Aquarium

Claim 2

An aquarium module for filtering, heating, and aerating water in an aquarium including a water tank having a bottom and an open top, said module comprising: a housing mounted on the top of the water tank, said housing having a top and a bottom and an open interior positioned over the water tank, with the open interior comprising a pump compartment and a water compartment, the water compartment having an open interior formed by a bottom and raised side walls extending around the periphery of the water compartment, said water compartment further comprising inlet means for receiving water and outlet means for delivering water back to the tank, said outlet means comprising an elongated opening in the bottom of the water compartment that leads downwardly to the tank; mechanical pump means mounted in the pump compartment and having an inlet in communication with the water in the tank and an outlet in communication with the inlet means of the water compartment, said pump means being adapted to mechanically pump water from the tank, circulate the water through the water compartment, and return the water back to the tank at a sufficient rate of speed to permit the development of a biological filtration environment in filter means mounted in the water compartment; high capacity gravity filter means comprising a removable filter tray resting in the water compartment, said filter tray having a raised perforated bottom and raised side walls, said filter tray having an open top fitted with a removable cover and having an open interior that is adapted to be at least partially filled with a filter medium means for removing impurities from the water, said filter tray having inlet means for receiving unclarified water at the top of said filter medium from the pump means outlet and outlet means at a lower portion thereof for delivering clarified water to the interior of the water compartment, said inlet and outlet means being positioned such that the water flows downwardly through the filter medium means under the influence of gravity as it passes from the inlet means to the outlet means; water heater means mounted beside the filter means in the interior of the water compartment, said water heater means positioned adjacent the water compartment outlet means such that water passing from the filter means outlet means must first pass in proximity to the heater means before it can return to the tank through the water compartment outlet means; and natural aeration means mounted in the water compartment and comprising a raised partition means mounted along the edge of the water compartment outlet means and separating the water compartment outlet means from the rest of the interior of the water compartment, said partition means extending upwardly to a position above the height of the water heater means in the water compartment and being adapted to disperse clarified and heated water in the water compartment into a thin sheet and direct it downwardly in waterfall fashion through the water compartment outlet means back to the tank, said natural aeration means being adapted to aerate the water as it falls downwardly into the tank.

Claim 3

An aquarium module as claimed in claim 1 wherein the filter means comprised overflow outlet means for relieving water pressure on the filter means, said overflow outlet means acting to relieve pressure on the filter means by conveyiNg excess water introduced into the filter inlet means around the filter means to the heater means in the water compartment, said overflow outlet means causing water to bypass only the filter means so that it still is subjected to heating and aerating in the module before being returned to the tank.

Claim 4

An aquarium module as claimed in claim 2 wherein the filter tray substantially fills the water compartment except for the space occupied by the heater means, and the filter tray includes at least one slotted side wall spaced apart from the side walls of the water compartment.

Claim 5

An aquarium module as claimed in claim 1 wherein the water compartment is removable from the interior of the housing, the housing comprising an inlet in communication with the water compartment inlet, and an elongated outlet mating with the water compartment outlet.

Claim 6

An aquarium module as claimed in claim 2 wherein: the water compartment inlet means comprises an opening in the bottom of the water compartment, with a hollow inlet tube being mounted in said opening and extending upwardly above the level of the filter medium in the filter tray but below the height of the filter tray side walls; the filter inlet means comprises a filter inlet opening in the bottom of the filter tray, said opening being larger than the outer diameter of the hollow tube, and being positioned so that it fits over the hollow tube when the filter tray is in place, said inlet means further comprising a deflection hood mounted over said filter inlet opening and over and spaced apart from said walls that extend upwardly above the top of the hollow tube, said tubular side walls being spaced apart from the hollow tube and having an opening therein adjacent the top of the hollow tube, said deflection hood further having a deflection cap means on the top thereof to deflect water received from the hollow inlet tube into the filter tray through the opening in the side walls of the deflection hood, the space between the deflection hood and the inlet tube serving as the overflow outlet means; and the outlet means of the pump means is connected to the bottom of the hollow tube in the water compartment.

Claim 7

An aquarium module as claimed in claim 5 wherein: the water compartment is removable from the housing; the upright hollow tube mounted in the bottom of the water compartment also extends downwardly therefrom through an opening in the housing into the interior of the tank; and the outlet of the water compartment comprises a channel-shaped projection surrounding the outlet opening on the bottom of the water compartment and extending downwardly therefrom through an opening in the housing and into the interior of the tank.

Claim 8

An aquarium module as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heater means comprises a heater element and said heater element is mounted in a removable insert in an open section in one of the side walls of the water compartment.

Claim 9

An aquarium module as claimed in claim 7 wherein: the open section of the water compartment side wall is tapered inwardly from the top to the bottom thereof annd comprises an edge thereof that receives the insert, said edge having a groove therein; the insert is tapered inwardly from the top to the bottom thereof and comprises an outer edge having a ridge thereon that fits snugly in the groove in the edge of the open section, thereby providing a watertight fit between the insert and the open section.

Claim 10

An improvement as claimed in claim 8 wherein the insert comprises: a front plate facing the interior of the water compartment and having an opening therein for the water heater and an annular recess around said opening on an outer side of the front plate facing away from said water compartment; a back plate adjacent the outer side of the front plate and having an opening therein for the water heater that mates with the opening in the front plate, said back plate having an annular recess around the opening coextensive with and facing the aNnular recess in the front plate; an O-ring seal means positioned in the annular recesses between the plates, said O-ring seal means being adapted to sealingly engage the water heater when it is extended through the opening; releasable locking means adapted to hold the front and back plates together, pinching the O-ring seal means therebetween; and ridges on the outer edge of the front and back plates, said ridges being formed so that when the plates are fastened together the two ridges form a single ridge that snugly fits into the groove in the open section of the closed end of said second section.

Claim 11

An aquarium module as claimed in claim 1 and further including a splash plate means removably mounted between the top of the partition means and the water in the tank, said splash plate means being adapted to break the fall of the water as it falls downwardly into the tank from the top of the partition means.

Claim 12

An aquarium module as claimed in claim 10 wherein the splash plate comprises a flat perforated plate and is removably mounted below the water compartment outlet means by means of a pair of L-shaped mounting brackets extending downwardly from the housing on opposite sides of the water compartment outlet means, said mounting brackets including horizontally disposed, inwardly extending flanges that engage and support opposite sides of the splash plate.

Claim 13

An aquarium as claimed in claim 1 wherein the open interior of the housing also includes an automatic fish feeder and a fish light housed in separate feeder and light compartments in the housing, the feeder compartment having a food opening means for dispensing food into the tank from the fish feeder, and the light compartment having a transparent viewing plate means for transmitting lumination from the light to the interior of the tank.

Claim 14

Apparatus for filtering, heating, and aerating water in an aquarium including a water tank having a bottom and an open top, said apparatus comprising: undergravel filter means mounted on the bottom of the aquarium and comprising inlet means in the form of a raised grating adapted to be covered with gravel and outlet means for withdrawing water from the space between the raised grating and the bottom of the tank, the withdrawal of water through said outlet means causing water to flow downwardly through the gravel and raised grating into the space below the raised grating; a housing mounted on the top of the water tank, said housing having a top and a bottom and an open interior positioned over the water tank, with the open interior comprising horizontally spaced pump and water compartments, the water compartment having an open interior formed by a bottom and raised side walls extending around the periphery of the water compartment, said water compartment further comprising inlet means for receiving water and outlet means for delivering water back to the tank, said outlet means comprising an elongated opening in the bottom of the water compartment that leads downwardly to the tank; mechanical pump means mounted in the pump compartment and having an inlet in communication with the outlet of the undergravel filter means and an outlet in communication with the inlet means of the water compartment, said pump means being adapted to mechanically pump water from the outlet of the undergravel filter, circulate the water through the water compartment and then return the water back to the tank at a sufficient rate of speed to permit the development of a biological filtration environment in the gravel of the undergravel filter; high capacity gravity filter means removably mounted in the water compartment, said filter means comprising a container having an open interior that is adapted to be at least partially filled with a filter medium means for removing impurities from the water, said container having inlet means at an upper portion for receiving unclarified water from the pump means outlet and outlet means at a lower portion thereof for deliveRing clarified water to the interior of the water compartment, said inlet and outlet means being positioned such that the water flows downwardly through the filter medium under the influence of gravity as it passes from the inlet means to the outlet means, said filter means being adapted to clarify the water sufficiently at said sufficient rate of water recirculation provided by the pump means; water heater means mounted in the interior of the water compartment adjacent the water compartment outlet means, said water heater means being positioned such that water passing from the filter means outlet means must first pass in proximity to the heater means before it can return to the tank through the water compartment outlet means, said heater means being adapted to heat the water satisfactorily at said sufficient rate of water recirculation provided by the pump means; and natural aeration means mounted in the water compartment and comprising a raised partition means mounted adjacent the edge of the water compartment outlet means and separating the water compartment outlet means from the rest of the interior of the water compartment, said partition means extending upwardly to a position above the height of the water heater means in the water compartment and being adapted to disperse clarified and heated water in the water compartment into a thin sheet and direct it downwardly in waterfall fashion through the water compartment outlet means back to the tank, said natural aeration means being adapted to aerate the water sufficiently at said sufficient rate of speed provided by the pump means.

Claim 15

Apparatus for filtering, heating, and aerating water in an aquarium including a water tank having a bottom and an open top, said apparatus comprising: undergravel filter means mounted on the bottom of the aquarium and comprising inlet means in the form of a raised grating adapted to be covered with gravel and outlet means for withdrawing water from the space between the raised grating and the bottom of the tank, the withdrawal of water through said outlet means causing water to flow downwardly through the gravel and raised grating into the space below the raised grating; a housing mounted on the top of the water tank, said housing having a top and a bottom and an open interior positioned over the water tank, with the open interior comprising horizontally spaced pump and water compartments, the water compartment having an open interior formed by a bottom and raised side walls extending around the periphery of the water compartment, said water compartment further comprising inlet means for receiving water and outlet means for delivering water back to the tank, said outlet means comprising an elongated opening in the bottom of the water compartment that leads downwardly to the tank; mechanical pump means mounted in the pump compartment and having an inlet in communication with the outlet of the undergravel filter means and an outlet in communication with the inlet means of the water compartment, said pump means being adapted to mechanically pump water from the outlet of the undergravel filter, circulate the water through the water compartment and then return the water back to the tank at a sufficient rate of speed to permit the development of a biological filtration environment in the gravel of the undergravel filter; high capacity gravity filter means removably mounted in the water compartment, said filter means comprising a container having an open interior that is adapted to be at least partially filled with a filter medium means for removing impurities from the water, said container having inlet means at an upper portion for receiving unclarified water from the pump means outlet and outlet means at a lower portion thereof for deliveRing clarified water to the interior of the water compartment, said inlet and outlet means being positioned such that the water flows downwardly through the filter medium under the influence of gravity as it passes from the inlet means to the outlet means, said filter means being adapted to clarify the water sufficiently at said sufficient rate of water recirculation provided by the pump means; water heater means mounted in the interior of the water compartment adjacent the water compartment outlet means, said water heater means being positioned such that water passing from the filter means outlet means must first pass in proximity to the heater means before it can return to the tank through the water compartment outlet means, said heater means being adapted to heat the water satisfactorily at said sufficient rate of water recirculation provided by the pump means; and natural aeration means mounted in the water compartment and comprising a raised partition means mounted adjacent the edge of the water compartment outlet means and separating the water compartment outlet means from the rest of the interior of the water compartment, said partition means extending upwardly to a position above the height of the water heater means in the water compartment and being adapted to disperse clarified and heated water in the water compartment into a thin sheet and direct it downwardly in waterfall fashion through the water compartment outlet means back to the tank, said natural aeration means being adapted to aerate the water sufficiently at said sufficient rate of speed provided by the pump means.

Claim 16

Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the pump means is adapted to circulate the water in the tank through the module at a rate at least 100 gallons per hour and the filter, heater, and aeration means are capable of filtering, heating, and aerating the water satisfactorily at that rate of speed.

Claim 17

Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the pump means is adapted to circulate the water in the tank through the module at a rate of at least 150 gallons per hour and the filter, heater, and aeration means are capable of filtering, heating, and aerating the water satisfactorily at that rate of speed.

Claim 18

Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the pump means is adapted to circulate the water in the tank through the module at a rate of at least 180 gallons per hour and the filter, heater, and aeration means are capable of filtering, heating, and aerating the water satisfactorily at that rate of speed.

Claim 19

Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein: the grating is mounted on a support frame that rests on the bottom of the water tank, said support frame comprising of at least one support member extending transversely to the slots in the grating intermediate the sides of the grating at each end of the slots; and said grating comprises a plurality of parallel, closely spaced raised ribs mounted on top of the support member with the ribs extending upwardly from the support member, said ribs being spaced sufficiently closely such that the gravel remains substantially on top of the ribs, whereby, full circulation through the undergravel filter is achieved and dead spots of no circulation above the support member are eliminated.

Claim 20

Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein the outlet of the undergravel filter is in a corner of the undergravel filter, and the undergravel filter is sloped upwardly to the outlet from the edges opposite the outlet.

Claim 21

Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the outlet of the undergravel filter comprises: an outlet opening in the top of the undergravel filter; an outlet tube extending upwardly from the outlet opening to an open upper end in the interior of the water tank; a collar extending around the top of the outlet opening and concentric with the outlet tube; a larger tube coaxial with and having a cross-sectional area larger than the outlet tube mounted in the collar and extending upwardly beyoNd the upper end of the outlet tube to an open top in the interior of the tank; and an air pump inlet in the undergravel filter adjacent the outlet opening.

Claim 22

Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 and further comprising a conical air dispersion means that fits in the upper end of the outlet tube, said air dispersion means being adapted to cause air to be dispersed in fine bubbles across the entire cross sectional area of the larger tube.

Claim 23

An aquarium module for filtering, heating, and aerating water in an aquarium including a water tank having a bottom and an open top, said module comprising: a housing mounted on the top of the water tank, said housing having a top and a bottom and an open interior positioned over the water tank, with the open interior comprising horizontally spaced pump and water compartments, said open interior also including a fish feeder compartment and a light compartment having a light transmitting plate in the bottom thereof; the water compartment comprises an open interior formed by a bottom and raised side walls extending around the periphery of the water compartment, said water compartment further comprising inlet means for receiving water and outlet means for delivering water back to the tank, said outlet means comprising an elongated outlet opening in the bottom of the water compartment that leads downwardly to the tank, said water compartment comprising a relatively wide filter section and a relatively narrow heater section, with the water compartment inlet means comprising a vertical inlet tube extending upwardly in one end of the filter section and the heater section opening into and extending outwardly from the other end of the filter section, the heater section comprising elongated parallel front and back side walls, an open end opening into the filter section, and a closed end extending away from the filter section, the elongated water compartment outlet opening being formed along one of the side walls of said heater section; mechanical pump means mounted in the pump compartment and having an inlet in communication with the water in the tank and an outlet in communication with the inlet means of the water compartment, said pump means being adapted to draw water from the tank, circulate the water through the water compartment, and return the water back to the tank; water heater means mounted in the heater compartment and comprising an elongated tubular heater element with a thermostatic control at an outer end thereof, with the heater element being mounted in a horizontal position in a removable insert in the closed end of the heater section and extending inwardly therefrom parallel to the side walls of the heater section, the thermostatic controls being positioned outside the heater section with the heater element extending through the open end of the heater section and protruding into the filter section; filter means mounted in the filter section of the water compartment, said filter means comprising a filter tray having a raised perforated bottom and raised side walls defining an open interior and being adapted to be at least partially filled with a filter medium, said filter tray having inlet means comprising a filter inlet opening in the bottom of the filter tray, said opening being larger than the outer diameter of the water compartment inlet tube and being positioned so that it fits over said inlet tube when the filter tray is in place, said inlet means further comprising a deflection hood mounted over said filter inlet opening and over and spaced apart from said inlet tube, said deflection hood comprising raised tubular side walls that extend upwardly above the top of the inlet tube, said tubular side walls being spaced apart from the inlet tube and having an opening therein adjacent the top of the inlet tube, said deflection hood further having a deflection cap means on the top thereof to deflect water received from the inlet tube into the filter tray through the opening in the side walls of the deflectiOn hood, the space between the deflection hood and the inlet tube serving as an overflow outlet means for relieving water pressure on the filter means by directing excess water around the filter means to the heater means; natural aeration means mounted in the water compartment and comprising raised partition means mounted along the edge of the water compartment outlet means and separating the water compartment outlet means from the rest of the interior of the water compartment, said partition means being at least about three inches long and extending upwardly to a position above the height of the water heater means in the water compartment and being adapted to disperse clarified and heated water in the water compartment into a thin sheet and direct it downwardly in waterfall fashion through the water compartment outlet means back to the tank, said natural aeration means being adapted to aerate the water as it passes over the partition means and falls back down into the tank.

Claim 24

An aquarium module for filtering, heating, and aerating water in an aquarium including a water tank having a bottom and an open top, said module comprising: a housing mounted on the top of the water tank, said housing having a top and a bottom and an open interior positioned over the water tank, with the open interior comprising horizontally spaced pump and water compartments, said open interior also including a fish feeder compartment and a light compartment having a light transmitting plate in the bottom thereof; the water compartment comprises an open interior formed by a bottom and raised side walls extending around the periphery of the water compartment, said water compartment further comprising inlet means for receiving water and outlet means for delivering water back to the tank, said outlet means comprising an elongated outlet opening in the bottom of the water compartment that leads downwardly to the tank, said water compartment comprising a relatively wide filter section and a relatively narrow heater section, with the water compartment inlet means comprising a vertical inlet tube extending upwardly in one end of the filter section and the heater section opening into and extending outwardly from the other end of the filter section, the heater section comprising elongated parallel front and back side walls, an open end opening into the filter section, and a closed end extending away from the filter section, the elongated water compartment outlet opening being formed along one of the side walls of said heater section; mechanical pump means mounted in the pump compartment and having an inlet in communication with the water in the tank and an outlet in communication with the inlet means of the water compartment, said pump means being adapted to draw water from the tank, circulate the water through the water compartment, and return the water back to the tank; water heater means mounted in the heater compartment and comprising an elongated tubular heater element with a thermostatic control at an outer end thereof, with the heater element being mounted in a horizontal position in a removable insert in the closed end of the heater section and extending inwardly therefrom parallel to the side walls of the heater section, the thermostatic controls being positioned outside the heater section with the heater element extending through the open end of the heater section and protruding into the filter section; filter means mounted in the filter section of the water compartment, said filter means comprising a filter tray having a raised perforated bottom and raised side walls defining an open interior and being adapted to be at least partially filled with a filter medium, said filter tray having inlet means comprising a filter inlet opening in the bottom of the filter tray, said opening being larger than the outer diameter of the water compartment inlet tube and being positioned so that it fits over said inlet tube when the filter tray is in place, said inlet means further comprising a deflection hood mounted over said filter inlet opening and over and spaced apart from said inlet tube, said deflection hood comprising raised tubular side walls that extend upwardly above the top of the inlet tube, said tubular side walls being spaced apart from the inlet tube and having an opening therein adjacent the top of the inlet tube, said deflection hood further having a deflection cap means on the top thereof to deflect water received from the inlet tube into the filter tray through the opening in the side walls of the deflectiOn hood, the space between the deflection hood and the inlet tube serving as an overflow outlet means for relieving water pressure on the filter means by directing excess water around the filter means to the heater means; natural aeration means mounted in the water compartment and comprising raised partition means mounted along the edge of the water compartment outlet means and separating the water compartment outlet means from the rest of the interior of the water compartment, said partition means being at least about three inches long and extending upwardly to a position above the height of the water heater means in the water compartment and being adapted to disperse clarified and heated water in the water compartment into a thin sheet and direct it downwardly in waterfall fashion through the water compartment outlet means back to the tank, said natural aeration means being adapted to aerate the water as it passes over the partition means and falls back down into the tank.