Gravel Vaccum Help?

Question

I bought a Top Fin Mini Gravel Vacuum and I followed to instructions as best as I could, but the device refuses to work. Can anyone help me?

This is the product:
http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441780039&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302030123&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023693&bmUID=1186423435937&itemNo=0&Ntt=gravel+vacuums&In=All&previousText=gravel+vacuums&N=2

Answer 1

Oh no...never never ever suck on one end to get it started-like someone mentioned. There are diseases/infections that can be transmitted to humans-fishTB for example.

Anyway, it looks like a standard gravel vac to me. All I do for mine, have a bucket on the floor, have the small end in the bucket, fill up the larger end with water from the tank. Lift it up so the water drains through the tubing into the bucket. Just before the water empties out of the bigger part that was in the tank, dunk it back under the water and refill it. That should be enough to start it, just put your hand over the opening and see if it's sucking. If not, just keep repeating, you'll get the hang of it. Like someone else mentioned, I can never get them to work the way the instructions say to.

Answer 2

The easiest way to use these is to submerge the entire vacuum (The large plastic cylinder part) in the water and tilt the open end upwards so all the air bubbles escape. Then turn it upright (so the opening is on the gravel.) The water should start being sucked in the tube shortly. Another way, especially if you have a small area to vacuum such as a Betta tank, put the large plastic cylinder in the water and shake it up and down numerous time. You may have to adjust the small tube as you are doing this so the water will start flowing. I know this is confusing but this is the only way I know how to explain it. Other wise have someone show you in the aquatics department of the pet store how to get it started. Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Get a 5 gallon bucket, pour about 2 inches of water into the bucket. Set the bucket on a towel next to your tank, now, hold the entire siphon underwater in the bucket so all the air escapes the hose. Cover both ends of the hose so the water cannot leak out (when using that, there is a "head" and a "tail", if you remove the head, it is easier to cover the hole). Now that your thumbs are covering both holes, lift the "head" and place it in the tank. Let both thumbs off the holes, and water will now flow from the tank, into the bucket. At this point, you can easily put the "head" back on the end in the tank (just be sure to keep it under water).

Nosoop4u

Answer 4

Your pump here is a standard vaccume gravel pump, but it is initiated with manual suction at first. Once you have generated sufficient flow, which doesn't require any significant manual labor for even people that are in poor physical shape, the water will flow through the tube into wherever the end of the hose is. You can get what they call a python, if your tank is not located far from a sink which will allow you to avoid the manual part as well. The python when attached to the faucet head, and you turn the water on, will act as the force causing a vaccume to form in the hose and pump. When you have cleaned out your gravel and drained out the water you want, you switch the python to fill instead of drain, and water will flow from the hose into your tank, and you can not only change the water and clean, but turn around and fill at the same time.

For better answers, you can always go to fishless cycling.com or just use the link on my profile.

JV

Answer 5

I could never get those to start the way the instructions say. I finally just sucked on the small end til the water started moving through -- not very clean, but it worked, haha. (And no, I never got a mouthful. Gotta stay alert!)

When I got a bigger tank, I saved up and bought a python, which is SO much easier. I wouldn't recommend it for anything smaller than a 10 gallon though; it pulls the water so fast you don't have time to vacuum the gravel and it's easy to empty way more water than you intended.

Answer 6

take everything the hose and the large part and put it in the tank. take both ends and put them under water until the bubbles stop coming out. put you thumb over the small end that goes in the bucket. pull it out and put it in the bucket and it should start working. you have to always keep the end in the tank underwater or the suction will stop.

Answer 7

Well, the ad says it's self-starting, but, if you read the reviews, one says that you have to shake it up and down to get it going. You just aren't getting the suction going. It is difficult to get a suction going and because of this, I prefer the siphons that are battery or electrically operated. You're just going to need to keep trying or return it for one that operates on electricity.