Field of the Invention

The invention relates to improvements in marine aquariums having an aquarium housing divided into a leading aquarium inhabitant compartment for accommodating aquarium inhabitants and a trailing filtration compartment for filtering aquarium water and returning filtered aquarium water to the aquarium inhabitant compartment. Background of the Invention

Some marine aquariums have an aquarium housing divided into a leading aquarium inhabitant compartment for accommodating aquarium inhabitants and a trailing filtration compartment for filtering aquarium water and returning filtered aquarium water to the aquarium inhabitant compartment. Marine aquariums include biological, chemical and mechanical multi-stage water filtering arrangements to maintain aquarium water at required levels of water quality. A filtration compartment can accommodate either a rear sump arrangement or a water piping arrangement for flow communication with an in-cabinet sump arrangement. The water piping arrangement preferably includes a regulated down flow pipe and a return pipe for returning filtered water to the aquarium inhabitant compartment. Marine aquariums suffer from evaporation loss of aquarium water and require periodic top up to maintain a minimum water level.

Water filtering arrangements require considerable routine maintenance activities by aquarists to maintain aquarium water at a required water quality and therefore marine aquariums preferably afford convenient aquarist access thereto. But water filtering arrangements are unsightly and reduce the enjoyment of viewing aquarium inhabitants. Some aquarium housing partitions extend above an uppermost aquarium top rim to conceal a trailing filtration compartment therebehind from a front view facing the marine aquarium.

Marine aquariums can be generally classified into two sizes depending on aquarium volume. Marine aquariums having up to 150 liter aquarium volumes are regarded as so-called small marine aquariums. Small marine aquariums employ a rear sump arrangement due to size and cost constraints. Due to limited space available in small marine aquariums, their multi-stage filtration systems are typically insufficient to maintain a required water quality. Moreover, they forego automatic float-operated top up reservoirs which can lead to insufficient water level to the detriment of the wellbeing of aquarium inhabitants.

In-cabinet sump arrangements can include larger water filter components than rear sump arrangements. Moreover, additional water filter components can be readily added to in-cabinet sump arrangements because of additional available cabinet space which is precluded from rear sump arrangements. Some aquarists purchase marine aquariums with rear sump arrangements and wish to upgrade to in-cabinet sump arrangements. However, a retrofit upgrade from a rear sump arrangement to an in-cabinet sump arrangement includes inter alia emptying a marine aquarium, drilling holes in its glass base for a water piping arrangement, and other cumbersome and problematic tasks. Accordingly, a retrofit upgrade from a rear sump arrangement to an in-cabinet sump arrangement is considered impractical.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention is directed towards improvements in marine aquariums having an aquarium housing divided into a leading aquarium inhabitant compartment for accommodating aquarium inhabitants and a trailing filtration compartment for filtering aquarium water and returning filtered aquarium water to the aquarium inhabitant compartment.

One improvement includes provisioning a discrete filtration compartment screen for manual mounting on an aquarium top rim above an aquarium housing partition in an upright concealing position to conceal a filtration compartment therebehind from a front view facing the marine aquarium. The filtration compartment screen is supplied as a separate component from a marine aquarium thereby not increasing the height of packaging containing a marine aquarium for storage and transportation purposes. Also, supplying the filtration compartment screen as a separate component precludes its damage during transportation. The filtration compartment screen is preferably pivotal mounted on an aquarium top rim so as to be readily manually disposed between its upright concealing position and a forward folded access position for affording aquarist access to a filtration compartment for routine maintenance activities. The filtration compartment screen can be equally added to both a marine aquarium with a rear sump arrangement or an in-cabinet sump arrangement.

Another improvement relates to so-called small marine aquariums and provisioning a filtration compartment compactly housing a multi-stage water filtering arrangement and an automatic float-operated top up reservoir while affording convenient aquarist access to same for routine maintenance activities of the water filtering arrangement and routine filling of the automatic float-operated top up reservoir. The filtration compartment includes a central protein skimmer, a micron filter bag on one side of the protein skimmer and an automatic float- operated top up reservoir on the other side of the protein skimmer. The small marine aquariums can be optionally fitted with a discrete filtration compartment screen.

Yet another improvement is designing a marine aquarium having a filtration compartment for use with either a rear sump arrangement or an in-cabinet sump arrangement. The marine aquarium is envisaged to be initially used with a rear sump arrangement and subsequently undergo a retrofit upgrade for use with an in- cabinet sump arrangement by having to drain only the filtration compartment and not the entire marine aquarium. The filtration compartment is pre-formed with at least two throughgoing apertures in its base and fitted with a bulkhead arrangement including plugs for plugging the throughgoing apertures. The marine aquarium can be optionally fitted with a discrete filtration compartment screen.

Brief Description of Drawings

In order to understand the invention and to see how it can be carried out in practice, preferred embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which similar parts are likewise numbered, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a pictorial view of a conventional marine aquarium with a rear sump arrangement;

Fig. 2 is a pictorial view of a conventional marine aquarium with a rear sump arrangement and a permanent filtration compartment screen;

Fig. 3 is a pictorial view of a conventional marine aquarium with an in- cabinet sump arrangement;

Fig. 4 is a front isometric view of a marine aquarium including a discrete filtration compartment screen ready for attachment;

Fig. 5 is a front isometric view of the marine aquarium with the filtration compartment screen in its upright concealing position;

Fig. 6 is a rear isometric view of the marine aquarium with the filtration compartment screen in its forward folded access position;

Fig. 7 is a close-up exploded view of the marine aquarium prior to snap fitting the filtration compartment screen into place;

Fig. 8 is a close-up exploded view of the marine aquarium pursuant to snap fitting the filtration compartment screen into place;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the marine aquarium;

Fig. 10 is a rear view of the marine aquarium showing the layout of the filtration compartment without its components and fittings;

Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of aquarium water through the filtration compartment;

Fig. 12 is a front isometric view of an intake port of the filtration compartment;

Fig. 13 is a rear isometric view of the intake port of the filtration compartment;

Fig. 14 is a front isometric view of a protein skimmer of the marine aquarium; Fig. 15 is a rear view of a marine aquarium and a water piping arrangement for retrofit upgrade of the marine aquarium from a rear sump arrangement to an in- cabinet sump arrangement;

Fig. 16 is an exploded view of a bulkhead arrangement fitted in the Figure 15 marine aquarium;

Fig. 17 is a longitudinal cross section of the bulkhead arrangement along line 17-17 in Figure 16; and

Fig. 18 is a rear view of Figure 15 's marine aquarium pursuant to retrofit upgrade to the in-cabinet sump arrangement.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Present Invention

Conventional marine aquariums

Figure 1 shows a conventional marine aquarium 10 placed atop a cabinet 11. The marine aquarium 10 has an open-topped aquarium housing 12 including a front face 13, a back face 14, a left side face 16, a right side face 17, and a base 18. The marine aquarium 10 has an uppermost aquarium top rim 19 and an aquarium housing partition 21 for dividing the aquarium housing 12 into a leading aquarium inhabitant compartment 22 for accommodating aquarium inhabitants and a trailing filtration compartment 23 for accommodating a rear sump arrangement 24 for returning filtered aquarium water to the aquarium inhabitant compartment 22. In ordinary operation of the marine aquarium 10, the aquarium inhabitant compartment 22 has a water surface level LI and the filtration compartment 23 has a water surface level L2 wherein L1>L2 for enabling gravitational flow of aquarium water from the aquarium inhabitant compartment 22 into the filtration compartment 23.

The aquarium housing partition 21 is flush with the uppermost aquarium top rim 19. The aquarium housing 12 and the aquarium housing partition 21 are typically formed from glass. The aquarium housing partition 21 includes a front comb 26 for surface skimming aquarium water from the aquarium inhabitant compartment 22 for gravitational flow into the filtration compartment 23. The rear sump arrangement 24 includes an outlet nozzle 27 adjacent the front comb 26 for returning filtered aquarium water to the aquarium inhabitant compartment 22. The rear sump arrangement 24 includes a protein skimmer 28.

Figure 2 shows a conventional marine aquarium 30 having a similar construction as the marine aquarium 10 and therefore similar parts are likewise numbered. The marine aquarium 30 differs from the marine aquarium 10 insofar it includes an aquarium housing partition 31 higher than the aquarium housing partition 21 such that its uppermost portion above the aquarium top rim 19 acts as a filtration compartment screen 32 for concealing the filtration compartment 23 therebehind from a front view facing the marine aquarium 30. The marine aquarium 30 necessarily requires larger packaging than the marine aquarium 10 due to the aquarium housing partition 31 's height compared to the aquarium housing partition 21 's height. Also, the aquarium housing partition 31 is prone to breakage during transportation.

Figure 3 shows a conventional marine aquarium 40 having a similar construction as the marine aquarium 10 and therefore similar parts are likewise numbered. The marine aquarium 40 differs from the marine aquarium 10 insofar that instead of the rear sump arrangement 24, it includes an in-cabinet sump arrangement 41 in the cabinet 11. The marine aquarium 40 includes a water piping arrangement 42 for flow communication between the aquarium inhabitant compartment 22 and the in-cabinet sump arrangement 41. The water piping arrangement 42 preferably includes a regulated down flow pipe 43, a return pipe 44 for returning filtered water to the aquarium inhabitant compartment 22 and an overflow pipe 46. The base 18 in the filtration compartment 23 is formed with three throughgoing apertures 47 for the regulated down flow pipe 43, the return pipe 44 and the overflow pipe 46. The pipes 43, 44 and 46 are sealingly glued in their respective throughgoing apertures 47. The marine aquarium 40 also includes a circulation pump 48 for circulating aquarium water from the filtration compartment 23 via an outlet nozzle 49 to the aquarium inhabitant compartment 22. Marine Aquarium with Discrete Filtration Compartment Screen

Figures 4 to 14 show a marine aquarium 100 including an open- topped aquarium housing 101 having an internal volume of up to 150 liters whereby the marine aquarium 100 is considered as a so-called small marine aquarium. The marine aquarium 100 has a front face 102, a back face 103, a left side face 104, a right side face 106, and a base 107. The marine aquarium 100 has an uppermost aquarium top rim 108 and an aquarium housing partition 109 for dividing the aquarium housing 101 into a leading aquarium inhabitant compartment 111 for accommodating aquarium inhabitants and a trailing filtration compartment 112 for treating aquarium water and returning filtered aquarium water to the aquarium inhabitant compartment 111. The aquarium housing partition 109 has an aquarium housing partition front face 109 A facing the front face 102 and an aquarium housing partition back face 109B facing the back face 103. The aquarium housing partition 109 is flush with the uppermost aquarium top rim 108. The aquarium housing 101 and the aquarium housing partition 109 are typically made of glass.

The aquarium housing partition 109 is formed with a cutout 113 for receiving an intake port 114, and a return nozzle 116. The intake port 114 has a front comb 117 for surface skimming aquarium water from the aquarium inhabitant compartment 111. The return nozzle 116 returns filtered aquarium water from the filtration compartment 112 to the aquarium inhabitant compartment 111. The intake port 114 is preferably replaceable for cleaning purposes.

The marine aquarium 100 is provided with a discrete filtration compartment screen 118 pivotal between an upright concealing position (see Figure 5) and a forward folded access position (see Figure 6). The upright concealing position conceals the filtration compartment 112 from a front view of the marine aquarium 100 facing the front face 102. The forward folded access position affords aquarist access to the filtration compartment 112 for routine maintenance activities. The marine aquarium 100 is provided with an opposite pair of filtration compartment screen holders 119 mounted on the aquarium top rim 108 extending from the back face 103 to the aquarium housing partition 109. The filtration compartment screen holders 119 each include a leading snap fit 121 and a trailing stopper 122.

The filtration compartment screen 118 includes a rectangle shaped front panel 123 for extending above the aquarium housing partition 109, two L- shaped brackets 124 and two end panels 126 for extending from the aquarium housing partition 109 to the back face 103. The front panel 123 and the end panels 126 can be formed from glass or plastic. The L-shaped brackets 124 are formed with outwardly directed pins 127 for snap fit into the snap fits 121 and outwardly directed flanges 128 for snap fit under the stoppers 122 for securely disposing the filtration compartment screen 118 in its upright concealing position. The filtration compartment screen 118 is preferably detachable from the snap fits 121 for cleaning purposes before re-attachment. The end panels 126 are designed to conceal the filtration compartment screen holders 119 and the L-shaped brackets 124 in the upright concealing position of the filtration compartment screen 118. Figure 7 and Figure 8 are close-up views without the end panels 126 for illustrative purposes.

Figures 10 and 11 show the aquarium housing partition back face 109B is formed with the following features: an upright divide 129 toward the right side face 106, a slightly right of center upright divide 131, a horizontal grid 132 between the two upright divides 129 and 131, a horizontal protein skimmer support 133 between the upright divide 131 and the left side face 104, a horizontal flange member 134 attached to the left side face 104 and a throughgoing aperture 136 for the return nozzle 116. The horizontal flange member 134 is formed with a throughgoing aperture 137.

The marine aquarium 100 is provided as a self-assembly unit and includes the following fittings for self-assembly in the aquarium housing 101: the intake port 114, the filtration compartment screen 118, a micron filter bag 145, a protein skimmer 150, a circulation pump 170, an active carbon filter 180, a pre-slit coarse bubble trap sponge 185 and an automatic float-operated top up reservoir 190. The micron filter bag 145 is a mechanical filter suitable for filtering particles to about 100 μιη to 200μιη. The micron filter bag 145 has a micron filter bag handle 146 for immediate insertion of the micron filter bag 145 through the throughgoing aperture 137 by an aquarist from above the filtration compartment 112 for enabling manual upward removal therefrom for cleaning purposes and downward replacement therein.

The circulation pump 170 has an inlet port 171 and an outlet port 172. A supply line 173 extends from the outlet port 172 to the return nozzle 116. The supply line 173 extends through the pre-slit coarse bubble trap sponge 185. The circulation pump 170 is placed on the base 107 between the upright divide 129 and the right side face 106.

The active carbon filter 180 is placed on the horizontal grid 132.

The automatic float-operated top up reservoir 190 includes a main body 191 and a removable lid 192. The top up reservoir 190 includes a float 193 selectively opening and closing a reservoir outlet 194. The float 193 floating on aquarium water at a water level L2 closes the reservoir outlet 194. The float 193 floating on aquarium water at a water level below the water level L2, say, at a water level L3, opens the reservoir outlet 194 to introduce water into the filtration compartment 112 to top up the water level to the water level L2. The main body 191 is designed to be mounted on the back face 103.

Figures 12 and 13 show the intake port 114 includes a water chute 138 beneath the front comb 117 inclined towards a drain 139. The intake port 114 is deployed towards the left side face 104 for draining aquarium water into the micron filter bag 145.

Figure 14 shows the protein skimmer 150 has a main body 151 and a removable foam collection cup 152 for cleaning purposes. The foam collection cup 152 has a removable lid 153. The main body 151 has a protein skimmer pump 154 for pumping unfiltered aquarium water through a protein skimmer inlet port 156 thereinto and a protein skimmer outlet port 157 for issuing filtered aquarium water. The protein skimmer 150 has a built-in silencer 158 with an air inlet 159 and an air outlet 161. The protein skimmer pump 154 is connected to the air inlet 159 by a flexible plastic pipe 162 via the silencer 158. The protein skimmer 150 is spaced apart from the micron filter bag 145 such that aquarium water can flow down from the outlet port 157 between the main body 151 and the micron filter bag 145. The protein skinner 150 is mounted on the horizontal protein skimmer support 133.

Figure 11 shows the flow of aquarium water through the filtration compartment 112 as follows: Aquarium water is surface skimmed from aquarium inhabitant compartment 111 by the front comb 117. Aquarium water flows down the water chute 138 through the drain 139 into the micron filter bag 145. Filtered aquarium water is drawn sideways across the filtration compartment 112 by the protein skimmer pump 154 and the circulation pump 170. Filtered aquarium water is drawn approximately equally by the protein skimmer pump 154 into the protein skimmer 150 and the circulation pump 170 up through the active carbon filter 180 and down through the coarse bubble trap sponge 185. The circulation pump 170 pumps filtered water through the return nozzle 116. Aquarium water drawn into the protein skimmer 150 is treated to remove proteins and flows down between the protein skimmer 150 and the micron filter bag 145. Some aquarium water repeatedly passes through the protein skimmer 150 before being pumped back into the aquarium inhabitant compartment 111. Marine Aquarium for Retrofit Upgrade from Rear Sump Arrangement to In-cabinet Sump Arrangement

Figures 15 to 18 show the marine aquarium 100 modified for undergoing a retrofit upgrade to an in-cabinet sump arrangement similar to the marine aquarium 40. The marine aquarium 100 typically has a full size aquarium housing 101 in the order of at least 200 liters. The base 107 has a base section 107A bound between the back face 103 and the aquarium housing partition 109 thereby being part of the filtration compartment 112 only.. The base section 107A is formed with a line of three pre-formed throughgoing apertures 201 adjacent to one another. The marine aquarium 100 is pre-installed with a bulkhead arrangement 202 sealingly glued onto the base section 107A. The bulkhead arrangement 202 includes a generally flat base plate 203 formed with three ports 204 for registration with the throughgoing apertures 201. The ports 204 each include an internal partial thread 206 and an external screw thread 207. The bulkhead arrangement 202 includes three plugs 208 for engaging the internal partial threads 206 for sealing the ports 204.

The marine aquarium 100 is intended to be used with a water piping arrangement 210 including a regulated down flow pipe 211, a return pipe 212 and an overflow pipe 213. The marine aquarium 100 is also intended to be used with an intake port 214 instead of the intake pipe 114. The intake port 214 includes an outlet nozzle 216 for mounting on the return pipe 212.

The retrofit upgrade of the marine aquarium 100 from an initial rear sump arrangement to an in-cabinet sump arrangement involves the following steps: Removing the intake port 114, the micron filter bag 145 and the protein skimmer 150. Siphoning aquarium water from the filtration compartment 112 to empty same. The aquarium inhabitant compartment 111 remains at its water level LI. Fitting the intake port 214 in the cutout 113. Removing the plugs 208 from the bulkhead arrangement 202 and fitting the water piping arrangement 210 therein. Connecting the return pipe 212 to the outlet nozzle 216. Connecting down flow pipe 211, the return pipe 212 and the overflow pipe 213 to the components of the in-cabinet sump arrangement.

While particular embodiments of the present invention are illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.