# 301 cannister filter



## starrfish71 (Jul 6, 2005)

Okay- I have a 301- YES- 301- fluval cannister filter. It has been in storage for many years. I only ever used for a few months a long time ago. I recently cleaned it out and set it up- hoping to use it for my new 29g sand bottom, planted pleco tank. I can't remember how to prime it. It works, I'm pretty sure, but for the life of me I can't figure out how to prime it. Does anyone out there still have any of the 201-301-401- filters? Can you give me any pointers? I also have a 304 cannister filter, which has the handy little pump to prime it, so, just for the record, the 301 is NOT the same.


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## starrfish71 (Jul 6, 2005)

I guess it's too outdated for this crowd?


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## flynngriff (Jan 19, 2005)

I don't know anything about the 301, but here's what works for me if I can't get the self-starter to work on my 404 (which happens often)...

Fill the cannister completely with water and place it where the syphon hoses will reach it, but don't connect the hoses yet. Hold the end of the intake hose over an empty bucket, and suck on the end to start a syphon. Once the syphon is flowing into the bucket, close the valve on the hose (if there is one), and hook it up to the cannister. Turn it on, and it should run just fine.

If there is no valve to close off the hose after the syphon is started, you can start with the cannister in the bucket and just hook it up after the syphon is flowing around it into the bucket. _Most_ of the splashing should be contained in the bucket, and then you can just dry off the cannister and take it out of the bucket.

Hope this helps, although I have no idea if it will...

-Flynn


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