onther sump question

[mycat99]

i have a 125 gallon tank drilled with inch and half hole .the pluming from tank to sump goes threw 2 90 degee elbows .once in sump first area is 18 inches long then goes over /under /over to return area roughly 7 inches wide last area in sump is for refedem.the water is eight and half inches deep i am useing a mag 18 for return .it goes up has 2 tees then 3 elbows till hits top of tank .theres a ball valve on main line into sump only .i am having a realy hard time to set flow threw sump my ball valve is about 2/3 closed to keep a stedy water lev in sump .is this normal ?or was sump designed wrong