# Loud Air Pump, Do I even need it?



## 679x (Jul 25, 2016)

After about 3 months of operation, my Tetra Whisper 40 air pump has become quite loud all of a sudden. I messed around with the airline tubing to see if it made a difference, which made it even worse and I couldn't make it better again. Un-attaching the air tube from the pump makes it worse, so I don't think it's the tubing. It makes the noise no matter how you hold it, although it gets quieter ever so slightly when you press on the top. Still, the noise is much louder than it should - and used to - be. The pump is used to power an air stone in my 4ft 75-gallon Tropheus tank (also has Julies, Petricola cats, and may have Tanganyikan gobies in the future) but the tank also has a Fluval Fx6 which I am quite sure is adequate filtration for the tank. The air stone was just to give some gas exchange on the 1/3 of the tank that doesn't have as much movement. The rest of the tank has good surface movement.

I was going to get a new 20 gallon long for Multifasciatus shelldwellers, which I would've gotten a sponge filter for. The air pump that I have was going to be split into 2 airlines to connect to both tanks. I haven't ordered the filter yet so it's not too late for me to get a hang-on-back filter instead, and if there's anything that could potentially suck up fry, I can just get a mesh and cover it up. Now that I have the air pump unplugged to stop that awful noise, and the room is so nice and quiet, I'm starting to question whether I need the air stone in my 75 gallon, and whether I can just get a HOB filter for my new 20 gallon long.

After some online research, it seems the problem is with the rubber diaphragm, but since the air pump was so new when it had issues and still had a noticeable noise and vibration before then, I don't really want to keep using a pump. If there was a 100% guaranteed noise-free air pump, I'd get it, but I'm afraid such a thing does not exist.

If anyone can name a good HOB filter for a 20-gallon that doesn't require constant maintenance (one upside of the sponge filter was just having to simply squeeze it out every so often) or if anyone can tell me whether I need an air stone in my main tank, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.


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## BuckeyeTez (May 10, 2016)

As long as you have something agitating the surface I think you'll be ok. If you are worried you can just put a wave maker (I.E.: Hydor) close to the surface so it breaks the surface and mixes in some oxygen and I think you'll be ok. You may be able to just place the return of your FX6 closer to the surface to achieve the same effect.


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

I don't run airstones in my tanks - except for fry tanks where the air powers the sponge filter. They are absolutely not required, simply aiming a filter return along the surface provides enough movement to allow for gas exchange.

It has been a long time since I've needed to repair an air pump, but I recall that replacing the diaphragm was quick and easy. Sometimes you can run the air pump from a closet or other closed area (Cabinet etc.) to help minimize the noise. Also try putting it on top of a piece of foam.

Like you, I'm always amazed at how quiet my fish room is when the tanks are off during a water change - no water moving, no background pump hums. Then they come back on and I don't notice the noise again!

As for your question about HOB's, by far and away the most recommended seem to be aqua clears.


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## 679x (Jul 25, 2016)

I heard that Aquaclears are good. My main reason for ditching the air pump is the noise -- do aquaclears make noise other than trickling water? The new tank will be right next to my computer so quiet hums/water trickling will be easy to ignore over my computer's fan, which still wasn't concealing the pump noise much. However, I still don't want to hear any irritating mechanical noises. A gentle hum or the water falling into the tank is fine, I just don't want rattling or anything louder than a quiet-ish hum.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

I have used Aquaclear many times. They are as silent as it gets IMO. I find when it starts to be noticeable it means time to clean the impeller, however this tends to be after a few months of operation. Also as the water level drops in the tank you will hear water flow, but that's it. Highly recommend them.


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

I do not use any "air-pimps". I run an AC110, and it is not 100% quiet, it kind of hums, and I do not even notice it.


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## 679x (Jul 25, 2016)

If I can find a guaranteed quiet, good-quality air pump that won't need replacing/fixing every few months, then I'll get it and stick with a sponge filter for the 20 gallon (which I just got) and the air stone in the 75. I really just want an air pump that isn't so loud.


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## 679x (Jul 25, 2016)

Ok so I opened the air pump back up and took a long look at it. There's a metal magnetic piece that I'm assuming is the part that moves and causes the vibration -- when I pushed it to the side, mimicking the action it would probably make when plugged in, the edge was slightly hitting another part of the inside of the pump. It turns out that the magnetic piece was slanted downward instead of being level, which caused the edge to hit stuff. I simply lifted the magnetic piece up until it was completely horizontal, and pushed it again, and it didn't hit anything. So I plugged it back in... and it was as quiet as it used to be!!

I left the room for a moment and it got a tiny smidgen louder, so I turned down the bubbles on the valve on the airline and it got super quiet again. It has yet to get louder. Hopefully it doesn't.

Thanks for answering my questions, but if all goes well and it stays as quiet as it is now, me and my fish will be happy and I won't need to purchase anything other than the sponge filter I was looking at. Thanks anyway


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## Scott Bryant (Sep 28, 2014)

I have a Fusion 500 that I use from time to time. It is very quiet and can run two lines at a time. I just use a short piece of tubing with a knot tied in it when I don't need two lines.


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

Great, glad to hear the fix was a simple adjustment!


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## LegendaryDream (Dec 9, 2016)

I have never had an air pump but I always wanted one. They just make the tank look better and really grab the eyes. But in saying that, no, you don't need an air pump as long as your fish are getting the proper oxygen from the operation of the filter.


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## wryan (Dec 6, 2015)

679x said:


> Ok so I opened the air pump back up and took a long look at it. There's a metal magnetic piece that I'm assuming is the part that moves and causes the vibration -- when I pushed it to the side, mimicking the action it would probably make when plugged in, the edge was slightly hitting another part of the inside of the pump. It turns out that the magnetic piece was slanted downward instead of being level, which caused the edge to hit stuff. I simply lifted the magnetic piece up until it was completely horizontal, and pushed it again, and it didn't hit anything. So I plugged it back in... and it was as quiet as it used to be!!
> 
> I left the room for a moment and it got a tiny smidgen louder, so I turned down the bubbles on the valve on the airline and it got super quiet again. It has yet to get louder. Hopefully it doesn't.


As you found out it was a fairly simple fix due to a misalignment.

But one of the issues that you can run into on these diaphram pumps is excessive back pressure ... the pump can be fine when initially set up but then your air stones start to clog and flow less = increased back pressure that the pump has to fight against. This can also happen if the pump is oversized for whatever you are supplying with air.

It can cause premature failure of the pump diaphrams.

Fortunately, there's a relatively cheap and easy solution: _stick a valve in the line and use it to bleed off excess air pressure_ ...  :wink:



679x said:


> Thanks for answering my questions, but if all goes well and it stays as quiet as it is now, me and my fish will be happy and I won't need to purchase anything other than the sponge filter I was looking at. Thanks anyway


Glad to hear it's (quietly) working for ya again ... :thumb:


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