I'm looking at adding an additional filter to my 300 litre tank after reading up on how important it is to have lots of filtration in heavily planted tanks. So I'm now looking at different filter options, I currently have one Sunsun filter which can turn over my tanks volume of water at about 4.5 times an hour. Here's my problem, the tank is in my room and the sunsun has started to develop a pretty decent hum which is starting to annoy me at night as I'm a pretty light sleeper.

So to get around this problem my idea is that I will use the Sunsun as purely a mechanical filter which is on a timer to shut off between the times I go to sleep. The new additional filter will be running 24/7, therefore will need to be VERY quiet, and will be used for the bio filtration of the tank.

Has anyone got any recommendation with regards to which filters would be suitable for this purpose? I was thinking a large internal filter could be the go? Something like the new Fluval U series?? or am I better off going with an external? the only problem I have is I have never come across a silent operating one?

Any advice would be great!

I find that my internals tend to rattle against the glass a bit, not that I have any fancy branded ones. The quietest filter I've had would have to be my Aquaclear50 HOB filter, just so long as the water level is right up against the lip.

HTH.

Yeah I have a few aquaclears, and they are pretty good. However, I think my tank would be too deep for them to be very effective. I have fould that my aquaclears have loud motors from time to time too. But, on the whole are pretty silent.

Eheim pick up are quiet, I have 2 small ones. They don't make a noise that is louder than the fridge, a quiet hum is just about all you can hear most of the time.

I have a fluval internal in my guppie tank and it's pretty much silent. The only noise I can hear is the water rippling at the surface as I run it at full output speed.

Hehe you should hear my fridge!

With no other back ground sounds, do you think you could hear it from 4 meters away?

I have a small house and have 2 of the smallest kind going in the lounge and sleep in the room next door with the door open. You can hear a light hum if there is no outside noise from wind etc but you can still hear the fridge over the top of that. One of the filters is noisier than the other, not sure if the impellor is faulty in some way but if I take it out and give it a good rinse then it rattles a little for about 2 weeks. It's not irritating enough to do anything about it. They might vibrate on the lid glass if I don't get the wires sitting properly but it's still quiet. My first filter was an old HOB and that was audible in the next room with both doors closed. Then I had a Eheim pickup 2010 and it was practically silent compared. Also have an aquaone air pump down in the garage and that is noisier than all of them put together. All in all I find the Eheims are worth the outlay. The only thing I've done is stop up intake holes so fry don't get sucked in, and filed off part of the catch at the top so I can slide the sponge housing out easier. P44 bought my 2010 pickup so he might have some feedback as to how that's doing after a year or so that it's been.

I have a fluval internal in my guppie tank and it's pretty much silent. The only noise I can hear is the water rippling at the surface as I run it at full output speed.

Which model do you have?

So to get around this problem my idea is that I will use the Sunsun as purely a mechanical filter which is on a timer to shut off between the times I go to sleep.

Have you ever smelled the water that comes out of a dirty canister after its been sitting around for more than a couple of hours? Unless you're planning on cleaning it every morning before you turn it on then you're going to pollute your tank very quickly...

Either A; buy a quality filter that is going to be quiet, or B; get used to sleeping with it running.

I have a fluval 405 that is very quiet and I can sleep easily with it in my bedroom. I cant sleep when it gets air in the canister though and I wake up and have to shake in until its gone grrrr. only because I sometimes don't put the rubber seal in properly cleaned after maintenance. otherwise it is very silent, to me the slight hum is unnoticeable.

don't people say increasing sound from a filter is due to a worn impeller, which is easily replaced?

(I often sleep with earplugs as sound like rain etc can give me a really bad sleep. Cut foam ones in half and they don't stick out and get annoying)

Have you ever smelled the water that comes out of a dirty canister after its been sitting around for more than a couple of hours? Unless you're planning on cleaning it every morning before you turn it on then you're going to pollute your tank very quickly...

Either A; buy a quality filter that is going to be quiet, or B; get used to sleeping with it running.

Well I have a mate with a similar setup to mine who turns his filter off every night, and he has never had any trouble with water pollution... He keeps telling me to do the same... but, I'm not so game

So "if" money was not limit, is there a canister filter on the market that doesn't make a hum, or motor sound?

So "if" money was not limit, is there a canister filter on the market that doesn't make a hum, or motor sound?

If money is no object put the cannisters in a concrete lined sump room under the house.

If money is no object put the cannisters in a concrete lined sump room under the house.

lol I like that... But, I don't own the house. I was thinking more a long the lines of a top of the range cannister?

I have a fluval 405 that is very quiet and I can sleep easily with it in my bedroom. I cant sleep when it gets air in the canister though and I wake up and have to shake in until its gone grrrr. only because I sometimes don't put the rubber seal in properly cleaned after maintenance. otherwise it is very silent, to me the slight hum is unnoticeable.

How old is the 405? My Sunsun was pretty quiet at first (8 months ago) now it is probably twice is loud. Appart from the sound it seems like a pretty good filter. :-?

+1 to the Fluval 405 canister, but I always run it in a cabinet. I can't hear it at all.

+1 to the Eheim pickup but I'm not sure they have one for a 300L tank

+1 to David's comments about shutting down the filter each night, not ideal if you can help it

i have a fluval 104 thats normally pretty quiet but its sucking a bit of air and im too lazy to pull it apart and sort out the o-ring so i jam a thin pillow over it at night (its right by my bed !) ive found aqua1 cannisters to be pretty quiet if its noisy its not working right

When we had a noisy filter we used to have it on a timer to switch off at about 9 at night and on again at about 6 in the morning. The water chemistry was always fine, back then I used to test a few times a week. Not to say it's the best thing to do as it depends on tank loading but it worked for me at the time.

When I first set up the Jebo 819 I had to put my hand on it to feel the fine vibrations as I couldn't hear it. Now I can faintly hear it if I crouch down and put my ear next to it.

I'm hearing a common agreement that Fluval's are the way to go I purchased a second hand Ehiem which makes a bit of noise so its put me off purchasing a new one now, even though they have a great reputation. I just cleaned out the Sunsun tonight and it seems to be a little quieter.

My Fluvals were not silent. Not too noisy but definitely not silent :-?

For quietness - Eheims win, but overall most Fluvals have more bang for buck.

I'm beginning to think that its pretty hit and miss... I have read on the net that people think Sunsuns are silent... well they are NOT :facepalm:

Heaps of people are saying the 1200 Aqua Ones are pretty silent though, and at 130 it might be worth a shot

the aquaone cf1200, of the fluval 305 i have both but i have my fluval in my room like 2m from where i sleep and i barly hear it