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Recently I've been noticing that the inside of the tube attatched to my gravel vac is looking a bit, grungy How should I go about fixing this? When I save some money for it I'm going to get a python, but it might not be for several weeks, which brings me to my next question.

Can pythons attatch to ordinary bathroom sink faucets?

ThAnKs

[span class="edited"][Edited by ferretfanatic 2004-08-02 11:21][/span]

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

Hi,
A good bottle or hose brush will clean out the interior
of the vac hose.
As long as the faucet has a threaded screen (aerator)
built into it, then the Python should fit. Some of
the screens have interior threads, and others have
external threads. Python manufacturers attachments
for both.

I use the kitchen sink as it has the threaded
screen assembly.

Frank



[span class="edited"][Edited by FRANK 2004-08-01 16:39][/span]

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

I use the kitchen sink, too. The faucet and deep sink is perfect for the Python setup. Sounds kind of yucky to do that (pour fish waste into the sink), but I clean up the sink with bleach afterwards.

How deep does the sink have to be for the python to work correctly? Also...my sink has an aerator with external threads, what attachments would I need to purchase from http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3922&D=python&Ntt=python&Ntk=All&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=0

in order to make it work? I dont have an eye for these things.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

I don't have an eye for mechanical things, either...but do know that my Python kit came with several attachments, so you can use it for inside or outside thread faucets. My kitchen faucet is an inside thread faucet, but have an outside thread faucet in the basement. So I knew I'd be good either way. Go to the store and check out a Python in person, see what attachments are included. It really did make the job easier in the long run for a big tank, but not sure I'd get one for a 15 gallon tank.

I know that its a smallish tank, but it would make things a lot easier for me. I think I will check one out at my LPS.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

My sister has a 15 gallon tank and a python... I actually used it today to clean my 20 gallon. Took like, five minutes to clean the tank and refill.

What I don't like about it:

* The suction tube (the hard plastic bit) has some big, weird attachment thing that won't come off. It makes it hard to clean between ornaments, especially in my twenty gallon, where floor space is at a premium.

* Not easy to get the right temperature, even with someone at the sink, adjusting the temp.

What I do like:

* Fast and easy.

* No more - and probably actually less - mess than a normal gravel vac. Of course, you're talking to the girl who ALWAYS gets herself and her clothes wet when washing the dishes.

* My ten gallon shares the same stand as my twenty gallon. Therefore, this tank is about six inches (at best) off the ground. You can imagine the horrid suction a normal vac gets. This was great... I wasn't spending ten minutes draining two gallons of water.

All in all, I feel that while the python was easy and fast to use, the cleaning wasn't as thorough because I couldn't get to places that I normally could with a smaller diameter vac. Definitely wouldn't be a bad idea for larger tanks and makes water changes a snap, but not ideal gravel vaccing smaller tanks.

My sister doesn't have much of a problem in her 15 gallon because she's into the "less is more" style of decorating. *shrugs* Not something I'm going to use on a regular basis in my tanks... it was convenient today because I wanted to do a big water change (50%) to clear out meds I was using in the twenty gallon tank.

Edit: Oh... and the bathroom sink doesn't drain quite quickly enough to have it at full blast while draining water from the tank. I'd imagine the kitchen sink, which is much bigger (though on the other side of the house, unfortunately) would be much better for the task at hand. It works even with the smaller sink, you just have to have someone on hand to watch the sink for you. *shrugs*

[span class="edited"][Edited by kitten 2004-08-02 20:45][/span]

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

thanks kitten!
No more - and probably actually less - mess than a normal gravel vac. Of course, you're talking to the girl who ALWAYS gets herself and her clothes wet when washing the dishes.
-ditto
I wasn't spending ten minutes draining two gallons of water.
-i always have problems getting my siphon to start...thats part of the reason I wanted to get it. I also hate pouring water back into the tank b/c it disrupts everything. I think the python would make that easier
the cleaning wasn't as thorough because I couldn't get to places that I normally could with a smaller diameter vac.
hmm, maybe thats something i'd have to risk
Oh... and the bathroom sink doesn't drain quite quickly enough to have it at full blast while draining water from the tank. I'd imagine the kitchen sink, which is much bigger (though on the other side of the house, unfortunately) would be much better for the task at hand. It works even with the smaller sink, you just have to have someone on hand to watch the sink for you.
I'm in practically the same exact situation, I have a bathroom in my bedroom where my tanks are, and the kitchen is a whole floor below.

Thanks for sharing your experience kitten, it really helped.

Other thoughts?

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

If you have an out of the way room, they make those Pythons in sizes up to 100 feet, plus you can get extensions. Fortunately, the 25 footer was more than big enough for my tiny house. I would like to buy a longer hard tube, though...I don't like being up to my elbows in the tank.

Here is another thought, for the newbie Python user (which I am)...it is a good idea to make this a team job with two people. I handled the tube in the fish tank while my fiance took care of the sink duties. I could not imagine doing this on my own, until I am more comfortable with it.

Seemed like the sucking out went quick, but filling back up took forever. The entire job to do about a 1/3 change took 30-45 minutes...course we were fumbling around since it was the first time using that.

we can change 20 - 25% water change on my 55 gallon in about 20 minutes.