Abstract: A habitat enclosure comprising a removably disposed housing or outer covering shaped or otherwise configured to represent an animate object is presented. Furthermore, the outer covering is disposed in a removable, yet confronting engagement with a container, the container being viewable through a display area of the outer covering. The container also comprises a lid removably disposed relative to a basin in order to allow at least temporary access into said interior portion thereof. The enclosure further comprises one or more access channels disposed through the outer covering and into a communicative relation with the interior portion of the container in order to facilitate feeding, breathing, and/or draining or other maintenance. A lighting assembly is disposed in an illuminating relation with the container such that the apparatus may be used as a night-light or other soothing accent.

Abstract: An aquarium transfer container has an inner container with holes therein. A double siphon is created from the aquarium to the transfer container and then from the transfer container to drain. When all the foreign water in the transfer container has been replaced with aquarium water, the inner container is lifted out and set inside the aquarium to release the transferred fish/plant.

Abstract: The invention relates to an aquarium with a water tank (2), filled with water (3) when in operation and containing objects for investigation (4, 19), in particularly biological organisms, said water tank (2) being at least partly located below ground in the earth (5). According to the invention, the water tank (2) runs so deep into the earth (5) that, at least the bottom of the water tank (2) is at the pressure of the deep sea. The invention further relates to a corresponding method of operation.

Abstract: By adding an evacuated vertical structure onto a body of water where part of the structure extends above the body of water, the water level rises into the structure because of the vacuum. Use of the structure increases the overall volume of water in an aquarium and provides added space for fish as well as enhanced viewing of the aquarium.

Abstract: By adding an evacuated vertical structure onto a body of water where part of the structure extends above the body of water, the water level rises into the structure because of the vacuum. Use of the structure increases the overall volume of water in an aquarium and provides added space for fish as well as enhanced viewing of the aquarium.

Abstract: A substantially transparent separator for separating fish or other aquatic animals within a water-filled display tank is disclosed. The separator divides the tank into multiple, fully viewable regions in fluid communication with each other. The separator comprises at least one transparent, hollow transit chamber, which has opposing mouth openings cut through its surface. Affixed to each of the mouth openings are rigid, substantially vertical divider plates. Apertures through the divider plates adjoin the mouth openings of the transit chamber(s) to form a protected aquatic passageway through the interior of the tank. The separator thus allows groups of physically separated fish or other aquatic animals to swim above, beneath, and beside each other in a three-dimensional manner. Also, each group of aquatic animals has access to the water surface for feeding.

Abstract: A substantially transparent separator for separating fish or other aquatic animals within a water-filled display tank. The separator divides the tank into multiple, fully viewable regions in fluid communication with each other. The separator comprises at least one transparent, hollow transit chamber, which has opposing mouth openings cut through its surface. Affixed to each of the mouth openings are rigid, substantially vertical divider plates. Apertures through the divider plates adjoin the mouth openings of the transit chamber(s) to form a protected aquatic passageway through the interior of the tank. The separator thus allows groups of physically separated fish or other aquatic animals to swim above, beneath, and beside each other in a three-dimensional manner. Also, each group of aquatic animals has access to the water surface for feeding.

Abstract: A fish tank with filling by aspiration of air which includes a lower zone (1) and an upper zone (2), the lower zone (1) being hermetically sealed by its sides and lower part and having has an opening (1a) in its upper part in the manner of a receptacle, while the upper zone (2) is hermetically sealed by its sides and upper part (2c) and has an opening (2a) in its lower part in the manner of an inverted receptacle, and the opening (2a) is comprised at a height slightly below the opening (1a) of the lower zone (1), there being in the upper part (2c) of the upper zone (2) a system of aspiration of air formed by a pump (3) and a non-return valve (5), which is suitable for extracting the air from the upper zone (2), preventing the entry of air or water through the upper part (2c) above said upper zone (2), while in the part (2b) inside of the upper zone (2) there is installed a small grating (4) in order to prevent access of the fish to possible air bubbles inside the upper zone (2).

Abstract: An aquatic habitat extension device uses a circulation assembly to reversibly maintain a volume of water above the surface of an underlying body of water. The aquatic extension can be used alone or with other similar aquatic habitat extensions that themselves can be varied in terms of size, shape, and the degree to which they are filled with water. Each habitat extension has a water inlet located beneath the surface of a body of water, which preserves the partial vacuum in the aquatic extension, and provides an entryway for aquatic animals to enter the transparent habitat extension where they are observed. To increase the occasions when fish or other aquatic animals enter a given habitat, a food delivery system delivers food to an air pocket trapped in the upper portion of an individual extension. Illuminating or tinting the habitats enhances the beauty of an aquarium, pond, water garden, or other body of water and can be accomplished through the use of a fiber optic cable system or more conventional means.

Abstract: An animal observation system comprising two enclosures, each configured to provide a habitant for air-breathing animals. A cylindrically shaped gallery connects the enclosures. A section of the gallery is transparent and waterproof. Also included is a fish tank in which the transparent section is embedded. The transparent section spans the space within the tank so that air-breathing animals occupying the transparent section appear to be intermingling with aquatic life within the fish tank. Feeding stations are provided for the air-breathing animals to entice them into the transparent section.

Abstract: The hydraulic vacuum pump (HVP) uses a centrifugal water pump with unconventional inlet and outlet connections that cause unconventional patterns of fluid flow. Valves are not required for operation. The submerged pump outlet must be kept open and unobstructed to flow, and must also be no smaller in cross-sectional area than the submerged pump-inlets. The pump inlet branches into two openings, each for a distinctly different purpose. A submerged pump-priming inlet branch uses an orifice of predetermined size to assure minimum liquid flow while also controlling both rate and limit of air extraction. The other inlet opening is connected to a fixed priming-siphon from which air is extracted as it is mixed with liquid in the pump in a novel automatic, pressure-activated cyclic action, and freely expelled in the outflow.

Abstract: An apparatus for creating surges in an aquarium uses a pump to move water from the aquarium into an external tank. A siphon tube periodically creates surges by draining water from the tank back into the aquarium. The siphon tube has an inlet at a predetermined elevation within the tank, an outlet for discharging water from the tank into a smaller secondary basin, and an intermediate high point at an elevation above the inlet. The secondary basin has a series of water dispersion outlets that allow the surge to discharge into the aquarium. The siphon tube allows water to surge from the tank into the secondary basin and thence back into the aquarium when the water level in the tank rises above the high point of the siphon. The surge continues until the water level falls below the inlet to the siphon. The pump continues to pump water from the aquarium into the tank at a relatively constant rate throughout this entire process, but at a lower flow rate than can be drained by the siphon tube.

Abstract: The combination of two aquarium fish tanks bridged by a plastic bridge tube is disclosed. The bridge tube is shaped to accommodate the insertion of the ends of said bridge tubes in each of the fish tanks. A pump and filter are connected to a narrow diameter tube to force water and air in one of the tanks to flow to the other tank and then back to the first tank through the plastic bridge tube to equalize the water level in both fish tanks, and to enhance the flow of fish through the plastic bridge tube. The combination of tanks may have two plastic brackets supporting the bridge tube. One of each of the brackets is coupled to the top of each fish tank. The plastic brackets are shaped with a vertical planar surface and horizontal planar surface, each surface having a substantially semi-circular cut out in the planar surface of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the fish tank bridge tube to provide stable support of the bridge tube both above and within the aquarium fish tanks being bridged.

Abstract: An ant habitat construction bowed in shape in a convex manner between its side edges, and large pad devices help to provide mechanical stability. Upper and lower hollow hinge devices enable similar units to be connected together in an articulated manner and in communication with one another to facilitate ant travel between the units, and yet have enhanced stability.