Aquatop primer pump DOES NOTHING

[Mount_Prion]

Just set up my new Aquatop 500 UV can yesterday and after struggling for hours to get everything where I wanted it and get all the media set up how I want it, the prime pump does nothing.

I'm so annoyed I'm ready to throw the whole damn thing off my balcony.

As far as I can tell everything is air tight and pushed in as far as it can go, but frankly, those connectors that come with the canister (the black plastic bits that just slide into each other) strike me as a pretty weak design.

I push the pump, nothing happens. Not even a bubble of air shoots out of the intake tube or anything. Just sits there, making my day suck.

Any thoughts? Can I just fill the canister with water and turn it on? I think I'm pushing down the pump button all the way and I go at it till I'm sweating but nothing. So frustrated.

 

[Sizzlahr]

I felt the same way when I set up my 500 uv. Yeah you need to put some water in the canister then prime. Or If you have everything set up push the prime button a few times. Then unlatch the side latches breaking the seal. That should start the vacuum then quickly latch the latches. Hope this helps . Good luck


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[Mount_Prion]

Thanks so much! I'll try both adding some water and popping the seal to start the siphon like you suggest.

 

[Mount_Prion]

Tried, and unfortunately did nothing.

Most of the intake tube is above the water level in the setup I'm trying to include it in. Is it possible those joints in it are just not air tight, and are meant to be submerged? I'm thinking of going over all of them in sealant and trying again.

Feeling like I might soon be the first person I've seen writing a truly negative review of this product.

 

[johnnytaboo]

Have you tried holding down the priming pump as opposed to pumping it. I remember there was one time when I could NOT get my 500UV to prime. I think that's when I tried simply depressing the pump and holding it there. I remember that it took a few seconds, but soon I saw bubbles escaping the system.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[Mount_Prion]

Have you tried holding down the priming pump as opposed to pumping it. I remember there was one time when I could NOT get my 500UV to prime. I think that's when I tried simply depressing the pump and holding it there. I remember that it took a few seconds, but soon I saw bubbles escaping the system.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

I'll try this when I get home, but I'm frankly not optimistic. When I push down the pump it seems to do absolutely nothing. Like it doesn't even push bubbles out of the in tube.

But to ask again, does the in tube have to be completely submerged or anything? Obviously the actual opening part with the plastic screen on it is a few inches below the waterline.

 

[F1 VET]

Tried, and unfortunately did nothing.

Most of the intake tube is above the water level in the setup I'm trying to include it in. Is it possible those joints in it are just not air tight, and are meant to be submerged? I'm thinking of going over all of them in sealant and trying again.

Feeling like I might soon be the first person I've seen writing a truly negative review of this product.

You wouldn't be the 1st!

It was cheap for a reason.








Go S. Vettel #1 rb8

 

[Mount_Prion]

So the problem seems to be that the overall pump wasn't strong enough to push water as high above the waterline as I needed.

I ended up buying an additional pump and plugging it into the intake tube instead of the plastic grate it came with. Now it actually works, and all I had to do was attach another filter to it.

Sigh.

That being said, my tank is really really really clean now and it's been running only a day.

 

[boldtogether]

I'll try this when I get home, but I'm frankly not optimistic. When I push down the pump it seems to do absolutely nothing. Like it doesn't even push bubbles out of the in tube.

But to ask again, does the in tube have to be completely submerged or anything? Obviously the actual opening part with the plastic screen on it is a few inches below the waterline.

I think that will be a good start. The joints are NOT airtight.