Having a hard time using my Gravel Vacuum Cleaner, any help?

[Henri]

Hi Everyone!
I finally found a LFS in my country that had a gravel vacuum cleaner, phew Im so happy ! No more damage to my back when I wash the gravel lol!
Anyways I got it today and was about to do the weekly water change, but Im really having a hard time with it ( the pet store owner just got it from outside the country and he didn't know how to use it either ), ive watched several videos but none of the methods seem to work ... Can someone explain it to me? Im posting a picture of it . What does the blue thing do? And how do I use it ?
Thanks!

[Fishkeeper26]

It looks like the blue thing sucks water in order to create a syphon, try squeezing that a few times when the nozzle is under water

[Henri]

Originally Posted by Fishkeeper26

It looks like the blue thing sucks water in order to create a syphon, try squeezing that a few times when the nozzle is under water

I tried that but it will only make noise and the water wont come...

[Fishkeeper26]

Did you put the bigger end in the water? Does the bigger end have anything to screw onto it?

[Somethingclever]

That is the craziest vacuum i have ever seen. With mine i just dip the big part in the water so it fills up, then i let some of the water drain back into the tube and put the big end back in the water when it's half drained so it makes a vacuum. hope that helps.

[Chris22]

Originally Posted by Fishkeeper26

It looks like the blue thing sucks water in order to create a syphon, try squeezing that a few times when the nozzle is under water

Fishkeeper is right I have the same one, that's like the standard syphon over here in the uk, put the big nozzle under the water then give the blue thing a few squeezes, u should be able to see the water rise up the tube when it gets to the bend give it a few more squeezes and the water should start pouring out the other end, the suction it creates allows u to pick up all the poop and left over food on the gravel with the big nozzle, just make sure you got a bucket to catch the water lol, hope this helps.

[Dangora]

I have to agree with the other posts, that pumping the blue part should be able to bring the water up. On mine however, I just put the end in the tank and suck through the other end to get the water started. I read somewhere that you can also use a plastic turkey baster? Never tried it though.

[Henri]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Originally Posted by Chris22

Fishkeeper is right I have the same one, that's like the standard syphon over here in the uk, put the big nozzle under the water then give the blue thing a few squeezes, u should be able to see the water rise up the tube when it gets to the bend give it a few more squeezes and the water should start pouring out the other end, the suction it creates allows u to pick up all the poop and left over food on the gravel with the big nozzle, just make sure you got a bucket to catch the water lol, hope this helps.

Yeah, the blue thing is squizable, I thought it was hard... Anyways, I think that the siphon has a small cut just above the blue thing, cause when I was using it yesterday I saw water drops falling in the bucket from that area ...
Hopefully, I can get another one... Thanks a lot anyways !

[Chris22]

Originally Posted by Henri

Thanks for the replies guys!

Yeah, the blue thing is squizable, I thought it was hard... Anyways, I think that the siphon has a small cut just above the blue thing, cause when I was using it yesterday I saw water drops falling in the bucket from that area ...
Hopefully, I can get another one... Thanks a lot anyways !

I had the same problem with mine, I just taped over the split in the pipe, it still worked for a few weeks til I could get a new one, worth a try

[Henri]

Originally Posted by Chris22

I had the same problem with mine, I just taped over the split in the pipe, it still worked for a few weeks til I could get a new one, worth a try

Oh I get it .
What did you use to tape your split?

[Chris22]

Originally Posted by Henri

Oh I get it .
What did you use to tape your split?

I made sure it was completely dry, then got normal selotape wrapped round the split a few times then got some brown parcel tape to go over the top of that a few times. Hope it works for you.

[jimenezlee]

Make sure it is assembled correctly. If that blue part is on backwards it won't work, as there is prob a one way valve in there.

Also, the large part may need to be on the other end of the hose. Try until it works, after all you need to create a syphon. The split has to be taken care of first though.

[BillD]

I saw those at the dollar store the other day. To me the hose is too small in diameter.

[Henri]

Originally Posted by Chris22

I made sure it was completely dry, then got normal selotape wrapped round the split a few times then got some brown parcel tape to go over the top of that a few times. Hope it works for you.

Thanks, Ill give it a try, hopefully it will work, if not then Ill return it and get another one.

Originally Posted by jimenezlee

Make sure it is assembled correctly. If that blue part is on backwards it won't work, as there is prob a one way valve in there.

Also, the large part may need to be on the other end of the hose. Try until it works, after all you need to create a syphon. The split has to be taken care of first though.

Not sure what you mean ... What do you mean by the large part, the part that sucks up the water? I havent touched or done anything to it, I bought it just the way you see it in the picture.

Originally Posted by BillD

I saw those at the dollar store the other day. To me the hose is too small in diameter.

The diameter wasn't really a problem to me, it's not that small after all! Maybe you saw a different type ???

[dollabill420]

Ductape would work to seal it up, no extra layers needed

Ducktape forever!! Lol

[justin85]

I have got the same one, but i found removing the funnel off the long tube to be more affective when cleaning gravel/substrate But just be careful not to suck your fish up the pipe

[jimenezlee]

Hum... I thought that perhaps it had come dissasembled and you had just put it together incorrectly. It must just not be able to create a proper syphon if air can get in anywhere on the hose.

[justin85]

the one i got (which is the same) come dissasembled and you can add or remove parts to make it how you need it, your right about the check valve in the pump, it has one so it must be used the right way.

[jimenezlee]

Right, and from what I can see it looks as if the gravel cleaning part of the hose is on the wrong end of the flexible tubing. The bulb for manually pumping and starting the syphon is usually much closer to the gravel cleaner piece. This one is almost to where you would put the hose in the bucket. I would try disconnecting the wide cleaning part and attaching it to the other end. Good luck!