# HELP! Humming filter is killing me



## phibo (Mar 18, 2008)

Hi guys, I have a 17 gallon tank and I bought a cascade 100 filter for it. Its a cool filter and it doesnt make much of a water sound.. but the humming sound is killing me. I have the tank in my room and I cant sleep with that humming going all night long. Do you guys have any recommendation for a filter that is is quiet and without the humming sound? I do have a Fluval 2 plus under water filter. It doesnt hum as loud as the hang over but I dont think its doing a good job at filtering the water. 

Thank You


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

The Eheim lineup and the Rena Filstars are both known to be quiet. I have a Rena XP2 myself and it is decently quiet, but not silent. There is a somewhat audible hum, but I sleep with a box fan on, so it isn't an issue for me.

Good luck!


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

AquaClear is one of the best brands for HOB filters; that might be a pretty cost-effective replacement for a Cascade.

IME Penguins and Emperors tend to develop hums and rattles, too.

I have a Whisper HOB on my 10gal that is actually very quiet; as long as I keep the baby snails out of the intake... :icon_roll


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## phibo (Mar 18, 2008)

well.. I went to walmart and picked up a Tetra Whisper Power Filter 20-40.
That thing is super loud.. Am i doing something wrong? Is it the same Whisper that you guys are talking about?


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

eyebeatbadgers said:


> The Eheim lineup and the Rena Filstars are both known to be quiet. I have a Rena XP2 myself and it is decently quiet, but not silent. There is a somewhat audible hum, but I sleep with a box fan on, so it isn't an issue for me.
> 
> Good luck!


I have mine inside my stand cabinet, and I don't hear A THING. I have heard many people say the same thing. Makes me wonder if they have it in an enclosed space. The other thing is that maybe my three children drown out the noise of my filter without me knowing it. 

I don't know about the Whispers, but the Aqua Clears are very quiet if you fill up the water right below the overflow. They are somewhat counter productive for planted tanks though as they oxygenate the water which makes CO2 injection less effective. I know this because I speak from experience. 

The only other problem with a HOB filter such as a Whisper or an Aqua Clear is that you have to top off the tank more frequently than you do with a canister. I have a feeling that the evaporation rate is exasorbated through the oxygen exchange. Good for fish, not so good for planted tank (atleast from a high tech perspective).


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## bluelobster (Mar 8, 2008)

do you have the filter so it sucks up as much water as possible or do you have it set so it has a reduced flow? I have had a Cascade for my 35 and a whisper for my 10 and now a marineland canister for my 75. 
the cascade would make alot of noise when i reduced the water flow and not as much if i had it run as fast as it could go. the whisper filter i had was very quiet and i had no problems with it and so is my marineland. 

if the intake is not open all of the way then change it so it runs as fast as it can

GOOD LUCK


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## mach_six (Sep 12, 2005)

My AC 110 is loud as hell, I can hear it from upstairs when I sleep if I don't shut the door, it's not the water noise either which is more bearable. The impeller or something seems to be the issue but I've taken it apart and found nothing that would impede it from spinning properly. I guess it's old over 5 years or so.


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## cah925 (May 18, 2007)

I just bought 4 Aquaclear 50s. All 4 have a very slight rattle that drive me nuts. It's not audible with the TV or radio on, but at night with everything turned off I can hear them.


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## markalot (Apr 8, 2007)

Marineland Biowheels (Penguin or Emperor), even if you have to take out the wheel and put some other bio media in, the motors are quiet and they don't vibrate.

In my experience anyway. I have 4 of them in this computer room and all I hear is the water. 

Now excuse me, I have to go to the rest room again ....


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

Go get a 2213 or a 2332 and you will never hear another noise from your tank.


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## JSCOOK (Jan 7, 2008)

Go get an Eheim Classic ... you'll be checking it to make sure it is actually "ON" it runs that quite ...


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## phibo (Mar 18, 2008)

Seriously, I dont even know what Im doing with these filters i have tried. I just put them in together,them fill it up with water and turn it on. I havent got any good night sleep lately because I been testing these filters in the middle of the night, where the humming can be audible. I don't mind having water noise but the HUMMING is killing me. I just cant sleep with it. HELP!!

EDIT: Im going to return the Whisper and try a different brand. My LFS is going to hate me. I return a couple of filters already


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## JSCOOK (Jan 7, 2008)

Is the noise air bubbles possibly trapped inside and haven't worked their way out ... will make noise until they either break free and flow out or are dissolved into tthe water.


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## phibo (Mar 18, 2008)

JSCOOK said:


> Is the noise air bubbles possibly trapped inside and haven't worked their way out ... will make noise until they either break free and flow out or are dissolved into tthe water.


I dont think there is any bubbles. Water flows through the filter at a pretty smooth rate and It doesnt make much noise. Its just the humming noise of the motor or something that is driving me nut.:icon_roll


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## phibo (Mar 18, 2008)

okay i give up, i have try from cascade 100, whisper 20-40, Aqua 100, and Marineland penguin 100. All of them makes a pretty decent humming sound that i cant take. I guess ill have to stick with my Fluval 2 plus under water filter.


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## JSCOOK (Jan 7, 2008)

phibo said:


> okay i give up, i have try from cascade 100, whisper 20-40, Aqua 100, and Marineland penguin 100. All of them makes a pretty decent humming sound that i cant take. I guess ill have to stick with my Fluval 2 plus under water filter.


I don't see an Eheim listed yet ....


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## phibo (Mar 18, 2008)

JSCOOK said:


> I don't see an Eheim listed yet ....


Ya, i guess I still got one more brand to go. I have already been thru 4 filters within 24 hrs already. I think PetSmart is going ban me if I buy another filter and return it. :hihi:


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## Overfloater (Jan 12, 2004)

I have tried pretty much every filter on the market and if you want DEAD silence, Eheim is your only option. AC usually start out very quiet but eventually start making a bit of noise. An Eheim is a priceless treasure, silent and reliable.


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## Lee (Feb 13, 2007)

phibo said:


> well.. I went to walmart and picked up a Tetra Whisper Power Filter 20-40.
> That thing is super loud.. Am i doing something wrong? Is it the same Whisper that you guys are talking about?



haha I did the samething. Whisper filters do not whisper and are junk!! Your going to have to buy a canister filter if you want to sleep. Every HOB filter I have used or heard is very loud. Get the 2232 at petsmart for $85. It's worth it.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I can't hear mine and it's right behind me. It's also about 10 years old; but it may be the exception to the rule.

Eheims are top of the line- but have a price tag to match.


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Don't forget about ebay for eheim's !!!


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## mott (Nov 23, 2006)

lauraleellbp said:


> Eheims are top of the line- but have a price tag to match.


This statement is not exactly true anymore, Renna filstars are going up in price.
They used to be the "why buy Eheim when I can get an XP for so much less"
canister.
Not any more XP3's are about the same price as the 2217.
And Fluval I won't even go there

The Eheim classic lineup is a proven workhorse that has been around for decades.
That alone would make me plunk down the extra cheese.

So I don't entirely agree with that statement about Eheim costing so much more...


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

The new Marineland canisters look like they may be stepping in the gap for Rena, though.


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