Noisy pump in the sump!

[msmith619]

I set up my 75 gallon and bought a return pump for my wet/dry filter, It pumps 1095 gph and works great. The problem is the noise. I vibrates and we hear the noise all over the house. Any ideas to stop the noise? Can I put on a bed of sand? Should I place foam rubber around the wet/dry as a sound absorber? Stuff the sump with filter media? The wife is getting angry, help please.
Mike

[Mr Cob]

Is it in sump or external? I have had this problem in sump and used sticky foam. I stuck the flat pieces of one sided sticky foam to the pump where it touches the sump walls. In my case it was only the bottom.

I would assume this would also work with the external pump. When I had an external pump, I mounted it to a piece of wood to make it stable.

[Bill S]

Is your pump hard plumbed (PVC)? If so, buy a rubber coupling from HD, and cut the PVC, and then join them back together.

[msmith619]

It is a free-standing in sump return pump. Foam taping it to the bottom of the sump might work. It is not hard plummed, I bought a flexible plastic tube from Lowes to attach it to the tank.
Mike

[Bill S]

Put a mousepad under it.

[hobogato]

you can also buy sheets of craft foam about 3mm thick at micheal's or hobby lobby for about $1 a sheet. that would probably work - you might have to use a couple of layers tho.

[captexas]

Dont' use sand, it will just settle down into it and the sand will also collect waste in it. When I had a Mag12 in my sump on a tank, I used the foam with the adhesive on one side. I stuck it to the pump body, not the bottom of the sump. Then just keep the pump away from the sides of the sump and you should be good. Can also try to use some sheets of insulation foam around the inside of the stand to help deaden some of the sound.

[msmith619]

I bought some "pipe tape". It is foam rubber with one sticky adhesive side and wrapped the solid parts of my return pump with that. That reduced about 80% or the noise. I then bought a roll of 12" wide, 2" thick fiberglass wrap that is used to insulate duct-work or wrap around hot water heaters and put that on the inside walls of my tank stand. Now all you hear is a quiet hum. My wife likes me again and the aquarium is whisper quiet. The protien skimmer pours out over rock rubble and the water return makes no noise at all.
All told, I spent $12.00 at Lowes for the fix.
Mike

[jc]

I then bought a roll of 12" wide, 2" thick fiberglass wrap that is used to insulate duct-work or wrap around hot water heaters and put that on the inside walls of my tank stand. Now all you hear is a quiet hum.

What a great idea. I actually bought soundproofing material from a website. I could have saved a lot of money with your idea. Could you share a picture of your stand with us?

[msmith619]

All I have is a cell phone camera but here it is. The fiberglass lines the sides of the stand and the wet/dry filter. The roll of tape at the bottom of the picture is the plummers pipe tape I used to line the pump.