Sump with canister filter

[150reef]

Keep running this idea through my head, but wanted some feedback. My plans are for a 30 gallon sump, first section to contain water inlet and skimmer, second section to contain live sand, live rock and macroalgae and third section for return pump. I also am using my rena XP3 loaded with kent carbon and amonia pads. Heres the question, I was going to hook up the canister as normallly would both inlet and output directly to tank. But now that my brain is thinking do you see any potential problems with taking the inlet side of the canister filter and place that in the return section of the sump and place the outlet of the canister as normally would to back of tank. I'm thinking by doing this, if for any reason my return pump would fail, the canister would still keep the sump and skimmer (in-sump) operating.Do you see any concerns in a power outage or if the canister just died? I keep thinking this over and over and dont see any potential problems. The only real thing I see now that I think about it, can the canister pull water out of the sump if the canister and sump are on the same surface(meaning the canister wont be pulling water from an above surface (gravity fed from tank), but will be pulling water from the sump that is adjascent to it? I'm thinking the internal propeller of the canister can pull the water up and out of the sump? In any case I still will use the canister for backup, added water flow and extra filtration. My hopes is that the canister's inlet can be hooked up directly to the sump? Your thoughts.

Thanks,

 

[o0jmadr0x0o]

im not sure about the canister, i know my fluval wont work unless its gravity fed, i cant have it next to my sump i tried. but i have my sump set up the way you were describing it and i wish i would have done it differently, the fuge needs a slow GPH going through it, but if it is after the drain and skimmer it will be getting as much as your return pump can produce(unless you plan on a slow return pump). i would put the fuge on one side and skimmer on the other, and the return pump in the middle. this way you can "T" off your drain and control how much flow goes through the fuge and have the rest empty into your skimmer compartment

 

[150reef]

im not sure about the canister, i know my fluval wont work unless its gravity fed, i cant have it next to my sump i tried. but i have my sump set up the way you were describing it and i wish i would have done it differently, the fuge needs a slow GPH going through it, but if it is after the drain and skimmer it will be getting as much as your return pump can produce(unless you plan on a slow return pump). i would put the fuge on one side and skimmer on the other, and the return pump in the middle. this way you can "T" off your drain and control how much flow goes through the fuge and have the rest empty into your skimmer compartment

Sounds like a good idea. I will probably then just go ahead and hook the canister directly to the tank