Python -- Is It Supposed To Drain Fairly Slow?

[Deleted User]

Hi, Guys --

We just got a Python. We haven't been back into fish long and had been doing the bucket thing. Yesterday was the first time we used the python, and it seems to drain the tanks really slowly. Is it supposed to go real slow, or am I maybe doing something wrong (heaven knows that wouldn't be a first!). It is a 50' python that we're using.

ALSO, are most of you all coordinated enough to do the aquarium changes by yourself with one person and a python, or is it a two person job? I am crazy and I love to change the water. If it's within responsible reason to do it as a one woman job, I'd like to vs. getting my husband to man one end and me the other.

Thanks a lot,
Jill

[rich311k]

It should drain fairly quickly. Mine goes up the stairs and it does just fine. I change 100+ gallons in an hour or so. I do it myself, not a difficult job. The empty speed will depend on your water pressure and how fast you have the water running as you empty the tank.

[sailor]

Mine drains pretty quickly if I have the water on full blast, which I do when I am doing a substrate vac.........once that is completed I turn off the water completely and let the syphon do the rest. It takes a little longer this way but does not waste near as much water.

[korith]

How quickly it drains will depend on a few things. How high is the tank compared to the sink which the python is connected to? You can open up the tap water fully, it should drain quicker then.

To save water what I do is toss the end of the python out the front door or out the window. That way gravity works in my favor and I don't waste water in the process.

Python is easily a one person job I think. Though it is nice to have someone at the sink end you can yell at to turn off the water, when are you done filling the tank.

Oh just thought one more thing, if you want it to drain much much quicker, get a wider diameter tubing.

[Lady Hobbs]

It drains slow if you turn the cold water off. Leave your water running and the pressure drains the tanks pretty quickly.

[Deleted User]

Yay, I just did 50% water changes in all but the two tanks Harvey and I did together yesterday when we used the python for the first time and in the betta tanks where I did a bigger by hand water change. That was fun and easy!!!

[Mith]

Hi Jill!

First, congratulations on getting your Python (or in my case, a Python knockoff! As has already been said, its totally and easily a one man job.

As for how fast it drains... I didn't believe it drained quicker with the water running, so I played around with it. If you open the drain valve connected to the faucet and turn onn the water full blast, you can put your finger over the end of the hose and actually feel suction. So I concluded that it actually WILL siphen faster with the water running. However, that wastes water so what I do is use a hose twice the diameter of the python's hose and drain my water into a bucket that's sitting on my wagon. Then I whisk away the water (using my wagon) to the tub where its dumped. The bigger hose makes for quick water removal. When filling the tank back up, its all Python!

The python's and incredible tool! Glad ya got one!

[terrapin24h]

how fast it will drain depends on if you run the tap while it's draining. We have a septic tank, so to keep from flooding the tank i will start the thing with the tap, let it run 30 sec or so then shut off the water and let it passively drain. It takes longer but uses less water. I also do water changes for each tank on a different day. My septic tank is rated for alot of flow, but i still try to go easy on it, just in case.

--chris

[Mith]

Side note....

When siphening water, its always a good idea to watch and make sure no fishies get sucked up (that is of course unless you have larger fish that are too big to be sucked up LOL).

[PostalPenguin]

Hmm, I need to get a python. My current water change consists of a 5 gallon bucket, gravel vac and a 100gph pond pump.

[Mith]

Hmm, I need to get a python. My current water change consists of a 5 gallon bucket, gravel vac and a 100gph pond pump.

Do you have a wagon to take the water from the tank to where you dump it or do you carry the bucket? I bought a little wagon, but it ended up being to long to cut around my bed so I cut it down and moved the wheels forward! MUCH easier to make those sharp turns LOL

[Brookfish]

Best thing I ever done was get a python, awesome bit of kit!