has anyone used a python?

[Da_Oz]

Best thing ever made. Even beter than sliced bread.

 

[SarahBravo]

Dunno about looking for the pump bit in water bed shops, also dunno where my BRAIN went....

If you want something go to the source. May the source be with you. (Sorry, I'm on nights again and getting spacey).

Python themselves do all the spares you could possibly want, plus a brass connector to replace the plastic one. look here. To save on postage, if anyone wants any bits, let me know, I'll get them shipped to the UK and you guys can sort me out later.... I will be ordering brass thingy in next coupla days. Also pump itself is available if anyone wants to go the DIY route.

Also as smithrc says, the python does come with a clamp valve, this is basically 1 inch of strong rubber with a jubille clip and a fitting at the bottom that means you can push it on to any tap that has a long-enough 'down bit' (am I making any sense at all???), tighten the clipand away you go.

You can also buy the pump from here

I will feel a lot better about the whole thing with a brass connector, that was the only fly in the ointment for me!

Oh, nope the carrying/keeping tidy thing doesn't come with, it's another £9.99 which is pretty much a rip off in MHO. If anyone can sew all you need is some strong material and some velcro.

Sarah

 

[astroboy]

If you're short on cash you can make a DIY python.

Thats what i did, cost me a whole $7. Works great, uses the same principles and doesn't waste water.

HOW TO DO IT?

buy these......

1) faucet adapter
2) hose adapter
3) garden hose (short variety)

Attach the faucet adapter to the faucet, attach the hose adapter to the faucet adapter, attach the garden hose to the hose adapter.

I siphon the water out of my tank into the bath tub. Then i attach it to the faucet and refill. Works great and its no extra work.

This is a VERY brief explanation on the way it works.

 

[sanguinarydragon]

how does it waist water? does it use more than what fits in your tank? i dont get it...

 

[Cali]

how does it waist water? does it use more than what fits in your tank? i dont get it...

It wastes water because it uses fresh water from the faucet to create the suction for the vacuum. Fresh water runs down the drain along with the old tank water while you are vacuuming your tank.

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

how does it waist water? does it use more than what fits in your tank? i dont get it...

It wastes water because it uses fresh water from the faucet to create the suction for the vacuum. Fresh water runs down the drain along with the old tank water while you are vacuuming your tank.

Thats not how I use mine, I just suck on the end (25 ft takes a while for the water to reach you, so you have no danger of it going in you mouth) and it starts a siphon. Plus, once you start the vacuum, you don't have to leave your faucet on (I wouldn't think). I don't realy get how it waists water .
Just to add to the comments, I absolutely love mine. I've had it since I first got my tank, and I just can't imagine doing water changes the way most other people do them (especially since I would have to carry the water a long ways, and then up a flight of stairs ). Plus, It makes it so easy to do very large changes ( I usually do over 50% changes every week), especially since I have a well so my water does not need to be dechlorinated .

 

[sanguinarydragon]

oh ok. the python sounds awsome, i may get one know but i wont be able to use it for my brak tank cause of the salt. do you need to dechlorinize your water when doing 20% changes?

oh and FrankSlapperinni, i dont understand what your trying to get across with the qoute on your sig

""The American people wants a president that
appeals to the angels..."
Bush in his speech during the GOP convention. Aug/2000"

im just curious

 

[Sorrell]

If your sink is lower then your tank you can start filling the tank with the python, then once the hose is full of water and the syphon is in the tank, remove it from the faucet and it will reverse syphon out into your drain. Then when you are done syphoning, reattach the python to the sink and fill the tank This way you don't have to run the tap while you take water out

 

[Cavafish]

That makes sense Sorrell & Frank. You are basically saying to use it as a straightforward syphon tube to get the water out of the tank and then use the tap to refill........hmmmm..........do I need a python at all I am wondering?

I think the standard height of most kitchen and bathroom sinks may not be low enough to use as the point to which you can take the waste water from the tank. For those that have the tank and garden in close proximity can let it go out of the window/door of course as it (as already mentioned) a great plant food. Others, especially those who live in flats may be stuck with using the extra water to keep the syphon going and use the sink as the disposl point. It would be interesting if those of you who have already have one can see if the syphon is maintained if the tap is shut off once the initial 'suck' is established.

SarahBravo - if I can get my tap apart (the black nozzle bit is stuck in at the moment), I will definatly be wanting a brass adapter so I will let you know if that is ok and we can share expenses.

 

[carrcn]

I agree with Astroboy. I really don't see what the hype is all about with the python. You can go to your local hardware store and get a faucet adapter with a hose thread on one end and your faucet thread on the other. The faucet thread might be hard to find, but you can take your current faucet adapter off (it's usually just an oxygenator?, breaks the water up with some air) and pack it down to your hardware store and make sure you get the right thread. Some faucets won't have threaded ends on them, so if yours doesn't, try the bathroom. And put a pair of pliers on it, sometimes they don't want to come off, but usually they will with some pliers. You're not going to need it anymore anyways if you tear it up.

The only thing I can see that would be tricky is getting it onto the hose. Not sure if you want to use a regular garden hose to fill up your tank. But I had a python gravel vacuum with a garden hose adapter on one end already, so it was no big deal. Just a $5 dollar kitchen sink adapter (or bathroom). But even so, you can get hose adapters that let you put a threaded hose end onto a plain piece of tubing. I empty mine outside, then plug the hose into the sink and fill it back up. Can't justify the expense on a python. Rather save it for fish, or a CO2 system that I've been wanting for a while. Hope that helps. And saves you some money.

 

[SarahBravo]

Nope, I tried shutting off the water and the 'suck' stopped too. There isn't enough height difference between my tank and sink to maintain the flow, so I have to keep my water switched on to create the vacuum to get suck. I did 3 x 30% water changes yesterday.... very 'sucky' day

 

[luxum]

As the "doubters" have noted, it is indeed possible to make a DIY python system. You'll need a waterbed fill kit which should be available anywhere waterbeds are sold, or on the internet (this will net you the faucet adapter and pump) a gravel vac, a hose, and the know-how to attach it all together. I suggest you get the sort of hose which is marketed for drinking water use in RVs because it won't leach anything nasty into your tank, and has a smaller diameter which is easier to handle.

Me personally, i bought a real python with a brass adapter, and it has lasted me many years (6 so far) and is easily worth the extra 20 bucks or so i paid to buy it commercially rather than take the time to construct it. It's easier to store the medical style tubing rather than a hose in an apartment also. But if you are the thrifty type...

 

[Cavafish]

This is really cool as we now know that the commercial 'proper' product works and lasts a considerable length of time and that there are a variety of ways to put together a DIY version to suit your ability and pocket.

Options as I see them so far.... (feel free to add to list if I miss anything)

1.) Buy the product
2.) Build your own by;

- Buying the valve thing and attaching all your own tubes, gravel syphon and adaptors as necessary
- not using the valve thing at all to syphon and just using a long hose to refill direct from the tap (this is only ok for those who have somewhere to let the old tank water go to that is lower than the tank)
- using the waterbed fill kit and sourcing the other necessary adaptors


Basically it seems that you will need a python-type setup if your place for getting shot of the old tank water is too high (relative to your tank) for syphoning to work unaided. i.e. most kitchen and bathroom sinks. You then need the Python-syphon to get the tank to empty.

Hmmm...all things considered, I'm ordering mine.

Thanks for all the advice and input folks

Cava