Easy Start Vacuum... How To Start It!?!?

[fishwatcher]

Any hints on how to start this thing? It says, move up and down quickly until siphoning starts.
That's it... and I can't seem to get to do.
Help please!!!! My fishes lives depend on this!!
(Not too dramatic, am I!?! LOL)

 

[Qays]

the large body must be fully submerged.

 

[fishwatcher]

Really?? If so then I'vegot to get a smaller one... it's too big to put into my 10-gal all the way. On the picture it shows it about 2/3 of the way in. Crappy advertising folks.
well. I guess it's back to the store to (hopefully) exchange it.
Thanks!

 

[smurfyy_2k3]

i never fully submerge mine in fact mine only goes about 3 inches down

 

[basia]

I nearly brained my fish with one of those. I've given up now, I bought a syphon bulb and fitted it to the end of the tube and start the water by working the syphon.

 

[Crossfc]

Old school. Suck on end of tube. You won't mind the stinky fish poo if you truely love your fish.

 

[Kairi]

make sure the tubing is straight down, or as straight down as you can get it. i use the large vac on my 5 gallon- i just rig a chair or something to hold the tubing for me

 

[TwoTankAmin]

If your vac is a larger diameter rigid tube attached to a much narrower flexible hose, it is very easy to start.

Place the hose end in a bucket, then submerge the rigid tube holding it in the water horizontally. When it fills, lift it to start the water flowing down into the bucket and immediately resubmerge it. VIOLA.

 

[carrera]

mmh had one of those, worthless junk now have one where i just put my thumb over the end, squeeze the pump thing and release, much better

 

[DazedNCoNfUsEd]

Or just get one of those Pythons that you hook up to the facet, probably the best 30$ I've ever spent. You just turn the water on to start the siphon, then reverse it to fill the tank back up. No buckets or anything to worry about. It takes me about 10 minutes to do a water change. Just don't forget to add dechlorinator to you tank before putting the water back in.

 

[pieman]

Suck the darn thing =] And if it tastes bad that means you should look after your water

 

[fishwatcher]

Yeah... I'll try the 'holding it horizontally' thing. If that doesn't work, I'm NOT sucking on it. I like my fish, but nope... just can't do it! LOL
I actully bought a $3 kerosene siphon hose from the local hardware store (that's what I've always used), but that one isn't working right so I picked up a "real" one at the pet store. That's what I get I guess! lol
Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Phoenixfish]

suck the end till its close to your mouth then quicky take it out of your mouth and stick you finger over then end then place the end that has your finger over lower hey presto gravity does the rest...
p.s make sure the bowl/bucket/whatever is underneeth,
like children playing with drink and straws

i used to shake it up and down but that was takes forever and irritates the fish

 

[dgwebster]

got to admit have one of these shake up n down things and its a pain in the arse. bought a battery operated one that can dump into a tube or through a sock type thing to dump the water back into the tank, never looked back. i use it for everything.

 

[fishwatcher]

Thanks everyone! I'll have to check around and see if I can either get this one working ok or see what other kind I can find.