# air pump



## AquaticPulse (Jun 19, 2011)

after several months of not fixing my air pump, i finally did it today... and I never noticed how loud the damn thing was until today. I guess after several months of silence, the noise is more pronounced. It's a hagen maxima air pump. Any tips in making it more quiet?


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## missindifferent (Jun 25, 2010)

Wrap a towel around it, or get a RENA 50 from big al's (on sale until the 19th I think) for $9.99. It's so quiet!  I still put a towel underneath it so it doesn't move around.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

A Maxima should be pretty quiet. What did you "fix"?


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

I did a thread a while ago on quiet/silent air pumps. I've not had time yet to test the Rena 50 (?) that was $9.99 @ BA's. I can say right off the bat it is quieter then the Maxima but actual tested numbers I'll have to do a test later.

http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10203&highlight=hagen Hope this helps.

Another idea is go to Can.Tire and get one of those K.I.S clear plastic boxes. They are cheap and they just has a sale on them. I know if you ask in advance and ask to speak to the manager saying you could not make it to the sale they may/will (in my experience the manager at Leslie St & Sheppard Ave honored 1-2 day expired sale pricing. It depends on the item and how long a delay is between the sale. Don't expect to ask for the last sale price 5 days later) give you that price.

Take that plastic box and put the Maxima in it. Poke some holes for the power cord and cover it up. You'll also need to poke some holes so the pump can suck air in. You're thinking if you poke holes would the sound still come out? Well use some old filter sponges, those cheap $1 store nylon weaved/netted pot scrubs and loosely put it around the holes are and around the whole pump. Essentially you're making a sound suppression box If you had a larger box you could pack some closed cell foam along all the sides of the box except the side with the holes to help lower the sound.

Another idea I've heard of before is burying it in the wall with/without a sound supressor box and making an outlet to plug the air lines in.


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## arinsi (Mar 14, 2010)

hang it from a string and make sure it doesnt hit anything


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## df001 (Nov 13, 2007)

arinsi said:


> hang it from a string and make sure it doesnt hit anything


I would suggest using some sort of elastic cord - ie bungie cord/drawstring
while minimized, the vibrations will travel on a taught string. whereas the elasticity of the bungee cord will dampen the vibrations.


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## AquaticPulse (Jun 19, 2011)

i fixed the diaphragms. Got the module from big als and just put it in. and I tried putting the towels under it but the sound is coming from the unit not so much from the contact with anything (i don't know how to quite explain it lol)

I might get enclose it in a box like aquaneko said, though it's not a big deal as yet.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Take it apart and reexamine the install. It should be quiet with a new module. If that doesn't work i would return the module. I have a very old white Maxima running right now and it is whisper quiet.


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