Co-op USB Air Pump, too loud and strong? (maybe I use it wrong)

[Wil]

So I just wanted to vet others experience with this product. I find it to be louder than expected, maybe because it was hyped as super quite. But it also gets louder to me when I try to reduce the air flow. Is it not recommended to reduce its out put of air? The pump has also shut off a few times and my best guess is that it over heats from me trying to reduce the air flow into my tank. Has anyone else had problems with the pump shutting off? I wanted to see if it was my error in use before emailing Candy about a broken product. 

Right now I am using a valve to reduce the air flow so my tank doesn't "boil" but if that stresses the pump could I put some pin holes or split the line to release flow to the tank but not add pressure to the pump? 

[Guppysnail]

I have 6 of the new air pumps. I find them noise level between a coop nano pump and tetra whisper. I use a splitter to run 2 lines per pump. I have never had one shut off. When they are in power saver mode to run on the internal battery they pump intermittently. Is it possible the plug block is not working or maybe the power setting button has been clicked over to power saver?  I sit mine on a towel to dampen any noise it helps a lot. I love these pumps. 

[Widgets]

On 4/2/2022 at 9:35 AM, Wil said:

Right now I am using a valve to reduce the air flow so my tank doesn't "boil" but if that stresses the pump could I put some pin holes or split the line to release flow to the tank but not add pressure to the pump?

To reduce the flow it is best to use a tee and a valve to bleed off excess air. Just using a valve will increase the operating pressure of the pump and may lead to premature failure. It could also increase the operating noise.

Like @Guppysnail I drive two airstones with each pump, but I only have 3 pumps.

[nabokovfan87]

On 4/2/2022 at 6:40 AM, Guppysnail said:

Is it possible the plug block is not working or maybe the power setting button has been clicked over to power saver?  I sit mine on a towel to dampen any noise it helps a lot. I love these pumps. 

I wouldn't use a towel. I've used a rubber pad or cardboard for mine. a towel might put some fuzz into the air intake.

[Widgets]

On 4/4/2022 at 3:04 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

I wouldn't use a towel. I've used a rubber pad or cardboard for mine. a towel might put some fuzz into the air intake.

I typically use a piece of foam. I always seem to have scraps around, maybe because I am always buying more.

[Hobbit]

I was about to make a post asking similar questions about the new air pump. I tried to install two last night but ended up taking them both out and putting the nano USB pumps back in their place. ☹️ Maybe I’m also doing something wrong? I was trying to hang them—one on a metal rack and one up against the wall—and maybe they don’t work well in a vertical position?

The two problems I’m having are the noise and the strength. I’m very noise sensitive, so I know most pumps just aren’t going to work for me. While the new pumps are definitely quieter than any other company’s pump I’ve tried, they’re definitely not silent and unfortunately the buzzing is too loud for me. The nano USB pumps are far quieter. (And before you ask—no, it wasn’t rattling against the metal rack. I made sure. 😉 The one against the wall sounded the same.)

Strength-wise, I was trying to run just three airstones off of it and it wasn’t strong enough. That makes it weaker than two nano USB filters. I tried switching out the gang valve for some in-line valves just in case the gang valve was leaking, but that didn’t help.

I’m really hoping I’m just doing something wrong, because I’ve never been disappointed with a co-op product until now. I was really excited about these guys!

[sumplkrum]

I have two of them.
One runs five sponge filters, the other runs six.

I use gang valves to balance the air and Ziss airstones which I can adjust (tighten or loosen) to control flow.

They sit on the top shelf of my tank rack, and all the hosing goes down to the lower racks.

I have them sitting on a piece of packing insulation to eliminate any vibration. Then there are a couple more insulation blocks between the pumps and the rest of the room to limit the hum noise. I really never hear the pumps unless the rest of the house is dead silent.

So far, I have not experienced them switching into power save mode.

I suspect if they are overly noisy, there may be too much pressure trying to push air through the airstone. I have had to adjust the airstones as they started to clog.

 

[Dawn T]

I haven't any trouble with any of mine being noisy. In fact, I never hear any of them. I have 3 in use right now. A 1.5g jarrarium (airstone only), a 5g tank (sponge filter), and a 29g tank (sponge filter)

Only one of them stopped working without warning a couple of weeks or so after I got it. I contacted Candy. She suggested I smack it. I did that, it went right back to work. It's done that a couple of times. A good smack got it working right again. After the 3rd time, I decided it might be an issue with how I'm using it, versus a problem with the pump (since my other pumps don't ever quit). I adjusted the gang valve (used to bleed off extra air so the flow isn't too hard in my 1.5g jarrarium) to put more back-pressure on the pump, and it hasn't stopped since.

[CT_]

On 4/10/2022 at 3:18 PM, Dawn T said:

I haven't any trouble with any of mine being noisy. In fact, I never hear any of them. I have 3 in use right now. A 1.5g jarrarium (airstone only), a 5g tank (sponge filter), and a 29g tank (sponge filter)

Only one of them stopped working without warning a couple of weeks or so after I got it. I contacted Candy. She suggested I smack it. I did that, it went right back to work. It's done that a couple of times. A good smack got it working right again. After the 3rd time, I decided it might be an issue with how I'm using it, versus a problem with the pump (since my other pumps don't ever quit). I adjusted the gang valve (used to bleed off extra air so the flow isn't too hard in my 1.5g jarrarium) to put more back-pressure on the pump, and it hasn't stopped since.

is this the nano pump or the battery one?  I feel like this thread now has a mix of comments on the two.

On 4/10/2022 at 9:37 AM, Hobbit said:

I was about to make a post asking similar questions about the new air pump. I tried to install two last night but ended up taking them both out and putting the nano USB pumps back in their place. ☹️ Maybe I’m also doing something wrong? I was trying to hang them—one on a metal rack and one up against the wall—and maybe they don’t work well in a vertical position?

I tore mine down and from what I can see they should be fine in any orientation.  I will say though that the feet are excellent at vibration isolation so I'd try to have them sitting on their feet and not on the clip if possible.  The body  of the pump does vibrate quite a bit so I bet they'd benefit from being put in an enclosure of some kind(space allowing), but I haven't tested this yet.  The room I have mine in already has a pretty high noise floor. 

[Dawn T]

On 4/10/2022 at 4:00 PM, CT_ said:

is this the nano pump or the battery one?  I feel like this thread now has a mix of comments on the two.

The USB Nano Pump.

[Wil]

On 4/10/2022 at 6:00 PM, CT_ said:

is this the nano pump or the battery one?  I feel like this thread now has a mix of comments on the two.

I tore mine down and from what I can see they should be fine in any orientation.  I will say though that the feet are excellent at vibration isolation so I'd try to have them sitting on their feet and not on the clip if possible.  The body  of the pump does vibrate quite a bit so I bet they'd benefit from being put in an enclosure of some kind(space allowing), but I haven't tested this yet.  The room I have mine in already has a pretty high noise floor. 

Oops, I started this thread talking about the nano air pump from the beginning but never specified because I was unaware there was another usb air pump. 

[Hobbit]

Oh whoops! Sorry to take over your thread @Wil! 

If we’re talking about the USB nano air pump (the green one), I’ve found them to be almost totally silent. I have 10 running right now. I did get one once that stopped working almost immediately, but Candi took care of me and sent a replacement. Every once in a while, you may just get a dud.

They will shut off if overheated or over worked. I broke one that way and have damaged another. I didn’t realize there was something blocking the airlift tube in one of my breeding tanks.

[Wil]

On 4/10/2022 at 8:47 PM, Hobbit said:

 

No problem @Hobbit, I am still figuring out this forum stuff. I for sure overheated mine by lowering the flow with a valve. I still find it louder than I wanted it to be. I wanted it for a desk aquarium, so very close to me. If it was farther away it wouldn't be an issue.