An aquarium filtering and purifying system includes an upper display tank and a lower filter tank. The water from the upper tank can be delivered to the lower tank to a filter, such as within a surrounding filter fabric or membrane, such as a filter sock. An air tube can also be inserted into the filter tank to an unfiltered side of the filter, such as within the filter sock, to deliver air bubbles into the filter tank. The air tube can have an air stone at the end thereof to diffuse the air bubbles. Further air stones can be provided on an outside of the sock in the first compartment. Filtered water is delivered to a second compartment in the filter tank. The next compartment can have sand, and/or rocks and/or algae and/or a clean-up crew to assist in purifying the water. Water from the second compartment then passes to a third compartment, through a bubble trap, and then is pumped back to the display tank. Alternatively, the first compartment can be provided with a macro algae bed instead of a filter sock.

An apparatus for removing impurities from water and/or wastewater and a method of installing a fluid distribution system in the apparatus. In the most preferred form of the invention, the fluid distribution system is an air scour system for directing air through the filter bed to assist in cleaning of the filter bed to remove impurities trapped in the filter bed during a service run. In the most preferred form, the method of installing the fluid distribution system in the filter bed is performed by imparting a force to the filter bed to permit the fluid distribution system to be installed in the filter bed without removing media. The fluid distribution system is preferably configured to permit the fluid distribution system to be readily installed in the filter bed and at an optimum orientation.

A tank assembly for a gravity-flow graywater filtration system includes a lower portion having a lower-portion sidewall with a port and an upper portion having an extension tank that includes a bottom, an extension-tank sidewall, a removable lid, and an inflow-pipe portion coupled to a first port in the extension-tank sidewall and including a part that extends through a port in the bottom of the extension tank. The tank assembly also includes a filter cartridge housed within the upper portion at a location beneath the extension tank, and a sump pump in the lower portion, the sump pump having an outflow-pipe portion coupled to the port in the lower-portion sidewall.

An aquarium skimmer device can include a filter body that attaches to a water pump, filter, or power head, wherein the filter body is configured to hold a filter medium for filtering water that passes through the filter body. The skimmer device can also include a funnel holder that attaches to a top of the filter body, and a funnel assembly comprising a funnel. The funnel assembly can be received by the funnel holder and configured to float up and down with respect to the funnel holder with changes in water level, and a wide opening of the funnel is positioned one inch or less below a surface of the water.

The present invention solves the problem of environmental pollution created by animal waste and converting animal waste to reusable water in the earth. The invention does this by a device that is capable of receiving animal waste and breaking down the waste into different components by the help of a decomposing catalyst such as a septic pack, filtering the resulting solution and finally producing a filtered liquid that enters the earth being cleansed by the process. The present invention comprises a filter device, a tank unit, a filter unit, a first opening positioned on a top surface of the tank unit; a second opening positioned on a bottom surface of the tank unit; wherein the tank unit is capable of receiving animal waste through the first opening; at least one hole at a bottom surface of the filter unit; wherein the tank unit is placed over the filter unit.

The invention relates to a clearing apparatus (I), especially for clearing and/or maintaining of filter basins (7), consisting of at least one carrier (1), at least one undercarriage (2), at least one removal device (3), at least one driving device (4) and at least one pushing or guiding device (10), wherein the removal device (3) is situated in the front and/or before the undercarriage (2) and/or in front of an axle (21) of the undercarriage (2) in the travel and/or removal direction (a), the pushing or guiding device (10) is provided at the rear in the travel and/or removal direction (a), and wherein the removal device (3) comprises a platform (32) on which a drivable or driven removal means is circulating, such as a drivable or driven flexible circulating chain (31) and/or a flexible circulating belt (31), in order to remove material from a bottom (71) of the filter basin (7), transport it away and/or dispose of it.

A local backwashing apparatus 110 for a filtering system comprises an enclosure 119 having an open lower end, positionable above a surface of filter media 92 supported by a drainage layer 96. The enclosure is connected to a mechanical member (300, FIG. 6A) configured to force the enclosure into the filter media and release the force prior to the lower end of the enclosure contacting the drainage layer. The lower end of the enclosure being brought into contact with the drainage layer through a pressure differential between the interior and exterior of the enclosure. A pneumatic system such as an air pump, is in fluid communication with the upper part 127 of the enclosure and is configured to determine an air pressure therein. A pipe system connects the upper part of the enclosure with the pneumatic system and with a discharge structure 132. A control unit is connected to the pneumatic system. Also disclosed is a method of backwashing a filtering system. The backwashing apparatus may be used to pre-treat water.

An apparatus for removing impurities from water and/or wastewater and a method of installing a fluid distribution system in the apparatus. In the most preferred form of the invention, the fluid distribution system is an air scour system for directing air through the filter bed to assist in cleaning of the filter bed to remove impurities trapped in the filter bed during a service run. In the most preferred form, the method of installing the fluid distribution system in the filter bed is performed by imparting a force to the filter bed to permit the fluid distribution system to be installed in the filter bed without removing media. The fluid distribution system is preferably configured to permit the fluid distribution system to be readily installed in the filter bed and at an optimum orientation.

An aquarium skimmer device can include a filter body that attaches to a water pump, filter, or power head, wherein the filter body is configured to hold a filter medium for filtering water that passes through the filter body. The skimmer device can also include a funnel holder that attaches to a top of the filter body, and a funnel assembly comprising a funnel. The funnel assembly can be received by the funnel holder and configured to float up and down with respect to the funnel holder with changes in water level, and a wide opening of the funnel is positioned one inch or less below a surface of the water.

The present invention solves the problem of environmental pollution created by animal waste and converting animal waste to reusable water in the earth. The invention does this by a device that is capable of receiving animal waste and breaking down the waste into different components by the help of a decomposing catalyst such as a septic pack, filtering the resulting solution and finally producing a filtered liquid that enters the earth being cleansed by the process. The present invention comprises a filter device, a tank unit, a filter unit, a first opening positioned on a top surface of the tank unit; a second opening positioned on a bottom surface of the tank unit; wherein the tank unit is capable of receiving animal waste through the first opening; at least one hole at a bottom surface of the filter unit; wherein the tank unit is placed over the filter unit.