Tidepool II -- Some Questions

[Stab]

I have been resisting getting involved with wet dry filters for quite some time. However now I am thinking of getting a Tideppol 2 by Marineland. I just have a few questions, some of which can be applied to any wet dry

1) I have a brand new Quiet One 4000HH submersible pump that is rated at 1017gph. Will this be sufficient to run Tidepool 2? Or is it an overkill? The "HH" in the name of the pumop stands for "High Head". Does anyone know what it means and how does it make this pump different from other models?
2) On the subject of a pump... Other than having a sump free for heaters, etc., what are the advantages of mounting the pump extermally? What are the disadvantages?
3) Tidepool 2 just like most other Marineland filter products comes with a biowheel (and from the looks of it, a massive one!). Is there still a need or a benefit to filling the sump with bioballs? Will I be able to it if the pump is mounted inside the sump?
4) The overflow/prefilter/intake box is activated via syphone action. My undeerstanding is that there is a small hole located beneth the surface of water. As long as the hole is submerged, the water will floow through the prefilter and into the sump. If water level drops, exposing the hole, flow stops imedeately. This is a preventative measure against accidental flooding. I am afraid to cause damage to the floors. Is this really a fool proof set up?

 

[dmopar74]

i believe the tidepool 2 has a max flow rating of 600gph so your pump would suck it dry faster than it could fill. high head means it can pump water upwards further without losing alot of gph more than a "standard" pump. some pumps cant be mounted in the water itself so they would have to be mounted externally.i dont believe the tidepool II is meant to have additional bio-media in it other than the wheel itself. nothing is really a fool proof setup but if built and setup properly its a good safe bet.

 

[Volenti]

1) I don't know about the suitabality of the pump for that overflow (my overflow's are DIY) but it sounds like it will be either fine or a little too much, which isn't too bad since some flow can be tee'd off and diverted back to the sump if that's the case. High head means the pump is optimized to pump water up a long way vertically without loosing too much flowrate, which is exactly what you want in a sump return pump.

2) An external pump is a little more trouble to set up plumbing wise and don't add as much waste heat into the water as a submersable. Top quality pumps tend towards being external (scaled down industrial pumps)

3) Yes and probably, no such thing as too much bio-filtration

4)I'm not familier with that setup to comment. IMO a drilled tank with a bulkhead is more foolproof than an overflow (even though I use an overflow)

 

[Stab]

Thanks guys! So I can go ahead and fill the sump with bioballs still? Under what cisrcanstences can a wet dry overflow flood? Can someone recommend a pump that would go well with Tidepool 2?