canister filter noise

[carsona246]

Just set up my first canister filter a Marineland C220 I got off craigslist. Trying to figure out what the problem might be. It's a distinct possibility I set up the filter wrong as it's my first filter and I didn't have any instructions except from what I could gather on the internet. Its flowing pretty strong so I'm assuming it's working, however I get a very loud hum out of the filter. I've read about rattles, but this is more of a loud hum instead of a rattle, but it's still really annoying. Any ideas on what I did wrong, or if this is a faulty filter?

One more thought, Instead of the filter foam and carbon that the filter had inside of it I used polyfiber, and cheese cloth. Thought it would be better and cheaper. I cut it to the size of the compartment so I dont see how it would cause the noise, but just thought I'd add that in as an afterthought

 

[Kzonon]

My Rena XP3's hum as well...they don't hum as loud as the water pump so it doesn't bother me but they do hum. Sorry, can't tell you if its abnormally loud or not.

The cheesecloth is a great idea, I think I'd have to try it myself, you won't get the chemical filtration from the carbon but the main thing is the water quality and if you are getting crystal clear water then I'd say it was working.

Now, if the cheesecloth is adding a little too much restriction to the flow, i guess it could cause the filter to hum a bit louder than it should. but it would be a simple test to remove the cheesecloth and then turn it back on and if the sound is the same, then its not the cheesecloth.

 

[carsona246]

I think I'll take the filter apart tommorrow and remove the home made filter pads and see if its any quiter, if it is I'll have to figure out if its the polyfiber or the cheesecloth, but honestly the cheesecloth seems less likely to cause restriction then the foam. It makes a nice cover to the foam and keeps it together in the compartment

 

[hamfist]

Hum sounds like cheap rubbishy transformers. The quality of these is extremely variable with cheaper electronic stuff. I doubt that there's anything you can do to reduce the noise.
I just bought a cheapo canister too, to just try it out ...... hums terribly. I shall sell it. was not a good experiment in the end !

 

[carsona246]

well woke up today and it's quite, maybe it just needed some time to break in the homemade filter pads. Not sure what caused the noise, but i'm leaving it be until i absolutely have to change those pads out

 

[carsona246]

I know this thread is old, but I thought I'd add some after thoughts. Changed my filter media for the first time, and if you're going to make your own filter pads out of polyfiber, and cheesecloth you can definatly restrict the flow. The pads were pretty nasty, so I decided to use half as much polyfiber to make the pads and the flow is now twice as much as it used to be. I always thought the flow of the canister filter was kinda low, which is saying alot as I use it on a ten gallon, but now it might be a bit too much. Just thought I'd give a heads up for anyone wanting to make thier own filter pads

 

[bbortko]

There was probably something lodged in the impeller and it eventually worked itself free

 

[Jaybird1]

My Rena XP3's hum as well...they don't hum as loud as the water pump so it doesn't bother me but they do hum. Sorry, can't tell you if its abnormally loud or not

I run a Rena XP3 on my tank as well and the hum was annoying. I took out the impeller cover where the shaft fits into a plastic tapered bushing. and I made a new bushing out of 6/6 nylon and tightened the tolerance on the through hole to about .003 larger than the shaft diameter . I also replaced the ceramic shaft with stainless steel shaft and it runs so much smoother now and it doesnt wear out as much..

 

[prettykitty]

for the c-530 I had it had noise in the beginning, just soak the impeller in 20% vinegar and 80% water and scrub it, make sure theres nothing inside the place where u put the impeller, and also dry it and clean it

Place it and push it so its bushing in