Why are filters so loud?

[knightmare1968]

Hello everyone. I have a 55 gallon that I am running two penguin 350's on the filter great the water is always clear , But recently they started to get very louI replaced one of them about 3 weeks ago and now the new one is loud too. How can I make these closer to silent or am i just screwed? I have black tahitian moon sand in the bottom it seems very heavy could this be causing it? getting into impellers? any help you have would be greatly appreciated

 

[moxxommox]

tried washing it all out?>

 

[stotty]

Yes it sounds like your substrate is causing the problem. If your new one was quite then got load I would definitely say it is. I am not familiar with the filters workings 350 is a BIO-Wheel Power Filter is it not? Have you tried stripping it down and cleaning the relevant parts I can imagine when it gets grit in it it would make an awful noise as the wheel spins round. If not how about some sort of pr filter sponge on the inlet

 

[knightmare1968]

I did clean them out and it does not seem to help. Yes they are biowheel HOB filters. Everyone that uses sand doesnt have this problem do they? Or is it only with this kind of filter?

 

[CHOMPERS]

When a HOB filter suck up sand, the sand gets into all the wrong places. Like in the impeller housing. When it does, it grinds away at the sides and you get noise. Also, it causes premature bearing failure in the impeller. Thus the noise. I experienced the same thing when I went to sand.

 

[knightmare1968]

Ok so the sand is doing it how do i stop it? Do i have to get something other than sand?( I really like the moon sand) or would a differnt filter (canister) not have the same problem as the HOB? I know a lot of people use sand so there must be something to do...

BTW thanks for the responses

 

[CHOMPERS]

Yep. I solved my problem with switching to a sump filter and a wet/dry filter.

Another solution is to use as short as possible pick up tube. But if you have very active fish that stir up the sand (my problem too) then the sand will still find its way into the filter.

 

[dr_sudz]

Clean the filter and see if that helps then shorten as chompers said, I had the same problem the first time I used a sand, it was very fine and it got up into my filter and it was screwed ever since. But I could quiet the filter by adjusting the intake pipe. once I had it quiet only after a power outage (me unplugging) did I have problems with it again and would have to play with it to get it back. I didn't have any problems when I tried out the black moon sand.

 

[Potts050]

Hello everyone. I have a 55 gallon that I am running two penguin 350's on the filter great the water is always clear , But recently they started to get very louI replaced one of them about 3 weeks ago and now the new one is loud too. How can I make these closer to silent or am i just screwed? I have black tahitian moon sand in the bottom it seems very heavy could this be causing it? getting into impellers? any help you have would be greatly appreciated

I've had similar experiences with these filters.

The solution depends on the 'kind' of noise. Is it a 'grinding' sound? If yes then it has to do with the impellor. It is either unseated or as others have suggested clogged with grit (snails, sand etc). A simple cleaning and inspection will eliminate the sound. Make sure that the rest of the filter except your biowheels is subjected to a vigourous cleaning.

If the sound is an annoying hum, then you may have a voltage problem. The impellor drive is not getting the rated voltage (either too high or low). In houses it is not uncommon to see the RMS voltage drop below rated voltgae which may cause your impellor drive to create harmonics that are audible. Check your voltage at the receptacle with a good AC volt meter and if it is out by more than 5%, thats the problem, PM me and we can figure out a solution.

 

[RadleyMiller]

Take the extender piece off and just have it collect from 4 inches below the surface.