# quietest pump



## fishwolfe (Mar 27, 2005)

i have this pump on my 180
http://www.pacificcoastimports.com/prod ... D%26pg%3D1
it sounds like a jet engine.very high whine.its so bad i cant stand being in the room for very long.plus at night the wife complains about the noise.i sealed the stand as best i could and even built a box around the pump lined with foam to try and quite it down.you can here it still throughout the whole house.i need an inline pump that's quite.what are you guys using???


----------



## cichlids _killer (Apr 13, 2008)

poseidon PS4 external pump 1225gph before headloss....that pump is real quite..you cant really hear it even you stand right next to it...i got that on my 210gallon ..and get the job done.but be aware cause that pump will raise the temp in your tank up to 3-4 F


----------



## fishwolfe (Mar 27, 2005)

cool less heater usage.i'll look into that pump.how long have you had it ?what size of drain is on your sump intake?


----------



## cichlids _killer (Apr 13, 2008)

i been with that pump for almost a year..w/o any problem..one thing though that pump only able with flex tube 1" not able with pvc..so i do half pvc and half flex tube on my set up..my tank drain is 1"x2 and the return is 3/4 x2


----------



## fishwolfe (Mar 27, 2005)

thanks :thumb: i appreciate the info i really like your tank it looks allot like mine 8)


----------



## fishyfishyfishy (Dec 24, 2005)

Those pumps have been around under a few company names. The last one was from Custom Sea Life, which is now out of business. I had one under their label. Ultimately I got rid of them. Although they were perfectly quiet, the added heat (even on my 265g) proved to be too much. The amount of heat it added to the water was just too much as it raised the tank temp to dangerous levels.

I tried many pumps during that time looking for a quiet model. Iwaki, Little Giant, Pentair, Mag etc. I've actually found the mags to be very quiet up to the 12 model as long as you use the Mag anti vibration pad or something similar. I've got 2 9's and a 12 on my father's 225 plumbed externally (on the pads) and you can't hear or feel them at all standing right next to the tank. I've got Mag 9's on my own smaller tanks and they're perfectly quiet as well.

But, for bigger tanks I found the Dolphin Ampmaster 3000 to be the best solution I've tried to date. Over 3000gph with a very low average amp draw of about 1.2. Unlike the Poseidon, the wet end is kept separate from the motor which keeps it running cool without raising your tank temp.

They're a bit large though, but I love them. I've got 2 on my 450g. I estimate my flow in the mid to high 2000gph range and between these pumps and my built-in overflow, this tank actually runs significantly quieter than my smaller 265 did.


----------



## fishwolfe (Mar 27, 2005)

i appreciate the info.i'll look into them,thanks.


----------



## boredatwork (Sep 14, 2007)

Depends on what your definition of quiet is. And I have defintely found that to be extremely subjective.

IME it doesn't exist. I know are asking relatively, but to me they are all loud. And when I say "all" I am extrapolating to that generality based on my experience of just a few - but I've given up wasting time and money looking for a "relatively" quiet pump. And unless someone has used at least two different pumps by definition they can't legitimately answer this question.

If I could change one piece of equipment in this hobby that would be it - a quiet pump!


----------



## fishwolfe (Mar 27, 2005)

good points.i have a rio2500 and it is much much quiter.i think when funds permit i may give a bigger rio a try.


----------



## fishyfishyfishy (Dec 24, 2005)

best I can say is that I'm a nut when it comes to noise.

I've had Iwaki, Little Giant, Quiet One (old and new versions), Custom Sea Life, MagDrives from 7s up to 36, Rios and various models/sizes of each as well.

Of the mags 9's and 12's I mentioned, none can be heard or felt over the flow of water from the tank.

When you get into the big external pumps I don't think you're gonna find perfect silence. But, the dolphin was the quietest I found, draws the least current and doesn't add any heat to the tank.

I try my best to only comment on equipment that I have personal experience with and the Dolphin Ampmaster 3000's were the answer to my prayers. It's not absolutely silent like the Posedion (custom sea life at the time), but then again it moves much more water and without the heat.


----------



## fishwolfe (Mar 27, 2005)

i really like to hear from people with first hand knowledge.im toying with the idea of 2 new skimmers and 2 mag 9's.


----------



## fishyfishyfishy (Dec 24, 2005)

Danner has these anti-vibration pads that adhere to the pumps that virtually eliminate noise and vibration. They only include them with the 18 and up I believe though. But, you can contact them directly to purchase. They make all the difference in the world. On my father's 225 I have them on all 3 mags. One runs a protein skimmer, another a polishing canister and the third for circulation. They are all plumbed externally with flexible tubing. Neither can be heard or felt standing right next to the tank.


----------



## fishwolfe (Mar 27, 2005)

that sounds like what im shooting for.the pump thats in there now has a rubber pad/foot thing but the noise is from the pump itself.it has a high pitch sound like a small jet engine.


----------



## fishyfishyfishy (Dec 24, 2005)

take a look at drsfostersmith for the pump. they can be a bit more money but they have a 30 day money back guarantee if you're not happy with your purchase.


----------



## fishwolfe (Mar 27, 2005)

that is always a good thing.


----------

