Aquarium filter arrangement including pre-filter member and methods

A filter arrangement for an aquarium;

• the filter arrangement comprising:
• (a) a pump having a liquid flow inlet and liquid flow outlet;
• (b) an intake tube upstream of and in flow communication with the liquid flow inlet of the pump;
• (c) a housing in flow communication with the liquid flow outlet of the pump;
• (d) a transfer tube within the housing and downstream of and in flow communication with the liquid flow outlet of the pump;
• the transfer tube having a pump end adjacent to the pump and an opposite distal end;
• (e) a pre-filter member within the housing containing filter media secured to the distal end of the transfer tube;
• (f) a mechanical filtering chamber within the housing having a removable and replaceable filter cartridge therein downstream of the pre-filter member;
• and
• (g) a bio-filtering chamber within the housing having a biological filter downstream of the mechanical filtering chamber.

A method of filtering aquarium water;

• the method comprising:
• (a) pumping water from an aquarium, through a transfer tube, and then expelling the water from the transfer tube through filter media held at the end of the transfer tube;
• and
• (b) after expelling the water through the filter media, filtering the water through a filter cartridge in a mechanical filter chamber.