Python Tank Cleaners

[dave_m13]

Hi I am looking at getting one of these also, i suppose as long as it can attach to either cloakroom taps (Hot and Cold Tap) or kitchen sink tap ( mixer) then i would ok. Going to have a 400ltr tank and the thought of replacng 25% of water using buckets on a laminate floor is not good.

I have a question regarding the chlorine, how do people add their Water Conditioners and Dechlorinators to the tank when refilling the tank.

Thanks
Dave

 

[rdd1952]

The negatives: It's a bit of a chore to get the temperature right. And you do waste an awful lot of tapwater. And if you happen to suck up a fishie with it, kiss it goodbye because once it gets to the other end, it will get squeezed by the water pressure.

I don't use mine for removeing water and siphoning. I use the old 5 gallon buckets simply because it does waste a lot of water and if you're not careful, you will overflow the sink because of the amount of water (from the tap being wide open plus what is coming from the tank). I only use it to refill. As for getting the temp right, I start it running in drain mode for about 30 seconds to get the temp consistent. I then run some in a cup or small bucket and check the temp (make sure you use the same thermometer to check both the tank temp and the tap water temp, thermometers can vary up to a couple degrees) and adjust up or down accordingly. It takes a couple minutes but can be done.

I have a question regarding the chlorine, how do people add their Water Conditioners and Dechlorinators to the tank when refilling the tank.

I use stress coat. Their directions say 1 tsp per 10 gallon for removing chlorine and 1 tsp per 5 gallon to relieve stress and replace slime coat. I treat at the 1 to 5 dosage and add half as I start the water running into the tank and then the rest when I finish. I figure that way I am adding the correct dechlorination dosage both before and after adding water so I'm covered both ways.

 

[Chuck & Veronica]

I have a question regarding the chlorine, how do people add their Water Conditioners and Dechlorinators to the tank when refilling the tank.

What I do is add the chemicals to the tank water before adding the new water. It mixes with the treated tank water fast enough to be safe, in my experience.

Chuck

The negatives: It's a bit of a chore to get the temperature right. And you do waste an awful lot of tapwater. And if you happen to suck up a fishie with it, kiss it goodbye because once it gets to the other end, it will get squeezed by the water pressure.

I don't use mine for removeing water and siphoning. I use the old 5 gallon buckets simply because it does waste a lot of water and if you're not careful, you will overflow the sink because of the amount of water (from the tap being wide open plus what is coming from the tank). I only use it to refill.

I don't have a risk of overflowing my sink, since I use a big utility sink in the laundry room. But I do use your method on my 10-gallon tank. The biggest bucket I have is 5 gallons. Anything bigger is a bit too heavy to carry when filled with water. For a small tank, I think that's okay. If I'm doing a 25% water change on a 20-gallon tank, that would be okay too since it's basically just one bucketfull. But if I'm doing a 25% water change on a 55-gallon tank, that's three buckets full of water that I'd have to hand carry and dispose of. Doable, but a real chore when the Python can do it in five or 10 minutes with no heavy lifting. And with tanks bigger than 55 gallons, then the number of bucketfuls that have to be lugged becomes nearly ridiculous.

Chuck

 

[emma12321]

Thanks rdd for the photos's of the taps, this helps loads as i have kitchen leaflets to look through now and find a similar one. The python will be a huge time saver for re filling the tank but i will probably carry on draining the big ones through the window and the smaller ones into buckets as i don't like wasting water and wouldn't want to flood the kitchen.

Thanks

Emma