sump question

[liquafaction]

I finially got my tank set up, have the sand in, got my water mixed up, ect. When I fired up my power head, I figured the sump would fill up with water. The pipe in the sump that feeds the filter is like a screen mesh, I was thinking maybe I am missing something, because the sump does not fill up. Should there be something that goes around the mesh?, or is the sump not supposed to fill up? The dang thing sounds like a toilet running all night. I was thinking of putting a pvc pipe around the screen to allow the sump to fill so you cannot hear all that water rushing into the sump at once..

Is this normal for the sump not to fill up?

anyone have any insight on this issue, or should I learn to live with it?

b/t/w

I bought this tank second hand, so I kinda just felt it out as I set it up.

thanks guys