Best water changer/gravel vac
- Thread starter Kuhlifan
- Start date
CWO4GUNNER
USN/USCG 1974-2004 Weps
If you have a 50ft empty dry reel of hose, sometimes sucking is way easier as you cant get mouth washed becasue of the length. But once the hose is full of dirty water and looses siphon I just hook it to the Python and let it start the siphon back up, then disconnect and move it back to the tub or garden.
CWO4GUNNER
USN/USCG 1974-2004 Weps
I believe the fresh water waste on any of the python valves (eductor) in the siphon mode (down) is 2 to 1, that is two gallons of fresh water down the drain to 1 gallon of siphon dirty water down the drain. If I did not disconnect from the Python after siphon after start up to let it drain naturally in the tub/garden which is about as fast anyway, instead of sending 300 gallons of dirty water down the drain on water change day Id be sending 900 gallons of fresh and dirty down the drain.
In the fill mode (up) there is no waste except for the tiny leaks on the valve.
In the fill mode (up) there is no waste except for the tiny leaks on the valve.
I use the Python - sort of. For draining the tanks, I use the front end of the python hose (the gravel vac side) attached to a garden hose that goes out the door and waters my garden. To refill, I use the rest of the python - the faucet attachment and the long python hose fill the tanks. Takes me about 10 minutes to do a 25%-50% water change on both my 46 gal and 10 gal. Once my 75 gal is up and running, I'm sure that will add another 10 min or so to my routine, but this has been by far the simplest way to do it. I've tried a number of methods, and this works great for me. 
I just use a regular gravel vac with a hose attached to it and I use a turkey baster held up to the end of the hose where the water comes out to start the siphon.
My biggest tank is 10 gallons but I have yet to do a water change on it because I am in the process of fishless cycling it.
My biggest tank is 10 gallons but I have yet to do a water change on it because I am in the process of fishless cycling it.
Boy I'm glad I don't have to vacuum . I use a garden hose to drain to the bathtub and let the floatvalve system filler up on my 30 and 125 .Works like a charm and slowly fills the tank so there is no drastic change to temp and all. The 10 in the kitchen siphons into the sink and the faucet spay thinga majiggy is right there to fill er up.
Now the 10's in the bedroom get the usual siphon hose drain and a 5 gal bucket -o-water each .
Now the 10's in the bedroom get the usual siphon hose drain and a 5 gal bucket -o-water each .
Anyone who has used a Python knows you waiste very little water, you need the water to run for a minute or two then shut water off. I bet i do not waiste a quart of water maximum, whenevr I do water changes with the Python.:frog:
Huh, I never thought this would be a big thread....
It's funny, for a couple of years now I've had "python envy," wishing and hoping to have one yet too cheap to buy it. Now that I'm thinking of doing it, most people seem to do the opposite (while when I was unwilling to part with the cash it seemed like EVERYONE was doing it...such is life).
It's funny, for a couple of years now I've had "python envy," wishing and hoping to have one yet too cheap to buy it. Now that I'm thinking of doing it, most people seem to do the opposite (while when I was unwilling to part with the cash it seemed like EVERYONE was doing it...such is life).
