Abstract:
An aquarium cleaning system uses a housing that seals to the bottom of the aquarium. Water is siphoned out of the top of the housing into a vessel. As a result of the siphoned off water, additional water enters the housing via a tube assembly wherein a spray bar assembly rotates and discharges water out of a pair of opposing openings, such discharge causing a vortex. A counterflow vortex is created either by a second counterrotating spray bar assembly or via angled inlet jets on the base proximate the rotating spray bar assembly. The colliding vortexes cause substrate within the aquarium to collide and thereby clean itself. Lighter waste material is carried out of the housing by the laminar water flow of the siphon with the substrate loosing sufficient kinetic energy from the laminar flow so as to gravitationally settle back toward the base of the housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a system that uses countercurrents to clean small granule sized substrate, such as Aragonite sand, found within a typical aquarium, as well as to remove dissolved nitrogenous waste material that has accumulated within the aquarium. 
     2. Background of the Prior Art 
     Most aquaria include, among other features, a layer of substrate or granular material which covers the bottom of the display tank. It has been observed that besides its aesthetic function, this substrate layer serves as a trap for the purpose of accumulating waste materials produced, either directly or indirectly, by the aquarium inhabitants. At the same time, dissolved nitrogenous waste materials accumulate in the aquarium water, necessitating removal of these materials by periodic water changes. The most efficient means of addressing both of these problems is to remove water from the system for the purpose of changing the water while simultaneously cleaning the substrate with a substrate-cleaning device. 
     Since the 1950s, several devices have been proposed for the removal of waste material embedded in and adhered to aquarium substrates. By far the most commonly used device in use today is the standard gravel cleaner (used in one form or another for at least the last several decades). The typical gravel cleaner comprises a larger diameter tube or housing attached, in series by means of a reducing coupling, to a smaller diameter siphon hose. In operation, water and gravel are ingested into the bottom of this hand-manipulated device through a large diameter aperture at the base of the housing (large diameter) tube. The gentler flow within the housing allows constant mixing of aquarium water and gravel that has been ingested through this aperture. Loose deposited debris rises immediately through the column of the housing tube and out of the top of the housing via the siphon tube by virtue of its lesser specific gravity. Collisions between gravel particles in the gravel-water slurry within the housing tube result in removal of some of the organic film that covers each gravel particle. The substrate material is too heavy to exit the top of the device housing with the waste (except during transfer of the device from one location to another if the tube has been allowed to fill with too much substrate). Accumulated substrate suspended within the device housing is then returned to the aquarium by tilting the device or by occluding the siphon hose. The device is simple to set up and loss of substrate is soon minimized as the aquarist gains expertise in the use of the equipment. 
     A far less commonly used device to clean the substrate and to remove dissolved nitrogenous waste material within an aquarium leaves apertures in the housing tube through which water enters forcefully when the relatively large bottom aperture of the housing is blocked by contact with the bottom surface of the aquarium. These apertures, which act as jets, can be directed in such a way as to cause the water-gravel slurry to rotate in vortex fashion within the housing tube to increase the number of substrate particle collisions as well as the force of such collisions. However, these prior art devices suffered from their inability to completely seal the device against the bottom of the housing tube resulting in decreased force of flow through the apertures. Additionally, such prior art devices use an in-line pump/filter arrangement to force water through the device. While having the advantage of reducing the operation to a single step, this approach results in one of two potential disadvantages. The use of finer filter media traps the smaller particles of sediment removed by the device but results in diminished flow through the device because the pump must force water through a filter which quickly plugs up with sedimentary material. The use of coarser filter media results in decreased resistance to flow and thus better removal of adhered organic material by the device, but allows the smaller particles of sediment past the filter and back into the aquarium, hence the loss of efficiency in the form of retained particulate organic carbon (POC) within the aquarium system. This conundrum (loss of efficiency on either side of the filter-medium fineness curve) is an inherent property of in-line pump/filter use. 
     Nevertheless, the typical gravel cleaner has functioned reasonably well in salt-water systems using crushed coral aggregate as substrate for many years. The comparatively gentle mixing of water and gravel at the base of the device, while enough to remove non-adhered sediment, tended to leave most of the thin film of adhered organic material coating the individual gravel particle which was left within the aquarium system. This material, when further degraded by bacterial action, contributed to the total dissolved organic carbon (DOC) load of the system, thereby increasing nutrient levels in the water. Increased nutrient load is particularly undesirable for aquarists attempting to maintain delicate invertebrates like corals because the nutrients function as fertilizer for the algae which then compete successfully with the corals for space on the rock-pile. Aquarists attempt to balance nutrient import (feeding the system) with nutrient export (waste material successfully removed from the system) in order to maintain the low nutrient level conditions which favor the growth of marine invertebrates and which most closely replicate conditions on the natural coral reef. The functions performed by substrate cleaning are performed by tide and wave action on the coral reef, thus maintaining the low-nutrient conditions in which the organisms inhabiting this delicate ecosystem evolved. 
     In addition to the above-mentioned limitation of the typical gravel cleaner, the introduction of aragonite sand onto the aquarium industry introduced a new complication. While the sand was aesthetically superior, cleaning this substrate was complicated by the fact that the lighter sand particles would be vacuumed out of the system along with the particulate organic waste if a typical gravel cleaner was used. This problem could be addressed by using a smaller diameter siphon tube with the typical gravel cleaner, slowing the rate at which water rises inside the device and preventing substrate loss. However, this limitation slows even further the turbulence at the base of the device, allowing even more adhered waste to remain behind after the cleaning, resulting in diminished nutrient export. This difficulty has, in part, resulted in the development of a school of thought advocating no substrate cleaning at all. Failure to clean the substrate has proven to be even more deleterious to the aquarium inhabitants because the finer substrate impedes the flow of water below its surface and allows the establishment of zones of anaerobic bacterial degradation. These zones, in turn, allow the buildup of highly toxic sulfur-bearing compounds which may be liberated into the aquarium water whenever the substrate is disturbed by action of fish or by rearrangement of decorative rocks. 
     Yet another school of thought (called the Berlin method) eliminates the substrate altogether, allowing the aquarist to suction the waste material directly off the bare base of the aquarium. This, to most, is aesthetically unappealing &amp; allows algae to directly colonize the aquarium bottom. In addition, the lack of substrate results in less sediment trapping &amp; increased accumulation of sediment directly on corals &amp; inaccessible areas of the rock pile. 
     What is needed is a device that addresses the above stated shortcomings in the art by providing a system that greatly improved separation of substrate and waste material in comparison to the prior art gravel cleaners. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The aquarium cleaning system of the present invention addresses the aforementioned needs in the art by providing a modified “gravel cleaner” with the actual purpose of separating aragonite sand (an increasingly popular aquarium substrate, or bottom material) from particulate organic carbonaceous material (animal waste, algae, products of decomposition) which has precipitated out of the water-column and become integrated into the bottom material or adhered to the surface of individual particles of substrate material forming an organic film which is more difficult to dislodge than the settled particulate material. Successful removal of this material is critical for good husbandry of delicate freshwater and marine organisms as failure to perform this maintenance function is the chief reason for failure of hobbyists to replicate natural habitat and experience success in this otherwise rewarding field of endeavor. 
     This improved action is achieved when sand particles have kinetic energy imparted to them in opposing directions by a combination of dynamic and static jets or dual dynamic jets within the device, so that the particles then collide with other particles, effectively rubbing off the film of organic material. Although the non-adhered particulate matter is quickly removed, the longer the device is allowed to process an aliquot of substrate, the more of this adhered POC is removed. The cost of this operation is the loss of more aquarium water into the wastewater receptacle. If the water thus spent exceeds the amount that the aquarist desires to remove from the system during the current water-change cycle, the user may return as much of the effluent-water to the system (after particulates removed by settling or filtration or both) as is necessary. 
     The aquarium cleaning system is comprised of a tubular housing member that has an open top and an open bottom. A rubber bottom encompasses the bottom of the housing. A reducing cap is attached to the top of the housing. A siphon hose extends from the reducing cap. A pair of first openings is located on opposing sides of the housing medially between the top and the bottom, each of the openings fluid flow connected to a fitting. A first spray bar assembly is downwardly and rotatably connected to the fitting. The first spray bar assembly has a pair of outwardly extending first arms. Each first arm has a second opening thereon such that each second opening faces in opposing direction relative to the other second opening. When the housing is placed into the body of water so that the first openings are within the body of water (below the water line), a water stream enters into the first openings due to the pressure differential across the housing wall of the device created by removal of water from the interior of the device by the siphon. The water stream flows into the first spray arm assembly and out of each second opening causing the first arms to rotate such that the water stream causes a first vortex to rotate within the housing as a result of the rotational discharge from the second opening of each first arm of the first spray bar assembly. Means are provided for allowing water to enter the housing and to create a second vortex within the housing, which second vortex counter-rotates within the housing. A pair of screens is provided and each covers a respective one of the first openings. A valve is located on the siphon hose. At least one riser arm is attached to the housing. The riser arm retractably extends below the rubber boot. The means for allowing water to enter the housing comprises either at least one angled opening located in the housing proximate the bottom or a second spray bar assembly that is upwardly and rotatably connected to the fitting. The second spray bar assembly has a pair of outwardly extending second arms. Each second arm has a third opening thereon such that each third opening faces in opposing direction relative to the other third opening. When the housing is placed into the body of water so that the first openings are within the body of water, a water stream enters into the first openings. The water stream flows into the second spray arm assembly (as well as the first spray arm assembly) and out of each third opening causing the second arms to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the first spray arm assembly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the aquarium cleaning system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the aquarium cleaning system. 
         FIG. 3  is an environmental view of the aquarium cleaning system being used to clean an aquarium. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the aquarium cleaning system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the aquarium cleaning system of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cutaway view of the aquarium cleaning system of  FIG. 4 , illustrating the flow paths of the various elements within the system 
     
    
    
     Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, it is seen that the aquarium cleaning system of the present invention, generally denoted by reference numeral  10 , is comprised of a housing  12  that is a hollow tubular member having an open top  14  and an open bottom  16 . Advantageously, although not necessarily, the housing  12 , which is made from appropriate material such as plastic, is clear so that a user can visually observe the actions within the housing  12  whenever the aquarium cleaning system  10  is operational. A pair of opposed openings  18  is located on the housing  12  approximately midway up the height of the housing  12 . Attached to the bottom  16  of the housing  12  is a base  20  that has a rubber boot  22  encompassing the lower periphery of the base  20 . A series of angled openings  24  are located on the base  20  such that whenever the housing  12  is attached to the base  20  (which may be simply by friction fitting the housing  12  into the top of the base  20 , or the housing  12  may be adhered to the base  20 ), the housing  12  does not cover these openings  24 . These openings  24  are substantially smaller relative to the openings  18  on the housing  12 . It is understood that the housing  12  and the base  20  can be formed as an integral, even a monolithic unit, however, for ease of manufacture as well as to provide structural rigidity to the aquarium cleaning system  10 , a two section housing  12  and base  20  combination is preferred. 
     A reducing coupling  26  is attached to the top  14  of the housing  12  either via friction fit or via adhesion, etc. A relatively small diameter siphon hose  28  is attached to the reduced distal end of the reducing coupling  26  via an appropriate hose fitting  30  of any appropriate design. One or more valves  32 , either manual or electric (electric version not illustrated) with a control button is located proximate the housing  12 . Again it is understood that the housing  12  and the reducing coupling  26  can be formed as an integral, even a monolithic unit, however, for ease of manufacture as well as to provide structural rigidity to the aquarium cleaning system  10 , a two section housing  12  and reducing coupling  26  combination is preferred. 
     The base  20  and the reducing coupling  26  may be made from any appropriate material such as plastic, PVC, etc. 
     Protruding through each opening  18  on the housing  12  is an inlet tube  34 , each connected to one end of a T-fitting  36 . Located on the protruding end of each inlet tube  34  is a screen  38  to help prevent ingestion of large objects into the tubing system of the aquarium cleaning system  10 . Attached to the downwardly facing base leg  40  of the T-fitting  36  is a rotator coupling  42 . Rotatably attached to the opposing end of the rotator coupling  42  is a spray bar assembly  44  which is basically a T-fitting having a base leg  46  that is rotatably coupled to the rotator coupling  42  (appropriate seals are provided (not illustrated) to help prevent small sand and other particles from entering the connection area, which particles could interfere with proper rotation of the spray bar assembly) and a pair of extension arms  48  extending outwardly from the base leg  46 . An opening  50  is located on each extension arm  48 , each opening  50  facing in opposite direction relative to the other opening  50 . 
     One or more riser arm assemblies  52 , of any appropriate design, are attached to the aquarium cleaning system  10 , advantageously to the base  20  and to the reducing coupling  26 . The riser arm assemblies  52  provide a retractable riser arm  54  that helps hold the rubber boot  22  of the base  20  off of the bottom B of the aquarium A as more fully explained below. 
     In order to use the aquarium cleaning system  10  of the present invention, the sump of the aquarium A is turned off. The distal end of the siphon hose  28  is positioned into an appropriate fluid receiving vessel  56  located gravitationally below the aquarium A. The valve  32  on the siphon hose  28  is closed. The housing  12  is placed into the aquarium A and positioned over an area to be cleaned with the rubber boot  22  just above the bottom B of the aquarium A. If provided, the riser arms  54  of the riser arm assemblies  52  are extended to help hold the aquarium cleaning system  10  in this position above the bottom B. The valve  32  is opened and a siphon is established via the siphon hose  28  in any appropriate fashion (purely manually, mechanical assist, electric device assist, etc.,), so that water W flows through the housing  12 , through the reducing coupling  26  and through the siphon hose  28  into the fluid vessel  56 . This water W flow causes the substrate G to be ingested into the housing  12 . Sufficient substrate G is so ingested until a bare spot at the bottom B of the aquarium A occurs, which bare spot is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the rubber boot  22 . Thereafter, the housing  12  is lowered (riser arms  54  retracted, if used) until the rubber boot  22  is sitting on the bare bottom B of the aquarium A. Once the rubber boot  22  sits upon the bottom B of the aquarium A, the aquarium cleaning system  10  is sealed to the bottom B at the rubber boot  22  and a suction is formed thereat. As such, water W rushes into the housing  12  via its two openings  18 , the water W flowing through the inlet tubes  34  and into the T-fitting  36 , and down into the spray bar assembly  44 . The water flows out of the two openings  50  on the extension arms  48  of the spray bar assembly  44  with sufficient force to cause the spray bar assembly  44  to rotate about the rotator coupling  42 . The spinning spray bar assembly  44  causes the water exiting the openings  50  to form a vortex causing agitation of the substrate G which is suspended as a slurry, or fluidized bed within the upward flowing water W inside the housing  12  of the device. The interior cross section of the siphon hose  28  is on the order of about 4-5 times greater relative to the combined cross sections of the interior of the tubing system of the agitation subsystem (inlet tubes  34 , T-fitting  36  and spray bar assembly  44 ) in order to achieve sufficient rotation of the spray bar assembly  44 . Coincidentally, water W also rushes into the housing  12  via the small openings  24  on the base  20 . These openings  24  are angled so that the incoming water W flow is in opposite direction relative to the vortex created by the water W flowing out of the openings  50  of the spray bar assembly  44 , resulting in a counterflow vortex. These two colliding vortexes cause increased turbulence within the housing  12  and thus increased substrate G particle collisions. Such collisions increase the amount of the particulate organic carbon layer that is removed from the surface of the substrate G. After being bled off by collisions with other particles G, excess kinetic energy is then further depleted as the particle G rises inside the more gentle laminar flow in the upper portion of the housing  12 . This slowing of the particle G allows gravity to carry it back toward the bottom of the housing  12  before it can be lost through the reducing coupling  26  at the top  14  of the housing  12 . Particulate organic carbon material C, with its lesser specific gravity is then drawn out of the upper portion of housing  12  through the siphon tube  28  and is allowed to flow down to the vessel  56  below the aquarium A for either disposal (during water-change) or sedimentation-filtration and return to the aquarium system in a separate step of the substrate cleaning operation. Once the aquarium cleaning system  10  has been operational for a sufficient amount of time, say on the order of 30 to 60 seconds or so, the siphon hose control valve  32  is closed, thereby breaking the seal of the base  20  to the bottom B of the aquarium A returning the newly cleaned substrate material G to the bottom of the aquarium A. The aquarium cleaning system  10  is lifted up and moved to a different location within the aquarium A wherein the process is repeated. The user performs several such cleaning iterations until the aquarium A is sufficiently cleaned. If the volume of water W lost in this cleaning process exceeds the amount of water W to be changed then the contents of the vessel  56  in which most of the particulate matter C has settled is siphoned back into the sump of the aquarium A through a fine-mesh filter-bag. New water may be siphoned or pumped into the sump of the aquarium A and the circulation pump is started to refill the aquarium A itself. 
     As seen in  FIGS. 4-6  an alternate embodiment of the aquarium cleaning system of the present invention, generally denoted by reference numeral  110 , is comprised of a housing  112  that is a hollow tubular member having an open top  114  and an open bottom  116 . Advantageously, although not necessarily, the housing  112 , which is made from appropriate material such as plastic, is clear so that a user can visually observe the actions within the housing  112  whenever the aquarium cleaning system  110  is operational. A pair of opposing openings  118  is located on the housing  112  approximately midway up the height of the housing  112 . Attached to the bottom  116  of the housing  112  is a base  120  that has a rubber boot  122  encompassing the lower periphery of the base  120 . The housing  112  may be attached to the base  120  by simply friction fitting the housing  112  into the top of the base  120 , or the housing  112  may be adhered to the base  120 . It is understood that the housing  112  and the base  120  can be formed as an integral, even a monolithic unit, however, for ease of manufacture as well as to provide structural rigidity to the aquarium cleaning system  110 , a two section housing  112  and base  120  combination is preferred. 
     A reducing coupling  126  is attached to the top  114  of the housing  112  either via friction fit or via adhesion, etc. A relatively small diameter siphon hose  128  is attached to the reduced distal end of the reducing coupling  126  via an appropriate hose fitting  130  of any appropriate design. Again it is understood that the housing  112  and the reducing coupling  126  can be formed as an integral, even a monolithic unit, however, for ease of manufacture as well as to provide structural rigidity to the aquarium cleaning system  110 , a two section housing  112  and reducing coupling  126  combination is preferred. One or more valves (not illustrated for brevity and clarity), either manual or electric with a control button is located proximate the housing  112 . 
     The base  120  and the reducing coupling  126  may be made from any appropriate material such as plastic, PVC, etc. 
     Protruding through each opening  118  on the housing  112  is an inlet tube  134 , each connected to one end of a cross-fitting  136 . Located on the protruding end of each inlet tube  134  is a screen  138  to help prevent ingestion of large objects into the tubing system of the aquarium cleaning system  110 . Attached to the downwardly facing base leg  140   a  of the cross-fitting  136  is a rotator coupling  142  while a second rotator coupling  142  is attached to the upwardly facing base leg  140   b . Rotatably attached to the opposing end of each rotator coupling  142  is a spray bar assembly  144  which is basically a T-fitting having a base leg  146  that is rotatably coupled to its respective rotator coupling  142  (appropriate seals are provided (not illustrated) to help prevent small sand and other particles from entering the connection area, which particles could interfere with proper rotation of the spray bar assembly) and a pair of extension arms  148  extending outwardly from the base leg  146 . An opening  150  is located on each extension arm  148 , each opening facing in opposite direction relative to the other opening  150  such that the openings  150  on the lower spray bar assembly are 180 degrees out of phase relative to the openings  150  of the upper spray bar assembly. 
     One or more riser arm assemblies (not illustrated for brevity and clarity), of any appropriate design are attached to the aquarium cleaning system  110 , advantageously to the base  120  and to the reducing coupling  126 . The riser arm assemblies provide a retractable riser arm that helps hold the rubber boot  122  of the base  120  off of the bottom B of the aquarium A as more fully explained below. 
     In order to use the aquarium cleaning system  110  of the present invention, the sump of the aquarium A is turned off. The distal end of the siphon hose  128  is positioned into an appropriate fluid receiving vessel (not illustrated) located below the aquarium A. The valve  132  on the siphon hose  128  is closed. The housing  112  is placed into the aquarium A and positioned over an area to be cleaned with the rubber boot  122  just above the substrate G located on the bottom B of the aquarium A. If provided, the riser arms of the riser arm assemblies are extended to help hold the aquarium cleaning system  110  in this position above the substrate G. The valve  132  is opened and a siphon is established via the siphon hose  128  in any appropriate fashion (purely manually, mechanical assist, electric device assist, etc.,), so that water W flows through the housing  112 , through the reducing coupling  126  and through the siphon hose  128  into the fluid vessel. The housing  112  is then lowered (riser arms retracted, if used) until the rubber boot  122  is sitting on the bare bottom B of the aquarium A. During device penetration through the substrate G, the housing  112  can be tilted slightly to help move the substrate G in order to provide a “clean” bottom surface for the rubber boot  122  to sit upon. Once the rubber boot  122  sits upon the bottom B of the aquarium A, the aquarium cleaning system  110  is sealed to the bottom B at the rubber boot  122  and a suction is formed thereat. As such, water W rushes into the housing  112  via its two openings  118 , the water W flowing through the inlet tubes  134  and into the cross-fitting  136 , and into each of the spray bar assemblies  144 . The water flows out of the two openings  150  on the extension arms  148  of each of the spray bar assemblies  144  with sufficient force to cause each spray bar assembly  144  to rotate about its rotator coupling  142 . As the openings  150  of the lower spray bar assembly  144  are 180 degrees out of phase relative to the openings  150  of the upper spray bar assembly  144 , the two spray bar assemblies  144  rotate in opposite directions relative to one another. Each spinning spray bar assembly  144  causes the water W exiting its openings  150  to form a vortex causing agitation of the substrate G. As the two spray bar assemblies  144  each rotate in opposing directions, each produces a vortex of opposite direction relative to the other vortex. These two colliding vortexes cause increased turbulence within the housing  112  and thus increased substrate G particle collisions. Such collisions increase the amount of the sediment layer that is removed from the surface of the substrate G. After being bled off by collisions with other particles G, excess kinetic energy is then further depleted as the particle G rises inside the more gentle laminar flow in the upper portion of the housing  112 . This slowing of the particle G allows gravity to carry it back toward the bottom of the housing  112  before it can be lost through the reducing coupling  126  at the top  114  of the housing  112 . Particulate organic carbon material C, with its lesser specific gravity is then drawn out of the upper portion of housing  112  through the siphon tube  128  and allowed to flow down to the vessel below the aquarium A for either disposal (during water-change) or sedimentation-filtration &amp; return to the aquarium system in a separate step of the substrate cleaning operation. The interior cross section of the siphon hose  128  is on the order of about 4-5 times greater relative to the combined cross sections of the interior of the flow tubes of the agitation subsystem (inlet tubes  134 , cross-fitting  136  and spray bar assemblies  144 ) in order to achieve sufficient rotation of the spray bar assembly  144 . Once the aquarium cleaning system  110  has been operational for a sufficient amount of time, say on the order of 30 to 60 seconds or so, the siphon hose control valve  132  is closed, thereby breaking the seal of the base  120  to the bottom B of the aquarium A. The aquarium cleaning system  110  is lifted up and moved to a different location within the aquarium A wherein the process is repeated. The user performs several such cleaning iterations until the aquarium A is sufficiently cleaned. If the volume of water W lost in this cleaning process exceeds the amount of water W to be changed then the contents of a vessel in which most of the particulate matter C has settled is siphoned back into the sump of the aquarium A through a fine-mesh filter-bag. New water may be siphoned or pumped into the sump of the aquarium A and the circulation pump is started to refill the aquarium A itself. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.