How to make an air pump silent

[LizStreithorst]

I have this wonderful Jhemco air pump. It doesn't make a sound. I thought that I'd over bought but I was wrong. The Jehmco pump is at it's capacity. It's a Medo pump inside an insulated box. I have 4 old Medo pumps in working condition. Each supports 20 air devices. I need the extra air but I need to figure out how to make a sound insulating box. I can't deal with a loud hum in the fish room. Any ideas?

[Discus-n00b]

I would probably just buy Acoustic Panel foam off Amazon or from a local sound store and line a thick box with it. The foam probably won't make it totally silent, that's not how it really works but inside of a box and I expect you'd notice a huge difference. And it's a cheaper route than going full 100% sound proof, though they do make sound proof insulation. Scrap wood or wood in general would work, if it's overly thick cardboard it might do it too. My only problem with that is, and maybe someone has a decent idea to solve it, is taking the heat out. If heat would be an issue at all, not sure.

My first idea if you did have heat would be to create your pump's main case, then cut a ventilation hole up top that runs into another smallbox (or just create this as the lid) on top, that serpentines the air out around foam covered baffles. If that makes sense. If you want to get real fancy computer fans could be used to assist in pushing or pulling air which would be quieter than a pump drone.

Just brainstorming here what I would do.

[Neptune]

Can you post a picture of the pump? Does it generate a lot of heat?

[LizStreithorst]

It's old and ugly, but here you go...To make up for it's ugliness I zoomed out so you could see some of my Discus art work. I'll have to plug it in and let it run overnight to know how much heat it generates. back when I used them I positioned them overhead so I never touched them.

[LizStreithorst]

Here's a pic of my Jhemco pump. It's the same design as the Medo pump. The Jhemoc doesn't make a sound in it's soundproof house. The top thing unscrews and holds a filter. The only inlets for air are those shallow rectangular slits under the cover.

[Jenene]

I don't know anything about the pumps but I LOVE your discus art Liz!

[DJW]

I'm going to put my air pump outside the house in a little well building and run an underground air pipe alongside the water line. It will be cold in the winter but it generates its own heat and the pumphouse is insulated.

[Larry Bugg]

Liz, I just had this one delivered Saturday. I have been using a blower fro Jehmco since 2012 and wanted something much quieter. They told me the noise difference from the blower to this would amaze me. What really sold me was when he told me how much I would save on electricity because their linear pumps are really efficient. Guess what. On one side it says Jehmco and on the other it says Medo. Should easily push all the outlets in my new fish house with room to spare.

http://www.jehmco.com/html/lph80.html

[LizStreithorst]

You will love it for as long as you live. Those Jehmco pumps deliver above and beyond.

I never thought that I would come close to reaching the capacity of the pump I bought. Of course I didn't figure have on having the perimeter of the 20' square room almost solid with 2 racks of tanks. I certainly never thought that I'd have one of my 150 gallon plastic containers that you covet in the middle of the room. (I could fit a second one in and still be able to work all the tanks easily).

I'm sure I can fine a satisfactory way to make silent air with my ancient pumps. It'll be a fun project. I looked on Amazon at acoustic panel foam but it's something I know nothing about. Which one should I buy?

[alron2]

HomeDepot carries sound absorbing insulation. We used insulation in bathroom walls to absorb sound when I was building million dollar homes. We were very happy with it. Easy enough to google and read about it. What is in all the new tanks? Discus or Angels?

Ron

[LizStreithorst]

Thanks. Just Angels the tanks. I've been cranking them out for the wholesaler. It's a far cry from breeding Discus but it kinda fun.

[Discus-n00b]

Liz, I would go with "Egg Crate" or "Pyramid" style foam myself. I used some egg crate foam from a few gun shipping cases I received to wrap my canister filters. Couldn't stand their rattling and bubbling sounds they were making. Seemed to work well, wasn't a fully sound proof operation of course because of how I had it setup.

I've never purchased from these two links, just simply giving an example of the shape I am referring to.
https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Acoustic-Absorption-Pyramid-Treatment/dp/B0153UCHT8/ref=sr_1_14?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1488228001&sr=1-14&keywords=acoustic+foam
https://www.amazon.com/Soundproofing-Acoustic-Eggcrate-Studio-Wedges/dp/B01EIHFOTM/ref=sr_1_9?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1488228001&sr=1-9&keywords=acoustic+foam

Depending on the surface it's sitting on, and what shape it's feet are in you may just be able to line something like a wood apple box with the stuff and place it over the pumps like a simply cover. Seems like a fairly cheap solution. Can always cut holes in the foam and wood for cords/air lines.

[LizStreithorst]

Dang, If I'd seen those I'd have ordered them last week. The ones I looked at cost over $100.

I decided to do what I could this morning since it's my day off and raining outside. What I found out is that the pump itself is not noisy, there is just a lot of vibration. Everything the air piping touches goes to vibrating and makes a noise. With the help of baling twine I was able to keep the air pipe from touching anything. I'm now running 11 air devices off it. The only reason I hear it at all is that my ear is attuned to it. It's not in the least bothersome.