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, 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]

Originally Posted by 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

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.

[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!

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by Tom@HaslettMI

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

+1 pack it up with some cotton.

[Tom@HaslettMI]

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

Ingredients:

1. Bottle
2. 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...