How to Start a Gravel Vacuum.
Setup the Bucket.
Put the end of the siphon tube in a bucket that is located below your tank.
Submerge the Vacuum Tube.
Make sure the tube is entirely submerged in the water and all air has escaped.
Raise the Tube Upright.
The large tube should remain full of water, if it doesn't, then submerge it and try again.
Raise and Lower the Tube.
Without lifting the open end of the tube out of the water, rapidly raise and lower it.
Suction Begins.
Once the suction has started, move the tube over the gravel to remove waste and debris.
That is how I start the gravel vacuum. As you can see, the suction is powerful enough to suck rocks into the tube. As long as you don't lift the open end of the tube out of the water, it will continue to siphon water out of your tank.
You should turn off any bubble features you have in your tank while you are using the siphon. If too much air gets into the vacuum it can disrupt the flow and you'll have to start it again.
As with any suction device, please take great care when you are using it in a tank that is populated. Don't take your eye off the intake tube for a moment. It's easy to get distracted by other tasks (making an instructional video for example). If it's strong enough to such debris from the tank, it's strong enough to harm your fish.
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