Priming the XP3

[Jchillin]

I'm pulling out my hair...ok, I don't have any hair but if I did I'd be bald (ok, I'm already bald but you get my drift).

I'm having the darndest time priming this thing. I've gone through the steps three times and when I pull it in, nothing. Where am I going wrong?

This is what I've done:

~Push up the quick stop
~Open the do hickey at the top of the inlet and fill the intake tube until it is full
~Close the do hickey and close the quick stop, wait two minutes plug in.

I've heard water running through the intake each time but never got anything coming out of the outlet.

[JustOneMore20]

Do you have alot of media in it? Sometimes when I put too much media in, the water doesn't flow right (and it won't prime right).

Also, did the cut the hoses off so that they aren't twisted? With my new ones, sometimes I don't cut enough off and the hoses get twisted and it won't work right.

You are doing everything right....these things can be so picky sometimes though.

[Jchillin]

wOOt. Thanks JOM...it appears that silly me didn't realize that what I had done was to create a lot of air pockets because one of the tubes was in fact a bit twisted Air pockets have been removed and all systems are go.

[MSU Fan]

Glad to hear that worked - another thing to keep an eye on (more a problem on a turt tank or if you attempt to re-prime while still refilling) is that the intake pipes may have slightly disengaged from each other.

If that happens, then when you fill up the pipe to prime, everything goes right -- except no prime! I make sure I jam them all together every time I break the siphon just in case.

[JustOneMore20]

I'm glad you got it working. I fought with my XP2 this week because I didn't cut enough tubing off and it kept getting air pockets....finally got the thing to quieten down though.

[Lonewolfblue]

Also, after you push the handle down, you wait til the canister filter is full and the water stops, then wait 2 minutes, then plug in. You don't plug it in 2 minutes after pushing the handle down.

[Jchillin]

Originally Posted by LWB

You don't plug it in 2 minutes after pushing the handle down.

If I knew back then what I know now.