Nice to have seen those hose clamps from Tractor Supply, I've not seen that type before. Pipe Thread Compound (pipe joint compound, pipe joint sealer) will fill gaps between hose and fitting better than any teflon tape...yes it does work and very well. Flexible black plastic water pipe is even more stiff than what you are using, making it even more difficult to pinch itself to any fitting...so those clamps a big help.

Thanks for the lessons learned

CPVC (gray) fittings work much better with a poly line. We use black poly, heat the end of the poly to soften (not melt), and then quickly apply the fitting with double hose clamps opposite and opposed. The aluminum fitting works great this way too, and we’ll heat it with a torch to get a good seal. I typically only use the ribbed hose when it has potential to rub a hole through the hose, such as vibrations on a sprayer or serious pressure, otherwise I avoid it. I feel your pain how ribbed hose doesn’t really clamp. Rubber mallets keep the threads in good shape, or I’ll put on a nipple and smack the nipple with a rubber hammer.

I had an electric pump that wouldn't prime once. After two hrs of frustration, I took the suction line back off the pump and found a huge dead rotten snake in the pump. the suction line layed on the bank over the winter and the snake crawled in. Rotten snakes stink like nothing else, phew.

Dawn dish washing soap next time

"Loosing Prime"? That means it's getting looser rather than tighter. Think you wanted to say "losing" as in don't lose your wallet. And "thats" should be "that's" as in "that is" (contraction).