cmoazz;4167228; said:1-When you turn on your faucet to create the suction to clean the tank, is your faucet actually on and running water down the drain?
cmoazz;4167228; said:2-If I don't fill my tank with water from the tap, let's say I fill a large Rubbermaid with R/O water and Prime it, is there a way to get the Python to suck up from the Rubbermaid into the tank without a faucet?
nc_nutcase;4167245; said:Yup, and this waste of water is the main reason I discourage the use of a Python...
You can use the flow from the faucet to start a siphon, then rely on the siphon alone to continue.
The Python (as well as the DIY version) relies on the pressure from the faucet to push the water to the tank. When refilling from a storage tank you must use a pump, or place the storage tank higher than the tank and use a siphon.
nc_nutcase;4167283; said:I lived in North Carolina for 7+ years and most of those years we had droughtlike conditions each summer. This encouraged me to do my best at "recycling" water and minimizing waste. I'm not quite a 'tree hugger', but I do try to be conscious of my environmental impact.
When using a long hose (10' or more), it is very very easy to start a siphon with your mouth and not risk getting a mouthful. It takes about 20 seconds for water to get from my tank to the end of my 5/8" ID 25' long hose. My lungs are not big enough to hold enough air to get a mouthfull of water.
If you put tankwater on the lawn, expect to have a very green thick patch of grass right there. I've opften been amused at how obvious it becomes where I discharge tank water.
There is a large variety of submersible pumps that could easily be used to pump water from a storage container to an aquarium. I like SEN pumps as they are fairly inexpensive, have a low electrical consumption and stand up well to sand, etc in the impellor. Most (if not all) pumps will come with an attachemnt for a hose. You can match your hose diameter to your pump or find fittings that will allow any sized hose to attach to any sized pump.
Heathd;4167302; said:The water only needs to be running in order to start the syphon, once it gets going you can turn off the faucet. This also assumes that the water table is higher in altitude then the water/waste exit. Gravity in this instance is the sole mechanism driving the pressure to keep water moving.
It doesnt waste water if you just use a little common sense.