Aquariums are very peaceful to look at. Our ears, however, may not always share the same opinion.
That’s because aquariums can also be the source of unflattering noise in a quiet room.
And all the credit goes to the noise produced by the air pumps installed in an aquarium.
What Are Some Tricks to Make the Air Pump Go Quieter?
Noisy Air pumps are annoying even for the most die-hard aquarists.
Today, we will discuss some effortless and easy tricks to get rid of the not-so-pleasant sound made by the air pump in the Aquarium.
Trick #1- Adjust the Placement of the Air Pump
Air pumps are typically installed at the base of the aquariums. Placing the air pump that way may conceal it, but the noise will make sure it stays noticeable.
For this reason, it is preferable to place your air pump slightly above the water surface in the Aquarium.
Setting your pump in this manner will decrease the workload on the pump. This is possible with the help of gravity.
Gravity will lessen the force needed by the pump to push out air in this position.
Thus, less work done by the pump will result in fewer vibrations and subsequently less noise.
An air pump placed in an accurate position above the water surface level will also help avoid backpressure. Backflow of water into an air pump is a common problem.
The backflow of water in the pump is another tricky situation that produces unflattering noise. However, the correct placement of the pump can also deal with this issue.
To ensure that your pump is placed correctly, there are some simple steps. These include:
Step 1
Carefully measure the pump’s length and depth of water in the Aquarium.
Step 2
Install the air pump in the Aquarium. Ensure that the bottom of the pump remains above the water surface.
Measurements taken earlier are taken into account as well.
Step 3
Make sure that your air pump has a solid structure supporting it.
A hollow object must never be used as it will counteract the noise cancellation process.
Trick #2- Lift the Airstone off the Pump
As we go deeper into the tank, water pressure increases. Increased water pressure near the endpoints of the airstone can promote the backflow of water.
As discussed earlier, increased backflow will cause more vibrations and thus more noise.
Lifting the airstone above the water surface will also tackle this problem.
The ideology behind this trick ties in with the reasons explained in the previous point.
Trick #3- Use Sponge Padding
Most of the sound produced by air pumps in the Aquarium comes from their collision with the Aquarium walls.
Air pumps are light-weighted objects and bob too and fro as they operate.
Such sounds produced by constant vibratory movements of the air pumps can be avoided by simply placing some shock-absorbing materials around the pump.
Shock-absorbing materials include a sponge, foam, towel, or any woolen piece of clothing. These materials are soft and are used as padding around the air pump.
It is crucial to remember that your pump must stay in its place. If the air pump is dislodged from its padding, the annoying vibration noise will return in no time.
A simple way to ensure that your air pump remains padded in one place is to use a small cardboard box.
A cardboard box with only one opening can be used to keep the pump. A rough estimation of the size of the pump and the cardboard box must be taken.
After placing the air pump inside, any spaces left in the cardboard box must be filled with a sponge.
This is one of the easiest ways to ensure that your padding will remain firm around the pump.
Trick #4- Use Insulation for Hollow Compartments
This may sound like a repetition of the last point, but there is one slight difference.
We have discussed how putting padding around the pump will decrease the noise produced by vibrations.
This is a very common method used by people as it involves using basic household items only.
However, have you ever wondered about placing the same padding material inside the pump? Yes, you read that right!
There are many hollow spaces inside the air pumps that can be filled with padding.
Filling the hollow interior compartments of the air pump will certainly decrease the sound produced by the air pump. The logic behind it is straightforward.
Empty spaces give rise to echoes and reverberations. Any sound produced by the air pump will get amplified by these hollow spaces.
Filling these spaces with materials used for padding will solve this issue.
You may still need to provide external padding around the air pump.
However, a considerable difference can be noticed in the noise produced by an externally and internally insulated air pump.
You must be very cautious while unscrewing your air pump for internal insulation. You can accidentally unscrew a functional part or place padding in the wrong compartment. This may result in a non-functioning air pump.
Trick #5- Install an Airstone
Sometimes, air pumps use a lot of force and produce relatively large water bubbles.
These giant bubbles make more noise when they pop than smaller bubbles.
If formed at higher rates, these giant bubbles can also add to the annoying noise. An airstone makes smaller bubbles.
Installing one can bring a sudden change in the noise made by the air pump.
Smaller bubbles make more subtle sounds as they pop. In addition to this, they are also less chaotic to look at. They add a nice element to your Aquarium’s beauty.
Trick #6- Use a Jar to Suspend the Pump
It may seem strange to have a jar placed inside an aquarium.
However, this is probably the only solution that may completely obliterate the obnoxious noise made by an air pump.
If you are someone who cannot stand even the slightest bit of noise made by an air pump, then this is what you need to do.
Get a decent size jar to suspend your air pump inside. You must ensure that there is a considerable amount of space left between the walls of the jar and the air pump.
The jar must also have a wide opening. Now for the actual part, you will need some duct tape.
Use duct tape to secure the air pump’s tubing and power cord right in the middle of the jar’s opening.
Once the firm suspension has been established, you can cover the rest of the jar’s opening with duct tape as well.
It is not necessary to seal it completely. You can leave some small gaps for heat dissipation from the air pump.
The Bottom Line
All kinds of air pumps for the Aquarium are bound to make noise. Today, we tried to help you find some easy tricks to make the noise produced by an air pump more acceptable to your ears.
An absolute solution may still be to get an alternate device that makes no sound and performs the function of an air pump.
However, we hope that while you march on the quest for such a device, these methods can make your pump quiet.
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