Python Clean and Fill - Good? Bad?

[crazy72]

So with nearly 150G worth of tanks in the house now, I am getting a bit tired of carrying my 3G bucket around for water changes. I'm looking at alternatives, and no I won't take a 5G bucket as a significant improvement . I'm sure many of you use or have tried the Python Clean and Fill system. What do you think? Do you like it? Any problems with it? I'd be looking at the 50 foot one.

... Errr... and I have a dumb question: how do you add the water conditioner? Directly in one go into the tank after the new water is in? While it flows in?

Thanks.

[target]

I love my python. It is such a time saver. I haven't had any problems with my set up. I usually do the vacuum and water change, then adjust the water temperature to match the tank, add the conditioner to the tank and start refillng. I can do a 90% change on both my 46g tanks in less than 30 mins. Plus, while it is draining, you can sit and let it run. ust be careful about getting into something else while refilling. I have overflowed my tanks twice because I sat down at the computer while it refilled.

[Mferko]

I love my python. It is such a time saver. I haven't had any problems with my set up. I usually do the vacuum and water change, then adjust the water temperature to match the tank, add the conditioner to the tank and start refillng. I can do a 90% change on both my 46g tanks in less than 30 mins. Plus, while it is draining, you can sit and let it run. ust be careful about getting into something else while refilling. I have overflowed my tanks twice because I sat down at the computer while it refilled.

i can see myself doing that
i once did that while making kraft dinner and ruined the pot, the noodles seemed to fuse with the metal lol, impossible to clean.

[crazy72]

Thanks. Actually I have another question. Just as dumb I'm afraid. What do you do with the water remaining in the hose when you shut off the tap? 50 foot of hose probably makes a decent amount of water. How do make sure it doesn't end up on the floor while you roll up the hose again?

[josephl]

I love my python. I have a 240 gallon and 72 gallon.

With the python, the 240 gallon gets 2 X 50% daily water changes and the 72 gallon gets 1 X 50% daily water change while I am watching TV.

For water conditioner, I just add prime to the tank just as I turn the hose on to refill. Never had a problem

For remaining water in hose, just turn nozzle to drain and the remaining water will more or less drain as you roll up the hose

[2wheelsx2]

I am one of the weird ones who don't use a python as I feel it wastes too much water. I have a Jehmco Super Safety Siphon and just pump the water out. I got the garden hose bib adapter one. And when I want to gravel vac, I use my big gravel vac and just insert into my 5/8" garden hose that I use with that setup. That's for the 125. For the 20 and the 15 I use 2 x 5 gallon buckets.

[crazy72]

How does it waste water? To clean, or to fill up?

[2wheelsx2]

The suction is started by your tap water creating negative pressure. So the python can pull water uphill. It doesn't just use gravity. Nice tool. I got the Jehmco setup for the same price as the python, but of course there's the added expense of a hose. Don't get me wrong, the python is a nice tool, but in my setup in the basement, I can't use gravity very well, so I'd have to use the tap most of the time. When I use gravity, it takes me 45 minutes to change and refill 60 gallons in my 125. When I used the pump, 20 minutes tops to do that same thing. It's a no brainer for me.

[crazy72]

How does it waste water? To clean, or to fill up?

Oh ok I just looked it up and I see why it wastes water. Humm.... yes that's a problem for me too. Maybe all I need is a 50 foot hose to hook up to my tap to fill up the tank. I just siphon the water out into the garden too, so that's not really a problem for me.

[catgoldfish]

How does it waste water? To clean, or to fill up?

Cleaning......if you don't want to spend the money on a python because of the expense you can use garden hoses. One for filling and one for cleaning. You can buy the hoses at Home Depot or XS Cargo for about 10 bucks 50 feet.