Gravel syphon wont work...

i just bought a marina easy clean gravel syphon. It says you have to bob it up and down to start. I was dooing this for a good 5 minutes non stop and my arm was aching becaue i was going fast lol. but it agravated me that it wouldnt start and all it did was dirty the water. So untill i get help my axie and tadpole are in a class bowl big enough for now but i rlly need help. How do i start this!!!

hi Daniel- yes i had the same prob with a stupid siphon i got once- nearly caused a tornado in the tank and terrified the axies- quite a ridiculous technique. I think i somehow did the same ferocious manouevre in a bucket and managed to keet it going into the tank. The other option is to start it by sucking the end- euuww! i put the siphon away and use Gods gift to aixe owners: the turkey baster!

ya a turkey baster wont work for a huge tank. I have poo between my gravel..i need the syphon to work..how to start it. i can take the axis out ...so how do i start it..?

I have the same problem never thought of the turkey baster. I use the for cleaning and feeding. I will try this next time

Hi Daniel, I was also frustrated at the so called named "self starting vacumm/siphon"! Self starting I don't think so! Maybe it is all to do with technique! Anyway, I freely admit I did suck the end of the hose; but my smug husband managed to show me how to do it without getting a mouthful or churning up the water!

Make sure you have your bucket all ready below the tank
Then grabbing the siphon put your finger over the hose end;
Then dip the fat end completely in the tankwater and tilt it so it fills up with water;
Lift out of the water so your siphon is in a U shape;
then lift your finger of the hose end and let all air out making sure to put your finger back on the hose end before all the water shoots out;
Then place the siphon back in water; fill it up again (check there's no airbubbles);
Once filled keep fat tube horizontal in water (so water doesn't seep out
Still holding hose end (I tend to contort a bit as I'm short) put it in the bucket.
then release hose end and water should come out.

It may take a few trys, but if you're anything like my husband he gets right it every single time; I usually have to try a couple of times before getting the hang of it.

I also use the turkey baster for spot cleaning.

I mint use the turkey baster to start the siphon. I just did it and it works great.

I take the siphon to the sink, fill it with water, cover both ends with my hands, then put the fat end into the tank, and the thin end into the bucket.

nice!

I use my gravel vac just fine... You have to make sure the bucket is below the tank, and the large hose end has to be completely submerged, and you move it back and forth (you'll probably hear a clicking sound). You can see the water moving up the hose, and once it hits a low enough bit, it'll start flowing. I have to do mine sideways, but that is no problem. v v

i have to do mine sideways too, but once you get the hang of it, its not to bad. Make sure there are no air bubbles in the tube or any in the fat tube or the water will stop flowing. I think its normally driven by the negative pressure, so you have to make a pressure gradient, with the bucket being below tank level.

i emerse mine completely in the tank, tilt the pipe up slightly so most of the bubbles come out themselves, put my finger over the end of the tube, aim the tube in the bucket, remove my finger and it works . no sucking - yuck.

I do it the old fashion way, sucking. I use two people, one that moves the siphon around in the tank (me) to suck up the crud and the other person holds the other end in the bucket and lets me know once I sucked up the right amount of water.

I suck,it`s heaps quicker & i pulled that valve thingie out of mine.
I hold big end of siphon in tank,
other end below water level,
bendover so your head is below water level
then suck till you see the water coming
down siphon hose & stop sucking when
the water is nealy at you & aim into a bucket.

I have had a mouth full of fish water & let me tell you it an`t very nice!