PDA

View Full Version : Pythons are AWESOME!!!



CarolinaGirl
02-18-2006, 03:39 PM
I never had one before. I never really saw (or understood) the difference between a python and a regular gravel cleaner. Today I cleaned my stock tank with my new python for the first time. It was SOOOO easy!!! I am really glad I got this thing....best $28 I ever spent!! :yes: :yes:

khoffman19
02-18-2006, 03:42 PM
I thought you had gotten a new pet!!
They are really nice.

gander
02-18-2006, 03:42 PM
I never had one before. I never really saw (or understood) the difference between a python and a regular gravel cleaner. Today I cleaned my stock tank with my new python for the first time. It was SOOOO easy!!! I am really glad I got this thing....best $28 I ever spent!! :yes: :yes:
They dont work worth a **** on the pond though. I love mine for the aquariums but it would not work on the pond.

allen42
02-18-2006, 03:51 PM
OMG Cindy , I thought ya done lost ya mind and bought a **** snake !! Whewwwwwww LMAO Scared MEEEEEEEEEE

Ronin-Koi
02-18-2006, 03:59 PM
Yes, the python faucet water changing system is the BOMB... I can not imagine what it would take to have to do 50% water changes on a 72 gallon tank without a python.

- Wayne, actually could imagine, and has no interest in hauling 5 gallon buckets all day.

tnovak
02-18-2006, 04:21 PM
Sounds like a nice little present my DH can get for me for any holiday to help with water changes in my 20 and 30 gal. aquariums!

CarolinaGirl
02-18-2006, 04:37 PM
hee.hee....no snakes here...at least not as pets. I just had no idea changing watwe could be so easy! Just hook it up to the tap, turn on the spigot and like magic....water starts siphoning from the tank!!! I was amazed. I guess it doens't take much to impress me sometimes :p: :p: :p:

koidoc
02-18-2006, 05:02 PM
can't have gravel or do Goldfsih changes without a Python. They have been out since I used to have hair. I have used mine for vaucuming out Q-tank. I tape the tube to a broom handle and use as vacumn.

Cowiche Ponder
02-18-2006, 05:44 PM
And still free shipping at Big al's for orders over $50... ok I'm buying

Meg
02-18-2006, 06:13 PM
:To funny: :holycrap: :To funny:
looks like a few of us thought you were talking about a snake.....hehehehehe

Sonny
02-18-2006, 06:39 PM
It's funny this post came up. :yes:

I just got done cleaning my new aquarium and I was using the python for the first time. In addition to many other small disasters I experienced I had a mishap with my python. I was re-filling the tank after vacuuming the gravel and when it was done I shut the in-line valve to stop the water. I am lolly-gagging about wiping up little spills and adjusting things here and there. When I got back to the sink to shut the water at the faucet there was water spraying everywhere! :eek: It must not have been attached properly. Water got on the walls and all over the floor. I hope the next attempt at cleaning my aquarium goes smoother or my indoor fish keeping days may be over. :(

Susan Reed
02-18-2006, 06:42 PM
we got one last week and love the thing......really works great for me!!! but we paid 35.00 for ours...

Marie
02-18-2006, 07:08 PM
I've had one for a while now. I love it. Got mine at PetsSmart. Checked their website for price, which was considerably less than in store price. Store let me have it for internet price.

For vacuuming the pond, I use a pool vacuum head attached to a pool vacuum hose and pole. Instead of attaching the other end of the hose to a pump, I hold it in under the water until hose fills with water. I have a small hill (about 3 feet drop to bottom level) next to the pond. I take the hose to the bottom of the hill and let it start draining water. Works pretty good. Has enough suction that it picked up the thermometer from the bottom of the pond and shot it out the end of the hose.

Leekinneykoi
02-18-2006, 07:16 PM
I never had one before. I never really saw (or understood) the difference between a python and a regular gravel cleaner. Today I cleaned my stock tank with my new python for the first time. It was SOOOO easy!!! I am really glad I got this thing....best $28 I ever spent!! :yes: :yes:
They are great when I had my Aquarium Maintenance Service, it is about the only tool you need as long as a sink is in the building, I had 2, 100 foot ones hooked together.:yes: Awesome Tool.

Pa. Nancy
02-18-2006, 07:34 PM
Isn't that thing just FABULOUS!!!

I discovered it last year going to the Charlotte show. I stayed at Lynn's house the night before. She was cleaning her tank. My mouth just fell to the floor. It was sooooo easy. I couldn't get to the computer fast enough and ordered one right there on the spot. It was ordered late thurs. night it came I think it was Mon. and have loved that thing since. Makes water changes a LOT easier. No more lugging buckets of water around for me. :no:

Someone mentioned there's was a bit more expensive. You have to watch the hose lengths. The longer ones are more expensive. Mine is a 25 ft. I think Lynn's is longer.

Susan Reed
02-18-2006, 07:49 PM
I think this one is around 25 feet....but hey...in my book it's worth the $$

Ronin-Koi
02-18-2006, 11:19 PM
Like so many other modern miracles, you DO have to take care with these Python cleaning systems. Always be mindful of what you are doing and when. There might be a doc or two around here that can share some disaster stories?

I never leave the general area of the tank when I empty or fill. I usually do pretty large water changes, anywhere from 40-60%. That's a lot of water so I have a lot of time to clean things up. When I empty, I suck up bottom debris, then use the tube kind of like a skimmer to suck up surface grime (which otherwise would just float til eternity), then I hang the tube over the edge, and close the glass canopy on top of it to set the MAX depth that the tube can possibly drain to. This prevents the python from completely draining the tank and killing the fish, even if I were to pass out or fall asleep. And when filling, equal care needs to be given to condition water as needed dumping chems in prior to adding new water.

I'll share that the first time I used the python, when filling, I had the valve set to close, turned on the water, used a thermometer to set the faucet water temp, dumped in some NovAqua, then opened the valve, Waaay too fast with the tube just hanging over the tank. As you can imagine, the tube tip whipped out with all that sudden "surge" of flow (my home water pressure is very high) and sprayed all over my ceiling, raining all over my family room. Grrrr...

- Wayne, now keeps the tube pinched by the canopy glass always, and never turns the valve fast. His is a 50 footer, needed for his tank location.

koiingaround
02-18-2006, 11:21 PM
OMG Cindy , I thought ya done lost ya mind and bought a **** snake !! Whewwwwwww LMAO Scared MEEEEEEEEEE
Me too Allen :eek:

madeyna
02-20-2006, 04:50 PM
Hummmmm guess I need to get one since all my buckets now have goldfish in them :rolleyes: I have been switching them back and forth every three days for water changes. I don,t want to q tank all the goldies together since they were purchased out of differenent tanks. My family thinks I have lost it since there are goldfish in buckets everywere. ;)

RobR
02-20-2006, 08:07 PM
It's funny this post came up. :yes:

I just got done cleaning my new aquarium and I was using the python for the first time. In addition to many other small disasters I experienced I had a mishap with my python. I was re-filling the tank after vacuuming the gravel and when it was done I shut the in-line valve to stop the water. I am lolly-gagging about wiping up little spills and adjusting things here and there. When I got back to the sink to shut the water at the faucet there was water spraying everywhere! :eek: It must not have been attached properly. Water got on the walls and all over the floor. I hope the next attempt at cleaning my aquarium goes smoother or my indoor fish keeping days may be over. :(
I think this might be a problem many of us have experienced. Here is the solution for those of us that use one at the same water level as the tank.
Never use the shutoff on the end of the python.
I watch the water level rise when filling the tank and when it is just about where it is supposed to be I shut off the faucet.
Then you can lift the end out of the tank and while maintaining it at a higher level than the faucet......walk it back to the faucet and open the bottom of the unit at the faucet.
Then procede to ravel it up just a bit higher than the faucet, and when the tube is empty you can unscrew it.
Iv'e been doing it this way for years and after spraying my bathroom with water the first time it is now my standard practice.

Pa. Nancy
02-20-2006, 08:28 PM
I think this might be a problem many of us have experienced. Here is the solution for those of us that use one at the same water level as the tank.
Never use the shutoff on the end of the python.
I watch the water level rise when filling the tank and when it is just about where it is supposed to be I shut off the faucet.
Then you can lift the end out of the tank and while maintaining it at a higher level than the faucet......walk it back to the faucet and open the bottom of the unit at the faucet.
Then procede to ravel it up just a bit higher than the faucet, and when the tube is empty you can unscrew it.
Iv'e been doing it this way for years and after spraying my bathroom with water the first time it is now my standard practice.

That's the way I do it too Rob. Never a problem. :cool: :cool:

Ruth
02-21-2006, 12:53 AM
They dont work worth a **** on the pond though. I love mine for the aquariums but it would not work on the pond.
I use my python as a siphon. I've mentioned it before but a siphon works much better to clean a pond than a vac that collect debris in a bag and throws the water back into the pond. Once I learned how to start a siphon I clean the aquarium and cleaned the pond that way before we rebuilt it. Now I don't have to clean the pond :D: but occasionally clean the spillway with a hose. Remember you only have to have the bottom of the hose lower than the top of the water level. So yes you could use a python to clean a pond or better yet 1 1/4in. sump pump hose taped to pvc pipe as a handle if your lay of land is such that you can have the hose drain below the top of the water line and especially if your pond is raised. :yes: :)
Fortunately we can run the end of the python over to the turlet so it works well as a siphon when cleaning the aquarium.

DaKid Koi
02-21-2006, 04:05 AM
Pythons are AWESOME!!!

:yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: they sure are here 1 I had :yes: :D:

BAKA
02-21-2006, 06:23 AM
:eek:

Meg
02-22-2006, 01:40 AM
:rofl: :fiesty:
Pythons are AWESOME!!!

:yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: :yes: they sure are here 1 I had :yes: :D:

Ruth
02-22-2006, 01:45 AM
My friend's husband had a python when they got married. Her mother pleaded with them until they got rid of it when she became preggers with their first child. Her mom was afraid the snake would eat the baby :eek:

aartwmich
02-22-2006, 05:52 PM
Hmmm, never used or seen this python thingy y'all are raving about. I use a gravel vacuum to clean the gravel, couple of buckets of water to haul for that.

Then I take one of my small submersible pond pumps connected to 20 foot or so of hose, put the pump in the tank and the hose end in the tub or sink and plug er in!

To refill the tank, I put the pump in a bucket under the faucet and the hose end in the tank, fill the bucket up and plug in the pump adjusting the pump flow to keep up with the faucet flow.

NO more hauling buckets!! I guess that the python might be easier tho cause you don't have to switch ends to refill. Does the sink have to be lower than the tank for the python siphon to work? Do you have to keep the faucet running in siphon mode od just to get it started?

CarolinaGirl
02-22-2006, 06:28 PM
The thingy that attaches to the sink has a valve on the bottom. You open the valve and then start your tap water running. It draws water out of your tank. The water coming out of the valve on the bottom is now tank water and tap water mixed. And no....the the tank can be lower or higher than the sink....doesn't matter. When you are ready to refill, simply shut the valve on the spigot thingy and the tap water flows into the tank. Couldn't be easier!!! No siphoning, no buckets, no spilled water.

Ronin-Koi
02-22-2006, 06:52 PM
I guess that the python might be easier tho cause you don't have to switch ends to refill. Does the sink have to be lower than the tank for the python siphon to work? Do you have to keep the faucet running in siphon mode od just to get it started? For water changes, put one end of the python in the tank, and hook up the other end to a convenient faucet. The valve on the faucet attatchment controls if you are draining or filling water. There is no need to rearrange the python and it will do both jobs for you. In drain mode, you turn on cold tap water. The flow of tap water over the line that goes to the tank creates low pressure. This low pressure induces water to flow from the fish tank to the faucet attachment, then down the sink. As long as the tap water is running, there is suction, so you never have to worry about priming the python. You can use the nozzle to clean the debris, use it like a skimmer to get surface grime, and then let the nozzle hang at a MAX depth that you want it to drain to. DO NOT let the siphon rest on the bottom and walk away.

Once you have removed your intended amount of water, you adjust the tap water to the same temp as th tank water. Then you turn the valve on the faucet attachment and the faucet outlet is closed. This forces all the tap water through the python and into the tank. Be sure to prepare the tank for new tap water by adding any necessary water treatment for chlorine, etc.

You can get the python in 25 ft, 50 ft, 75 ft and 100 ft lengths with extensions also available. Bigalsonline.com has them on sale for MUCH less than I paid at the local fish store. :mad: And you can easily get the total up so you can get it shipped for FREE! :cool: Your back will thank you for it! :D:

- Wayne, has had to do 50%++ water changes on a 72 gallon tank EVERYDAY for the last 5 days trying to keep nitrites down. Ammonia is zero, so just waiting for that filter to finish cycling. :mad: If doing this via the old siphon and bucket method, changing 36-40 gallons a day would be a real drag!

aartwmich
02-23-2006, 05:01 AM
Thanks CG and Wayne...2 very good explanations! So you DO have to keep the tap water running while removing water from the tank. Still it sounds like a nifty gadget, better than a big snake lol. And maybe better than fooling with switching the ends like with my pump setup.

What are the length and diameter of the gravel vacuum, does it work well? What is the diameter of the hose? I wonder if your tank was higher than your sink you might be able to use the running tap water to 'prime' a siphon and turn the tap water off once it was draining......thinking too much again :)

turtleguy89
02-23-2006, 06:42 AM
Hummmmm guess I need to get one since all my buckets now have goldfish in them :rolleyes: I have been switching them back and forth every three days for water changes. I don,t want to q tank all the goldies together since they were purchased out of differenent tanks. My family thinks I have lost it since there are goldfish in buckets everywere. ;)

Sounds like you are doing it right, madeyna! ;)



Thanks for bringing this topic up, I have been needing something for cleaning the basement QT!..... I'll need a 100 footer though.

---Kenny--

Koikeeper2you
03-06-2006, 09:26 PM
Especially the yellow ones.
As you can plainly see.

CarolinaGirl
03-07-2006, 08:10 AM
I wonder if your tank was higher than your sink you might be able to use the running tap water to 'prime' a siphon and turn the tap water off once it was draining......thinking too much again :)

I bet you could turn off the tap....but I wouldn't. The running water keeps the fish tank water from backing up into your faucet. I don't think I would want fish tank water in my kitchen faucet. :no: :no: :no:

Koikeeper....that snake is pretty! I thought it was fake at first.....really unusual color!

aartwmich
03-08-2006, 07:15 AM
I bet you could turn off the tap....but I wouldn't. The running water keeps the fish tank water from backing up into your faucet. I don't think I would want fish tank water in my kitchen faucet. :no: :no: :no: :sick: GOOD Point!

Pa. Nancy
03-08-2006, 09:58 AM
Yep you can. My tank is set up higher. The water just dribbles out. In between syphoning and refilling, I went to the basement to do clothes. I thought oh it's a trickle I'll be right back. You know how that goes. :rolleyes: When I got back I ended up with a BIGGER water change. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Now when I do the tank in the basement it sets lower and it doesn't run then. :no: