reverse sump?
 

does anyone have any experience with having sump higher than the DT in a reverse setup?

It appears to be the most viable option for me, and I'm wondering if there are any pitfalls to such a setup...

I don't see why, other than you will have to have the return pump in your display and will miss the added circulation that the return lines give to your display when set up the standard way...

Your return pump will have to be located in your overflow box and pump to the sump above. You'll need two drain lines from your sump to setup a herbie style "return line" or overflow or whatever you want to call it so you don't get bubbles in the display. If the sump can just go a little higher than the DT so the water levels of each are at the same height you can avoid the need for the herbie style return.

If you do it right it'll work the same but in one way or other it'll kinda suck.

if you can draw up what you are thinking and ppll can see if it will work i have a couple thoughts as to how i would do it if i had to. sort of speak

1) i would build n external overflow of sorts onto the back of the tank that was more of a return section for the return pump(so you dont see it in the tank then on the overhead sump have a pump identical to return pump returning water to the display or another overflow draining to the display most likely would have a baffle free sump tho but if a pump fails it could cause probs.

2) i would build an internal dummy wall to hide the pump to send to the sump and the rest same as above.

my biggest concern would be tank overflows from sump to display.as well as where you would see the evaporation in dt or in sump. but if you use two pumps it may work best make sure you have a ball valve to adjust flow tho to match

or i could be way off base its just what my thoughts where lastnight thinking about it

You can't match the flow of two pumps no matter what. Either the water input or output flow rate from you DT must be dependent on the other. Trying to match two independent flow rates will not only be a headache but will also ultimately fail.

I've done one before. It works fine as long as you have a relatively low output pump & maybe have a second emergency drain drilled into the sump in case of clogging.

I used a 20g sump, refugium over a 65g DT. Maxijet to get water up & gravity feed back down into the DT. Works great for releasing LIVE mysis & pods from the refugium section back into the DT.

Ran it this way for over a year, no problems.

Anthony

DON'T use 2 pumps. Use gravity feed down from above tank sump instead. No fuss, no mess. 2 pumps = disaster!!!

technically seems in error to call the higher vessel a "sump" but see no reason why wouldn't work

I remember when I was more of a newb I tried to balance out 2 mj12 1200's from tank 2 tank and it was IMPOSSIBLE.

it was only a thought i didnt say it was a correct thought :P