# What's the most quiet air pump you've ever used?



## Cypher (Apr 15, 2006)

Hey folks,

I need to get an airpump and was just wondering what's the most quiet model or brand you've personally used?

What do you think of the tetra whisper air pumps?

Thanks.


----------



## vrb th hrb (Feb 20, 2010)

i've only used hagen, whisper and rena

so far hagen optima has been the quietest/most durable


----------



## ShrimpieLove (Apr 26, 2010)

I have a rena 100 its real quiet, and i place it on a sponge and that dulls out any vibration totally


----------



## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

I got a Hagen Maxima. IIRC ~73dB when I checked it with the dB meter @ ~2cm. It hums alright. I found it a bit loud so depends where you're using the air pump it may not be the right choice. Not a pump I'd recommend in your bed room on the night stand beside the bed.


----------



## kev416 (Aug 22, 2010)

Silent Giant. But unfortunately it's no longer made. It was only silent until you had to fix it. For a small pump I use a Tetra Luft made by Coralife. It has a reostat that allows you to dial down the pressure if excess air is not needed. The downfall is the expense of this pump. For a fishroom sized pump I use a linear piston.


----------



## Cypher (Apr 15, 2006)

Yeah I forgot to mention, this pump is going to be in my bedroom, thus the need for quite .


----------



## kev416 (Aug 22, 2010)

Is there a need for air? You may be better off using powerheads. You can use a smaller powerhead on a hydrosponge. It would be silent. And if you put glass tops on the tank... there would be no humidity.


----------



## Cypher (Apr 15, 2006)

I've a glasstop... but even a small powerhead is too powerful for some of the fish in there I think. Plus I want some oxygen saturation so I can have a higher fish/ bio load.


----------



## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

I use stellar air pump, its good, cheap and quite. I put it on the lid of the tank without a sponge...I can hear the water bubling but not the hum. I got it from dragon aquarium in mississauga.


----------



## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

Tetra Whisper 60 is a little on the loud side if you ask me, but then again this is my first air pump ever.


----------



## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

GuppyLove said:


> I have a rena 100 its real quiet, and i place it on a sponge and that dulls out any vibration totally


I heard that rena pump in GuppyLove's house. It's really silent.

I use Tetra Whisper 10. It's not bad, but I would not sleep in one room with it


----------



## newtopuffers (Nov 10, 2009)

I sleep beside a Rena 300.

While there is definitely some humming it's ignorable.


----------



## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

newtopuffers said:


> I sleep beside a Rena 300.
> 
> While there is definitely some humming it's ignorable.


Hmmm... how is the air pump placed? On rubber/cork? Hanging on some string suspended? Enclosed in a box? Just wondering as I am looking for something that silent and I've always thought that the larger the air pump the louder it gets.

Looking for something small to have beside the bed but with the lowest audio signiture and I think rena is the current quiestest but I've not heard it with my ears yet.


----------



## newtopuffers (Nov 10, 2009)

It's in a wooden stand, so it's not so full-on.

I heard that placing it on a sweater helps, but I just haven't felt the need to..
Almost think it's soothing


----------



## Cypher (Apr 15, 2006)

I wonder if I should start a new thread with a poll to see/ tally what brand air pump people think is the most quiet. Or if it's possible to edit this thread and add a poll? So far I think Rena has a modest lead for being relatively quiet.


----------



## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Cypher said:


> I wonder if I should start a new thread with a poll to see/ tally what brand air pump people think is the most quiet. Or if it's possible to edit this thread and add a poll? So far I think Rena has a modest lead for being relatively quiet.


It is best to go with equipment tested with a sound meter for data over what people consider is 'quiet' as it is subjective. This is why I test at 2cm then out 1ft and so on with my dB tester so I can know my data. I'd love to have a Rena to try out for a weekend.


----------



## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

I'm not sure, but I saw test stand with different air pumps in Big Al's Mississauga. I think that it specially created to check how nosy they are.


----------



## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Which BA's had that air pump lay out? I recall [email protected] having a HOB layout something like that but don't think thier air pumps were the same. I'll have to remember to take the dB meter and get some data off some stuff next time I'm there.


----------



## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

tetra whisper so far the quietest for me


----------



## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

AquaNeko said:


> Which BA's had that air pump lay out? I recall [email protected] having a HOB layout something like that but don't think thier air pumps were the same. I'll have to remember to take the dB meter and get some data off some stuff next time I'm there.


It's Mississauga. It's mentioned my post


----------



## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

igor.kanshyn said:


> It's Mississauga. It's mentioned my post


Gah sorry mate. *facepalm.jpg* there for not seeing it.


----------

