How Can I silence the air in-take on my skimmer??

treedog5 · 06/21/2015, 08:32 AM

So I picked up a used SCA-301 skimmer from someone, skimmer seems to be working pretty good but it's humming like crazy. The humming noise is really loud and if I place my finger over the air in-take it's silent but doesn't work of course, this skimmer came with a silencer but if I put the silencer on it doesn't change the noise at all. What can I do to remove this noise? I've seen all the threads about using a pill bottle but I'm assuming the factory silencer works the same way, right?

Portsie · 06/21/2015, 10:58 AM

If the factory silencer has a little knob on it you can try attaching a length of airline tubing to it. I did this with a reef octopus skimmer once and it made a huge difference. I used rigid airline tubing, about 8 inches long.

cichlid9 · 06/21/2015, 12:09 PM

I used the pill bottle silencer on my cpr backpak skimmer, works great!

treedog5 · 06/21/2015, 12:53 PM

The silencer doesn't have a knob on it, see the picture.

stancfii · 06/21/2015, 01:08 PM

Drill a hole into the cap of the skimmer cup and plug the end in there. It will make it dead silent, and the humid air will prevent salt buildup that slowly blocks the intake over time.

ca1ore · 06/21/2015, 01:47 PM

Typically airline noise is a 'sucking' sound not a hum. Silencer may be working fine, with the noise problem something else.

treedog5 · 06/21/2015, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ca1ore

Typically airline noise is a 'sucking' sound not a hum. Silencer may be working fine, with the noise problem something else.

Ok, but if i place my finger over the airline the skimmer is dead silent. That's why i assumed it was the in-take, if not that then what could be the next cause?

treedog5 · 06/21/2015, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stancfii

Drill a hole into the cap of the skimmer cup and plug the end in there. It will make it dead silent, and the humid air will prevent salt buildup that slowly blocks the intake over time.

So your saying to drill a hole into the top of the cup and stick the air line into that?

ca1ore · 06/21/2015, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treedog5

Ok, but if i place my finger over the airline the skimmer is dead silent. That's why i assumed it was the in-take, if not that then what could be the next cause?

Understood, but a 'silencer' will only damp the noise resulting from air being sucked down the hose. When you block the airline and prevent air from entering, the pump will run more 'smoothly'. All I am suggesting is that the noise may be a result of the actual pump itself. If you have a piece of hose at hand, extend the airline of the skimmer to another room where you cannot hear the sucking sound; if you still hear the hum at the skimmer, then no silencer is going to solve the problem.

ash.xach · 06/21/2015, 03:31 PM

Pvc mod on the skimmers intake

treedog5 · 06/22/2015, 06:52 AM

So I tried the pill bottle and it didn't help at all. Looking up PVC mod now.

NTP66 · 06/22/2015, 07:23 AM

FWIW, simply attaching a 6" section of plastic tubing to the top of one of the intake tubes (the other is capped off) on my NWB-150 quieted it down considerably. The tube bends a bit so that it's aiming at the back of the stand.

treedog5 · 06/22/2015, 07:54 AM

Ok, the skimmer only has one intake line as you can see in the pic. I guess i can buy some tubing and see if that helps, I'm trying to decide if I should just buy a new pump. Hate to buy one and turns out that wasn't the problem though.

ca1ore · 06/22/2015, 11:04 AM

OK, asked a different way .....

Where is the noise coming from? Is it coming from out of the end of the airline, or is it coming from the actual pump itself? If the latter, then you're likely wasting your time fooling around with various silencers. Have you opened up the pump volute to see if there is something amiss with the impeller, or some kind of obstruction?

treedog5 · 06/22/2015, 12:51 PM

Sorry if I confused anyone, the loud humming is coming from the motor. If I place my finger over the airline then the noise stops, that's why I assumed it had something to do with the air in-take. I pulled the motor off last night to check it out and all looked fine, i cleaned it up and put it back on but same noise.

cmcoker · 06/22/2015, 01:31 PM

Could try a silicone trivet under your pump to buffer the motor from vibrating against the sump

stancfii · 06/24/2015, 11:22 AM

I agree. I went to Target and bought two silicone oven mitts (square in shape). I put one under the skimmer and the other under the pump. Combine that with drilling a hole in the lid of the skimmer cup and running the end of the air intake into the skimmer cup, it is dead silent.

You may also want to take apart the pump and make sure it is well cleaned.

06/21/2015, 08:32 AM	#1
treedog5 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Rocky Mount NC Posts: 130	How Can I silence the air in-take on my skimmer?? So I picked up a used SCA-301 skimmer from someone, skimmer seems to be working pretty good but it's humming like crazy. The humming noise is really loud and if I place my finger over the air in-take it's silent but doesn't work of course, this skimmer came with a silencer but if I put the silencer on it doesn't change the noise at all. What can I do to remove this noise? I've seen all the threads about using a pill bottle but I'm assuming the factory silencer works the same way, right?

06/21/2015, 10:58 AM	#2
Portsie Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 741	If the factory silencer has a little knob on it you can try attaching a length of airline tubing to it. I did this with a reef octopus skimmer once and it made a huge difference. I used rigid airline tubing, about 8 inches long. __________________ 90g corner overflow, 33g sump, Apex, Vertex IN-100, 2x MP-10w ES, 1X MP-40w, Tunze Osmolator, 60lbs Caribsea oolite, 85lbs live rock, 4x54w T5 with LED moonlights

06/21/2015, 01:08 PM	#5
stancfii Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 583	Drill a hole into the cap of the skimmer cup and plug the end in there. It will make it dead silent, and the humid air will prevent salt buildup that slowly blocks the intake over time. __________________ 180g SPS -3 x 250w Radiums, 2 x VHO actinic, DIY RB LED strip, and a EuroReef skimmer modded with a DC pump.

06/21/2015, 01:47 PM	#6
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	Typically airline noise is a 'sucking' sound not a hum. Silencer may be working fine, with the noise problem something else. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

06/22/2015, 07:23 AM	#12
NTP66 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: PA Posts: 975	FWIW, simply attaching a 6" section of plastic tubing to the top of one of the intake tubes (the other is capped off) on my NWB-150 quieted it down considerably. The tube bends a bit so that it's aiming at the back of the stand. __________________ Nick Current Tank Info: 90g FOWLR, Reef Octopus NWB-150 skimmer, MP40wES x2, Eheim 1260 return, BuildMyLED 20,000k XB LEDs, Apex Jr.

06/21/2015, 12:09 PM	#3
cichlid9 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: West Sac Posts: 463	I used the pill bottle silencer on my cpr backpak skimmer, works great!

06/21/2015, 03:31 PM	#10
ash.xach Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 28	Pvc mod on the skimmers intake

06/22/2015, 06:52 AM	#11
treedog5 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Rocky Mount NC Posts: 130	So I tried the pill bottle and it didn't help at all. Looking up PVC mod now.

06/22/2015, 11:04 AM	#14
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	OK, asked a different way ..... Where is the noise coming from? Is it coming from out of the end of the airline, or is it coming from the actual pump itself? If the latter, then you're likely wasting your time fooling around with various silencers. Have you opened up the pump volute to see if there is something amiss with the impeller, or some kind of obstruction? __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

06/22/2015, 12:51 PM	#15
treedog5 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Rocky Mount NC Posts: 130	Sorry if I confused anyone, the loud humming is coming from the motor. If I place my finger over the airline then the noise stops, that's why I assumed it had something to do with the air in-take. I pulled the motor off last night to check it out and all looked fine, i cleaned it up and put it back on but same noise.

06/22/2015, 01:31 PM	#16
cmcoker Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 189	Could try a silicone trivet under your pump to buffer the motor from vibrating against the sump

06/24/2015, 11:22 AM	#17
stancfii Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 583	I agree. I went to Target and bought two silicone oven mitts (square in shape). I put one under the skimmer and the other under the pump. Combine that with drilling a hole in the lid of the skimmer cup and running the end of the air intake into the skimmer cup, it is dead silent. You may also want to take apart the pump and make sure it is well cleaned. __________________ 180g SPS -3 x 250w Radiums, 2 x VHO actinic, DIY RB LED strip, and a EuroReef skimmer modded with a DC pump.