# Silent HOB Filter?



## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

I am setting up a 20 gallon tank in a bedroom, and really need filter to be silent. Anyone have any suggestions? 

Thanks


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## Linwood (Jun 19, 2014)

I got one recommended as silent (Aqueon) and it hummed and hummed and hummed. I had it in my office and it made me nuts, lasted about 3 days, and I bought a canister.

I have been told that some HOB's really are quiet, but I decided not to try again. My impression is a lot of the LFS stores making recommendation their employees either have none at home, or many, and for the ones with many tanks their tolerance for tank noise is pretty high. I wanted "can not hear it at all". 

The canister I put in a corner behind a cabinet where even if it made a bit of noise I wouldn't hear (and frankly after the air gets flushed out (rock it side to side a bit)) it's darn close to silent even if your head is near it. I suspect any are similar, this was Fluval 306.

Perhaps others can recommend HOB's that are truly silent. But if you have trouble consider a small canister, if you have a spot for it.


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## 691175002 (Apr 28, 2009)

From what I remember about HOB filters, noise levels were extremely inconsistent.

Generally the filter needs to at least build up a biofilm to goop things up before it will be truly silent, but sometimes they would just arbitrarily start buzzing for no real reason.


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## SprManKalEl (Mar 12, 2013)

I like AquaClear. The filter itself makes almost no noise but I let the water coming out splash the surface and this DEFINITELY makes noise. I have never used a canister so I can't speak their quietness.


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## psych (Jan 7, 2013)

I have a Tetra Ex 45. It runs pretty much like an HOB filter would however I can't recommend it for a bedroom. I have this one in a nook off the entry way and I can hear it in the living room a good 15 feet away if I listen hard enough. I'm also looking for a canister to replace it.


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Aquaclears


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

Linwood said:


> I got one recommended as silent (Aqueon) and it hummed and hummed and hummed. I had it in my office and it made me nuts, lasted about 3 days, and I bought a canister.
> 
> I have been told that some HOB's really are quiet, but I decided not to try again. My impression is a lot of the LFS stores making recommendation their employees either have none at home, or many, and for the ones with many tanks their tolerance for tank noise is pretty high. I wanted "can not hear it at all".
> 
> ...


I think you might be right, everything I heard about the HOB are hit or miss, if they are loud or not. I was reading about the Finnex px-360 filter, which is a canister, but can also HOB. It looks really cool. Only thing I am not sure about is easy of working on, looks like I would have to remove the intake and spray bar anytime I wanted to work on it if I use it as a HOB.
Anyone have one of these?


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Aquaclear is probably the most quiet HOB filter I have had. However, they could get noisy. I found my Aqueon to be only slightly louder but more consistent. The AquaClear filters have the advantage of a better design for adding different types of media as well. 

Honestly, if you want super quiet, I would skip a HOB. I had two in a tank in my room and since I sleep poorly, I would turn off the filters at night. In fact, I ended up tearing that tank down. Now I have a ZooMed 501 on a smaller tank and rarely notice the noise.

I am talking about only the filter noise, not the water splashing. Any canister will be even more quiet when in a stand as well, even though my Eheim 2215 is not dead silent, plus the CO2 diffuser makes noise, I can not hear it with my stand closed.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Jan 16, 2013)

All HOB will create noise whether its impeller related or water agitation. Just think a stream in the forest, you'll get used to the sound. They do get quieter as they age.


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## Linwood (Jun 19, 2014)

CrypticLifeStyle said:


> All HOB will create noise whether its impeller related or water agitation. Just think a stream in the forest, you'll get used to the sound. They do get quieter as they age.


I found that the water noise didn't bother me at all. It was the hum. Continual, always humming. Humming.... 

The water noise... it doesn't bother me, but you can lower/raise/aim the nozzle to almost completely remove it, and still get good water disturbance. You don't need bubbles, just a large area of surface movement/disturbance. Large and wide is better than deep/high.

Hummmm...... hummm..... after a while you wake up and find you tore your pillow in half. :icon_eek:


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## Down_Shift (Sep 20, 2008)

if they start buzzing from contact on the tank, put a piece of paper or a thin piece of sponge between the level adjuster and the tank.. it will fix that


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## Bushkill (Feb 15, 2012)

One more Aquaclear endorsement. I've run a bunch over the years and I only hear the splash which tells me I have top off and it's dead silent again. At least to me it is.


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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

Aquaclear here also. I run canisters on my larger tank, but my 10 gallon shell dweller tank has an Aquaclear. I was amazed at how quiet it runs from my past experience with HOB's years ago.


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## Little Soprano (Mar 13, 2014)

To be honest, I have an Aquaclear and a Penguin running right now.... The Aquaclear is fairly quiet, the Penguin is loud. But the quietest HOB filter I've ever owned, is by far Aqueon's Quietflows.


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## AGUILAR3 (Jun 22, 2013)

I wanted a quiet HOB for my sons room so I tried an Aquaclear due to the rave reviews. Ditched it and went with a Tetra whisper internal filter. Since the motor is inside the tank, you can literally stand 6" away in a dead silent room and not hear a thing.


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## AndreyT (Apr 28, 2011)

AquaClear is very silent once you let it to break-in (apparently let it form some sort of lubricating slime of moving parts). It will be noisy for a first few days after the initial installation. It is expected. Then it will quiet down and stay quiet.


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## HUNTER (Sep 4, 2012)

I had aquaclear, sometimes it was quiet and sometimes not. I replaced it with eheim 2213, it's very quiet, almost non existent.


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## Reginald2 (Mar 10, 2009)

I'd have to say an aquaclear too. I've never really heard it, except the splashing, but I'll also own being at too many loud concerts in my youth.


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## im2smart4u (Dec 7, 2010)

I had an aquaclear filter on a bowfront tank in my bedroom for about a year. It wasn't real noisy, but it wasn't exactly silent either. Every once in a while, though, it would make a horrible noise, and it wouldn't stop until I messed with it for a while.


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## 691175002 (Apr 28, 2009)

im2smart4u said:


> Every once in a while, though, it would make a horrible noise, and it wouldn't stop until I messed with it for a while.


This has been my experience with several aquaclears. Sometimes it just decides to make a buzzing noise until you screw with it for a while.


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## latchdan (Sep 7, 2007)

I found the aquaclear not quiet enough for me, I've had a whisper HOB (got from wal-mart) and it was really silent, although not as good of a filter.

I've noticed if you take the lid of the aquaclear you get a little less vibration noise.


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Crazy how so many people have different experiences. Ive had several Whispers and they all sounded like a rattle trap. Had several Aquaclears too and only one of the real old 110s was anything close to noticeably loud. Currently have a AQ 50 on my bedroom 20 gal and you cant even tell it's running.


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## latchdan (Sep 7, 2007)

burr740 said:


> Crazy how so many people have different experiences. Ive had several Whispers and they all sounded like a rattle trap. Had several Aquaclears too and only one of the real old 110s was anything close to noticeably loud. Currently have a AQ 50 on my bedroom 20 gal and you cant even tell it's running.


Heh, yeah I've asked the same question about silent filters years ago. Never was really satisfied till I bought a canister. Got an XP1 and thing is dead silent. I wouldn't get a HOB if I had to keep it in my bedroom ever again.


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## bigd603 (May 10, 2011)

Any Fluval C series love? I have one and it's pretty quiet, though it definitely hummed at first. A little petroleum jelly on the impeller took care of that though.


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

Thank you everyone for the advise. I think unless I am willing to go with a canister nothing will be silent. So I picked up one of the AquaClear 50, this morning, and decided to put the tank in a room off of the bedroom. I think this will be the best solution for me.


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