Will hiding my HOBs with a canopy reduce the noise level? Before I am commited to building one, I want opinion from folks with canopy experience.
Noise reduction ideas for HOBs
- Thread starter Tiger15
- Start date
I have nothing but AquaClears, and they are almost silent if you keep the water level up to prevent any splashing, run them with the plastic lids removed to do away with that vibration - lid against frame, and religiously clean the entire impeller assemblies every two weeks or so.
All I'd add to discuspaul's comments is adding a light film of petroleum jelly or silicone grease to the impeller shaft after you clean it. Do clean impellers every so often. One single cat hair can wrap around the shaft and make the filter noisy.
I can share what NOT to do. 
I put a small wash cloth between the filter and the outside glass of the tank to quiet the vibration. Apparently once when I cleaned the filter I wiggled the whole thing around so that a corner of the washcloth was touching the water. It wicked a gallon or more onto the table holding the tank and the floor. Of course, I wasn't the one to find it. My husband did. I came home to a tank with the filter unplugged and tossed outside and the heater unplugged and pulled out of the tank. 
However, he did mop up all the water.
I HATE filter noises. I've found the quietest filters to be internal filters (http://www.aquahobby.com/products/e_fluvalplus.php) or undergravel filters powered by powerheads.
wren
I put a small wash cloth between the filter and the outside glass of the tank to quiet the vibration. Apparently once when I cleaned the filter I wiggled the whole thing around so that a corner of the washcloth was touching the water. It wicked a gallon or more onto the table holding the tank and the floor. Of course, I wasn't the one to find it. My husband did. I came home to a tank with the filter unplugged and tossed outside and the heater unplugged and pulled out of the tank. However, he did mop up all the water.I HATE filter noises. I've found the quietest filters to be internal filters (http://www.aquahobby.com/products/e_fluvalplus.php) or undergravel filters powered by powerheads.
wren
I love my AquaClears. Nearly silent, great price andthey work so **** well. I don't know why anyone would use any other brand. I have 2 running in my 55 gallon and I can't hear them. I even keep the lids on them with no vibration.
Try using cork or thick rubber gasket material next time!I can share what NOT to do.
I HATE filter noises. I've found the quietest filters to be internal filters (http://www.aquahobby.com/products/e_fluvalplus.php) or undergravel filters powered by powerheads.
wren
I tried peroleum jelly but it doesn't work with my Penquen HOBs. I think it only works with Aquaclear which has a fixed shaft. Still, it won't solve the motor vibration noise.
Water fall splashing noise does not bother me. It's a soothing noise and I can silent it by raising the tank water level. The motor vibration and impeller rattling noise is annoying and hard to fix.
I agree that internal filter is the quietest because submerging in water dampens the vibration noise. But I hate to submerge my arm to change the filter, besides it takes up my precious tank space and the filter media is small.
I know canister filters are quiet, but apparently because they are placed inside the cabinet with sound barrier. When you listen to a canister outside side by side with an HOB of equivalent gph, the motor noise is not quieter. So I am asking whether enclosing the HOBs with a canopy will reduce the noise, but still have not received feedback from people with canopy experience.
My canopy was open at the top, behind the light. Only the output of the HOB would actually be in the canopy. Do you have a canopy that would totally enclose the HOB? I really don't think the normal canopy (open on back) would affect the noise level much if at all.
I hang my internal filters from the top of the back wall of the aquarium. I just pull the wire up to pull the filter out. No arms in the tank. They do take up tank space and I think they aren't efficient enough for big messy fish.
wren
I hang my internal filters from the top of the back wall of the aquarium. I just pull the wire up to pull the filter out. No arms in the tank.
They do take up tank space and I think they aren't efficient enough for big messy fish.wren
Wren, what brand of internal filter do you use? Let me do my research.
I can build a conopy to enclose the HOBs top and front, with the drywall in the back to complete the enclosure. Do you think it will be an effecitive sound barrier?
I can build a conopy to enclose the HOBs top and front, with the drywall in the back to complete the enclosure. Do you think it will be an effecitive sound barrier?