For those who use a Python

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Gypsum

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Have you ever had a fish get sucked into one? My lyretail killifish seem to have a compulsion to try swimming up the tube while you're sucking water out of the tank, which isn't amusing. You have to hover over the Python and chase curious killifish away. I don't know if it's possible for one to be sucked into the waterslide ride of its life, and I don't want to find out.
 
Cheers. Our other fish seem to have enough sense to not swim into the tube, so this hadn't been an issue until we got the killis.
 
My shrimp are the only thing that get sucked up. If I pull the tube out of the water fast, they fall back into the tank. I had a goldfish go in once but too large to go in the hose. However, I have had a few fish just disappear before and wondered if they took a ride without me noticing. I tried the panty hose over the tube but it left too much trash behind so I had to stop using it. Goldfish have big poop. lol!
 
YES YES YES - that's one of the reasons I stopped using the python. Not to mention I needed 50 feet of hose to reach my kitchen sink and I had to turn it on full blast to get the right amount of suction, then the sink would start to overflow (it did once, what a terrible mess on my hardwood floors). It doesn't have a filter to keep the fish from getting sucked up into it and almost all my fish have a sick curiousity about what's in that hose. I always got them out before they got to the sink but there were some scary moments. I now use a much smaller tubing and the water goes into a bucket - it has a filter on it that will keep any fish from getting sucked up. I do have to stop and clean it out from plant debris and the fish are still curious but there is NO risk. I was spending so much time getting all the water out of my 50 foot python after I was done with a water change, that suctioning water and debris into a bucket then dumping it into the toilet is actually a faster way of doing a water change. Of course I only have 29 gallon tanks - perhaps I'd feel differently if I had a 100 gallon tank - but I don't think so. When I add water back in I put in Prime first and sometimes Stability and add water to the bucket from my bathtub - I can get almost the exact same temperature as is in the tank. I add 3 gallons at a time (because I'm old and sick and that's as much as I can carry LOL) - it mixes the chemicals into the entire bucket. It takes between 5 and 6 - 3 gallon bucket fulls to do a good heavy water change. And at 3 gallons at a time it's not that heavy or exhausting for me. Just remember to check the filter and wash out any debris that might block the suction. I LOVE this method of water changes rather than using the high risk, pain in the neck Python.
 
YES YES YES - that's one of the reasons I stopped using the python. Not to mention I needed 50 feet of hose to reach my kitchen sink and I had to turn it on full blast to get the right amount of suction, then the sink would start to overflow (it did once, what a terrible mess on my hardwood floors). It doesn't have a filter to keep the fish from getting sucked up into it and almost all my fish have a sick curiousity about what's in that hose. I always got them out before they got to the sink but there were some scary moments. I now use a much smaller tubing and the water goes into a bucket - it has a filter on it that will keep any fish from getting sucked up. I do have to stop and clean it out from plant debris and the fish are still curious but there is NO risk. I was spending so much time getting all the water out of my 50 foot python after I was done with a water change, that suctioning water and debris into a bucket then dumping it into the toilet is actually a faster way of doing a water change. Of course I only have 29 gallon tanks - perhaps I'd feel differently if I had a 100 gallon tank - but I don't think so. When I add water back in I put in Prime first and sometimes Stability and add water to the bucket from my bathtub - I can get almost the exact same temperature as is in the tank. I add 3 gallons at a time (because I'm old and sick and that's as much as I can carry LOL) - it mixes the chemicals into the entire bucket. It takes between 5 and 6 - 3 gallon bucket fulls to do a good heavy water change. And at 3 gallons at a time it's not that heavy or exhausting for me. Just remember to check the filter and wash out any debris that might block the suction. I LOVE this method of water changes rather than using the high risk, pain in the neck Python.
That would not work for me and all of my tanks. Not even an option. Unless, I want no sleep time. :)
 
an alternative would be a long hose with an inline electric pump...a proper sized pump would pump 50 feet or more from the basement to the first floor easily. Where this a will, there always is a way!
 

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