Who Owns a Python Siphon Hose?

[SFKINNC]

I have my Python for years and years. I hook it to the kitchen sink using a quick-connect fitting that I bought in the garden section of Wally World. I have plenty of water pressure and I can do a 50% change on a 75 gallon FW tank in about 15 minutes. I changed out the gravel cleaning end for a longer tube with a strainer in it and after years of use, I replaced the plastic shut-off valve with a brass one from a garden supply. Nonetheless, I have never had the hose or the valve clog with sand or gravel. Mine works like a charm and I use it to empty and refill 8 FW tanks on cleaning day. No buckets. Unfortunately I can only empty the SW tanks and must refill with buckets and a pitcher.

 

[Dan Cyr]

I use a Python for the sand and water change but use a small water pump that has hose fittings on both sides. Attach a garden hose to the other side and pump all the waste out to the drain in the yard. Seems to work good

 

[iemsparticus]

Love mine... I’ve got an attachment on my mixing station as well so I can attach my python and use it to pump water back in as well. Super easy, fast water changes. Mine is a 50 foot-er as well.

 

[Merv49]

I just received a 50' python siphon hose. Used it last night for my water change. It was slow! I was disappointed. I don't need all 50'. So I thought I could reduce the tube length with a barbed joint and improve strength. Just curious if anyone has done that with any success at increasing the suction to improve performance? Or would I be just chasing a ghost?

I’ve been using a python for about ten years in fresh and salt water. It is a bit slow but the python is not a pump so perhaps you have to lower your expectations. I do 55 gallon water changes with mine and only run water from the faucet for as long as it takes to siphon the sand then I turn water off and wait for it to siphon out the rest by itself. I’d say it takes about 20 minutes to siphon out the 55 gallons. No matter how slow it is, it’s better than carrying buckets of water.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I used one back in the 90's on my 200 gallon. Worked very well. Just don't make a mistake and flip the valve and fill with tap! Lol

 

[JMetaxas]

I never use the faucet attachment thingamajig, just gravity feed to drain the water from my tank.

I own the 100' hose, and 2 25's. The hose material is very subtle, which is hard to find.

 

[Jerett83]

I never use the faucet attachment thingamajig, just gravity feed to drain the water from my tank.

I own the 100' hose, and 2 25's. The hose material is very subtle, which is hard to find.

I cant remember the ID off the top of my head.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-plastic-and-rubber-tubing/=1c70lqm

 

[ZachR32]

Try connecting it to a hose faucet outside instead, I've done that for a while with no issues

 

[Gareth elliott]

Ive never used the python, but have the aqueon version, looks very similar so assuming operates the same.
Hose kinks very easily on the aqueon not sure if the same is true for the python.

Like above i used from my outside hose for more flow, bathroom sink didnt do it. I also cut the hose for the length needed, less headloss.
I honestly dont use this anymore. I still have syphon hose for my freshwater but use a small syphon and just let the removed water fall out the window. Then a pump in the ro/di (w/equilibrium)fills the tank when done.

 

[Sleepydoc]

I had one and quit using it in favor of buckets. It worked, but it took a fair amount of time and wasted a ton of water. The rate of siphon is dependent on the vertical drop, the length of tubing and the amount of water running in the faucet. You can shorten the tubing to lessen the resistance, but beyond that not much you can do.

Now I either use something like this if I want to clean detritus, or I have a valve on my manifold that I can connect a 3' piece of silicone tubing to and use my return pump to pump water from my sump to a bucket (I could also get a longer tube and pump it to the drain, I suppose.)

 

[Philip Chin]

works great!!

 

[seastar]

I absolutely love mine! I dont actually use the sink attachment though. I clip that end so that it's secure and drains into the sink, and I prime the other end on the tank return and quickly get it in the water. The initial drop in the line from the tank is plenty to make for a very fast water change.

 

[bonefishlou]

Been using one for 15 years, needs good pressure from fawcett and a cleaning every once in a while, I dont miss carrying the 5 gal buckets...

 

[Mako61]

I use mine every water change. Had no issues love it. My tank level is a little higher than my sink so it moves the water pretty quick once the hose is full.

I turn off my return pump let the water level settle. I stick on a postit note at that water level. I know about how much my tank drops per gallon, so I remove a little less than NSW I have.

 

[Jerry Ebner]

I have my Python for years and years. I hook it to the kitchen sink using a quick-connect fitting that I bought in the garden section of Wally World. I have plenty of water pressure and I can do a 50% change on a 75 gallon FW tank in about 15 minutes. I changed out the gravel cleaning end for a longer tube with a strainer in it and after years of use, I replaced the plastic shut-off valve with a brass one from a garden supply. Nonetheless, I have never had the hose or the valve clog with sand or gravel. Mine works like a charm and I use it to empty and refill 8 FW tanks on cleaning day. No buckets. Unfortunately I can only empty the SW tanks and must refill with buckets and a pitcher.

I would invest in a power head with a small tube to pump the water from the bucket to the tank. I use this method. Works great and cheap.

 

[SFKINNC]

I would invest in a power head with a small tube to pump the water from the bucket to the tank. I use this method. Works great and cheap.

Good Idea! Will do!

 

[jzw]

ime - it totally DID NOT WORK.

i used the 30-something inch sand cleaner attachment, to clean my sandbed, and it barely pulled up any sand off the bottom. totally useless, i was kinda ticked. (with an ~4' height difference to power the siphon)

it's simple, the hose diameter is too small for 'larger' applications. i think it would be useful for maybe a 20" or less high tank. imo, too weak for even for a standard 24" high tank. by weak i mean there's not enough siphon/water flow.

any nice soft hose (& bigger) alternatives?

 

[Otrips]

I have a few Pythons. Only use the 50' now for my 250g & 50g freshwater tanks, they work great but it's dependent on your water pressure & ensuring you have a clean run with no kinks in the line. I hook it to my utility sink in laundry room & run the cold water when draining. I have noticed that if the pressure it to high it can slow down the suction. One thing you need to keep an eye on are any connections where any gunk, rocks, etc.. can get suck. Usually they can be dislodged by switching to fill for a min, on rare occasion you may need to disconnect the connections check for anything you can't see and manually dislodge any blockage. The plastic faucet end adapters are kinda cheap and strip out easily so I bought a metal adapter. I also was able to find a stainless drain/fill whatever you call it piece on ebay about 5yrs ago that's held up great. They are the same as what was used to drain/fill waterbeds back in the day.

My other python I cut short and use for siphoning into the sump (with a bunch of floss). and for draining my 10gal pod and quarantine tanks into buckets. I used the left over hose attaching it to a pump I use for adding new water back into the tanks from buckets which is a lot easier than splashing salt water everywhere.

You could get away using a simple T instead of the drain/fill piece but it would only drain. Obviously never use it to fill a SW tank with tap water. But one thing you should be doing after draining is putting the tank side back into a sink or where ever and switching to fill for a min allowing it to flush anything out of the line. A python is pretty quick, it will never be as fast as using a pump but all that junk your sucking up can't be good for impellers and the pump itself.