Which is more quiet, aquaclear or emperor?..
- Thread starter tampa4
- Start date
The funny thing I have noticed is that noise levels change not just from model to model, but from unit to unit. For example the Penguin 125 I use in my bedroom makes no sound at all; yet the one on my QT tank makes a light drone.
Now to compare models you would think a smaller filter would be quieter, but on my Penguin 100 the biowheel makes a slight spinning noise and there is a constant water sloshing, and yet my Emperor 400 makes almost no notable noise at all.
Aquaclears are generally thought to be quieter than Penguin/Emperors.
So you might consider one if the noise is that intolerable. Or you could choose to try another Emperor. If it's just as noisy as your current one, you can always return it in exchange for the Aquaclear.
Now to compare models you would think a smaller filter would be quieter, but on my Penguin 100 the biowheel makes a slight spinning noise and there is a constant water sloshing, and yet my Emperor 400 makes almost no notable noise at all.
Aquaclears are generally thought to be quieter than Penguin/Emperors.
So you might consider one if the noise is that intolerable. Or you could choose to try another Emperor. If it's just as noisy as your current one, you can always return it in exchange for the Aquaclear.
IF you set them up right, AC's can be as quiet as a HOB filter can be. The only noise is that of water flowing from vessel to vessel. I've dampened this by bridging the output of the filter and the water surface with some clear plastic from a 2L pop bottle. Just cut to width, make a sharp bend roughly the depth of your filter body at the end, and slide in between the outlet side of the body and the filter media. Make sure the filter isn't running before you slide it down 
I understand that the bio-wheel filters offer more bio-filtration than the AC's. If this is your concern, you can add some more sponge media or bio media and lessen or omit the carbon stage.
I understand that the bio-wheel filters offer more bio-filtration than the AC's. If this is your concern, you can add some more sponge media or bio media and lessen or omit the carbon stage.
New, or recently cleaned Emps can be noisey. Try pressing the intak tube down and slightly towards the rear- sometimes that helps as well.
Give it a month and let the impeller gunk up. This will dampen the noise. When you need to clean the impeller, don't clean it too much. Just remove enough stuff from the shaft to get it going again and only clean the blades and magnet when the filter will not restart. I have had impellers run for years before needing to be serviced on my Whispers.
Daniel
Daniel
I had an emperor 400 running on one of my tanks for eleven years and that thing was the noisest filter in the entire house. I could hear it above all of the other filters on my other six tanks. It did run like a champ though. I also had an emperor 280 running on one of my tanks for several years and althoughit is a very good filter it does tend to be noisey. The aquaclears I have running on three tanks are as quiet as can be. My vote is for the aquaclear.
Marinemom
Marinemom
