External Pump for a Python Setup

[jmottle]

I was wondering if any of you could recommend a pump for a setup that I am wanting to speed up. Currently I am using a Python water change/gravel cleaner, but in the process of doing my weekly water changes on my 90 gallon tank I end up draining my hotwater tank of all the hot water, and then need to wait 40 min before I can refill the tank with 80F water. I’d like instead to install an external inline pump to the setup so that the pump can drain the tank rather than the house water pressure. I am using 3/4" OD – 5/8” ID hose and would like a pump that can suck the water from the tank though 30ft of hose to the sink. The total height gain from tank to floor to sink would be no more than about 4’. I don’t want anything too powerfull as I don’t want the tank draining in 15 seconds, but something that is faster than the 30 minutes it takes now to drain about 30 gallons.

Now that I spent a few hours today building a PVC U-shaped pipe that hangs on the side of the tank to act as a filler and drainer, I also wondered if I should not have just installed a diverter valve on the output of my Eheim pump so that I could use the filter to drain to the sink rather than to the spray bar. Had anyone else ever done this. The one drawback is that the Eheim hose is metric so I'd have to source metric diverter valves and fittings.

Thanks!
Jeff

[JSchmidt]

I use a large Mag pump at my office to draw water out of the tank, rather than rely on the Python's eductor. The bigger the pump, the better, obviously... It works quite well.

You aren't using hot water for the vacuuming/water extraction phase of the water change, are you? That would be pretty pricey and waste of hot water... If you can't get enough suction using cold water alone, a pump is definitely called for.

HTH,
Jim

[jmottle]

Yes I have to use both hot and cold to get a decent suction rate. Even with both on full it still takes about 20-30 minutes to do a 25-30% water change. Is your Mag pump an external pump or does it have to be submerged?

Jeff

[JSchmidt]

Mags can be submerged or in-line. I use it in-line. I have two sections of Python hose, and the Mag sits between the two. I use the gravel cleaner end to start a syphon from the tank; when the hose is filled with water to the pump (and the pump is filled, too) I switch on the pump. It's very easy.

I'd get the biggest pump you can afford.

HTH,
Jim

[chefkeith]

I had the same problem as you. I had to make a faucet extension and connect that to my python to get it to work. If you have a deep sink you can do the same thing.

Heres a pic of the adapter-

[chefkeith]

Aquaclear 802 powerheads are good pumps. Rated at 400gph. $25 at big al's.

If connected at the sink, your still going to have to start a siphon on the hose. (edit- this won't work, the pump must be submerged) The pump won't suck air, just water. The pump can be submerged in your tank and hooked up to a hose that goes to the drain. (You might have to cut off the venturi air pipe, and slip the hose over it, so that water doesn't shoot out the air pipe.)

[chefkeith]

Jim's Mag pump idea sounds even better.

[Dopey]

I'm assuming you have to go up to your sink. If possible to go down, why not just siphon? I never use the eductor to drain, only fill. To drain I just do a simple siphon.

[jmottle]

Originally posted by Dopey
I'm assuming you have to go up to your sink. If possible to go down, why not just siphon? I never use the eductor to drain, only fill. To drain I just do a simple siphon.

Becuase with the educator it takes 20-30 minutes to drain 30gallons and I want to speed that up and avoid using the educator. A syphon would not work in my case as I have to go back up to a sink from all the hose the floor.

[chefkeith]

jmottle-
So, Whats the height of your faucet and whats the height of your tank?

I added just 6 inches to my faucet, and I can start the siphon without turning on the water.

Here's a copy from an old thread on the subject-

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20700

Originally posted by chefkeith
I just got a python too. I'm having the same problem because the faucet is higher than the tank. The faucet is 36" from the floor, while the tank is 30" from the floor. I have to turn the water on high to get some action. I have great water pressure too. The water gets real loud coming out of the pump and water gets everywhere.

To remedy the problem I'm going to attach a small pipe (about 8") to the faucet, and then connect the python pump to the pipe.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



I tried my idea and the python works alot better now. I no longer have to leave the faucet running to siphon the water, I only have to run the faucet to start the siphon.
My faucet is now 7" lower.

To build the brass pipe extension for my faucet, from Home Depot, I bought-

1- 3/4" x 3/4" x 1/2" Female Hose To MIP Adapter
2- 3/4" Female Pipe Coupling
1- 3/4" x 4" Brass Pipe Nipple
1- 3/4" x 3/4" x 1/2" Male Hose To MIP Adapter

[jmottle]

Hmmm, I would have never thought to do that. Unfourtunately I am connecting to a faucet on a pedestal sink so there is only about 3" from the bottom of the educator to the sink. I'd say that where I drain from the tank is about 6" lower than that. The tank is in my kitchen and that would probably work in the kitchen sink, but we have one of those pull out spray faucets so there is no way to thread anything to it. When I move into my new house I am going to have the plumber hard plump a connection directly to the drain and water before it get's to the sink. ;-)

[Dopey]

Could you possibly siphon out to the lower kitchen sink, and then fill using the attachment (eductor? did you call it) from the higher pedastal sink?

[steve_bkk]

This house I'm in now has a pvc pipe drain in the floor for the water heater overflow. It took about six year for me to realize I could just siphon into it. (It's right off the kitchen)

Depending where the tank is located I also siphon out the backdoor or a nearby window. Weather permitting (not in Jan or Feb)

[chefkeith]

or you can siphon the dirty water into gallon jugs and sell it on ebay. :cool:

[jmottle]

Well turns out I don't need a pump after all this. :) Becuase the gravel vaccum tube that came with my Python was too big I used an exiting one I had, but to make it work I had to step down the tube size for a short section. As it turns out that tube was slowing down the draining of the tank significantly. Taking that off in combination with the use of my u-shaped PVC draining pipe, that I made this weekend, sped thing up so that I can now do a 50% water change with just cold water in about 15 min.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions