To any of you who use a Python and have a pleco - does the python develop enough suction to suck up pleco poop? I have a 7-8" pleco, and neither of the two siphons I've tried will suck up the larger pieces of poop.
Python and Pleco Poop
- Thread starter qquake2k
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Lupin
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- Sep 21, 2006
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How big are the poop?erv: I admit this is the first time I heard a siphon failed to do its job.
It's hard to quantify the size of the poop, but I'd say around 1/32" to 1/16" in diameter, and sometimes 3" long or longer.
I have a Rhino Pleco that gives me 1-3' long poop which the syphon doesn't suck out. I normally get it up into the water with the syphon and then use a fish net to "catch" it and remove.
Try chopping it up a bit with the vac, smaller pieces should get sucked up into the python easily...if not you'll have to get out the net...
When I trap some large waste, I tilt the tube upright to cause it to fall to bottom of tube and into hose.
How far away is the tank from the sink where you're hooking up the python? Mine is about 10 or so feet away and by turning the water pressure up the suction of the python gets better. I'd also agree with abcdefghi, if you remove the plastic part off the end and just use the hose it'll suck the poop better, that's what I do now with the sand and it cleans it up alot faster.
Increase flow rate on python: Increase tap pressure or use higher pressure tap, use a tap with a lower physical height to assist syphon pressure, or install an inline pump. Also, you could decrease the diameter of the gravel cleaning tube. A final idea is to decrease dook density with more veg in the diet.