Apparatus for suspending a reef, reef-bed, or live sand filter, singularly or in combination, in an aquarium

An aquarium, comprising:

• a front, a back, sides and a bottom joined together to form an enclosure to hold water;
• a first shelf in said enclosure supported by a first post, said first post holding said first shelf horizontal, said first post having a first end supported by said bottom and a second end extending to near said first shelf, said first shelf being of louvered eggcrate to allow free circulation of water through the shelf, said second eggcrate having a plurality of vertically extending square apertures,
• said first shelf being joined to said first post by a first fitting having two tapered ends, one of said tapered ends extending into one of said square apertures and including a hole, the other of said tapered ends projecting into a recess in said first post, said recess in said first post being at said second end of said first post, said first fitting being bonded to both said first shelf and said first post to form a rigid joint;
• a second shelf in said enclosure supported by a second post, said second post holding said second shelf horizontal, said second post having a first end extending to near said first shelf and a second end extending to near said second shelf, said second shelf being of louvered eggcrate to allow free circulation of water through the second shelf, said second eggcrate having a plurality of vertically extending square apertures,
• said second shelf being joined to said second post by a second fitting having two tapered ends, one of said tapered ends of paid second fitting extending into one of said square apertures of said second eggcrate, the other of said tapered ends of said second fitting projecting into a first recess in said second post, said first recess in said second post being at said second end of said second post, said second fitting being bonded to both said second shelf and said second post to form a rigid joint;
• said second post being joined to said first fitting by a third fitting having a tapered end and an interfitting end, said tapered end of said third fitting projecting into a second recess in said second post, said second recess in said second post being at said first end of said second post, said interfitting end extending into said hole in said first fitting, said third fitting being bonded to both said second post and said first fitting to form a rigid joint.

A shelving unit, comprising:

• a first shelf and a second shelf of louvered eggcrate, said eggcrate having a plurality of vertically extending square apertures;
• at least one post supporting said second shelf above said first shelf and holding said second shelf horizontal, said post having a first end extending to near said first shelf and a second end extending to near said second shelf;
• a first fitting between said first shelf and said post, said first fitting having two tapered ends, one of said tapered ends extending into one of said square apertures in said first shelf, the other of said tapered ends projecting into a recess in said first end of said post, said first fitting being bonded to said first shelf and said post to form a rigid joint;
• and
• a second fitting between said second shelf and said post, said second fitting having two tapered ends, one of said tapered ends of said second fitting extending into one of said square apertures in said second shelf, the other of said tapered ends of said second fitting projecting into a recess in said second end of said post, said second fitting being bonded to said second shelf and said post to form a rigid joint.