Using a linear air pump in a wet dry sump system for return...

Ok, the title sucks....

I am working on my multiple tank system (6 tanks on a rack)... I just
bought a Medo AC0602 Linear piston pump to run my sponge filters and
everything else in 6 to 8 tanks that are between 14" to 18" in depth..
This pump is powerful enough that even if I ran 15-20 outlets at those
depths, I'd have to bleed air off to avoid turning my tanks into mini
hurricanes. Here is my idea... The tanks are all drilled w/
overflows.. I was planning to filter them with a common trickle style
sump system. This type of system usually has a water pump to return
the water back to the tanks.. I want to use my air pump. I plan to
make the return pipe a vertical pvc pipe (around 2" ID) w/ a hole near
the bottom to attach my air line... I figure this will function
similar to a lift tube in an undergravel filtration system, whereas
the water will get pulled up the tube, right to the top where I will
have a connecter routing it through another pipe w/ ball valves to
dump water back into the tanks... I realize this wouldn't work w/ a
conventional air pump, but i tested the lift tube idea in my buddy's
180GAL tank by standing up a 5' piece of 2" ID piping in his tank,
with my air pump output tube (1/2") shoved through it... As soon as we
turned the pump on, the water gysered a good 3' into the air... We
only left it plugged in for a split second.... though I think it would
have gone over 5' if left longer...

I figure the pressure will be there.... What I want to know is, will
this work? Does anyone know of anyone using a system like this? Good
idea, bad idea? Any ideas welcome at this point!\

thanx