the most audible thing. I suspect it's that the process of making all of those fine bubbles causes a lot of turbulence.

If I turn the skimmer off, the next-most-audible thing is the return pump, which has a soft hum. After that, are the VorTechs, which are turned all the way down due to noise. (Because of the noise the make, the only reason I still use them is for the backup battery.)

Breadman03 · 12/08/2012, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88rxna

My bean animal overflow is pretty much quiet...BUT, when a turbo snail decides they want to clean inside the coast to coast overflow.
It gets VERY noisy.

I hastily trimmed a piece of egg crate to set on top of my overflow to minimize what could get in.

kelp47 · 12/08/2012, 12:51 PM

I've decided to go with the Vertex Alpha 170 with the red dragon pump (on back order). I've not read anything negative about the noise from these, so I hope it lives up to its reputation. It was a little more than I hoped to spend on the skimmer, but if it will do the job it will be worth it. I did at least get it at 14% off on Cyber Monday :-)

mobyich · 12/08/2012, 02:36 PM

My tank is super quite. I have a beananimal over flow, swc160 cone skimmer, mp10, maxspect mazarra p lights and mag 12 return pump. I sit 3' from my tank and I can barely hear anything from it.

mobyich · 12/08/2012, 02:37 PM

My tank is super quite. I have a beananimal over flow, swc160 cone skimmer, mp10, maxspect mazarra p lights and mag 12 return pump. I sit 3' from my tank and I can barely hear anything from it. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1354999052.333704.jpg

BigCity · 12/08/2012, 02:46 PM

Are there any issues with splitting the return line into 2 or 3 outlets so you could maybe split the flow for a refugium and skimmer section and then the rest in the return section. Allowing for higher return flow if you so chose to do so? Would splitting the line affect the sound level or the suction if all 2 or 3 return splits were submerged?

zakstrong · 12/08/2012, 04:17 PM

i have mine set up so that the drain was split between the refuge and sump. the refuge started to make a crap ton of noise so i just added an additional bean overflow to the refuge and now its silent like the display.

so the water goes from the return section to to the display then that drains split between the sump skimmer section and the refuge then water flows from the refuge into the sump skimmer section then all flows into the return.

just gotta adjust the overflows for you personal setup

E.intheC · 12/08/2012, 04:29 PM

After trying many different things, I am going back to an all-in-one tank. It's going to be a pain to find a useful and quiet HOB skimmer, but overall I am pretty excited about it.

zakstrong · 12/09/2012, 12:44 AM

...

tidewater · 12/09/2012, 06:42 AM

Bean animal overflow, ehiem return pump, black box leds, mp10, bubbble magnus skimmer. The loudest thing on the tank is by far the mp10! So I built a cabinet around the whole tank, from the floor to the ceiling. No noise even if your face is inches away from the glass.

Patrick Cox · 12/09/2012, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E.intheC

More on point.... I've found it helps to put my return and skimmer pump on rubber or silicone so it absorbs vibrations.

Are there any specific products you would recommend? I need something for my return pump and I would like a piece of something soft to place under my skimmer. I need to elevate it a bit and then to dampen vibration. Thanks!

11/28/2012, 02:26 PM	#26
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	I have had a few requests for a pic of the baggie baffle, so I took one. I peeled the corner on one end to show a little better detail. I used a toothpick and put just a drop of super glue at the top of the teeth and held the baggie for a second so it would hold. It was a thick baggie and there is only one ply, and it has been cut to conform to the GH internals. This allows the water to flow downward without the water fall sound. This also works on any toothed overflow equally well. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

11/28/2012, 08:35 PM	#27
kelp47 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Central Alabama Posts: 473	Thanks for posting the pic of the baggie. I really had no idea what you guys were talking about, but I see how that could really help! __________________ Kelley 75 gal mixed reef

11/28/2012, 08:51 PM	#28
88rxna Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: ludlow,PA Posts: 605	My bean animal overflow is pretty much quiet...BUT, when a turbo snail decides they want to clean inside the coast to coast overflow. It gets VERY noisy. __________________ 90 gallon display, CSC bean animal overflow/30 gallon sump (in basement) SWC 160 skimmer reeflow dart external pump reefkeeper lite a pair of ocean revive S026 led fixtures

12/08/2012, 06:01 AM	#30
atreis Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Yellow Springs, OH Posts: 942	My overflows are pretty quiet - the BeanAnimal design is great. Once you've tackled that one though, you might find the same thing I have. I've tried 4 different skimmers now, and have yet to find one that's quiet. Currently, the skimmer is the single biggest source of noise. It's not loud, mind you, and no louder than the skimmers of other people (so it's not that it's set up badly or something like that) just that it's the most audible thing. I suspect it's that the process of making all of those fine bubbles causes a lot of turbulence. If I turn the skimmer off, the next-most-audible thing is the return pump, which has a soft hum. After that, are the VorTechs, which are turned all the way down due to noise. (Because of the noise the make, the only reason I still use them is for the backup battery.) __________________ reef tank up since 8/2009. Previous tank up since 4/2004, taken down in 2007. Current Tank Info: custom 100g reef, custom sump

12/08/2012, 12:51 PM	#32
kelp47 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Central Alabama Posts: 473	I've decided to go with the Vertex Alpha 170 with the red dragon pump (on back order). I've not read anything negative about the noise from these, so I hope it lives up to its reputation. It was a little more than I hoped to spend on the skimmer, but if it will do the job it will be worth it. I did at least get it at 14% off on Cyber Monday :-) __________________ Kelley 75 gal mixed reef

12/08/2012, 01:08 AM	#29
zakstrong Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 357	just struggled with this myself. I had gravity fed overflows. switched to the bean overflow. night and day difference. the only noise is the fan. literally there is not a sound of water trickling. tunzes are in and they vibrate a little.

12/08/2012, 02:36 PM	#33
mobyich Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 52	My tank is super quite. I have a beananimal over flow, swc160 cone skimmer, mp10, maxspect mazarra p lights and mag 12 return pump. I sit 3' from my tank and I can barely hear anything from it.

12/08/2012, 02:37 PM	#34
mobyich Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 52	My tank is super quite. I have a beananimal over flow, swc160 cone skimmer, mp10, maxspect mazarra p lights and mag 12 return pump. I sit 3' from my tank and I can barely hear anything from it. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1354999052.333704.jpg

12/08/2012, 02:46 PM	#35
BigCity Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Avon, IN Posts: 206	Are there any issues with splitting the return line into 2 or 3 outlets so you could maybe split the flow for a refugium and skimmer section and then the rest in the return section. Allowing for higher return flow if you so chose to do so? Would splitting the line affect the sound level or the suction if all 2 or 3 return splits were submerged? __________________ 120g 4x2x2 40g sump w/chaeto&mangroves AquaC EV-180 skimmer DIY LED's COMPLETED! ~150# live rock 2-MP40's Current Tank Info: 120g w/ 40g sump

12/08/2012, 04:17 PM	#36
zakstrong Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 357	i have mine set up so that the drain was split between the refuge and sump. the refuge started to make a crap ton of noise so i just added an additional bean overflow to the refuge and now its silent like the display. so the water goes from the return section to to the display then that drains split between the sump skimmer section and the refuge then water flows from the refuge into the sump skimmer section then all flows into the return. just gotta adjust the overflows for you personal setup

12/08/2012, 04:29 PM	#37
E.intheC Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 5,373	After trying many different things, I am going back to an all-in-one tank. It's going to be a pain to find a useful and quiet HOB skimmer, but overall I am pretty excited about it. __________________ -Eric

12/09/2012, 12:44 AM	#38
zakstrong Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 357	... Last edited by zakstrong; 12/09/2012 at 12:59 AM.

12/09/2012, 06:42 AM	#39
tidewater Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 100	Bean animal overflow, ehiem return pump, black box leds, mp10, bubbble magnus skimmer. The loudest thing on the tank is by far the mp10! So I built a cabinet around the whole tank, from the floor to the ceiling. No noise even if your face is inches away from the glass.