Got it!! Apparently if you hold the output out of the water, it starts up in about 10 seconds! Thanks for the advice; hopefully she runs for a long, long time!
I found it easiest to start mine with the canister empty, start priming until bubbles start flowing out of the output, and then turning it on while the bubbles are still flowing, 50% of the time it works every time
Disconnect the hoses from the filter. Open the shut off valve submerge the hole apparatus and let fill with water. Close the valve, under water. Keep the intake and exhaust ends in the tank and hook the other ends back up to the filter. When you open the valve again you will have a siphon. Next time you do a water change keep the valve closed and don't drain the tank below the intake tube and you will not loose the siphon, makes subsequent filter priming EZ.
I have multiple new fluval canisters and have never had a problem with a single one. I start with it empty of water, pump the siphon 3 times, wait for bubble to stop, then plug it in.
