[ekim]

Parts needed,

water-bed drain / fill kit, $4.00 CAD
Some type of hose, mine was $0.49 CAD per foot
female hose connection, $0.99 CAD

Thats about all you need,
I have made some funny adapters for mine with misc. pieces I have had sitting around over the years!!

water-bed drain / fill kit

hose

female hose connection

adapter for old gravel vac

I hang this over over the tank so I can sit back and smoke

 

[Gomer]

Everytime I see those, I think about getting or making one. Right now I don't mind the ol bucket (29,10,5,0.5), but when the 10-->30g, I might want to go to the dark side.

 

[panaque]

Interesting...that waterbed fill kit sink adapter looks exactly like the one I have had for many years. Only mine is green and distributed by Python. I remember the old days before pythons working at a LFS and using homemade hose adapters made out of PVC. I should try to make one up for old times sake! The only part I have had to replace on the old python that has to be at least 10 years old by now and has had thousands of gallons go through it is the threaded piece that hooks it up to the sink with hose threads.

 

[Sir_BlackhOle]

Looks like a good idea. I might even have one of those water bed kits lying around somewhere from my old water bed days. Ill have to look for it......

 

[niko]

The Python is extremely useful. I myself stuck to the "ol' bucket" because of sentimental reasons - remembering my first steps as an aquarist and such. But from the first time it took me 7 min. to do water changes in two 55 gal tanks. I was hooked to the Python.

Now the Python water pump does have some quirks:
- It may spray water all around your sink if you don't tighten the connections well enough.
- Gets clogged easily- when sucking old leaves, accidental Java Moss or gravel.
- If the hose is more than 50 feet you need a very strong blast of water to have good suction at the tank.

--Nikolay

 

[hubbahubbahehe]

I, too, use a python.

I turn on the faucet initially to blast water and create the suction..but then I turn off the water and let it slowly drip down in a bucket to water my houseplants.

If i leave the faucet on the whole time, it changes water faster but then I always remember that commercial about saving water, so i turn off the faucet and i don't mind it taking a little bit longer to change water...