# When you drain water using a Python water changer do you...?



## cvillanueva21 (Mar 10, 2008)

Keep the water running? Or once you see the water reaching the faucet you turn it off?
I got a used one and never had the instructions so I always left my water running through the whole draining till tonight. I turned off the faucet and it still kept on draining... I know this might seem elementary for most; the concept eluded me for sometime.


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## terd ferguson (Jul 31, 2007)

cvillanueva21 said:


> Keep the water running? Or once you see the water reaching the faucet you turn it off?
> I got a used one and never had the instructions so I always left my water running through the whole draining till tonight. I turned off the faucet and it still kept on draining...


You can do it either way. Shutting off the water once the syphon starts will conserve water usage. Leaving the water on will drain your tank faster.


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## codey_gold (Sep 2, 2008)

I don't use the faucet attachment for draining. I place the one end into a basement drain. I only use the faucet attachment to fill. I don't like high water bills.


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## Vincent (May 7, 2004)

codey_gold said:


> I don't use the faucet attachment for draining. I place the one end into a basement drain. I only use the faucet attachment to fill. I don't like high water bills.


I do the same thing because I dislike wasting water. I drain my tanks into a toilet.


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## Nighthawk (Mar 13, 2003)

codey_gold said:


> I don't use the faucet attachment for draining. I place the one end into a basement drain. I only use the faucet attachment to fill. I don't like high water bills.


Mine goes straight out the window and waters the lawn.


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Here in the eastern US there have been near drought conditions for a couple years. Not a good time to leave the water running...

I don't use a Python; instead I simply bought a 50' clear hose and an attachment to connect it to the sink. This cost me less than half as much as a Python...

Starting a siphon on a 50' hose is very easy. You would have to suck really hard for a really long time to get a mouth full of water... Plants and lawn highly appreciate the added nutrients in the water also...


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## Awugod (Mar 10, 2006)

Well I have 3 tanks I use a Python for water changing. For my 100gal I start the siphon with the water faucet and then once water is draining turn the faucet off. I then proceed to fill up a bucket with the waste water to use in watering plants/yard. For my 55gal, the waste water is drained directly into the yard (I suck start the Python). For the 20gal I leave the faucet running as it only takes a few minutes to do a water change on that tank.


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## Mbuna Joe (Aug 8, 2006)

When you shut the water off after the siphon is started, how is the strength of the suction? Will it still pull waste off the substrate? I have a fairly heavily stocked 75G (demasoni & yellow labs), filtered with 2 EMP 400's, and even with weekly 50% water changes, there is still a good amount of "stuff" on the bottom. I use the Lee Gravel Vac and run it to a utility tub in my basement (tank in living room). With the water running it will pull some of the crushed coral up into the hose coupling.


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## natalie559 (Dec 6, 2007)

Mbuna Joe said:


> When you shut the water off after the siphon is started, how is the strength of the suction? Will it still pull waste off the substrate?


For me the strength is good and it will still pull waste from the bottom. But I run the end of the hose out the back door so I have a good amount of gravity helping me. Sounds like your set-up is similar with you running it to the basement- give it a try.


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## GJx (Mar 13, 2003)

If I've got time to spare &/or I'm concerned with conservation of water ( _NC has been in a drought for a few years now & we are just crawling out of it..) _ I turn the water off & let gravity do the work...

...when I'm in a hurry I leave the water on.

I'd say tat I leave it on more than turn it off though.


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## mobas4-life (Aug 11, 2008)

i leave it on and vac the substrate once im finished with the substrate i turn the faucet off until thev desired amount of water is removed.it is a 180 gal. tank


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

I used to use the faucet to start the siphon but I soon realized, I could put the siphon tube underwater, clamp the hose with one hand (lower than the top of the tank) lift the tube until the air bubbles out of the hose and re-submerge it carefully not to introduce more air. Unclamp the filled hose and the siphon will start by gravity alone without sucking on the tube or using the faucet to start it.

I drain the tank into the yard unless its freezing outside.


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## IrkedCitizen (Apr 26, 2007)

I have four pythons that I acquired with tanks I had bought off Craig's List two 25' and two 50'. I only use them on my 75 gallon as my other tanks are a 20 gallon and 29 gallon so I just bucket it.

How I do maintenance on my 75 gallon is -

1. I unplug the pump on my wet/dry and pull out the return line from the water to break siphon.

2. I take one 50' to drain the tank and run it right out the back door.

3. I hook one 25' hose to the hot and one 25' to the cold water valves for my washing machine.

4. I finish draining the water/cleaning the bottom of the tank and my sump of all debris.

5. I put the return outlet back to where it was.

6. I add two caps full of Prime to my wet/dry.

7. I put the hose ends into the sump and open the valves to get the right temperature.

8. I drain more water out of the main tank than the wet/dry can hold so I plug the return pump back in and continue to add more water to the wet/dry as needed until the tank is full and water is returning to the wet/dry through the overflow while maintaining a good water level inside the sump.

That is what I do once a week. I run a bare bottom tank so the suction on the 50' hose removes the debris without issue. But there is also 6'-7' height difference from the top of the tank to where the water actually drains outside. The total water volume of the system is 90-100 gallons of water depending on evaporation and how much water I put in the sump while filling it.

:fish:


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

If just doing the water itself, I'll start with the sink then turn it off. That doesn't work if I am actually vaccuming the gravel though, not enough suction to get all the mulm out from under it so I leave the water going. (Note: I live in an apt so don't have to pay water though).


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