US 5,628,281 AGranted

Aquarium filtering and heating system

OwnerScott A. Kelleyinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An energy efficient aquarium system with a separate cover wherein the lamp or lamps are located below the filters and filter ponds thus heating the filter pond bottom and sides to further heat the water contained in the filter ponds thus eliminating the need for a separate heater and further saving the energy required to heat the water as it flows into the aquarium. Floats each with a filter condition indicator bar are located in the filter ponds wherein the filter condition indicator bars extend through the cover and further indicate the condition of the filter as the water rises in the filter ponds due to the filters filling up with debris that restricts the flow of water passing through the filter; as the water rises in the filter ponds, the float rises and further causes the filter condition indicator to rise wherein it may easily be seen. When the filter condition indicator rises to a predetermined height, the owner of the aquarium would be given notice that the filters need to be changed.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An aquarium filtering system for filtering debris suspended in liquid contained within an aquarium, the filtering system comprising:

a. a fluid reservoir defined by
(1) a first side containment bulkhead;
(2) a second side containment bulkhead;
(3) a upper containment bulkhead;
(4) a filter reservoir bottom;
b. a filter support frame;
c. a filter supported by said filter support frame to form a substantially vertical filter wall, wherein said filter wall partitions said reservoir to form at least one filter pond such that liquid contained within said pond can flow through said filter wall;
d. a pump for pumping liquid from said aquarium and discharging said liquid into said filter pond;
e. a float having an upper end and a lower end, said float disposed within said filter pond for suspension by liquid contained within said filter pond;
and
f. a filter condition indicator having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end is attached to said upper end of said float;
wherein the surface level of the liquid contained within the pond rises as debris is trapped by said filter wall as liquid passes therethrough, the rising surface level causing the float to likewise rise such that the filter condition indicator indicates the condition of the filter.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.