Does your Python gravel vacuum work better than mine?

[LandlockedZissou816]

So I bought a Python gravel vac from my LFS a while ago, and the ball valve was broken right out of the package - It's wide open all the time. No big deal.

But I have noticed that it hardly has any suction power. I mean it won't even pick up small pieces of green film algae. It will go up the tube about halfway and then float back down to the sandbed.

I have taken every piece of the vacuum apart, made sure there were no obstructions, checked the condition/placement of the o-rings, and put everything back together tightly. Everything seems to be correct.

My question is...is this normal for the Python vac? If you have one, does it have good suction, or the same as mine? I'm wondering if I didn't get a turd right out of the package...

 

[MNFish]

I have a couple Pythons and they all work great, are you connecting it to a sink or just doing the siphone to a bucket?

 

[MNFish]

I ask because if you have a 75 foot long one are are trying to hook up to sink and pull water up a flight of stairs or to a sink about even it might be slower.

 

[LandlockedZissou816]

It’s hooked up to the kitchen sink about 15 feet away, all on the same level.

 

[MNFish]

When I do it to sink on same level it is slower seems to help to try to get the hose as straight as possible. Normally to speed it up I will just throw the hose out the door.

 

[ckuhny3]

Mine does the same thing. I bought the longer tube part thinking it would make life easier reaching the sandbed. Nope . Nothing ever makes it to the hose. And this is with water rushing into a bucket right below the tank

 

[LandlockedZissou816]

Well that’s disappointing

 

[TokenReefer]

Do you have the water on full blast at the sink?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

and the ball valve was broken right out of the package - It's wide open all the time

This is the problem. When you adjust the valve, more suction is created due to water being pulled through the smaller opening.

 

[LandlockedZissou816]

Do you have the water on full blast at the sink?

Hot and cold both full blast. And the water pressure in general is good.

 

[LandlockedZissou816]

This is the problem. When you adjust the valve, more suction is created due to water being pulled through the smaller opening.

The next time I do a 10% water change I’ll try closing it some and see what happens

 

[TokenReefer]

Just curious, how do you know how many gallons you've removed with the python? Do you mark a line on the tank? Do just you have tons of saltwater ready to go so it doesn't matter?

Haven't used one since my freshwater days and there measuring the amount removed didn't really matter... It'd sure make things easier but this is where I get stuck when thinking about using one

 

[ckuhny3]

Just curious, how do you know how many gallons you've removed with the python? Do you mark a line on the tank? Do just you have tons of saltwater ready to go so it doesn't matter?

Haven't used one since my freshwater days and there measuring the amount removed didn't really matter... It'd sure make things easier but this is where I get stuck when thinking about using one

I fill up 2 5 gallon buckets with the python. I have a sump pit right there but I use the buckets to measure 10 gallons taken out so I know it’s the same amount each week. Kind of archaic but it works

 

[mfinn]

It's all about water pressure at the sink.
When I first got mine, the kitchen sink didn't have that great of water pressure ( normal for a kitchen sink) so I went to my bath tub. I had to swap out the faucet to accept the python fitting, but once I did, it worked a lot better. But the down side was it left sand and detritus in the tub. I caught hell from my wife if I forgot to clean it out after I used it.
Now I have a slop sink in my garage with great water pressure.

 

[exnisstech]

I only use the sink to start the syphon then the hose goes into the bathtub which is low enough to create a good syphon. I would never use the sink to continously run and draw water out. Thats is just too much water wasted. I feel I waste enough with my RO waste. If I'm syphoning into a bucket I wouldn't even bother with the python and faucet just get a cheap gravel vac and use that.

 

[vabben]

What size of tubing is on your python? The larger size can suck up alot more than the I believe 3/8" size.

 

[Super Fly]

mine's very weak also

 

[ckuhny3]

What size of tubing is on your python? The larger size can suck up alot more than the I believe 3/8" size.

Do you just use an adapter to up the tubing size?

 

[Tamberav]

I only use the sink to start the syphon then the hose goes into the bathtub which is low enough to create a good syphon. I would never use the sink to continously run and draw water out. Thats is just too much water wasted. I feel I waste enough with my RO waste. If I'm syphoning into a bucket I wouldn't even bother with the python and faucet just get a cheap gravel vac and use that.

Agree, I don’t use the sink part and just use gravity which works great. I don’t want to just be pouring water down the drain for a small amount of increased ease of use.

I was also able to get the python and a hose for fraction of the cost by skipping the whole sink attachment kit and I don’t have suction problems using gravity.

 

[LandlockedZissou816]

Just curious, how do you know how many gallons you've removed with the python? Do you mark a line on the tank? Do just you have tons of saltwater ready to go so it doesn't matter?

Haven't used one since my freshwater days and there measuring the amount removed didn't really matter... It'd sure make things easier but this is where I get stuck when thinking about using one

Yeah I removed a 5 gallon buckets worth of water and made a line, then again with 10 gallons.