whats a python

[lady_tanksalot]

after hering you lot sing the praises of pythons i went to my lfs to have a look

£65 is that too much

anyway i could kind of work out how it emptied, but hey i can do that with a hose straight out of the window and my plants love it, but refilling had me stumped.

if its just attached to the tank then surly again a hose will do, but what about warming the water and dechlorinating it?

i just don't get it, i must be missing something,for £65 it must do more than my garden hose that cost a tenner

please enlighten me

 

[enchanted]

Wow, knowing the rate of exchange roughly...... I got mine used from my LFS for $10. USD and they sell at Petsmart here for $25.00 USD.


It attaches to your sink. Then the water running through the attached pump creates suction to drain the tank.

For filling you simply leave the water running through, adjust your temperature coming out of your sink, and then turn it on the tank. Add the conditioner/dechlorinator as it is filling the tank straight into the tank.

 

[StevieJack]

blimey, for £65 i could watch someone do my water change...

 

[enchanted]

I know a lot of kids around my nieghborhood would come over for a month and do weekly water changes on all 3 tanks I have up for that much money with no python.

 

[lady_tanksalot]

so your saying i could mix the hot water witht he cold ( never thought you could do that for some reason) and add the water safe to the tank

but i could still do all that with a garden hose

 

[enchanted]

You could. Now that I have one I won't give it up, but I would never pay the USD equivalent of 65 Pounds for one.

It saves me hours because I go to the bathroom (where I have it connected) turn on the cold water, hit a switch and go do other things while it drains. Then, at the level I shut off the valve at the front, go to the bathroom, turn on the hot, set my temp, turn it to fill, and let it go.

I spend about no more than an hour doing 3 tanks (55G, 30G Long, 10G) and when I have the rest of my tanks up it shouldn't take me more than 3 hours total. And this includes time not spent on the fill while it works and I do other things.

 

[StevieJack]

Not too bad, but it sounds like water is being wasted on the draining by the faucet running continually, besides I take my bucket out to the garden and spill it there, the bacteria is good fertilizer.

The other option is down the drain...

Stevie

 

[enchanted]

If I was worried about my water bill I wouldn't own an aquarium.

My bill has gone up very little (I think about $2.00 a month) since adding the aquariums.

But I'm not where other people are and I know prices vary.

 

[Discomafia]

I'd be more worried about all the water being wasted than my money...

 

[StevieJack]

I wasn’t really concerned with the currency value of water as much as the environmental costs, but it’s your choice.

I have to admit I pour the water in the buckets down the sink in cold and wet weather so the only thing different is the wasting of water while draining the tanks…

Stevie

 

[astroboy]

A DIY python is cheaper and doesn't waste water.

 

[gwlee7]

What I did was buy the brass hose adapter for the python for around $8. It actually lets you connect a regualr hose (25ft. $ 6) to your faucet. I use that to refill my tank. For draining I just got a longer plastic tubing (25 ft. $7) that fits my gravel vac and run it either out the window or into the shower. The only water that is "wasted" is what I drain out while vaccumning and/or for changes. Total cost was $21 and very much worth it.

I did all of this after reading the other thread about the python and saw that this would be just as easy and alot cheaper.

 

[lady_tanksalot]

guess i'll stick to the hose out the window method i've always used... and spend the £65 on... FISHES

 

[jflowers]

To drain I use the eheim "in" pipe (out the window), to add water i use the hot and cold tap together, the temp comes out at 79 which is what i run my tanks at. really easy.

Jon

 

[Cavafish]

If you have the luxury of being able to syphon straight out of a window or door onto the garden then you do not need a python. It is designed for those who are not living on the ground floor or have the tank in an upstairs room which does not overlook a garden. The waste water can be safely and easily transported back to the sink to go down the drain. I intend to stand a bucket in the sink and fill it so as to preserve some water for my plants.


I have just bought an equivalent version of the python LINK Haven't even got it out of the box yet!

I asked this question on here a while back and must say thanks to all those who helped me out with the info - astroboy, I liked your DIY option and it fall on altogether deaf ears despite the fact I have now bought a pre-made one.

Mine just cost me £38 for the 50ft one which is a lot cheaper than I was seeing the 'python' for. I hope it is as good, it looks identical.