Totally disappointed with the Python

[twoodrough]

I have been doing fish tanks for over 3 years and finally got a python. I was so excited because of the way people raved about them, but using mine was a disaster!

It hooked up well enough, and siphoned water and debris out, although slower and not as strongly as I expected. Then it came to putting water back in. We followed the instructions and water sprayed everywhere from the pump hook up. It started spraying within 1-2 seconds of turning the water on. The hose could not handle the pressure. I had no chance to walk 10 feet to the tank to turn the water on and release the pressure. I had my husband helping me today and there is no way I could have done it by myself, which I need to able to do. The kitchen would be soaked by the time I walked back and forth.

I read many reviews (Amazon) and only saw one that had this same problem. Most of the bad reviews were from parts breaking, not from water spraying. Did I just get dud? Should I try another one? We did not see anything wrong with the hook ups and pump, and we could not tighten them anymore because they are plastic and could break. The amount of water spraying was totally unacceptable. Totally disappointed and wondering what to do.

 

[Ian086]

Are you turning the water back on, to fill the tank, with the valve(on the siphon part) closed??

 

[twoodrough]

I can't remember now. Which way is it supposed be?

 

[Ian086]

I can't remember now. Which way is it supposed be?

I leave the valve at the siphon(tank end) open, the whole time. If you are trying to fill the tank with the valve closed(on the siphon end), this will put serious pressure on all the connections and water will spray everywhere. I NEVER close this valve for that reason. The only time I close it, is when I want to drain the water from the tube, after use and before putting it away. Is there any leaks when you are using it to drain the tank??

 

[twoodrough]

Draining the tank went fine, other than slower than I thought.

But if I don't close the valve, isn't is race to the tank before it fills the tube and makes a mess?

 

[Ian086]

Draining the tank went fine, other than slower than I thought.

But if I don't close the valve, isn't is race to the tank before it fills the tube and makes a mess?

Mine is quite slow too. The reason being, my tap is about level with the tank. The lower the faucet the faster the flow. Water pressure from the faucet is a big factor too.
I'm not sure what you mean by "But if I don't close the valve, isn't is race to the tank before it fills the tube and makes a mess?"
You don't need to touch the valve at the tank end. Simply drain the tank and then flip the valve, at the faucet end and refill. This is how I use mine,
1. Connect everything and place the syphon tube in the tank(I use a clip to hold it in place)
2. Turn on the cold water tap to create the syphon, draining the tank.
3. When I remove the water I want, flip the valve, at the faucet end and refill.
I dose the WHOLE volume of the tank with Prime before refilling. I never touch the valve at the tank end....If the valve at the tank end is left open, you will not have any pressure building up causing a leak....

 

[Mebbid]

Mine only has issues with pressure when I turn the water up too high. If you don't turn the water up too high it will also allow you time to go turn the water off before you overflow the tank.

 

[twoodrough]

Do you leave the siphon in the tank the whole time? My "race" would come from carrying the siphon end back to the sink to switch the water temp and flip from drain to fill. If I have the siphon in my hand and turn the pump to fill, then water starts to fill the hose, and I have to get to the tank before the hose fills and water comes out the end.

 

[Mebbid]

Do you leave the siphon in the tank the whole time? My "race" would come from carrying the siphon end back to the sink to switch the water temp and flip from drain to fill. If I have the siphon in my hand and turn the pump to fill, then water starts to fill the hose, and I have to get to the tank before the hose fills and water comes out the end.

Yeah, just leave it in the tank.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Just leave the siphon end in the tank with the knob open. With the minimal amount of time it takes to get the temp on your sink correct, it shouldnt have much affect on your tank temp at all. That is how I do it with my tank with no issues. I have done it for so long now I know how much to turn the hot and cold to get it just right without much effort at all.
Best of luck to you, those Pythons really make life sooooo much easier than buckets.

 

[Ian086]

Just leave the siphon end in the tank with the knob open. With the minimal amount of time it takes to get the temp on your sink correct, it shouldnt have much affect on your tank temp at all. That is how I do it with my tank with no issues. I have done it for so long now I know how much to turn the hot and cold to get it just right without much effort at all.
Best of luck to you, those Pythons really make life sooooo much easier than buckets.

That's exactly how I do it. It's easy to judge the temp by hand.....