Python No Spill

[lmbridgen]

After reading a thread at the weekend regarding how wet you get when water changing, one of the TFF members recommended buying a Python no spill.
I decided to buy one, it came today and Im absolutely delighted, its so easy and has made a real pleasure of water changes. It was very expensive and I was worried that It might not work and would be a waste of money but then everything in fish keeping can be expensive, I paid more for my filter than I did for my tank!!
Anyway just thought Id let you guys know how I got on, cant wait to change water again next week, might even do it twice weekly now.

 

[Bloo]

To me, it's the best thing since the invention of the wheel (well almost )

I can sing lyrics about it too - and water changes are a real pleasure now!

ps: and yes - I do my w/c's a lot more frequent now too - sometimes twice a week. And the fish seem so much more happier for it.

 

[Darkstar]

To me, it's the best thing since the invention of the wheel (well almost )

I can sing lyrics about it too - and water changes are a real pleasure now!

Hi Bloo,

Can I ask where you got yours from as I haven't found any places selling them...

 

[Bloo]

I wanted a friend of mine from the US to bring one back for me (at half the price) but she didn't have space. So explore that as a first option if you know someone in the USA coming over - because it's just so much cheaper (with the current FX rate etc.)

But ended up getting mine from Aquatics Online. I think I bought the standard 25ft with 20ft extension (works out ever so slightly cheaper than the 50ft set) - but it's so much easier to roll up in two pieces - than getting tangled up in a huge bunch. So from my point of view, the two bits connected together works better. It comes with a bunch of connectors - none of which fit any of my odd taps. So I bought a £2 connector at my local DIY and just attach it to my shower hose (screwing off the showerhead and attaching the Python) and it works perfectly.

If I had a tap in the garden I'd have my waste water run out there, but I dont unfortunately.

If at the time I had the time and patience to DIY one, I would have done so - there's an excellent thread pinned over in the DIY section.
But this time round I was just too lazy to DIY.

 

[KimA]

As the saying goes..."best thing since sliced bread" lol

Water changes now take me 15-20 minutes on two 47 gal tanks (and it saves my back, and carpet!). Got mine from Aquatics-Online too, was lucky and only needed the 25ft one.

 

[GoldLenny]

To me, it's the best thing since the invention of the wheel (well almost )

I can sing lyrics about it too - and water changes are a real pleasure now!

Hi Bloo,

Can I ask where you got yours from as I haven't found any places selling them...

Darkstar,

Where do you live?

 

[Bloo]

Darkstar,

Where do you live?

As I happen to know - In the UK.....

Goodness - quite a fishy blogspot you have there

 

[lmbridgen]

Thanks GoldLenny it was you that recommended it to me, next day delivery too.

 

[rdd1952]

I love my python but the one dislike is the amount of water wasted if I use it to remove water from the tank. I generally go the bucket and syphon method to take water out and then just use it to refill the tanks.

If you do use it to remove water, be careful not to overflow the sink. If you have a drain that isn't flowing properly, the running water plus the water from the tank can be too much for it. The first time I used mine I came oh so close to making a big mess. Fortunately, my wife walked into the kitchen and saw it about 1/2" from going over the top.

 

[GoldLenny]

Here is a copy/paste from a PM I sent Imbridgen that has info on online sources for Python and another brand, Lee... and a long thread in this forum about these invaluable tools.

I did a quick Google and found this site which is a UK online store and not only has the Python but also an alternative brand from Lee that is less expensive. http/www.fishandfins.co.uk/misc.htm

I'm not sure how much the price difference in pounds to US dollars is right now but if the amount they are asking is more than $25.00 US, it might be better to have someone buy it here at PetsMart and ship it to you... if the shipping costs aren't that much more. I haven't done any int'l shipping but they do not weigh much so I can't imagine it being too expensive.

I also found this UK site in another thread on these forums. http/www.animalwarehouse.co.uk
http/www.fishforums.net/lofiversion/index.php/t73478.html

 

[cuprajake]

i just use a long bit of hose pipe, one end in the tank, one out the back door, give it a quick suck to start the syphon, costs about a fiver. then i use bucket's to fill back up, as i dont like adding dechlorinator to the tank.

jake

 

[GoldLenny]

Darkstar,

Where do you live?

As I happen to know - In the UK.....

Goodness - quite a fishy blogspot you have there

Yep. Thanks for the compliment. I only started it a few months ago as a permanent place to host any long posts or articles I've written or may decide to write. I belong to several forums and much of the information in my blog is stuff we reply about over and over so I just set up the replies on my blog so I can just point someone there rather than retype the info over and over. I need to go into my "A to Z of fishkeeping" article and edit some of the links in there since I've added better links over the years. I started that article a few years ago on another forum which is poorly moderated so I do not belong to that forum any more. I probably have a few bad links or links to sites that I've later learned not to be as reliable that I need to edit out of that article.

 

[rdd1952]

You can actually make a DIY one relatively cheaply. The part that attaches to the faucet is nothing more than what you use to drain and refill a waterbed. I would think that hardware/home improvement stores would still sell those.