FISH TANK MIRACLE CLEANER: HOW TO BUILD IT YOURSELF |
Universal Gravel Cleaning Tube for Use With Suction Means by Anthony Rawls
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
An aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment with apertures at its base is provided for use with a variety of suction means for the creation and sustenance of a partial vacuum within the gravel cleaning tube when it is placed over an area of gravel selected for cleaning and pressed downward against the floor of an aquarium.
The present invention is directed to the field of attachable and detachable cleaning tool attachments, and more particularly to an improved aquarium gravel cleaning tube for use with any number of devices, objects, or instruments that provide means for the activation of suction force within the gravel cleaning tube as a prerequisite for the removal of aquarium gravel-laden debris, impurities and wastes by the gravel cleaning tube when it is used in a manner disclosed in the present invention.
BACKGROUND PRIOR ART
A number of aquarium gravel cleaning tools are commercially available. They include products that siphon aquarium water and clean gravel as a consequence (siphon hoses with gravel tube attachments, i.e. Marineland Siphon-Kleen ® by Marineland.); products that drain aquarium water, clean gravel as a consequence and then refill the aquarium (Venturi-pumps, siphon hoses, and gravel tube, i.e. Python® by Python Products, Inc.); and finally, electronic pump products that drain aquarium water, clean gravel and then recycle the same water back into the aquarium (canister filters with gravel tube, i.e., Magnum ® 350 Pro System by Marineland.).
Gravel tubes are used to remove the sediments and debris that tend to gravitate within the gravel bed. For example, the bottom end of the gravel tube used in U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,654 (Python® by Python Products, Inc.) is designed for placement into a pre-selected area of gravel in an aquarium. The top end of the tube is connected to a water hose. The water hose in turn is attached to a Venturi-faucet pump. When activated in its drain position, the pump will drain water and debris from gravel enclosed within the gravel tube. A consequential measure of gravel agitation also occurs as a result of water being drained from the gravel tube.
Commercially available gravel tubes do not teach or provide a means for active manipulability of agitation of water, sediment and gravel contained within the gravel tube during the cleaning process. Instead, these gravel tubes tend to rely on a pump-induced water flow that stimulates a consequential measure of gravel agitation as the water enters into the bottom end of the gravel tube.
But a gravel tube with means to actively stimulate manipulability of water flow velocity into the tube as a way to enhance the gravel agitation and gravel suspension is worthwhile and useful because sediment agitation and sediment suspension are key to sediment removal and improved sediment agitation and improved sediment suspension are therefore desirous as a means for improved gravel cleaning. Furthermore, gravel cleaning tube attachment is even more advantageous when it is not only capable of actively stimulating manipulability of water flow velocity into the tube but is also designed for use with any number of suction means devices. The user need only purchase the gravel cleaning tube attachment and connect it with any number of gravel cleaning arrangements to achieve a desired level of cleaning as is disclosed in the present invention.
There are several patents that relate to my disclosure.
Attention is also directly to the following:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,269,773; 6,058,884; 4,233,702; and 4,094,788.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a method for removing sediments that have settled within aquarium gravel. More particularly, the invention is an aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment with means for connecting the top end of the aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment to any number of means for the creation of a partial vacuum in the interior boundary of the aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment. While the attachable means varies, depending on the class of aquarium gravel cleaners, the method for cleaning through suction means remains the same: Openings, holes, and passageways inside the wall of the lower end of the gravel tube allow a predetermined velocity of aquarium water entry into the interior boundary of the gravel tube when the gravel tube’s opened bottom is held against the interior base point of the aquarium. Pump-induced suction pulls water surrounding the gravel tube into the gravel tube’s interior boundary primarily through these holes, openings, and passageways located in the gravel tubes lower end wall, in the preferred embodiment of the invention. Water that manages to enter from the gravel tubes opened bottom is purposefully restricted when the gravel tube’s opened bottom is held against the interior base point of the aquarium. Loosening of gravel debris within the gravel tube is thereby the result of water introduced into the gravel tube through holes, openings, and passageways in the gravel tube wall’s lower end, in a preferred embodiment of the invention.
The velocity of the water entering the aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment through holes, openings and passageways in the aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment wall is predetermined by a plurality of variables that include the size, location and shape of the holes or openings in the aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment, as well as the diameter, circumference and length of the aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment.
In one embodiment of the invention, the gravel tube attachment has a length of two inches and its top end is attachable to the bottom end of a conventional gravel tube, thereby extending the length of the conventional gravel tube two inches and transforming the conventional gravel tube in such a manner as to make the conventional gravel tube capable of cleaning aquarium gravel in the manner taught and disclosed in the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
The following descriptive drawing is designed to promote a better understanding of the present invention. However, it should by no means be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention, since further alterations or modifications would be expected to occur to one skilled in the art to which this invention applies.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention, showing the elements of the aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment.
REFERENCES TO DRAWING
16 gravel tube
16a. gravel tube top end opening
16b. gravel tube bottom end
16c. gravel tube outside wall
16d. gravel tube hole opening
20. water
22. aquarium
22a. aquarium base point
28. water hose
28a. water hose first end
28b. water hose second end
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Referring now to FIG. 1, The gravel tube 16 and water hose 28 are attached such that the gravel tube top end 16a and the water hose first end 28a are joined in watertight connection. With the gravel tube 16 and the water hose first end 28a submerged in the aquarium 22, the water hose second end 28b is attached to a device that has means for drawing water from the aquarium; into the gravel tube bottom end16b; through the length of the gravel tube 16; into the gravel tube top end 16a; into the water hose first end 28a; through the length of the water hose 28; and through the second end of the water hose. There are any numbers of devices that have means for drawing water from an aquarium by activated suction as just detailed. These devices include water pumps that have both an inlet end and a discharge end, where the second end of the water hose 28b is attached to the inlet end of the water pump; a human being is also quite capable of drawing water from an aquarium in the manner described by placing the second end of the water hose 28b into his/her mouth and sucking.
A preferred gravel cleaning method begins when the gravel tube 16 is submerged into the aquarium 22 and placed over gravel; held in an upright vertical position; and pressed downward into the gravel and toward the bottom-most point of the aquarium as far as it will go. Activated suction from a suction means introduces water into gravel tube bottom end 16b by way of one or more apertures in the wall of the gravel tube bottom end 16b. Loose wastes that have settled on top of the gravel contained in the gravel tube 16 are thus sucked out and carried away.
Pump-induced gravel agitation within the gravel tube 16 further separates, loosens and suspends wastes and debris contained within the gravel tube 16 so that they too can be sucked out and carried through the water hose and into a pump suction inlet before discharge from the pump’s discharge outlet.
In a water recycling arrangement, the water discharged from the pump’s discharge end is circulated through a filter and then reintroduced back into the aquarium water from which it originally came.. In a non-recycling arrangement, the water discharged from the pump is disposed of in a drain or other means of disposal.
After gravel has been cleaned, the gravel tube 16 is lifted from the cleansed gravel and placed over another area of gravel selected for cleaning. The force of the pump-induced suction is predetermined as sufficient to lift loosened debris from the gravel but is not sufficiently predetermined to lift most gravel particles. A plastic screen (not show) at the upper interior of the gravel tube prevents gravel particles from entering the water hose 14.
Water introduced into the gravel tube 16 through the apertures causes agitation of the gravel particles located in the interior boundary of the tube 16 and aids in loosening debris that has settled on the gravel and within the gravel particles. The velocity of the incoming introduced water through apertures in the wall of the gravel tube 16 determines to a degree the level of agitation of gravel particles within the gravel tube 14. To help maximize the force of the velocity, aquarium water entry into the gravel tube 14 is restricted as much as possible to just the apertures in the gravel tube’s bottom area wall. Water that manages to enter the gravel tube 16 from the bottom of the aquarium 24 floor where it meets in perpendicular alignment with the circular bottom of the gravel tube 16 is limited as much as possible. Therefore, the circular bottom of the gravel tube 16 is held firmly against the flat surface of the aquarium floor to restrict the introduction of incoming water to openings in the wall of the gravel tube 16 near its base. Water introduction is therefore limited to openings in the wall of the gravel tube 16 near its base under the conditions of a partial vacuum created within the interior boundary of the gravel tube. With the gravel tube 16 resting flat and firmly against the floor of the aquarium 24, aquarium water entry into the interior boundary of the gravel tube 16 is by means of apertures or holes in the area of the outside wall’s open end.
The velocity of water entry through the apertures and holes can be manipulated by variations in the size of the apertures, the number of apertures, the circumference of the gravel tube, the length of the gravel tube, the suction force of the pump, the amount of gravel inside of the gravel tube and the amount of water inside of the gravel tube, as well as other variables. Increased velocity of aquarium water entry into the gravel tube can be advantageously used to aid in the removal of algae and other substances that bond to the surface of the gravel particle.
I Claim,
1. An aquarium gravel tube attachment for use with a variety of suction means, comprised of the following :
an aquarium gravel cleaning tube with a first end and a second end, said first end adapted for water tight connection to a vacuum suction means, said second end for placement into a layer of gravel covering an aquarium floor, said aquarium gravel tube further has an interior boundary, and an exterior boundary, said interior boundary has an inside interior wall that surrounds said inside interior boundary and means for segmenting a select area of gravel for cleaning, also said interior boundary has means for housing a partial vacuum inside said interior boundary of said gravel cleaning tube; said exterior boundary has an outside exterior wall that surrounds the outside exterior boundary, said outside wall and said inside wall have a predetermined measurable distance between said walls, said predetermined measurable distance known as wall thickness, said wall thickness has means for the manipulation of an angle of water flow inside said interior boundary of said gravel cleaning tube, said tube further has a predetermined inside diameter and a predetermined length, and means for the following:
manipulability of the rate of water flow into said openings in the wall of said tube that lead into said interior boundary of said tube;
providing a watertight connection of said first end of said gravel tube to a means for vacuum suction;
maintaining a partial vacuum within said interior boundary of said tube.
2. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein said tubing has an inside diameter of 1 and 7/8 inches and an outside diameter of 2 inches and a wall thickness is 1/16 of an inch.
3. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein said tubing has an inside diameter of 1 and 15/16 inches and an outside diameter of 2 inches and a wall thickness is 1/32 of an inch.
4. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein said tubing has an inside diameter of 2 and 7/8 inches and an outside diameter of 3 inches and a wall thickness is 1/32 of an inch.
5. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein said tubing has an inside diameter of 2 and 29/32 inches and an outside diameter of 3 inches and a wall thickness of 3/64 of an inch.
6. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the open bottom end of said tube is cut such that when standing upright on either opposite end, either end will stand in perfect perpendicular alignment with a level and a flat surface.
7. The apparatus of Claim One, and also comprising openings that penetrate through the wall thickness of the gravel tube attachment.
8. The apparatus of Claim 7 wherein said openings are of a predetermined number, said openings are of a predetermined shape, said openings are of a predetermined size, said openings are of a predetermined location on the gravel tube.
9. The apparatus of Claim 8 wherein there are four such openings, each opening in the shape of a square, with a diameter of one sixteenth of an inch and are evenly spaced apart and positioned one sixth of an inch from the bottom end of the gravel tube.
10. The apparatus of Claim 6 wherein there are three openings in the shape of a square, with a diameter of one sixteenth of an inch, evenly spaced apart and positioned one sixth of an inch from the bottom end of the gravel tube.
11. The apparatus of Claim 6 wherein there are two such openings, each opening in the shape of a circle, with a diameter of one eighth of an inch, evenly spaced apart and positioned one sixth of an inch from the bottom end of the gravel tube.
12. The apparatus of Claim 6 wherein there are two such openings, each opening in the shape of a circle, with a diameter of one eighth of an inch, evenly spaced apart and positioned one sixth of an inch from the bottom end of the gravel tube.
13. The apparatus of Claim 6 wherein there are eight such openings, unevenly spaced apart and positioned at the bottom end area of the gravel tube’s wall, each opening forming the shape of a semi-square, defined here as having three sides, the east side, the west side and the north side but lacking a south side, each opening with a diameter of one sixteenth of an inch when measured west to east or east to west, each opening with a length of one sixteenth of an inch, each opening forming the shape of a complete square, but only when said second end of said gravel tube stands upright in a vertical position such that its base meets in perpendicular alignment with a plane surface.
14. The apparatus of Claim 10 and Claim 11 wherein said openings have means for manipulating a shape of the pattern of water and gravel rotational motion inside said interior boundary of said gravel cleaning tube.
15. The apparatus of Claim 11 and Claim 12 wherein said openings have means for determining the beginning area of the pattern of water and gravel rotational motion inside said interior boundary of said gravel cleaning tube.
16. The openings of Claim 8 and 9 wherein said openings have means for manipulating a velocity of water as it enters the interior boundary of the gravel tube.
17. The apparatus of Claim 1 and also including a water hose; said water hose has two ends, a first end and a second end, and means for the following:
watertight detachable connection of said first end of said water hose to said first end of said gravel cleaning tube, and means for watertight detachable connection of said second end of said water hose to a means for vacuum suction.
18. A method for creating a partial vacuum inside the interior boundary of a gravel cleaning tube, comprising the steps of the following:
a) providing a water hose with two opposite ends, a first end and a second end;
b) providing for the aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment of Claim 18;
c) connecting in watertight fashion said first end of said gravel cleaning tube to said first end of said water hose;
d) providing for a pump with means for vacuum suction, said pump further has means for aspiration of air out of said pump, said pump further has means for aspiration of air out of said water hose, said pump further has means for suctioning water into said pump and means for discharging the same water out of said pump, said pump also has means for engaging its drawing function and means for disengaging its drawing function, said pump further has means for establishing a watertight connection to said drawing function; said pump further has means for drawing through said pump the equivalent of 200 gallons of water per hour;
e) connecting in watertight fashion said first end of said gravel cleaning tube attachment to said first end of said water hose;
f) connecting in watertight fashion said drawing function of said pump to said second end of said water hose;
g) placing said second end of said gravel cleaning tube into an aquarium and holding the opened bottom of said gravel tube over an area of gravel selected for cleaning and depressing said gravel tube into the gravel and toward the floor of the aquarium as far as it will go;
h) engaging the drawing function of said pump wherein a partial vacuum is created in the gravel tube attachment.
19. A method of precipitating a predetermined velocity of aquarium water entry into the interior boundary of an aquarium gravel-cleaning tube attachment comprising the steps of the following:
a) providing a water hose with two opposite ends, a first end and a second end;
b) providing for the apparatus of Claim 18;
c) connecting in watertight fashion said first end of said gravel cleaning tube to said first end of said water hose;
d) providing for the water pump of Claim 19;
e) connecting in watertight fashion said drawing function of said pump to said second end of said water hose;
f) placing said second end of said gravel cleaning tube into an aquarium and holding the opened bottom of said gravel tube over an area of gravel selected for cleaning and depressing said gravel tube into the gravel and toward the floor of the aquarium as far as it will go;
g) engaging the drawing function of said pump wherein a partial vacuum is created in the gravel tube attachment, thereby precipitating a predetermined velocity of aquarium water entry into the interior boundary of an aquarium gravel-cleaning tube attachment.
20. A method of precipitating a predetermined velocity of aquarium water entry into the interior boundary of an aquarium gravel-cleaning tube attachment comprising the steps of the following:
a) providing a water hose with two opposite ends, a first end and a second end;
b) providing for the apparatus of Claim 18;
c) connecting in watertight fashion said first end of said gravel cleaning tube to said first end of said water hose;
d) providing for a water pump of Claim 19;
e) connecting in watertight fashion said drawing function of said pump to said second end of said water hose;
f) placing said second end of said gravel cleaning tube into an aquarium and holding the opened bottom of said gravel tube over an area of gravel selected for cleaning and depressing said gravel tube into the gravel and toward the floor of the aquarium as far as it will go;
g) engaging the drawing function of said pump wherein a partial vacuum is created in the gravel tube attachment, thereby precipitating a predetermined velocity of aquarium water entry into the interior boundary of an aquarium gravel-cleaning tube attachment.
21. A method for creating gravel and water agitational motion inside the interior boundary of a gravel cleaning tube attachment, comprising the steps of the following:
a) providing a water hose with two opposite ends, a first end and a second end;
b) providing for the apparatus of Claim 18;
c) connecting in watertight fashion said first end of said gravel cleaning tube to said first end of said water hose;
d) providing for a water pump of Claim with means for
drawing water into said pump and discharging water out of said pump, said pump also has means for engaging it’s drawing function and means for disengaging it drawing function, said pump further has means for establishing a watertight connection to said drawing function; said pump further has means for drawing through said pump the equivalent of 170 gallons of water per hour;
and connecting in watertight fashion said first end of said gravel cleaning tube to said first end of said water hose;
e) connecting in watertight fashion said drawing function of said pump to said second end of said water hose;
f) placing said second end of said gravel cleaning tube into an aquarium and holding the opened bottom of said gravel tube over an area of gravel selected for cleaning and depressing said gravel tube into the gravel and toward the floor of the aquarium as far as it will go;
g) engaging the drawing function of said pump wherein a partial vacuum is created in the gravel tube attachment, thereby precipitating a predetermined velocity of aquarium water entry into the interior boundary of an aquarium gravel-cleaning tube attachment,
Wherein, a partial vacuum is created in the interior boundary of said aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment, precipitating a predetermined velocity of aquarium water entry into the interior boundary of said aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment which in turn precipitates gravel, and aquarium water agitational motion within the interior boundary of said aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment.
22. The method of Claim 19 wherein said pump has a suctioning capacity means between 100 and 150 gallons per hour.
23. The method of Claim 19 wherein said water pump has a suctioning capacity means of 295 GPH and is commercially sold under such brand names as Maxi-Jet ® MP 1200.
24. The method of Claim 19 wherein said water pump for use with said gravel cleaning tube attachment is of the type with an output capacity of 350 GPH and commercially sold under such brand names as Eheim® Professional II Model 2126.
25. The method of Claim 19 wherein said water pump for use with said gravel cleaning tube attachment is of the type with means for draining 150 gallons of water per hour and known as a venturi faucet pump and commercially available under such brand names as a Blue Magic Drain® and Fill Kit available at waterbed stores or on the internet at waterbed sites.
26. The method of Claim 19 wherein said water pump for use with said gravel cleaning tube attachment is of the type with an output capacity of 350 GPH and known as canister filters and commercially available under such brand names as Magnum ® 350 Deluxe.
27. The method of Claim 19 wherein said water pump for use with said gravel cleaning tube attachment is of the type with an output capacity of 180 gallons per hour and commercially available under such brand names as Fluval ® 204.
28. A method of precipitating a predetermined velocity of aquarium water entry into the interior boundary of an aquarium gravel-cleaning tube attachment comprising the steps of the following:
a) providing a water hose with two opposite ends, a first end and a second end;
b) providing for the aquarium gravel cleaning tube of Claim 8;
c) connecting said first end of said aquarium gravel cleaning tube to said first end of said water hose;
d) providing for a water pump of Claim 19;
e) connecting in watertight fashion said suction inlet of said pump to said second end of said water hose;
f) placing said second end of said gravel cleaning tube into an aquarium and holding the opened bottom of said gravel tube over an area of gravel selected for cleaning and depressing said gravel tube into the gravel and toward the floor of the aquarium as far as it will go;
g) engaging the drawing function of said pump wherein a partial vacuum is created in the gravel tube attachment, thereby precipitating a predetermined velocity of aquarium water entry into the interior boundary of an aquarium gravel-cleaning tube.
29. A method for precipitating debris separation from gravel and debris suspension into aquarium water within the interior boundary of an aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment comprising the steps of the following:
a) providing a water hose with two opposite ends, a first end and a second end;
b) providing an aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment with a predetermined number of holes, apertures and openings on the outside wall of said tube to allow a predetermined velocity of water, sediment, and impurities into the interior boundary of said tube by way of passage through said apertures, holes and openings of a predetermined number and size on the outside wall of said gravel tube, said apertures, holes and openings of a predetermined number and size sufficient to allow a means for creation of a partial vacuum inside the interior boundary of said gravel tube, said gravel tube having a first end and a second end;
c) connecting said first end of said tube to said second end of said water hose;
d) providing for a water faucet pump, said water pump has three ends, a first end, a second end, and a third end, said first end includes means for establishing a watertight connection to a water faucet, said second end includes separate means for watertight connection to a water hose, and said third end includes two positions, a drain position and a closed position, said drain position allows disposal of aquarium water from an aquarium into a drain, and said closed position includes means for blocking the discharge of aquarium water into a drain;
e) connecting said water faucet pump’s said first end to a water faucet, and connecting said water faucet pump’s said second end to a water hose, and placing said water faucet pump’s said third end in said open position;
f) providing a water faucet with two positions, an open position to allow a source of water passage from said water faucet and a closed position to block a source of water passage from said water faucet;
g) placing said water faucet in said open position;
h) placing said gravel cleaning tube in said aquarium;
i) holding said gravel cleaning tube in an upright and vertical position;
j) pressing said gravel cleaning tube downward over an area of gravel;
k) further pressing said gravel cleaning tube downward such that it segments within said gravel cleaning tube’ interior boundary an area of gravel selected for cleaning;
l) further pressing said gravel cleaning tube downward toward the floor of the aquarium as far as it will go;
Wherein, a partial vacuum is precipitated within the interior boundary of said gravel cleaning tube attachment, said partial vacuum in turn causes some of the debris to be lifted from the gravel and suspended in the aquarium water within the interior boundary of said gravel cleaning tube attachment, said partial vacuum also precipitates a predetermined velocity of aquarium water entry into the interior boundary of said aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment which in turn precipitates gravel, and aquarium water agitational motion within the interior boundary of said aquarium gravel cleaning tube attachment which in turn precipitates further separation of leftover debris from said gravel and suspension of said leftover debris into said aquarium water.
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