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Somebody gave me the Python No Spill Clean and Fill kit but I have no directions. Being apparently retarded, I can't figure out how to exactly use it. How do I go to fill the aquarium. What do you do with the bottom of the pump. And when I go to clean, I think the pump gets pulled out all the way in the bottom, correct? Also when I am filling the aquarium, and I want to stop, I hit the stopper switch and then what?? I am sooo confused. I know it must be really simple.

If you go to the "search" and type "python" there is a lot of questions re pythons you should find all the info about pythons there.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

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That is the first thing I did, since I am not sure how the thing works, I have no frame of reference. Plus I am afraid to try something out of fair of getting water all over the living room.>

Hi,
WELCOME to FP!...
The Python is a great piece of equipment for draining,
filling the tank, and for vacuuming the gravel all at the
same time. Mine has a 75 foot hose on it.

Since you got yours second hand, lets be sure that you
have everything you need to make it work...

Here is a link that pretty much shows everything you should
have:

http://www.petwalk.com/product_review/aquariumpump.html.asp

Starting with the cleaning end, you should have a clear
plastic cylinder about 2 1/2- 3 inches in diameter and
about a foot long. One end is closed with a fitting on it
to which a three or four foot piece of hose is connected.
The short section of hose has a shut off valve connected
to it. The valve is a ball valve and you can turn it all
the way on or off, and variations of that as well.
More on the valve later.
At the opposite end of the on/off valve is a fitting and
the rest of the hose. It comes in various lengths all the
way up to a 100 foot monster.
The main hose, terminates in a fitting that will screw
into the "T" fitting. This is the device that hooks to
the sink faucet and through venturi action, creates the
vacuum that draws (drains) the water out of the tank.
The "T" section connects to the faucet by unscrewing the
aerator from the faucet and using a white plastic coupling
screwing the "T" device into the coupling and that into the
faucet. Now, the faucet is chromed steel, and the "T"
coupling is a soft white plastic..SO, over time the
coupling will become stripped out and no good. You can
replace the coupling, with another, or you can purchase
a brass coupling that will last and last and last.
(I use the brass coupling) The threads on the faucet
are either internal, you cannot see them looking at the
faucet with the aerator removed, or they are external.
You can purchase the correct one and nearly any LFS.

At one end of the "T" section is the end that connects
to the sink, in the middle is the threaded section that
the hose tightens onto, and at the bottom is a section
that is the valve controlling the drain, or fill action.
It is a circular piece of plastic that has two chrome
screws 180 degrees from each other. The piece, and the
screws must be there or it will not work. With the
piece "down" it will form a vacuum and drain the tank.
Raising it up and rotating it so the screws slip into a
notch, will cut off the vacuum and reverse the flow of
water into the tank for filling.
Look inside the "T" and you will see the top of the
venturi. It is a piece of plastic that screws into the
body of the "T" and has a recessed, hex shaped top with
a hole in the center. Be sure that this piece is
tight, not loose, in the "T" before connecting it to
the faucet. I keep a clean hex head bolt of the right
size and stick the head of the bolt into the hex opening
and tighten the venturi before each use. It works loose
as the fill hose wiggles from side to side from pulling on
it.

Connect the "T" to the faucet.
Connect the hose to the "T"
Turn the hose valve off.
Turn on the water.
Adjust the hot/cold so that the temperature of the water
pouring out the bottom of the "T" is the same or as close
to the same as the tank.
Walk over to the tank, and with the cleaning end in the
water of the tank, now open the hose on/off valve. The
water will immediately start to rise inside the clear
plastic cylinder.

Now the valve. It is continuously variable. You can have it
full on, and full off, or some value in between. This is
what makes it valuable with substrates (gravel) of any
size, including sand. You can adjust the opening with
the lever and vary the amount of suction. You obviously
don't want to suck the gravel out of the tank and down
the drain, so adjust the vacuum by opening or closing the
on/off valve so the gravel, no matter what the grain
size is, stays swirling around in the bottom half of
the cylinder.

I have found that at times, plants,leaves, and other
"junk" gets caught in the venturi and slows down the
draining process. When this happens, turn the on/off valve
off, and walk back to the sink with the "Business end" in
your hands. Change the direction of the water from drain
to fill and..(important) while holding the cylinder
into the sink, open the on/off valve all the way. The water
pressure will force the clog out of the venturi and through
the length of the hose and into the sink. When the hose
is clean, turn off the valve and change the flow back to
drain, walk back to the tank, insert the cylinder end of
the hose back into the water, and open the on/off valve
and resume cleaning.

Hope this helps...
Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks a lot Frank, I got it to work. I think I am getting the hang of it now. It is actually very helpful. /:'

congrats on the Python and great instruction Frank....flawless!! Now, may I tag on this thread for just a moment...

Frank, you said:

faucet is chromed steel, and the "T"
coupling is a soft white plastic..SO, over time the
coupling will become stripped out and no good. You can
replace the coupling, with another, or you can purchase
a brass coupling that will last and last and last.

I agree 100% and I am starting to eperience this after only a couple of months use. Where can I find the brass coupling. I have Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Johnny's True Value, and perhaps a plumbing supply place. Would WM have it?

---

~~Melissa~~
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder."

Hi Red,
The brass fitting is sold by Python, and I purchased mine
from the PetSmart that I also purchased my Python from.
They sell "A" brass fitting and it fits either inside or
outside threaded faucets. If you have an inside thread
just remove the washer that comes in the top of it.
Works like a champ!

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Sounds like a plan. I bought my Python at WM 'cause they were a little cheaper, but my PetSmart has Pythons so I will check for the associated hardware. When I take the aerator off of both my kitchen sink and bathroom sink (I use both) the threads are on the out side of what's left once the aerator comes off, so I assume I would be good to go without altering the washer. Okay, thanks Frank!

---

~~Melissa~~
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder."