External pump position

[SaracensRugby]

Ok, hope this isn’t too dumb of a question, but here goes:

just got my first external iwaki pump. I have it on a shelf about a foot about the water line, and was planning on using the backwash from the return line to prime it from the tank. Will that work, or does this pump need to be below the water level it is pulling from?

 

[OfficeReefer]

Nice pump. Perhaps, hard to tell without actually seeing your design. I would think that to maintain circulation, it would need to be below. I could be wrong but if you could share, just a little more, that would be great.

 

[KStatefan]

The back flow will go all the way thru the pump leaving air in the pump. Diagram of system to verify.

 

[theMeat]

It could work if you have enough flow coming down to prime.
Considering you should have a siphon break hole drilled on top of return line it will be a pain in the butt at best.

 

[SaracensRugby]

Here are a couple pics, forgive the wire madness. Based on answers pretty sure I need to move it down and put a bulkhead in the Rubbermaid tank below water line.