Aquarium assembly

Abstract

An aquarium assembly having a frame defining a series of tank cavities. The frame will support both freshwater tanks and saltwater tanks, which are interchangeable within the tank cavities. A saltwater spout is positioned above said tank cavity such that said saltwater spout exclusively connects with the saltwater tank to fill the tank. A freshwater spout is positioned above said tank cavity such that said freshwater spout exclusively connects with the freshwater tank to fill the tank. The tanks include drains specifically positioned according to the water held by the tank, such that saltwater will drain to a saltwater filter and freshwater will drain to a freshwater filter. The filtered water is then redirected to the frame and the tanks where desired by the user. The freshwater filter further includes a skimming cup design that efficiently skims the unfiltered freshwater to be returned to the freshwater tanks.

1 . An aquarium assembly comprising: 
 a frame;    a portable tank supported by said frame, said portable tank having a tank inlet and a tank outlet;    means for filling said portable tank with saltwater or freshwater, said filling means selectively dispensing the saltwater or the freshwater into said tank according to the location of said tank inlet on said tank; and    means for dispensing the saltwater or freshwater from said portable tank, said dispensing means selectively dispensing the saltwater or freshwater from said tank according to the position of said tank outlet in said tank.    
   
   
       2 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 1  further comprising a tank cavity in said frame, said tank cavity securely holding said tank.  
   
   
       3 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 1  wherein said filling means comprises: 
 a first spout supplying saltwater and a second spout supply freshwater, wherein said tank inlet is complementarily positioned with either said first spout or said second spout.    
   
   
       4 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 1 , wherein said tank comprises: 
 an inner surface and an outer surface; and    a filter wall connected to said inner surface of said tank to surround said tank outlet.    
   
   
       5 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 4 , wherein said filter walls defines a series of filter openings.  
   
   
       6 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 1  further comprising a filtering assembly connected to said dispensing means, said filter assembly including a saltwater filter apparatus to receive saltwater from said tank, and a freshwater filter apparatus to receive freshwater from said tank.  
   
   
       7 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 6 , wherein said freshwater filter apparatus comprises: 
 a skimmer tank;    a collection cup affixed to said skimmer tank, said collection cup comprising a series of lift tubes traversing said cup; and    a valve connected to said skimmer tank to force air and water into said skimmer tank to create freshwater foam in said skimmer tank, said freshwater foam being driven into said collection cup to remove impurities from the freshwater.    
   
   
       8 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 1 , wherein said portable tank comprises a base, a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls connecting said front wall with said rear wall, wherein said front wall is substantially transparent and said rear wall and said side walls are a first color to indicate a saltwater tank.  
   
   
       9 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 1 , wherein said portable tank comprises a base, a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls connecting said front wall with said rear wall, wherein said front wall is substantially transparent and said rear wall and said side walls are a second color to indicate a freshwater tank.  
   
   
       10 . An aquarium assembly for interchangeably housing freshwater tanks and saltwater tanks, said aquarium assembly comprising: 
 a housing defining at least one tank cavity to interchangeably support the freshwater tank and the saltwater tank;    a freshwater tank removably supported by said frame in said tank cavity, said freshwater tank having a freshwater tank outlet in a first position;    a saltwater tank removably supported by said frame in said tank cavity, said saltwater tank having a saltwater tank outlet in a second position;    a saltwater distributor connected to said frame, said saltwater distributor having a first position in said at least one tank cavity operable with said saltwater tank;    a freshwater water distributor connected to said frame, said freshwater water distributor having a second position in said at least one tank cavity operable with said freshwater tank;    a drain assembly supported by said frame beneath said tank cavity to remove water from said tank.    
   
   
       11 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 10  further comprising: 
 a freshwater skimming apparatus connected with said freshwater drain, said freshwater skimming apparatus receiving waste water from said freshwater drain.    
   
   
       12 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 11 , wherein said freshwater skimming apparatus comprises: 
 a skimming tank;    means for generating freshwater foam positioned in said tank; and    a freshwater foam collection cup connected to said skimming tank, said freshwater collection cup having a base proximate said skimming tank and a series of cylinders connected to said base allowing freshwater foam to flow into said freshwater collection cup from said skimming tank.    
   
   
       13 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 10  further comprising: 
 a saltwater skimming apparatus connected with said saltwater drain, said saltwater skimming apparatus receiving waste water from said saltwater drain.    
   
   
       14 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 10 , wherein said freshwater tank comprises a first designation to indicate that said freshwater tank holds freshwater.  
   
   
       15 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 14 , wherein said first designation of said freshwater tank is a first color.  
   
   
       16 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 10 , wherein said saltwater tank comprises a second designation to indicate that said saltwater tank holds saltwater.  
   
   
       17 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 16 , wherein said second designation of said saltwater tank is a second color.  
   
   
       18 . An aquarium assembly for detachably housing a saltwater tank having a saltwater tank outlet and a freshwater tank having a freshwater tank outlet, said aquarium assembly comprising: 
 a housing comprising a tank cavity to hold one saltwater tank or one freshwater tank;    a saltwater draining apparatus connected to said housing in a first position proximate said tank cavity to drain saltwater from the saltwater tank;    a freshwater draining apparatus connected to said housing in a second position proximate said tank cavity to drain freshwater from said freshwater tank;    a saltwater filling assembly connected to said housing in a first position proximate said tank cavity to fill the saltwater tank with saltwater; and    a freshwater filling assembly connected to said housing in a second position proximate said tank cavity to fill the freshwater tank with freshwater.    
   
   
       19 . The aquarium assembly as described in  claim 18  further comprising a freshwater filtering apparatus comprising: 
 a freshwater filtering tank,    means for generating freshwater foam, said foam generating means positioned in said tank; and    a freshwater foam collection cup connected to said freshwater filtering tank, said freshwater collection cup having a base proximate said freshwater filtering tank and a series of tubes traversing said base allowing foam to flow into said freshwater collection cup from said freshwater filtering tank.