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Pleco Poo


cidley69
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The algae was a startin to grow in my tank, so we got a (sailfin?) Pleco.

No more algea, that fish is AMAZING for how much algae he eats.......

what do you recommend for dealling with the amount of poo this guy makes?

is one of those siphon vac thingys the best way to go? if so, can someone recommend a model/brand of these things that works the best?

this is a long shot, but there isn't a kind of fish that eats pleco poo is there? (if not we should develop one, mad scientists anyone?)

any ideas greatly appreciated

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is one of those siphon vac thingys the best way to go? if so, can someone recommend a model/brand of these things that works the best?

I use a python gravel vac. It connects to the sink and makes sucking out the water and putting it back in very easy. Definately the best piece of aquarium equipement i own.

I dont' believe there is anything you can do for pleco waste besides removing it through water changes.

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Isn't the design of that kind of syphon contraption the same no matter what the namebrand?

i used to have a waterbed siphon kit that looked exactly the same (for the sink end anyways)

what makes the 'Python' the best choice?

(or is any similar device the same)

thanks for the help, i am phoning pet stores now to find one in Calgary!

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Call me cheap, but isn't $1 US a lot to pay per foot for clear plastic hose?

The 25 foot is $38, the 50 is $62, that's like $24 USD for an extra 25 feet of the hose, that must be some really good hose.

i suppose a cheap bastard like myself could always use a garden hose and a couple a hose claps as an extension if need be.

i am going to get one now, thanks for the input fellow fish lovers!!!!!!!!!

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a closer look at those pythons, isn't that just a bunch of clear hose, some couplers, and a waterbed syphon attachment for a sink?

is the end that goes in the aquarium got any special features, like a fan head or anything, or is it just a piece of tubing?

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BA's has the 25 foot on sale for $35... EVERYONE with a tank bigger than 20 gallons should go buy one and not cheap out. Yes, there are other ways to do it and save maybe $5 by the time you're done... but one of those DIY fittings lets go and you'll have 50 gallons of water on the floor before you even know it broke... at least this way you know it's been designed to be 'safe'.

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I use my python to drain water into my bath tub and I use a smaller gravel vac to get the poo into a bucket, which gets dumped in the toilet. The thought of all my fish's poo in my sink is a little too gross for me (I know cleaning chemicals take care of it, but still). Without the water running my python doesn't have enough "suck" to pick up much waste anyway and I don't like having to keep the watering running while my tank empties and fills up so I stick with this method. Usually filling up two buckets allows me to get all the poo out.

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I had a 50' garden hose, which was great when I lived in a house on a lot and a half. Now, I'm in a townhouse w. a postage-stamp yard - no hose necessary! So, I cut the hose in 1/2, bought a 50¢ adapter for the kitchen tap, and, presto! I just siphon the water outside, then fill it back from the sink.

I use the gravel vac to fill one bucket which I use to water the houseplants - they love the water from my planted tank!

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but one of those DIY fittings lets go and you'll have 50 gallons of water on the floor before you even know it broke... at least this way you know it's been designed to be 'safe'.

Don't kid yourself, the fittings on Pythons are cheap plastic, and have been known to crack/split/break at the worst possible moment. The inline hose on/off switches have been known to fail over time, and IMO is the weakest link of the Python. If you want 'safe', switch the plastic valve over to brass, like this:

python1.jpg

Or one day be prepared to do this ....

python3.jpg

or come home to find one of these .....

python4.jpg

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