"Andy Peteman" wrote in
:

Or would it be possible to put the filter on a timer so that when the
light goes off on the tank the filter turns off , this i would happen

Bad idea. Not only are you risking a build up of nitrogenous wastes over
night (which will depend on a number of factors), but the lack of surface
agitation is a recipe for CO2 build-up (possibly poisoning) and a large pH
drop--especially if you have plants.

Any way you look at it you would be causing routine nightly stress to your
fish.

A better solution would be to invest in a quieter filter. Most high quality
canister filters are dead silent. Consider a small Eheim Ecco or something
along those lines. These filters are so quiet you'd have to put your ear up
against the motor head in the dead of night to hear a thing.

http://www.eheim.com/ecco.htm