Last Sunday at the Extreme Kayak Fishing Tournament, there was a newer angler struggling to get his Livewell to work. Theoretically, one can just pedal fwd to force water up through the forward-facing intake to get the pump operating.
Unfortunately, that does not always work well on a badly air-bound pump.
A primer bulb can be added to the discharge side of the pump, which can be repeatedly squeezed while pedaling fwd to help suck the water into the pump.
The best option is to add a 2ft piece of hose onto the discharge side of the pump. No need to be pedaling, just turn the pump on and take a good suck on the line and the pump will have water flowing within seconds.
I had been messing with the earlier methods for years and am glad to have added the hose to the discharge to basically end the hassles of having to pedal to prime the pump.