Python Pressure and Cleaning Sand

abcdefghi

abcdefghi

AC Members
Jun 6, 2007
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Is there any way to boost the vacuum when using a Python? When using mine on the 55G it struggles to pick up larger pieces, when I use a regular gravel vac on a 10G I have it sucks everything right up. I have the 25 foot python.

Does sand always look dirty? I am currently doing 2 x 25% WC's weekly, and I can never get my sand completely clean. I always find I missed a spot, is it a huge problem? This could be related to the poor pressure on my python, or it could be me just getting used to vacuuming sand and not gravel, or just getting used to trying to clean a larger tank with sand and with a python!! it can be difficult getting around decorations/plants with the gravel vac end and the poor pressure does not help.

Also, how do people get a python to drain out of a window? thinking of setting up a water barrel to water vegetable garden using old tank water.

Thanks.
 
Do you have the water faucet on when you are draining/vacuuming?

Draining it out the window is the same as siphoning into a bucket, if the window is higher than the tank, it will not work.
 
BoredAgain said:
Do you have the water faucet on when you are draining/vacuuming?

Draining it out the window is the same as siphoning into a bucket, if the window is higher than the tank, it will not work.
Click to expand...

Yes, I have the faucet running. The water pressure is pretty low though from the faucet even when its on full.

And I think the window is higher than the tank, oh well!!
 
As with any siphon the height of the end of the hose in relation to the water level in the tank will dictate how much suction you will get. The drain end of my python is 2 stories lower than my 45 gallon tank and I get very good drainage. On the other hand I only have about a 3ft difference for my 75 gallon tank and it takes much much longer to drain with only just enough suction to vac gravel OK.

To get a python started when it's out the window I fill the vac end under water and then turn the vac up while the valve is shut off. I hold up the full vac and let the air in the hose bubble up and out. I bring the vac back down into the tank and fill with water before turning the vac down again. This gets you to where water completly fills the vac and hose down to the valve. Now all you should need to do is turn on the valve and the siphon will start.

I watered some of my plants last year with tank water and they all did very well.

I switched to sand because i liked how it looks but have since switched over to Soilmaster select in all my planted tanks. The sand just wasn't what I wanted after all, long term. You need to turn over the sand to make it look good again and I didn't want to do that 2 or 3 times in a week.

Hope this helps.

Q
 
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