Muffler/Silencer for Air Intake Tubes

[JWeb]

Gang, in another thread, I'm working to troubleshoot my poorly-performing skimmer. When I first put it together (it's DIY), I ended up using a very long (~8 foot) section of 5/16" vinyl tubing for the air intake to the venturi. This was the only thing that would make the sucking noise tolerable.

It was suggestied that this long length could be restricting air intake into the venturi enough to hinder performance. Thus, I replaced the long tube with a shorter (~18") section. Although I can't tell if this permits more intake (it looks identical), the sucking noise is intolerable. If I insert a small diameter tube (1/4" OD in this case) inside the 5/16" ID tube, the noise is better, but still well beyond any level I want to live with!

I have read some that have incorporated a muffler into the intake tubing (Nate?). Is this just an elaborate term for a simple trick/gadget, or do there exist actual commercial "mufflers"? I have used air line mufflers for compressed air lines - but I don't think they would be useful in this case...

Thanks for the tips...

 

[JWeb]

Well, I guess there is a gadget or trick! I just built this... but, I am not sure what is worse: an 8' length of 5/16" ID tubing or a 2" section of PVC stuffed with gauze. They both seem to have the potential to be constricting.

 

[dima96]

what about using silicone tubing like euro-reef uses. but i'm not sure where to get it.

 

[JWeb]

dima, I'm not sure what you mean by using silicone tubing... how would this be advantageous over vinyl tubing?

 

[JohnK]

I use about 24in of 5/16 ID tubing but I roll it into a coil about 5 in around then loosely secure it with zip ties. hangs neatly off the beckett housing and doesn't get in the way.

 

[marco67]

I use 2 3/4" PVC caps with a short peice of 3/4" PVC pipe between them. Leave one unglued so you can open it (it will look like a large pill). Then just tap into one end with a tubing barb and drill some holes in the other. Use a cotton ball inside and change it out every month or so as it gets dirty.

 

[JWeb]

Marco, that's pretty much what I have there... except I think cotton balls are a better idea since they seem less dense than bunched-up gauze.

I was also thinking this morning that it might be neat to use activated carbon as the silencing media as opposed to cotton balls or gauze. If it is placed in a fine-mesh bag inside the PVC "pill", it might also help to scrub some of the incoming air. Since my living room (location of the tank) is adjacent to the kitchen (where I cook), I have recently been concerned about the skimmer introducing pollutants this way. Too much thinking here?