How bad of an idea is this? Feeding a reactor with a drain hose?

[pledosophy]

I have a Bean Animal style overflow drain. I am thinking of using my secondary drain, also called the open channel drain to feed a larger chaetomorpha reactor. I would still have the emergency drain wide open.

The drain would go to the bottom of the reactor, push the water up about two feet, and then exit the top of the reactor.

It would save me from installing a dedicated reactor pump, which I don't really mind doing so much if this is a terrible thought, but I would like to minimize the amount of equipment/vibration in my office.

Anyone done something like this?

 

[pledosophy]

 

[Hideyofish]

What about manifolding your return pump and using that as a feeder for both return and the reactor? Just a thought

 

[pledosophy]

What about manifolding your return pump and using that as a feeder for both return and the reactor? Just a thought

My return pump is already maxed out on it's manifold. Good idea though. My choices really are feed it with a drain, or install another pump.

 

[Hideyofish]

My return pump is already maxed out on it's manifold. Good idea though. My choices really are feed it with a drain, or install another pump.

Ah gotcha, I mean I just feel uneasy about installing anything on the drain side because of Murphy’s law lol it should work in theory but flooding even with the emergency wide open is always an option.

 

[Coloredrock]

Risks (Adding a potential flooding varable) Rewards (not having to buy a pump)

 

[LesPaulPlayer73]

I wouldn’t run anything off of a drain. Ever.

just add a small pump. Maybe 100-150 gph.

 

[Emac909]

I use to run full siphon drain through my UV. I never had an issue It was Ted off so not the full siphon went through the UV.
So the full siphon line was 1”. After about 8” I put a Y connection. On one side I put a 3/4” reduction and ran that to the sump. Then the other side I put a 1/2” reduction and then a 1/4 barbed fitting. Then ran the 1/4” tub to the UV.
But I high don’t recommend the shhh I do. I’ve been told my a mad scientist at reefing