# What is the quietest type of filter?



## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

I have had a Marineland HOB filter, and Aqueon HOB and many of the sponge filters with the pump. The sponge/pump idea I like but... they are loud. The pump itself does the buzzing noise and the bubbles from the sponge are loud. The Aqueon hang on back is quiet but... I am not a fan of the big clunky looking filter on the tank. 

I have never used a canaster filter mainly becuase the ones they sold at Petsmart didn't fit under my stand. I don't want a filter sitting next to the tank. It just looks yucky in my opinion. I prefer to have it hidden. Another reason I use the sponge is that I can plant all around it and you don't even notice it there (other then the bubbles) 

Which filter systems have you guys found to be the quietest and also very effective?


----------



## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Hi Inga 

I've got a Rena Filstar XP3 running on my 75 gallon. It is virtually silent and I love love love the job it does on the tank.

Eheim also has a great reputation but I chose the Rena bc it got great reviews and we were just building a house at the time so money was being sucked out of our wallets at a pretty good pace.


----------



## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Romad said:


> Hi Inga
> 
> I've got a Rena Filstar XP3 running on my 75 gallon. It is virtually silent and I love love love the job it does on the tank.
> 
> Eheim also has a great reputation but I chose the Rena bc it got great reviews and we were just building a house at the time so money was being sucked out of our wallets at a pretty good pace.


 
How big is it? I really don't wish to have a filter sitting on the floor next to the tank. Does it fit under your cabinet? Also, how hard is it to deal with. I am technically challenged and like the easiest to deal with equipment. I like the sponge but as I said, I would like something quieter. This will especially be important if I move a tank to the living room.


----------



## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

I'll go and measure it for you. But you should check out the XP2 ratings. I'm assuming that this is going on your 60 gallon?? I know the XP3 is rated for a lot more than what I need on the 75 gallon but I really wouldn't have it any other way  

And they're so easy to take care of so don't worry about that.

Back in a minute.

edit: 14" high, 7-1/2" wide, 8" deep. I imagine the XP2 will be a little smaller. Is your cabinet open in the back? You'd need an open back for the tubes to run to the input/and output bars in the tank.


----------



## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Romad said:


> I'll go and measure it for you. But you should check out the XP2 ratings. I'm assuming that this is going on your 60 gallon?? I know the XP3 is rated for a lot more than what I need on the 75 gallon but I really wouldn't have it any other way
> 
> And they're so easy to take care of so don't worry about that.
> 
> ...


 


The back of my cabinet is not open but there are holes in it so that I can run tubing through. That is how I have the air pump in the cabinet, the tubing running out the back and into the tank to the sponge filter. The cabinet has a shelf in it and unfortunately, it isn't moveable. So in other words, I can't fit much in there. I like over filtering vs. just enough also though with the sponge, many folks might think it is under filtered. The water stays clear and the water parameters are always good. As you know, I am an extreme water changer. I do 60-70% every 4-5 days. I love putzing with it and let's face it, there is only so much you can do with a fishtank. ha ha


----------



## tomncassie (Apr 4, 2011)

I run a XP4 for my 100 gallon tank and I havnt had any problems at all and insde the tank stand I dont hear anything.I hear the air pump only when i open the doors.I been running it for about six months now and for the price I think its a great value at petmountain.com


----------



## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

tomncassie said:


> I run a XP4 for my 100 gallon tank and I havnt had any problems at all and insde the tank stand I dont hear anything.I hear the air pump only when i open the doors.I been running it for about six months now and for the price I think its a great value at petmountain.com


 
Do any of you guys have heavily planted tanks? I was just wondering what you put in the filter rather then carbon? I mean, having carbon in the filter basically defeats the purpose when trying to grow plants, right?


----------



## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

My rena xp3 is about 2 feet away from the head of my bed. I'm quiet picky of noise when I am going to sleep, but out of all 3 tanks that are in my room the rena is the loudest. The rest are all internals, which are more or less silent. I won't use HOBs at all because they are so noisy, same with air pumps. Though I do love to use sponge filters driven by submersible pumps. ATM my laptop's fan is louder then ALL my tanks.


----------



## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

Inga said:


> Do any of you guys have heavily planted tanks? I was just wondering what you put in the filter rather then carbon? I mean, having carbon in the filter basically defeats the purpose when trying to grow plants, right?


I just use more filter floss or sponges. There is really no point to having carbon at all, regardless of if you have plants or not.


----------



## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

The tank is pretty heavily planted. I never used carbon even when it wasn't. I just use the coarse black pads, bio-media, stars, and floss - all comes with the filter and the only thing I ever have to replace is the white floss. Even then, not very often.


----------



## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

So... speak to me like I am dumb. I really honestly have no idea how the canister filters work. It sounds like you basically drop one line in on one side of the tank and one on the other. They both hook to the pump. One draws water in and one pushes it back out, yes? How close to the bottom of the tank can the tubing go? Does this put enough oxygen into the water for the fish?


----------



## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

LOL. This should help. Check out the rubber tubes that you see at the top of the canister (they connect to the top of the removable cover). One goes to the intake that goes down into your tank and one goes to the output that pushes the filtered water back into the tank. They would be on opposite sides of the tank. The output is like a spray bar suctioned to the top side of the tank that you can position so that the flow goes where you want it to. That's important when you have plants. And yes, it is plenty of oxygen for the tank. You can see the setup and filter media that comes with it here too.

Rena XP Filstar Filters for Aquariums


----------



## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Well, I have 2 more sponge filters all ready to go. Maybe when they are worn out, I will think about getting a canister. It sounds like a great deal if it is nice and quiet and works well and is good for planted tanks. What else could a clean freak ask for, right? Is the outflow strong enough that it moves around the gravel?


----------



## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Inga said:


> Well, I have 2 more sponge filters all ready to go. Maybe when they are worn out, I will think about getting a canister. It sounds like a great deal if it is nice and quiet and works well and is good for planted tanks. What else could a clean freak ask for, right? Is the outflow strong enough that it moves around the gravel?


I guess it could be if you pointed it toward the gravel but, no, in general you want it pointed toward the back of the tank or toward the surface to keep the surface water moving so it doesn't get stagnant. 

Plus if you had it pointed toward the gravel, it could do a number on your plants.


----------



## brokenrules69 (Aug 27, 2011)

how big is ur tank?


----------



## stevenjohn21 (Dec 4, 2010)

+1 for the Rena XP3, i have 2 on my 75 gallon tank. . . wouldnt buy any other filter now.


----------



## genewitch (Jun 27, 2011)

Here's some pictures to show how the canister looks on my oddly shaped tank (click any image to bring up the fullsize):



This is an eheim, and it doesn't use carbon, it uses little things that look like malt balls. Every 6 months you replace half the little balls and rinse the top fine and bottom coarse pads. It also self siphons, if you wiggle the handle up and down carefully.


----------



## twocents (Feb 22, 2010)

I was using a bunch of renas, but I am trying just running sponge filters driven by air. I cut down on my electric as I eliminated two different plug in items. I have one big air pump (which could be quieter) driving 6 sponge filters. 
I eliminated at least 6-7 plug ins (filters and air pumps).


----------

