Abstract:
An aquatic habitat for holding fluid therein and having a first aquarium in fluid connection with a second aquarium via a hollow connector, hollow extension, elbow connector, or other shaped connector. The connector or extension has a portion of its length above the fluid in the first aquarium.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to aquariums for containing and raising aquatic animals, and more particularly, to an aquatic habitat having a plurality of aquariums in fluid connection with each other via at least one hollow connector.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART  
       [0002]     Most aquariums have transparent sides and a bottom defining a cavity or tank with a generally open top region, for holding water and aquatic animals. Aquatic animals are generally free to swim within the aquarium.  
         [0003]     Typically, aquariums have a rectangular or bulbous shape. A disadvantage with these types of aquariums is the limited area in which the aquatic animals can swim. Further, due to the very low interaction between aquatic animals and the viewer, there is a need to have an apparatus that adds to the enjoyment of the viewer.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention is a novel aquatic habitat having a plurality of aquariums in fluid connection with each other via hollow connectors, hollow extensions, elbow connectors, and/or other shaped connectors. At least one of the aquariums has a vacuum port for operatively connecting a vacuum pump thereto for creating a vacuum by evacuating entrapped air in the aquarium, thereby filling said aquarium. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]     These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein:  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an aquatic habitat according to the present invention having two aquariums in fluid connection with each other;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the aquatic habitat shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a side view of another embodiment of the aquatic habitat according to the present invention having a plurality of aquariums in fluid connection with each other; and  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the aquatic habitat shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0010]     An aquatic habitat  50 ,  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the present invention includes a first aquarium  10  in fluid connection with a second aquarium  11 . The first aquarium  10  has a plurality of sides  12  hermetically sealed to a bottom  13 . In the preferred embodiment, the sides  12  are transparent. A top  14  may be permanently or removably mounted to top edges  15  of the sides  12 . The top  14  may contain a light (not shown) for heating or illuminating the water in the first aquarium  10  as well known in the art. The first aquarium  10  also has an aquarium filter  16  operatively connected to the first aquarium  10  for circulating and filtering the water in the first aquarium  10  as is also well known in the art. Although the first aquarium  10  is shown in the shape of a rectangle, this is for illustrative purposes only and the present invention contemplates and may be implemented with an aquarium of essentially any shape.  
         [0011]     The second aquarium  11  has a plurality of sides  25  in the case of a rectangle or other geometric shape having intersecting side walls or one continuous side  25  in the case of a circular shape, as shown in  FIG. 2 , hermetically sealed to a top  24 , a bottom  23 , and a hollow connector tube or chamber  17 . The second aquarium  11  can be designed in a variety of shapes including, but not limited to, rectangular, square, or bulbous so long as the second aquarium  11  is hermetically sealed to the hollow connector  17 .  
         [0012]     A vacuum port  26  is operatively provided on the second aquarium  11 . A vacuum pump (not shown) can be removably attached to the vacuum port  26  to evacuate entrapped air between the top of the water level  27  and the top  24  of the second aquarium  11 , thereby reducing the pressure between the top of the water level  27  and the top  24  of the second aquarium  11 . The vacuum pump is of sufficient size to evacuate the entrapped air, and the size of the vacuum pump will depend on the size of the aquariums  10 ,  11  being used.  
         [0013]     In an alternative embodiment, a water inlet  38  is provided to pass water into the second aquarium  11 . When the water inlet  38  is not in use, it precludes water or air from passing through. A second aquarium filter  37  is operatively connected to the second aquarium  11  via a filter line  28 . The second aquarium filter  37  circulates and filters the water in the second aquarium  11 .  
         [0014]     The first aquarium  10  is in fluid connection with the second aquarium  11  via the hollow connector  17 , which is operatively mounted between the first aquarium  10  and second aquarium  11  and typically transparent. At least a portion  38  of the hollow connector  17  is not contained within the first aquarium  10  and the second aquarium  11  but is between the two, and provides means for fluidly connecting the first and second aquariums  10 ,  11  and provides for an appearance that the second aquarium is “floating” or suspended in midair. The hollow connector  17  has a hollow core  20  and a plurality of openings  18 . The openings  18  provide passageway from the first aquarium  10  to the second aquarium  11  via the hollow core  20  of the hollow connector  17 . In the preferred embodiment, a first end  21  of the hollow connector  17  is open and serves as the opening  18  to the second aquarium  11 , and the openings  18  for passage from the hollow connector  17  to the first aquarium  10  are in a circumference of the hollow connector  17  between the top  14  and a distal end  22  of the hollow connector  17 . In an alternative embodiment, the first end  21  of the hollow connector  17  is mounted to the top  24  of the second aquarium  11 , and the openings  18  to the second aquarium  11  are in the circumference of the hollow connector  17  between the bottom  23  and the top  24  of the second aquarium  11 . In another alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the distal end  22  of the hollow connector  17  has an open end  39 , which serves as the opening to the first aquarium  10 . The hollow connector  17  is held in place by a bracket  40  attached to the top edges  15  of the first aquarium.  
         [0015]     To use the aquatic habitat  50 , water is added to a cavity  29  of the first aquarium  10  until the water level is proximate the top edges  15  and the top  14 . The water will partially fill the hollow connector  17  but will not completely fill the second aquarium  11  because of the pressure between the water and the top  24  of the second aquarium  11 . To fill the second aquarium  11 , a vacuum is created in the second aquarium  11  via the vacuum port  26  and the vacuum pump to evacuate entrapped air between the top of the water level in the hollow connector  17  and the top  24  of the second aquarium  11 . When the vacuum between the top of the water level in the hollow connector  17  and the top  24  of the second aquarium  11  is established, the water will begin to move up the hollow connector  17  and into the second aquarium  11 . The water inlet  38  can be used to add water.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  shows another embodiment of the aquatic habitat  50  of the present invention having multiple first and second aquariums  10 ,  11  fluidly connected to each other via the hollow connector  17  and a hollow aquarium connector  34 . The hollow aquarium connector  34  has openings  31  at each of its ends. The hollow aquarium connector  34  is hermetically sealed to the second aquariums  11 . The hollow aquarium connector  34  has a hollow core providing a passageway from one of the aquariums  11  to another.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  shows another alternative embodiment of the aquatic habitat  50 . The hollow aquarium connector  34  has the openings  18  in its circumference.  
         [0018]     To use the aquatic habitat  50  shown in  FIG. 3  or  4 , water is added to the cavities  29  of the first aquariums  10  until the water level is proximate the top edges  15  and the tops  14 . The water will partially fill the hollow connectors  17  but will not completely fill the second aquariums  11  because of the pressure between the water and the tops  24  of the second aquariums  11 . To fill the second aquariums  11 , a vacuum is created in the second aquariums  11  via the vacuum ports  26  and the vacuum pumps to evacuate entrapped air between the top of the water level in the hollow connectors  17  and the tops  24  of the second aquariums  11 . When a vacuum between the tops of the water level in the hollow connectors  17  and the tops  24  of the second aquariums  11  is established, water will begin to move up the hollow connectors  17  and into the second aquariums  11 . The water inlets  38  can be used to add water.  
         [0019]     It is apparent to those skilled in the art that any number of aquariums  10 ,  11 ; hollow connectors  17 ; and/or hollow aquarium connectors  34  can be used to construct the aquatic habitat  50  of almost unlimited size and extent. The aquariums  10 ,  11 ; hollow connectors  17 ; and/or hollow aquarium connectors  34  can be fabricated to various lengths, heights, widths or diameters. Moreover, elbow connectors (not shown) can be used to hermetically connect the aquariums  10 ,  11 ; hollow connectors  17 ; and/or hollow aquarium connectors  34  creating an aquatic habitat of essentially any shape. The elbow connectors can be fabricated to various angles such as, but not limited to, forty or ninety degrees. “T” and “L” shaped connectors can also be used to hermetically connect the aquatic habitat.  
         [0020]     The aquatic habitat  50  may extend throughout a home or office. Each room in a home or office may contain one or more of the aquariums  10 ,  11 ; hollow connectors  17 ; hollow aquarium connectors  34 ; elbow connectors; and/or other shaped connectors. The size of the aquatic habitat  50  is left to the imagination of the person assembling it.  
         [0021]     Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the following claims.