Dumb Questions or user error

[Little Guys]

Hello,  I have heard from many of you that one of the things I need to do is clean my substrate.  I got a cleaning pump and jumped in.  I squeezed the pump 4 times and then could not squeeze it any more.  I have pretty strong hands but it just would not pump any more.  What did I do wrong, or is it a problem with the pump?  Frustrated!

[Scapexghost]

Cory has a good vid on gravel vaccing no hand pumping required

[JE47]

I agree with the above comment but also a squeeze pump would only need to be squeezed until the water starts to flow through the tubing on its own. Three pumps on my pump is usually enough for me to get the water started.

[Little Guys]

Thank you both of you.  I can figure out almost anything if I have enough time and getting me started helps a lot.

[nabokovfan87]

On 4/7/2024 at 7:37 PM, Little Guys said:

Hello,  I have heard from many of you that one of the things I need to do is clean my substrate.  I got a cleaning pump and jumped in.  I squeezed the pump 4 times and then could not squeeze it any more.  I have pretty strong hands but it just would not pump any more.  What did I do wrong, or is it a problem with the pump?  Frustrated!

Can you show us what you're using?

[Little Guys]

I figured it out.  I think there is a problem with the pump bulb of the vaccum I was using.  I switched it out with the pump from my cleaning siphon and it worked like a dream.