A rotating mesh filter assembly adapted for partial submersion inside a non-partitioned aquaculture tank holding a quantity of water and housing aquatic animals swimming freely within the quantity of water, the quantity of water having debris distributed therein and a water surface, the rotating mesh filter assembly comprising:
- a frame assembly comprising a pair of frames in spaced apart relationship forming a gap between the pair of frames, each frame of the pair of frames having an upper end and a lower end, the upper ends of the pair of frames adapted to be positioned above the water surface and the lower end adapted to be positioned below the water surface;
- a mesh filter assembly having a mesh loop with a first edge, an opposed second edge, and a central position between the first and second edges, with a first rotating loop fixed to either the first edge or to the central position, the mesh loop further having an exterior facing side and an interior facing side;
- wherein the first rotating loop is either a first roller chain loop or a first belt;
- a lower wheel assembly having at least one lower wheel engaging a lower shaft positioned at the lower end of the pair of frames, the at least one lower wheel either disposed as a sprocket with a plurality of radial projections adapted to engage the first rotating loop disposed as a first roller chain loop, or the at least one lower wheel disposed as a pulley wheel adapted to engage the first rotating loop disposed as the belt;
- an upper wheel assembly having at least one upper wheel engaging an upper shaft positioned at the upper end of the pair of frames, the at least one upper wheel disposed as either a sprocket having a plurality of radial projections adapted to engage the first rotating loop disposed as the first roller chain loop passing over the plurality of radial projections, or the at least one upper wheel disposed as a pulley wheel adapted to engage the first rotating loop disposed as the belt;
- wherein either the lower wheel assembly or the upper wheel assembly is rotatable relative to the pair of frames;
- wherein the mesh filter assembly is sized and shaped to fit within the gap between the pair of frames and has a non-circular cross section when the first rotating loop engages both the lower and upper wheel assemblies;
- a drive assembly having a motor with a power source mechanically engaging either the upper wheel assembly or the lower wheel assembly;
- wherein the motor is powered by the power source;
- wherein the motor turns either the upper or lower wheel assembly,
- whereby operating the drive assembly rotates the mesh filter assembly around the upper and lower wheel assemblies such that the mesh filter assembly rotates in a first direction so that a portion of the mesh filter assembly positioned above the water surface is rotated below the water surface;
- a pump assembly having a pump with a water inlet, the water inlet attached to a pump interface touching the exterior facing side of the mesh loop, the pump further having a water outlet and a pump power source;
- wherein the pump interface is a widened and elongated structure formed with a series of openings adapted to draw the quantity of water into the water inlet and to evenly deposit debris in the quantity of water onto the interior facing side of the mesh loop;
- a cleaning assembly having a water spraying assembly adapted to spray water supplied from a water source, a hopper positioned below and in spaced apart relationship with the water spraying assembly, and a waste pipe formed into the hopper;
- wherein the cleaning assembly is positioned above the water surface;
- wherein the mesh loop is positioned between the water spraying assembly and the hopper;
- and
- a sensor in communication with the drive and cleaning assemblies, the sensor evaluating whether the mesh filter assembly is clogged with debris and signaling the drive and cleaning assemblies to operate-;
- wherein the pump draws the quantity of water through the interior facing side of the mesh loop;
- wherein the series of openings in the pump interface channel the quantity of water into the water inlet of the pump so as to deposit debris evenly onto the interior facing side of the mesh loop;
- and
- wherein the cleaning assembly sprays water from the water source onto the exterior facing side of the mesh loop.