Emperor 280 Filter Excessive Noise

[ippielb]

I have an Emperor 280 power filter with a bio wheel, and it has started to become very loud. So loud yet i cannot manage to sleep with it going. I've taken it apart and cleaned it twice, and yet still no luck with it quieting down. What can i do to try and make it quieter? It sounds like vibrating, and then like one of the spray bars holes has air in it all the time when it doesn't.

[korith]

You can adjust the spray bar. If that doesn't help, may need to clean out the spray bar a bit more. Also check to see if the impeller is freely movable. If not may need to replace it.

[MCHRKiller]

Emps are notoriously noisy filters, I have ran them in the past and have never found ways to help quiet them down. IMO start saving your pennies and looking for a replacement filter.

[ippielb]

Gotcha, i think i will just go to the store and get a new one, are canister filters quiet?

[MCHRKiller]

They are generally quiet, some are of course moreso than others. I would suggest a Fluval 05 series, Rena XP series, or Eheim. If you want a HOB AquaClears are probably the best.

[Lady Hobbs]

Welcome to the world of unhappy Emperor users. I also had one and like Jenn, found it to be worse filter EVER. Mine sounded like a freight train when I was trying to sleep. Check out the Aqua Clears if you want a good filter, one that doesn't constantly plug up and is quiet.

[ippielb]

Thanks i will definately look at that, I have an aquaclear 70 in my large tank along with my sump. It's been put through a really good beating and it still works, sand really stops the impeller though haha

[ippielb]

Bought an Aqua Clear 30 for my 25 gallon. going to run it with my emperor for a week to get the bacteria flowing. Then getting rid of that freight train!

[MCHRKiller]

IMO an AC30 probably is not enough for a 25G tank. Filter companies like to drastically over-rate a filter's efficiency. If you can I would return it now for atleast an AC50. Generally especially for HOBs its best to take what they recommend the filter for and cut it half...that will then give you a more realistic idea of what the filter can handle efficiently.

[ippielb]

I have an undergravel filter, would that be enough? Or should i still try and return it?