# Least noisy hang on back filter.



## Dmaaaaax (Feb 3, 2009)

What is the least noisey hang on the back filter you all could suggest for a 10-20g tank? I have used the ones from DrFosterSmith (with the skimmer) and they are noisy reguardless of if you have the skimmer open or close.









I also had an old one from Millennium. Good filter, but also quite noisey especially if you openned the air line:









Can some of you who have tried multiple filters please recommend a good one that is fairly quiet. I have yet to try Rena, Filstar, and Marineland (biowheel). How are they?


----------



## t0p_sh0tta (Jan 24, 2008)

I have 3 Aquaclear filters that are silent if you get the top to sit correctly.


----------



## redfalconf35 (Feb 24, 2008)

Yeah, my Aquaclears are really quiet until the water level gets low, but that's gonna happen with any HOB. The only time these filters make noise is when they're chewing through air in the intake, but that goes away in 15 or 30 seconds.


----------



## sp33drhno (Jan 8, 2009)

i have 2 aquaclear and 5 marineland bio-wheel filters. they are barely audible. one of the marineland filters does get a bit noisy from time to time, but that's usually from plant matter getting tangled in the impeller. these filters have been extremely reliable.


----------



## Dmaaaaax (Feb 3, 2009)

Thanks so far. Has anyone compared them to the Rena? Those 2 seem to have all 3 filtrations: bio, mechanical, and chemical.

One question about the Aquaclears. Is the water coming in forced to go through the sponge first? From the box pics it just looks like the water comes in from behind which means it can bypass some of the sponge.


----------



## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

The water is sucked through the inlet tube into the impeller, impeller chamber, and then (over)flows through sponges, over the lip back into the tank. IF the sponges would be extremely clogged, I guess the water level would rise and eventually flow over the sponges and you'd get some bypass that way. Of course, none of these HOB filters are truly zero-bypass as some canisters are.

Sponges provide both mechanical and biological filtration, and you don't need chemical filtration for planted tanks. Although you can stuff different stuff into the AquaClear compartments as well, I have always used sponges only.

And just to confirm that the AquaClear 10 (former Mini) is pretty silent. For a 20gal tank you would need a size up though.


----------



## Sixwing (Jan 30, 2009)

I've had AquaClears and big Penguin BioWheels (not recommended). I much prefer the AquaClears.

They do force the water through the sponge from bottom to top; not sure how this works, but the bottom sponges on mine always get the most crud fastest. They claim to recirculate the water in the filter chamber if they are not allowed full flow. While I can't vouch for scientific accuracy, the AC20 on my 10-gallon at work keeps the water crystal clear, silently.


----------



## Natty (Apr 2, 2008)

AquaClear and Whisper are the only ones I've ever used. They are pretty silent as long as you keep the water near the very edge of the outflow or you make a slide so water can go down it.

The noise mostly comes from the water dropping some distance down as it exists the filter and back into the tank. Other than that, it runs almost silent.


----------



## bishop169 (Aug 14, 2008)

I have a cascade dont even know the thing is on. I have to look at my tank to make sure its running


----------



## Dmaaaaax (Feb 3, 2009)

Thanks all....I am kind of surprised no one has tried the Rena that has removable compartments.

My noise is mainly form the motor siphoning up the water, it seems to make a lot of air so I am not sure if the area there is not deep enough and the rotor is sucking in air or what. This is even when the water line is at the very top. 

It looks like I will be trying an Aquaclear for now.


----------



## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

I had an Aquaclear 150 (I think it's called a 30 now?), and it constantly sounded like an old man clearing his throat. The motor had some pretty noticeable vibration sounds, and if the top was on, it simply amplified it more. I sold that filter, and replaced it with an Eheim 2215, and it's about as noisy, but does a better job filtering the tank. Granted, the Eheim is a used filter, I'm sure new they would be much more quiet.


----------



## Blown 346 (Dec 8, 2008)

I have a Marineland filter on my 30 and it is dead silent. It did make a little noise form water splashing but that stopped after it ran for about 2 days.


----------



## Dmaaaaax (Feb 3, 2009)

So 1 negative with the aquaclear? Has anyone else noticed noise issues with it?


----------



## leviathan0 (Oct 6, 2007)

AquaClears have always been noisy for me as well.


----------



## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2008)

If your intake tube doesn't have air in it, then noise would mean you need a new impeller shaft or complete impeller assembly. 





Dmaaaaax said:


> Thanks all....I am kind of surprised no one has tried the Rena that has removable compartments.
> 
> My noise is mainly form the motor siphoning up the water, it seems to make a lot of air so I am not sure if the area there is not deep enough and the rotor is sucking in air or what. This is even when the water line is at the very top.
> 
> It looks like I will be trying an Aquaclear for now.


----------



## dravenxavier (Jan 29, 2009)

I'll vouch for the AquaClear filters as well. By far my favorites. They've always been quiet for me, and I like that the entire chamber is filled with media, rather than removable cartridges like Whisper, Marineland, and pretty much every other standard HOB. Plenty of space for sponge, bio, peat, chemi-pure, purigen, or whatever your heart desires (within reason, of course). I like to think of them as little HOB canister filters. If I had to pick a second choice, I'd run with Marineland.


----------



## h2osanity (Sep 19, 2008)

I'm running 3 Aquaclears - completely silent except for the water hitting the surface when the level drops. They are the only filtration in all 3 of these tanks. (2x20 gal and 1x10gallon)
I also modded the filter material to eliminate the sponges....I use either fluval bio rings or eheim cocoa puffs with a top layer of filter floss for polishing (easier to clean out and don't have to tear down the filter)


----------



## Dmaaaaax (Feb 3, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> If your intake tube doesn't have air in it, then noise would mean you need a new impeller shaft or complete impeller assembly.


I think the impeller is just too strong or the area of water where the impeller is in, is just to small/shallow. It seems to make a vortex and suck air from the top of the filter. The unit is brand new and does not seem to have any defects.


----------

