Sump Return Not enough?

[sffinn01]

So I had just made this sump and started cycling it for a transfer and this is my first time making my own sump. And felt like there should be more water coming out of the return. I had to put the ball valve In there because the return pump was sucking up the water faster than it could fall from the refugium any thoughts?

 

[AJsReef]

How full was your return chamber? It’s pretty normal for the return to need more water than what’s in the chamber for start up. Remember, it has to fill the pipe as well as display enough to overflow back down.