This might be obvious but nobody has mentioned it. I'm not a big fan of this skimmer, I unplugged the one on my store display a year ago after fighting with it, but I have 2 in service on 29 and 55 g tanks respectively and they work but yes they are a bit loud...
The venturi hose can be plugged in to a muffler on the collection cup - there are two ports for that hose on the lid of the cup - one is to prime the skimmer (although I found just stopping up the hose with my fingertip worked just fine for that...) the other is a port for the hose to be able to draw air out of the collection cup, and thus muffles the snotty sound the machine makes while it is running. This helps a bit but it's not going to be completely quiet.
A venturi muffler will work too - but just wanted to point out that there is one built in on the skimmer itself.
Personally I like the CPR Bak Pak for smaller tanks, and the Dual Pak for larger ones if there is no sump.
JMHO
Jenn
The venturi hose can be plugged in to a muffler on the collection cup - there are two ports for that hose on the lid of the cup - one is to prime the skimmer (although I found just stopping up the hose with my fingertip worked just fine for that...) the other is a port for the hose to be able to draw air out of the collection cup, and thus muffles the snotty sound the machine makes while it is running. This helps a bit but it's not going to be completely quiet.
A venturi muffler will work too - but just wanted to point out that there is one built in on the skimmer itself.
Personally I like the CPR Bak Pak for smaller tanks, and the Dual Pak for larger ones if there is no sump.
JMHO
Jenn
