help me set up this sump

[voss345]

im helping my cousin with his first big tank (125), and a it was previously saltwater, we got some more fluval 403's with them but there outdated so were selling them, but we got a sump not sure on the size but it around 30 gallons id say maybe a little more, thinking of using it in conjunction with one maybe two canister filters, around 400 gph combined between then two
i know there is not enough stuff to run the sump there was a skimmer but its broken, i looke at some other articles but there confusing i guess
so here what i have the sump one half is close off with bio balls and a closure with the intake witha spreader bar the other side is slanted with some mechanical filtration there is a hose running from the intake to a little box that has two little hose going to the tank but there is nothing running for the outake and there is no pump i have some rio 1400 pumps
attach a pump to the intake under water? is that right do you need a skimmer?
ill take pictures if it would help even im cunfusing myself

 

[Merbeast]

skimmers don't work well in freshwater. Are you setting up saltwater?

 

[voss345]

no i just saw on a thread skimmers were sometime used for sumps i know this would be pointless though because it wouldnt pick the junk off the bottom
im setting up a fresh water, any tips

 

[voss345]

anyone?

 

[Dr Joe]

Pix of the stuff would go far in helping you out.

Is it a skimmer or an overflow?

Is the tank drilled (bottom / back)?

Dr Joe

.

 

[voss345]

 

[voss345]

it looks like that except the empty side is slanted
the top has a hose that runs to a overflow unit im asumming a little silicon box wtih tubes that run into the tank
im just wondering how do you pull water from the other side im assuming it goes down into the empty side and up throuw the bio balls to the overflow?