Tips for pump noise reduction?

Raoul5Duke

Member
So I have been searching the forums this a.m. looking for some tips to reduce the vibration of my in sump pumps (mag 9.5 return and pump for protein skimmer). The suggestions I have seen are to put a mouse pad, foam pad or some cured silicon under the pumps. Silicon is out of the question as I would have to take the pumps out, disconnect, etc. The mouse pad I am a little skeptical of, I assume this might be better for external pumps. Anyone use this trick for an in-water pump?? The foam pad sounds like the best idea, but I am concerned it might become a nitrate factory. Anyone use this method? Any problems? do you take this out every few weeks/months and rinse in RO/DI water? Any other suggestions I haven't mentioned are welcome. Thanks.
 

BigAl07

Administrator
RS STAFF
I think your best best would be "Ear Muffs". :)

Wish I had some REAL advice but I don't. For some reason my Mag18 isn't loud or I'm hard of hearing or BOTH!!

Good luck and NO to the mouse pad/foam in the water. No telling what chemicals it might leach back into your tank. :)
 

panmanmatt

Well-Known Member
Try adding a piece of vinyl pond liner under your pumps. That should quiet the vibrations down a little.

Or you could cut a piece of egg crate the same size as you pump, put a few big globs of silicone on it and let it cure. Once cured you can place it under your pump. The silicone will absorb the vibrations yet you can still remove the pump for maintenance .
 

panmanmatt

Well-Known Member
Any time. Let me know if that works for you. I am sure I could come up with a few others if need be.
 

Jeremy0322

Active Member
You know those weird sponges they sell at auto stores and k-mart that you use to clean your cars, the one that look like a weird rounded egg times, i use one of those under my pump, i just cut it in alf and then set the pump on that and it worked great. I have also been trying to find someone else to do this and you may be the person for it, try to line your stand with sound proof drop ceiling tiles, i also did that and my sound decreases ten fold, now its quiet enough for me to fall asleep next to it every night, its about 4 feet from my bed.
 

panmanmatt

Well-Known Member
Only problems I see with using the sponge is that it will really raise the height of the pump and it is just another thing that needs to be taken out every few days and cleaned. If not kept clean it will build up with organics and cause water quality issues.
 

Jeremy0322

Active Member
You are completely right about it needing cleaned often, but i have to take the sponge off of my mag once-twice a week so it isnt that big of a deal. I am following this thread now though so I can see if there is a better way to do this, and then I will be changing mine...hahha
 

reef dummy

Member
I have an old pair of waders for fishing and I was thinking about using some neoprene, what do you guys think of that?
 

panmanmatt

Well-Known Member
The neoprene is porous and as such would need to be cleaned out a few times a week. Also depending on what the waders have been in contact with would possibly be in them still. Not worth the risk in my opinion.
 

burning2nd

Well-Known Member
this is internal right? mag pump du....

anyway what i did what my mag... is i took the back 3 sucksion cup mount for maxijet and stuck that under it...

so its siting about 3/8" off the glass on a little plactic tray thats held off the glass by the cups
 

Raoul5Duke

Member
I might have to try the suction cups attached to some eggcrate too. I sleep about 4 feet from my tank as well Jeremy. It's mostly just white noise now, but I keep trying to get it quieter all the time. My girlfriend thinks I'm nuts, but she can sleep through anything. I used to wake up all the time and pull snails out of the overflow box until I got it covered.... that was a real pain.
 

prow

Well-Known Member
nice tips in here, i really like the silicone one. couple things that i have done on my current setup is use spa tubing, its doesnt get hard like vinyl tubing. really cut back on vibrations. i also used some thick shelving paper under my sump, now doing this really really cuts back on noise vibrations. you can check it out in my clamicle...
 
Silicone hot pads cut down and placed under the pump work for me.
Also a short piece of flexible tubing between the pump and your return line will help acting as a vibration absorber.
 
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