New to plumbing, Core 20 external?

[Franco1024]

Hello,

I am new to diy plumbing and I have the core 20 set up externally. I want to put a skimmer in the return section and run the pump external. I have plumbed this so far but I can’t get the pump to suck water out of the sump and then back up to the DT.

Does anyone know why the pump can’t pull water?

How can I fix/ redo this so I can run the pump externally?

thank you in advance, any and all help is appreciated.

 

[Gtinnel]

I've never ran an external pump but I don't believe it has the ability to prime itself. I honestly don't think having it pull the water up is ideal either. Every external pump I've seen has a bulkhead in the bottom of the wall of the sump.

 

[dank reefer]

Hello,

I am new to diy plumbing and I have the core 20 set up externally. I want to put a skimmer in the return section and run the pump external. I have plumbed this so far but I can’t get the pump to suck water out of the sump and then back up to the DT.

Does anyone know why the pump can’t pull water?

How can I fix/ redo this so I can run the pump externally?

thank you in advance, any and all help is appreciated.

I am not a plumber but can tell you that if you do not have something to prime the line, then the pump will not be able to pull water like how you have it plumbed. You would need to drill the sump area at the lower section and run a straight pipe to the pump

 

[Gtinnel]

Just from quickly googling it, I don't believe that it can pull the water into the suction side even if you primed the line by somehow manually filling it with water.
I agree with above to get it plumbed externally you'll probably have to drill and add a bulkhead.

 

[Franco1024]

Thank you everyone... I am thinking it would be to much Hassel to get it drilled and finish the plumbing... I'll most likely just put the pump in the sump. Ill post a build thread on this 425xl once I get it cycled so stay posted lol

 

[blaxsun]

I think it’s going to be easier to just run this as an internal pump using the stock Red Sea plumbing. Otherwise you’re going to essentially have to start from scratch to drill a bulkhead into the sump and also through the supporting wall in the cabinet.

Addendum: You’ll also most likely need the space in the right side of the cabinet for all your electrical components, and having the pump at the back will either severely limit the space you have available or make it very difficult to service the pump.

 

[Gtinnel]

Thank you everyone... I am thinking it would be to much Hassel to get it drilled and finish the plumbing... I'll most likely just put the pump in the sump. Ill post a build thread on this 425xl once I get it cycled so stay posted lol

My guess is you will find that's one of the reasons almost everyone runs an internal pump.