Newbie Q: How quickly can a python remove water?

[mike550]

Looking at buying a python to help with water changes, and I’m wondering how quickly it drains water from a tank. Never used a python before and am not familiar with how it works other than through videos.

If it matters I‘m trying to drain 20G from my DT. The top water level in the DT is about 5 feet and then the sink height is around 3 feet. Guessing there’s a bit of siphon effect, so I’m also wondering if it the water can go back “up” to the sink if the hose is resting on the ground?

Thanks in advance.

 

[boacvh]

Never measured exactly but I would say it takes me around 10-15 mins more or less to drain 20g when I do my WC. I can measure tomorrow and let you know

 

[fl3xlinton]

Also depends on how strong your water pressure is. My sink isn’t strong enough to suck the water. Through 50 foot of hose.

 

[boacvh]

Also depends on how strong your water pressure is. My sink isn’t strong enough to suck the water. Through 50 foot of hose.

I use mine without the sink. Only use syphon and the python squeeze to start it

 

[fl3xlinton]

I use mine without the sink. Only use syphon and the python squeeze to start it

I don’t have the squeeze thing with mine. But I got one of the Aqueon ones with the squeeze.

 

[Jeeperz]

Curious about this too. Draining my sump that's only a few inches off the floor into a bucket or even to a floor drain is an extremely slow process and makes cleaning detritus out of the sump nearly impossible as there is basically no gravity suction.

 

[Han]

For situations where I can’t get a siphon going, I use a battery operated transfer pump. I even use it in place of a siphon sometimes because it’s quite a bit faster.

 

[boacvh]

Measured mine yesterday. It took 11 minutes to drain 20 gallons from my DT.

 

[mike550]

Measured mine yesterday. It took 11 minutes to drain 20 gallons from my DT.

Thanks! So it’s about same as what I’m doing now. Great to know

 

[SeaJay]

I’m also wondering if it the water can go back “up” to the sink if the hose is resting on the ground?

Thanks in advance.

Mine will not. I wouldn't have spent the money had I known All I was really getting is a longer hose. I guess I can siphon out the door now instead of into a bucket, but I don't need a python for that.

 

[Dixon B]

if you have the hand pump to start siphon, the proper sink attachment/refiller, and decent water pressure i drain around 2 gallons a minute

 

[sharpimage]

As long as the inlet of the water is higher than the finished output, it will syphon. You could syphon down 200 feet and back up 198 feet.

 

[ahiggins]

Never used for saltwater but I use it on my 40 gal freshwater tank. Sink is about 1ft lower than tank but it usually pumps out 10 gallons in about 15 min or so. When I had bigger sw tanks I would have loved to use it lol

 

[Auquanut]

I have 5 tanks, and my python is probably the most useful piece of equipment I have. I haven't lifted a bucket of water except to fill my RO reservoir in 2 years. As long as you have decent water pressure, you can get suction. I can mostly drain my sump which is at nearly floor level, and the faucet is at about 4' (I also use the 75' python). Of course, the higher the tank is in relation to the faucet, the higher the suction. If your looking for max draw, you can also run the faucet end out a door or window and use a garden hose to start and/or maintain the siphon.