Skimmer "muffler" plans?

[Tom@HaslettMI]

I'd like to quiet down the gurgle on my skimmer, but my past attempts only made it louder! Anyone do this and have success with it? Pictures and details would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Tom

[XSiVE]

What have you done / tried to do already?

[Tom@HaslettMI]

I heard (and tried) adding a small container (i.e. film canister) to the end of the air hose will quiet it down. I tried this a while ago so I may not be remembering all of the detail correctly but I think I drilled one hole in the bottom of the canister and another in the lid. The air tube from the skimmer was placed in the bottom hole. Result: little to no reduction in sound... maybe a slight change in pitch. So, then I took the lid off and that made it louder then ever. I did try this with several containers some larger some smaller. But to no avail.

I would like to try this again and have a few ideas but before I hack up a bunch of containers wanted to see what others have done to successfully quiet their skimmer.

Here are a few of my ideas:

instead of a single intake hole have a bunch of smaller ones
loosely pack the container with filter floss, cotton balls or something similar
Go with a much larger container (quart size or larger)
all of the above


Thanks,
Tom

[CalmSeasQuest]

When I installed a CO2 scrubber (http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/review/product/list/id/1260/), one of the unexpected benefits was that it completely silenced my skimmer. It's essentially just a standard filter canister - Run the air intake line in one end and the sound disappeared - even without the CO2 scrubber media.

[XSiVE]

I heard (and tried) adding a small container (i.e. film canister) to the end of the air hose will quiet it down. I tried this a while ago so I may not be remembering all of the detail correctly but I think I drilled one hole in the bottom of the canister and another in the lid. The air tube from the skimmer was placed in the bottom hole. Result: little to no reduction in sound... maybe a slight change in pitch. So, then I took the lid off and that made it louder then ever. I did try this with several containers some larger some smaller. But to no avail.

I would like to try this again and have a few ideas but before I hack up a bunch of containers wanted to see what others have done to successfully quiet their skimmer.

Here are a few of my ideas:

instead of a single intake hole have a bunch of smaller ones
loosely pack the container with filter floss, cotton balls or something similar
Go with a much larger container (quart size or larger)
all of the above


Thanks,
Tom

I was going to suggest the filter floss lightly packed in to a small container with two tubes. Think about a car muffler, how those work to deaden sound without killing airflow (in most cases not too badly), you need to create a chamber that has enough volume to create a buffer zone so the pulsing waves of air intake slow down to a smooth stream. Once that is accomplished, you can add filter floss to quiet down the sound of rushing air with something like filter floss.

an image for some thought. http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/muffler-cutopen.jpg

[schminksbro]

I used a pill bottle with 2 holes drilled in the bottom. One hole for the airline and the other as a vent. I then packed some cotton balls in and it worked like a charm. Dead silent.

[Tom@HaslettMI]

Thanks for all of the input everyone!


I used a pill bottle with 2 holes drilled in the bottom. One hole for the airline and the other as a vent. I then packed some cotton balls in and it worked like a charm. Dead silent.

Alright this sounds (pun intended) like what I'll be trying. Have you noticed any reduction in performance with the skimmer? I'm wondering if the cotton restricts air flow at all.

Thanks,
Tom

[XSiVE]

Thanks for all of the input everyone!



Alright this sounds (pun intended) like what I'll be trying. Have you noticed any reduction in performance with the skimmer? I'm wondering if the cotton restricts air flow at all.

Thanks,
Tom

It shouldnt restrict airflow at all if the buffer zone is large enough and the inlet hole is at least the same size as the outlet.

[jolson10450]

I used a pill bottle with 2 holes drilled in the bottom. One hole for the airline and the other as a vent. I then packed some cotton balls in and it worked like a charm. Dead silent.

+1 pack it up with some cotton.

[Tom@HaslettMI]

Decided to try an extra easy version... and it works great!

Ingredients:

Bottle
Filter batting


Procedure:

Roll the batting up
use index finger to open up center of floss
insert floss into bottle
insert skimmer hose into floss


Its the inverted bottle with blue floss stuck in it...
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q234/tomalwin/IMAG0180.jpg

[tazzy695]

I get a loud suction gurgle from my over flow built a mufler for the 1/4 line out of a pop bottle now only way you can hear it is if you put your ear right against the pop bottle

what I did is in the cap drill one hole for a tight fit for the air line to go in pushed the air line about 2 to 3 inches into the bottle

drilled a second hole slightly smaller then the first but larger then the ID size of the air line also in the cap

result dead silence from it

I can show pics if you like

[Tom@HaslettMI]

That sounds cool. I'd be interested in a pic or two when you get a chance.

What I'm finding with the muffler I made is that it works well some of the time and not so well others. I think the performance of the simmer is influncing the effectiveness of the muffler and with an old EuroReef the performance is highly dependent on keeping the skimmer body and pump clean.

Tom

[Myteemouse]

I used the pill bottle trick but glued a pen (bic) in all the way down from the top to nearly 1/4 inch off the bottom then another bic pen from the bottom nearly to the top then hook the the air line to the bottom one.. worked great

[Sir Patrick]

I was just searching the same thing last night! Looks like all bases are covered that I found already. Havent tried any of them yet though.