How do YOU muffle the noise?

[TerryLowe]

I have a 125 gallon reef tank in my bedroom.
It has an external protein skimmer that hangs on back that is fairly loud but works well.
It has an external return that is fairly loud. (I have run airline tubing in the return lines and this helped some)

I have a 75 gallon sump under my display aquarium. This tank barely fits in the cabinet.

I realize that drilling the display tank glass would get rid of the external return, but this is not a good option for me as I don't want to wreck my growing reef system.
I know that moving the skimmer to the sump in the cabinet would help, but it does not fit under there. I would never be able to lift the skimmer's collection container out to change it. I don't see a skimmer online with a low enough profile that is strong enough to get the job done. There is only four inches from the top of my sump tank to the shelf in the cabinet.

I hung a couple of old t-shirts over the return and over the skimmer and it surprisingly helped. Does anyone else just throw a big thick quilt over their skimmer to muffle it?
Any other suggestions?

 

[JMSKI333]

What if you put mouse pads where the skimmer body is touching the tank? That may cut down on some of the vibrations. Did you ever think about changing your sump to something more workable? I almost have the same problem as you (getting the skimmer cup out) but I got lucky and it fits above the tank. I still think about swapping out the sump for more working room.

That way, you don't have to disturb your reef or your slumber :thumb:

 

[TerryLowe]

I will try the mouse pad idea. In fact, maybe if I taped some all the way the bubble chamber, it might muffle it even more. Just typing out loud.

I was also batting around connecting drain lines to my collection cup and letting it drain down to another collection container. But I'm thinking that keeping this clean would be a beast

 

[JMSKI333]

Yeah, I have heard stories of people's skimmers over flowing and draining a lot of water into their 3rd party collection cup and frying their return pump. I'd rather just have my skimmer overflow back into my sump. Which it has once or twice.

 

[Martyd]

I was also batting around connecting drain lines to my collection cup and letting it drain down to another collection container. But I'm thinking that keeping this clean would be a beast

If you are using an ATO, you are asking for a disaster.

 

[Reefing Madness]

What is it thats loud on your skimmer, what in particular? The vibration? The air intake? The pump noise?
You could use foam around the skimmer body, and foam around the lines to and fro. Foam filter on the return line to stifle the bubbles into the tank.

 

[definitionofreal]

If it's the air intake, take a pill bottle and drill 2 holes. 1 through the lid 1 through the bottom. Take the air intake and place in either hole. Cut a 2 inch piece of air hose for the other hole. Put some cotton in the bottle and close it up and enjoy.

 

[Intricateart]

You could build a small framed out box and line it with styro.I also ran my venturi are inlet with large airline into and behind my refugium.

 

[Flameback Pair]

You could run a sump with less length and have an external skimmer next to the sump in the cabinet.

Also check on modifying your skimmer's impeller to make it quieter.

 

[EW_Fish]

Run the air intake from the skimmer out a window or to your closet. lol May sound stupid but it will reroute the noise from the intake. With the external overflow your about out of luck on that one. If you had a internal overflow that would be a bit easier to fix.

 

[TerryLowe]

What is it thats loud on your skimmer, what in particular? The vibration? The air intake? The pump noise?
You could use foam around the skimmer body, and foam around the lines to and fro. Foam filter on the return line to stifle the bubbles into the tank.

It is the pump noise and the bubbling

Vibration and air intake are not bad

 

[TerryLowe]

Run the air intake from the skimmer out a window or to your closet. lol May sound stupid but it will reroute the noise from the intake. With the external overflow your about out of luck on that one. If you had a internal overflow that would be a bit easier to fix.

Ok. I will reroute the intake and see how that does

 

[Coraloliseffect]

A muffler works like a champ to quiet intake. Basically take a pill bottle and drill a hole on both ends. Then put tubing into each end so the bottle is a expansion chamber.
For pump if it is for sleeping. No need to skim 24 hrs. Could switch off for the 8 hrs at night.
Practical Not elegant.

 

[redfishbluefish]

When I first started with saltwater I had an external overflow. It too was noisy. What I did was make a durso type pipe assembly that simply friction fit into the drain hole of the overflow. It virtually silenced the overflow.

After a couple floods, I eventually went with a Glass-Holes overflow.

 

[gtbarsi]

If you want a quiet pump, you have to go in sump. I am convinced I can find you something that would work.

What is the total height from the bottom of your sump to the the shelf in the cabinet?
What are the dimensions of the chambers in your sump, and at what height is the water stable at for each one?