Wow thanks all! And this is why I choose to spend my time on these forums..super helpful!
I think ill hit you up on that offer Spieszak, i'll hit you up in a PM about that.
@herefishyfishy wow i did not know that! thanks! now that i do that, water in fact...flows out the top tube. + rep to you sir. (or ma'am)
@kpiotrowski the head pressure on that thing is infact quite restricted. I did some math, and I believe I'm around 1200 GPH which is well below where I wanted to be...which is why i bought an MP60 for internal water movement..regardless if my logic was flawed, no one seems to think more flow is a bad thing. Speaking of that whole system. Being the rookie i am, I designed this system to be easily replaceable in the future...i plan on adding a second sump, a second skimmer and hard plumbing the entire thing in about a year(or, just pulling out the old sump and only having one big one, with a bigger skimmer and room to grow). The only reason i dont do it now is the wife has cut off my usage of the ole CC so we are going with what i got. also thank you for your offer.