sick of my python,what to do

[fishdance]

If I need to drain uphill, I just use a large powerhead attached to my drain hose and drop it into the tank.

 

[BushFishRox]

some people just do the gravel vac'ing then take the vac off the hose and stick the hose on a power head and then your are near empty fast!!

 

[IKeepPacu]

stick the output hose from my fx5 or xp3 out the window, and drain that way. my 250 i refill with a hose in all but the coldest months, suffer filling with a python then.

a python may be slow in the worst case, but just think....we could still be running the bucket-conga

 

[duke33]

I use the 2" vac and run the other end out into the yard. It's running downhill so almost as fast as a pump. It takes me longer to replace the 120 gallons anyway.

 

[oscarluvr]

so....how long were you inthe shower before you came up with this idea

 

[midnight]

stick the output hose from my fx5 or xp3 out the window, and drain that way. my 250 i refill with a hose in all but the coldest months, suffer filling with a python then.

a python may be slow in the worst case, but just think....we could still be running the bucket-conga

ha
i would sell my tank before i did the bucket thing on a 240

so....how long were you inthe shower before you came up with this idea

who knows,sometimes i drift off thinking

but it seems i get all my good ideas in the shower

 

[Chris Derrick]

I also disslike the pythone and after a few tries I now use the python vac cut it to about 3' of hose and put a python hose end on there. I then put a valve on (don't have to have a valve just makes it easy to shut vacume off or on) from there I hook my 100' 5/8 I.D. garden hose up and run it from my living room through my kitchen, through my garage, down my drive way into the street lol. I then give it one strong suck to get the flow going and usually wait 20 seconds and there my tank water comes! You can now shut the flow off or on at the tank and with my set up it will flow about 140 gallons of water down the street an hour. This doesn't sound like much but I can do a 60-70% water change on my 125 gallon tank while vacuming the gravel in about 30 min. I then use my python to refill my tank in about 20 min! Hope this helps! Chris

 

[Alistriwen]

Get a sump pump, hook up one end to a vacuum style fitting and the drain end to wherever you like. Allows for both gravel vacuuming and water removal. To fill, use the python.

 

[midnight]

so i got the stuff today to make my idea
cost about 7 bucks

just did a wc so it will be a little while till i build it/try it/show it off
but i should be draining at about 400-600 gph

so draining 100g should take me,oh,10-15 min

then i will refill it with the python

im still going to use my python on all my smaller tanks tho

 

[koop171]

I have found that the taller the vacuum tube the worse the suction is and the more time you need to clean the gravel. But I don't mind the time it takes to do a WC b/c it gives me time to clean the glass, filters, and get my meds ready for the fill.