My Python quit sucking?

[Corbidorbidoodle]

I've got a 50' Python and it's usually really great. But it's stopped sucking out water in water-sucking mode.

I'm not sure what's wrong with it. It'll fill like a boss. But I just can't get it to drain in the sink.

Do you guys have that problem? How do I trouble shoot it?

[Fish Folk]

On 6/24/2022 at 10:53 PM, Corbidorbidoodle said:

I've got a 50' Python and it's usually really great. But it's stopped sucking out water in water-sucking mode.

I'm not sure what's wrong with it. It'll fill like a boss. But I just can't get it to drain in the sink.

Do you guys have that problem? How do I trouble shoot it?

I've sometimes taken my faucet unit apart piece by piece, cleaned, reset and it works. Other option is just buy a new faucet piece. If the python fills, it clearly is not a problem / obstruction with the hose. Something in the faucet piece isn't properly engaging the suction of the water through. 

[lefty o]

usually it is because something was sucked up into it that was too big to pass. that can usually be resolved by reversing the flow. most likely the debris is in the piece that goes on the faucet, or in the valve.

[anewbie]

Take a look in the fat end and see if there is something covering the hole - i have mystery snails that frequently protest aquarium cleaning. 

[Brandon p]

There is most likely a small leak som making the tube not airtight. Meaning it’s sucking air from some where it does not take much air to mess things up

[Corbidorbidoodle]

I ordered a new faucet pump part. It's working like a champ now. And it was only 5 bucks on Amazon. 

I still can't figure out what the difference is. I gotta go to Harbor Freight to get a giant allen key to take the old one apart.

[nabokovfan87]

On 6/24/2022 at 7:53 PM, Corbidorbidoodle said:

Do you guys have that problem? How do I trouble shoot it?

On the actual faucet there's a pretty dumb/silly/goofy design issue.  You just need to tighten it.

This gap opens up when you tighten the attachment somewhere.  You can manually fix it, it'll work fine.

 

Stick your finger in this end and you can tighten it.  If you have something hex shaped, that works as well


 

 

Mine came apart one day and suction kept getting worse and worse and worse until I figured it out.  I hope that helps.

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

For me its normally java moss or a daredevil ramshorn gumming up the works. My fix is to reverse the flow to blow the obstruction up the hose a few inches then unhook the hose from the faucet adapter to let it drain into the sink. I just reattach it once the snail is gone. If its plants i use tweasers to.clear the faucet adapter. 

[Andy's Fish Den]

If you loosen the two silver screws holding the bottom part of the faucet pump, it will come off and the is most likely something stuck in there. you can always if the tank level is higher than where you are draining the water to, just use the hose as a regular siphon and not use the faucet pump part to drain. I only use that piece to help drain two tanks and that is because they are 2.5 and five gallons and it is hard to get the siphon tube in the tank sideways to start a siphon. 

[Corbidorbidoodle]

On 7/4/2022 at 8:23 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

On the actual faucet there's a pretty dumb/silly/goofy design issue.  You just need to tighten it.

This gap opens up when you tighten the attachment somewhere.  You can manually fix it, it'll work fine.

 

Stick your finger in this end and you can tighten it.  If you have something hex shaped, that works as well


 

 

Mine came apart one day and suction kept getting worse and worse and worse until I figured it out.  I hope that helps.

This was it! Totally did the trick. Suckin' like a boss now.

[nabokovfan87]

On 7/9/2022 at 12:01 PM, Corbidorbidoodle said:

This was it! Totally did the trick. Suckin' like a boss now.

Awesome.  Very cool!  Glad it worked.