Adventures With A Python For Fathers Day.

[smmetz]

So, this morning my wife and son present me with a new 50 ft Python tank cleaning thing. I've seen them and read about them before, but never picked one up.

This evening, my wife asked if I am going to try out my new gadget. Well, cleaning tanks was not on my agenda, but I figured I would try it out.

First I go to my 55 gallon. Now, with the regular gravel vacs, I always have to take the tube off the end and just use the rubber hose, in order to get enough suction to pick up my 9" plec's poop. Maybe it will be different with the Python! After reading the directions, I hook it up to my sink, and get it started.

Well, the plec poo gets lifed off the sand, but never makes it more than half way up the tube. Oh well. Well, my filter has reduced flow lately, so I figure I'll drain the tank into a bucket with my regular vac (hose only, so I can get the poo), and clean off the filter in the bucket. Can't do that with the python, but at least filling the tank will be faster!

Next I attack my 29 gallon. It has smaller fish, so maybe I can use the python to clean out the gravel? Nope, my wife asks if I have watered the plants lately. I always water them with used tank water. If I used the python, that water goes down the drain. So, I drain the 29 gallon the old fashion way, then fill it up with the python. Well, at least this thing is usefull for filling the tanks, right?

Lastly I go to my 10 gallon tank. I get my son (5 years old) to help turn on the water when I need it. He turns it on and I proceed to clean out the 10 gallon After that's done I set up the python to fill up my 10 gallon tank. As before, I put on a little hot water, then the rest cold. Now, I can'tget to the sink very quickly from my 10 gallon tank, so I ask my son to stand by the sink and turn off the water when I ask. The python has a shut off vavle that stops the flow, but I wanted to include him.

Now, the 10 gallon tank is filling up pretty quickly, being a small tank. When it's almost to the top, I yell "Stop!" My son shuts off the cold water, but the hot is still on. The 10 gallon can only hold a half inch more water before it overflows! I start yelling "turn them both off!" Getting nervous, my son turns the hot water on full blast. OH CRAP, I think, so then I shut off the flow vavle on the python. Disaster averted........ or rather delayed for a second. The python could not take the pressure!!!

The hose comes flying off the sink adapeter, and hot water sprays into my son! Water is spraying all over the bathroom, and leaking out of the python hose on the floor!. I run back and my wife beat me there, turning off the sink. Water is all over the bathroom and hall floor! At least it is tile!

So, now I am frustrated. The Python was worthless taking water out of my tanks. It didn't have great suction(not any better than a regular gravel vac anyway), and I needed water to clean my filter and water my plants anyway. The only good thing was filling my tanks, and the damned thing near flooded my house doing that!

I go to disconnect the sink adapter and put the stupid thing away. There is a metal adapter that I screwed on pretty firmly. I grip it hard and try to get if off. Well, apparently the threads on it are sharp, and now my hand is bleeding!

Lastly, my son asks if I am ever going to use my present again. In frustration I say "probably not". This hurt his feelings and goes crying to his mother.

How was your Father's Day?

 

[rdd1952]

Sorry your first experience with the Python wasn't good. Pythons are great for filling larger tanks but I never use it to take water out as it just wastes too much water. My water bill is high enough already. I vacuum my tank the same way you do, usually with just the hose as the suction is so much better and a 5 gallon bucket.

I then use the python to refill the tanks. I only use it on my 29 and 75 gallon tanks, never on the 5 gallon. I fill the 29 gallon first and keep an empty 5 gallon bucket sitting beside that tank. When it is full, I simply pick up the bucket, stick the fill end of the hose in it and carry it to the 75 gallon tank. I position the hose and then stick the end in the tank. When that tank is finished filling, I stick the end back in the bucket and run enough water in it to refill my 5 gallon tank and then shut off the water. Just add dechlorinator to the tanks (I do that just as they finish filling) and to the bucket of water that's going into the 5 gallon. Switch the valve so that it's on drain again, stretch out the hose and roll it up while the water in the hose is being sucked back out and your done.

If I were you, I wouldn't use it on the 10 gallon as it's just too small. Usually, you're only going to be changing a couple gallon at a time and that's much easier with the bucket.