Vibrations are killing me softly (PLEASE Help)

[doubleshot00]

I use silicone tubing instead of flex tubing. They are much softer and greatly damper any vibration from pumps.

This with a silicone mat under the pump. Also make sure its a DC pump.

 

[Ashish Patel]

Ok here's my thoughts. I'm an aircraft mechanic and we have all kinds of pipes and pumps and runs that can cause vibrations and we have to repair noises all the time. Replace Any clamp that secures your pipe with something that's rubber. If that pipe makes a solid connection to anything hard it will make noise. It sounds like that pipe isn't secured tight enough. Make sure it isn't touching a joyste or the subframe of the house. This is for a smaller pipe but maybe you can find something similar.

Good suggestion, I removed all my clamps in the basement and its not as bad but still not great. I am pretty sure its the 1.5" PVC touching the subfloor, its pretty snug since I used 2" hole saw bit. The thickness of the subfloor is 3/4" and i have another 3/4" plywood so 1.5" of subfloor taking all that vibration.

 

[Auto-pilot]

Good suggestion, I removed all my clamps in the basement and its not as bad but still not great. I am pretty sure its the 1.5" PVC touching the subfloor, its pretty snug since I used 2" hole saw bit. The thickness of the subfloor is 3/4" and i have another 3/4" plywood so 1.5" of subfloor taking all that vibration.

I like sawzalls, I would cut that hole bigger and fill it with spray foam, then clamp that run with some of those rubber clamps and bam I think your problem will be gone

 

[rhitee93]

OK, I'm new here and don't know much about plumbing aquariums. However, I do know a little about vibration.

You've worked hard to decouple the pipe from the house to keep from transferring the vibration and causing the house to be the radiator. None of that seems to be working.

It struck me when you mentioned the 12' of head that the pipe itself may be the radiator. That is a fair amount of pressure hammering back against the pump each cycle. You might look into some sort of anti-water hammer solution like you would see in home plumbing.

You'd probably have to make a DIY solution as I've never seen one made from PVC. However, all they are is an air cushion trapped in a short length of pipe to act as a cushion when the water column slams into the walls of the pipe.

Edit to clarify: Pumps don't provide a smooth pressure at the output. The pressure pulses slightly several time per revolution. Your pressure head will cause more pulsation than a setup with less head.

 

[MAH]

Can you support you vertical pipe from your concrete foundation wall and not have it tied to either your subframing, or your cabinet?

 

[Ashish Patel]

I like sawzalls, I would cut that hole bigger and fill it with spray foam, then clamp that run with some of those rubber clamps and bam I think your problem will be gone

Im gonna try it with I just have to cover the entire sump with plastic

 

[Ashish Patel]

Can you support you vertical pipe from your concrete foundation wall and not have it tied to either your subframing, or your cabinet?

No. Heres the setup

 

[FishTruck]

I feel your pain. I get the same kind of texts from my wife - LOL. Smells too, watch out.

I bought an abyzz return pump, which helped quite a bit. Both eliminated the pump noise and decreased the pipe vibration.

My pipes are mounted on a vertical wall, the room on the other side of that wall has a nice humming sound.. but.. it is an exercise room (so nobody cares). There are no attachments of pipe to ceiling and the display room upstairs is silent.

The idea of a water hammer suppressor is one I did not think of! Might be just the miracle we are both looking for.

 

[Ashish Patel]

Can you support you vertical pipe from your concrete foundation wall and not have it tied to either your subframing, or your cabinet?

I do have a hammer drill and can create a structure that would come out to the pipe but this maybe last resort. The reason why i dont run the pvc to the wall and drill the hole in the subfloor closer to the back wall is bc I put a joist there so only have 4" of space. If I knew it would be an issue I could get in there from the top and just run the pipe along the wall.

I wish I had not cut up 25' of space flex for the drain and used it as originally planned for a return pipe. I didnt like working with flex and wanted to add a manifold (which now I dont need)

 

[Ashish Patel]

OK, I'm new here and don't know much about plumbing aquariums. However, I do know a little about vibration.

You've worked hard to decouple the pipe from the house to keep from transferring the vibration and causing the house to be the radiator. None of that seems to be working.

It struck me when you mentioned the 12' of head that the pipe itself may be the radiator. That is a fair amount of pressure hammering back against the pump each cycle. You might look into some sort of anti-water hammer solution like you would see in home plumbing.

You'd probably have to make a DIY solution as I've never seen one made from PVC. However, all they are is an air cushion trapped in a short length of pipe to act as a cushion when the water column slams into the walls of the pipe.

Edit to clarify: Pumps don't provide a smooth pressure at the output. The pressure pulses slightly several time per revolution. Your pressure head will cause more pulsation than a setup with less head.

This is great information, never heard Anti hammering water solution but I think your right, the 12' of PVC is acting as a radiator. What makes it worst right now I dont have a cabinet and canopy but once I build it I think that should block a good amount of noise. when I stand to the side of the aquarium the noise is much louder then the front. I'll take a video of the noise soon and post it.

 

[Ashish Patel]

I like sawzalls, I would cut that hole bigger and fill it with spray foam, then clamp that run with some of those rubber clamps and bam I think your problem will be gone

I am going to try what you said next but I dont know about the spray foam, I may just use some pink styrofoam. I recently drilled 6" holes in my house and use a some really nice wood bits. I could probably just drill around the existing hole with a 1/2" drill bit.

 

[Auto-pilot]

I am going to try what you said next but I dont know about the spray foam, I may just use some pink styrofoam. I recently drilled 6" holes in my house and use a some really nice wood bits. I could probably just drill around the existing hole with a 1/2" drill bit.

Yeah i agree it might be hard to get the spray foam to stay. The foam is mostly for sealing up to help with sound transfer. makes it so you cant hear whats going on downstairs.

 

[Ashish Patel]

This with a silicone mat under the pump. Also make sure its a DC pump.

I am using a variable frequency AC pump. Pump is controllable from 80watts to 160 watts. Its quiet pump but moves 6500GPH at 0 head. I just dont trust soft tubing with this kind of pressure pump. If I could find that soft 2" silicone tube that has a thick wall may work but the silicone pipe I buy now has a thin lining compared to pre-covid.

 

[Ashish Patel]

I took this when I set the tank up

 

[rhitee93]

This is great information, never heard Anti hammering water solution but I think your right, the 12' of PVC is acting as a radiator. What makes it worst right now I dont have a cabinet and canopy but once I build it I think that should block a good amount of noise. when I stand to the side of the aquarium the noise is much louder then the front. I'll take a video of the noise soon and post it.

Consider it a wild hypothesis for now. However, if nothing else works...

 

[Ashish Patel]

So i decided to remove all clamps and sponge under pump. Vibration went down 50%. I think the 2×4 being connected to the subfloor just transfered the vibration.

I still would like to get vibration down some more but its a humming sound now

 

[FishTruck]

make a water hammer arrestor. Simple air pocket. Then... let me know how it works - lol

 

[MAH]

The water hammer arrestor helps/works when the pump starts and stops by absorbing and cushioning the hammer. It will not help with a consistent vibration or humming that is constant.

 

[MAH]

Reinforced vinyl tubing is sold in 2" and smaller size. You might consider buying 2 feet and then inserting a 1- foot section just above the pump and at the top of the pipe. Just make sure you use good quality stainless clamps. I would also definitely recommend firmly anchoring your vertical PVC to the wall to make sure that it is supported properly if you go this route.

Something like this is sold by my LFS.

Reinforced Hose | RPVC-757 Reinforced PVC Tubing

www.freelin-wade.com

 

[Snoopy 67]

Did some searching & came up with 2 places for large diameter silicone tubing up to 2 inches.
Not cheap BUT---
I usually try to get a hose OVER the pipe instead of a barb fitting but @ this size it may not be possible.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/29964780