Petsmart Online

[akumastew]

Hi All

I wanted an Eheim Sludge Extractor for Xmas.

It arrived last night from Petsmart online.

I did try DrsFosterSmith and some other on-line vendors, but they were all out of stock.

The sludge extractor arrived with a hole in the sludge collection bag.

Their returns policy sucks.

The buyer has to pay for return shipping, and has to place a whole new order.

This means I would have to pay shipping 3 times, to get my product. As well as waiting for them to process the return to get my money back.

Thankfully, you can do the return at the store, but still I will end up paying shipping 2 times.

- Stew

[David Rose]

That does suck.... I recently saw one of these extractors at our local Petco, but with sand substrate...not good.

Good to know that buying online is something to avoid doing with Petco.

[philip69285]

My friend bought one of those sludge things... it throws small fine particles into the water when running as in the fine poop doesnt stay. Unless they changed the design LOL. It works great when you are to lazy to change water and want to clean the gravel but why not just change water?

[scottishbloke]

Guys- thanks, you have just answered a question I was asking myself...do I get one of these for doing easier "poop scoops" in between water changes? But if it does not retain the fine particles of poo, then there's no point. I'll save myself the $60 or so and stick with my siphon tube and bucket...

Cheers Lads

Colin

[philip69285]

You are more then welcome :). Thats why I never bought one LOL. It works for the lazy ppl that dont want to do water changes but once you see it work omg... your tank looks horrific for a good 2 hours after LOL.

[MadAnthony]

Guys- thanks, you have just answered a question I was asking myself...do I get one of these for doing easier "poop scoops" in between water changes? But if it does not retain the fine particles of poo, then there's no point. I'll save myself the $60 or so and stick with my siphon tube and bucket...

Cheers Lads

Colin

I would loose the bucket and get a Python No Spill.

[utiliy]

amen to the python no spill....i noticed its hard to find replacement parts for the python. seems as if foster smith has items fot it on back order-but the python is the way to go!!

[akumastew]

My friend bought one of those sludge things... it throws small fine particles into the water when running as in the fine poop doesnt stay. Unless they changed the design LOL. It works great when you are to lazy to change water and want to clean the gravel but why not just change water?

I have a python no spill, but as my closest faucet is 30 feet away, I have to use the 50 ft version, and my wife gives me crap about taking the connectors off the bathroom faucet.

I do change 25% of my water daily, so it is not laziness in my case. More of convenience, and to stop getting lectures from she who loves me.

If I decide to order another one, I will write a review on my findings. The mesh is pretty tight, and I am sure it will capture most of the stuff I am looking to capture. I will follow it with my daily WC which should then get some of whatever is floating.

- Stew

[David Rose]

I feel your pain with cleaning the bottom of the tank between water changes. I ended up going the low-tech way and just use a firmer 1/4" black plastic tube that was left from my RO installation that's about 8-10' long and siphon into a regular size bucket. Given the hose is more narrow the flow is less so I can actually vacuum my entire 140G filling only one bucket (2 1/2G) and not have to hook up my Python. With the tube being firmer, I have more control in aiming it where I need it to go as well.

Just another option. :)

[amunoz7]

I just got one of those no-spill pythons for X-mas and was wondering is there any way of getting it to work without having to keep the water running? And also how can I get better suction?

[David Rose]

I just got one of those no-spill pythons for X-mas and was wondering is there any way of getting it to work without having to keep the water running? And also how can I get better suction?

Python/Marina siphons flow is dependant on your water pressure/flow rate at your sink. I have better water pressure attaching mine to an outside garden hose than when it's attached at the kitchen. It is also affected by the length of hose and elevation that the water has to travel. i.e. if your tanks and sink connection are on the same level in the house, you will get maximum flow, but if one is higher or lower, it will change the results. Also, you will get better results if your sink is less than 25' vs requiring the 50' version of the Python.

My kitchen sink is 50' from my tank on the same level and still the flow and suction isn't that great to really do a good job in cleaning the bottom of my tanks. I no longer connect it to the kitchen sink because of this. Instead, I use a shorter 1/4" hose to vacuum the bottom of my tanks into a 5G bucket. The smaller diameter removes less water, but gives me more time to complete my vacuuming. I end up only filling half to one full 5 gallon bucket. Then I attach a Maxi-jet power head to my Pyhton hose and drain the remainder of my water quickly during water changes. To fill, is a different story, given I use a water storage barrel to age my water. There is a pump and separate garden hose (probably should be FDA approved) attached to it to fill my tanks with a remote control.

[David Rose]

The only way to use the Python without using the faucet adapter is to use it with gravity only or a power head as I suggested above. Some folks will run the hose outside to drain water onto their lawn start the siphon manually with their mouth. In winter, if you have a drain at a lower level such as the basement, you can use gravity as well.

[amunoz7]

thanks for the info...... I will try using my powerhead tonight, so would i just hook it up and turn it on instead of hooking it up to the faucet? Doesn't the powerhead have to be submerged to work?

[David Rose]

I take the vacuum tube end off and attach the powerhead. Lower it into the tank to drain. The other end can be still attached to the sink if you want to anchor it in place, but you wouldn't need to turn on your faucet water.

[MadAnthony]

A little FYI from an old Hardware Store Guy, The Pyton sink hookup if broken, can be replaced with a waterbed drain and fill kit. It's the same piece for much less money.

[subcooler]

I just got one of those no-spill pythons for X-mas and was wondering is there any way of getting it to work without having to keep the water running? And also how can I get better suction?

I have never used a python, because of the running water issue-Being on a septic system(not city sewer) has me cautious about running water during W/C's.
They don't look all to well constructed to me,and they sure are pricey!

I use vinyl tubing from Lowe's, you can get higher suction rates with larger diameter tubing- 5/8" tubing is a pretty fast W/C tool :D !

Peace,
Rob

[TankWatcher]

My friend bought one of those sludge things... it throws small fine particles into the water when running as in the fine poop doesn't stay. Unless they changed the design LOL. It works great when you are to lazy to change water and want to clean the gravel but why not just change water?Mine has fine, tight mesh. No fine particles that I can see make it back into the water.
It works for the lazy ppl that dont want to do water changes but once you see it work omg... your tank looks horrific for a good 2 hours after That's a very harsh thing to say. Mine had nothing to do with being lazy. I got it when I had juvies I was growing up. Tank got 50% wc daily & at their very youngest it was twice a day! The eheim sludge extractor was for in between those daily changes, since juvies have multiple daily feeds & need clean water.

I previously had a cheaper non eheim version, and it was crap & did a crap job.

I agree they're not for sand. I burnt one out using it over sand.

[roundfishross]

you do not have to start the syphon with your mouth just push the hose down into the water past the cut off valve making sure that the hose is filled then close the valve and take the hose out of the water ,making sure that the valve is lower than the water level in the tank .now open the valve and you should have syphon:D

[Jhhnn]

As David Rose alluded to earlier, use the python in suction mode to clean the bottom of the tank, then turn it off, switch to a powerhead in the tank on the end of the python hose to finish draining out as much water as desired before refilling. Jehmco offers an adjustable powerhead safety siphon that prevents minor disasters like sucking the tank dry when inattentive...

http://www.jehmco.com/html/safety_siphon_aquarium_drain.html

The $32.75 model is fine unless you have a really big tank...

I have a much more elaborate water changing system, but most people can't do things that way for a variety of reasons.

[joanr]

Back to the Eheim Sludge Extractor, I really like mine! It doesn't leak particles and is great for cleaning up poop and leftover flake or whatever. They re-designed it this past year, but you know you can add a little floss inside the basket to help with particles.

You can also order spare parts for it off the Eheim website, that way you wouldn't have to do the return and buy extra stuff. Thanks for the heads up about their return policy, that's horrible.

[philip69285]

Wasn't being harsh at all and didn't mean it to come off harsh. Just stating a simple fact that if I have time to sit there with this battery operated thing to remove stuff from the bottom... I had the time to set up my syphon and do a small water change the same why... why have two products to do the same thing. Thats my point on it :). You can also use a fine meshed net ment for baby brine shrimp to pick up the poop and left over flake... total cost $3 vs $60. All about finding ways to save money ;)

[scottishbloke]

In my case, I use 2 hoses for my tank. To do w/c's, I use a 3/4" diameter vinyl hose that drains directly outside through the back door onto my yard, the plants really like it!! I then mix the hot/cold water kitchen faucet to the correct temp, connect the hose to it using a brass screw connector, add conditioner to tank, then get my wife/kid to hold the other hose end in the tank briefly while I turn the water on, relieve him/her of duty, and refill. To do poop scoops, I use a thinner hose to quickly vacuum out any poo in a few minutes in the same manner and only drain a few gallons. In winter, my wife holds the other hose end in the sink during w/c's, and for poop scoops she holds a bucket for me :) She must really like discus- I've kept other fish for years with no interest on her part, even rainbows, but now she's suddenly into fish...can't blame her, discus are awesome :D I even said nothing when I asked her to shut off the tap for me one day near the end of a w/c refill and I had nipped out on an errand, only to find the tank full to the brim and a lot of towels encircling the tank stand base on my return, bless her heart :angel:

I also use a Koralia powerhead to blow uneaten scraps off the bottom and into my canister filter after feeding- these are then eaten by a colony of ghost shrimp living inside its bottom.

Colin
P.S. Using filter floss to get the fine poop to stay in your sludge scooper is a good idea, mate.

[akumastew]

Does anyone know if the sludge extractor will work with BB tanks?

~ Stew

[alpine]

Stew, my advise on the Eheim extractor is if you can pass and get your money back , do it . I have tried it twice to use in between water changes on my barebottom tanks and have found it does not very well at all. It is very weak on the suction side and they do fall apart fairly quickly.
Eheim was good at taking care of the guarantee on the first one .
I would not recommend them after having wo of them .

Roberto.