Large tank in your main living area?

[Wrench]

So I've got a 220g upgrade in the works. The problem is that it will have to go in my living room. All of the supporting equipment will be in the basement. My concern is noise. When I was in my condo the noise of my 120 drove me nuts. I am enjoying my quiet living room now:inlove:

My question is for those of you that have large systems with remote equipment rooms as I have never seen one in person. How much noise do they generate? Flow will be two vortechs and two MJ mods and the other source of noise will be the overflows which I'm hoping to make silent using BeanAnimals design.

[nikon187]

If everything else is quiet you will hear the vortechs. I own 2 and can hear them easily and i am not using a bean animal ( herbie) overflow.

[Wrench]

Yeah they were the main source of noise from my old system. Not too happy with them.

[mpoletti]

I can hear my tunzes over my vortechs :(

[StripestheEel]

No real noise from my and it is smack bang in the middle of the house. Noisest thing is probably the ozone, when it is on.

[slief]

My 500G seperates from office from my living room. My living room is where I spend most of my time when not working on the tank. Thats where my entertainment system is.

All the pumps are under the tank. The chiller is in the garage. Originally, I had three Lim 1/8HP pond pumps, an Iwaki MD100RLT and a little giant 4MD. That was the noisiest it ever was. There was a bit of an ambient hum in the living room which I got used to and never noticed. I have since changed my pumps around and I'm down to a Reeflo Hammerhead and a Reeflo dart for external pumps.

The noise now is barely audible even though I dont have the doors back on under the tank. The underside is however accessed from the office side which its definately much noisier without doors on. When my capinter gets some free time, he will be hanging solid core doors instead of my original hollow core doors. I also insulated the walls between the tank and the living room and used sound proofing drywall. That seems to have helped A LOT!

The one place where it was noticable is in my bedroom upstairs. There always was a bit of a hum from the tank up there. Its much better now with the new pump arrangement even though the doors arent on. Its not bothersome as you get used to it, but it is there. Once there doors go back on, I dont think the noise will be noticable at all both upstairs or in the living room.

If I were you and my equipment was going to be below me, I would just make sure to insulate things well and use sound proofing drywall. I would also make sure that no plumbing comes in contact with walls. Drill big enough holes through the walls and throw some insulation between the pipes and walls to help seal off the noise. I would also use rubber mats or better yet, mouse pads under the pumps to help eliminate resinance.

[Wrench]

Thanks Sleif!


No real noise from my and it is smack bang in the middle of the house. Noisest thing is probably the ozone, when it is on.

What did you do to eliminate the noise?

[Juice It]

Like you plan I have a 200 in my family room with equip in the basement and 2 vortechs. For me the overflow is what drives me crazy. What is BeanAnimals design to quiet it down? I cut back a bit on the return flow and it raises the water level in the overflow and helps a bit but that makes me nervous. Love the vortechs though!

[tylorarm]

I've replaced my Dart's with Red Dragons, Darts were fairly quiet and nice pumps but Red Dragons different league, almost silent. I swapped tunze 6100s with vortechs, may now go back to tunze. I like vortechs for a lot of reasons, looks, flow etc. but noise was lower with tunze (and i have 4 vortechs). Thus, i'm pretty reluctant to switch back but my 480gl is in my living room. I also have an open top, but am going to box it in soon. This change isn't about noise though, just hard not to get blinded by the light.

[bullitr]

my tunze 6205 is quiet in front of the aquarium but i can hear all the humming from the upstairs master bathroom . also most of my equipment is outdoor so you can only hear the water.

[Reefer08]

I can hear my tunzes over my vortechs :(

Thats odd, I always thought Tunzes were silent.

[Reefski's]

i am comforted by the sounds. then i know everything is working. if it is silent it means i have a problem.

[vpower]

I have 2 tunze 6205 with the improved magnet holder and I can only hear them if I put my ear into the glass and listen very carefully :-)
http://www.tunze.com/fileadmin/images/product_database/6065.600.jpg

Without the improved magnet holder I was able to hear the tunzes from every room in my apartment..

[StripestheEel]

Thanks Sleif!




What did you do to eliminate the noise?

Not alot really. I just spent that extra few dollars on equipment that is dead silent.

There's always got to be a little noise (especially water) otherwise I would know something is definitely wrong!

[EnderG60]

I HAAATE noise as well and if its in the living room and the equipment is in the basement youre golden.

I used Mr beans overflow design, and ran the closed loop through the floor as well.

All I hear is a slight hum form dart, and a hum from the halide balasts(which I will move under the floor as well) and a bit of water fall noise which should be fine once a finish skinning the stand.

the only issue I have is the reflectoin on the TV from certain angles, other then that I have zero complaints.

[crazinezz978]

Look into the SICCE pumps...

SUPER QUIET...I hate sound and thats the only pump that enabled me to have no noise in my livingroom...