Aquarium Plant Container

Abstract

The present invention is a plant container and filter system. The plant container portion secures plants, keeping sediment soil from floating away causing cloudy water. The filter portion eliminates the need for a separate aquarium filter and helps maintain the chemical balance within the aquarium. Aquarium plants are placed within the present invention through openings in the lid of the plant container. The roots of the plants grow and become entangled within the foam under the lid and sediment soil inside the plant container shell such that the plants are stable and not susceptible to falling or being otherwise disturbed or moved from their positions. The sediment soil is also secure and not subject to floating away and clouding the aquarium water.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A container for use inside an aquarium comprising:
 a bottom panel with a first end and a second end;   a first group of four walls, of about the same height, connected to said first end of said bottom panel;   and   a first top panel operably connected to said four walls.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said collection of particles is selected from the group consisting of: soil, sediment, and organic matter. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein said collection of particles is positioned above said bottom panel and within said walls. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein said collection of particles serves to secure aquarium plants placed within said container such that the roots of said aquarium plants grow within said collection of particles. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4 , wherein said layer of material is selected from the group consisting of foam, mesh, and steel wool, wherein said layer of material is positioned above said collection of particles, but below said top panel. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said first top panel contains a number of prefabricated openings, said prefabricated openings exposing the interior of said container, such that aquarium plants may grow through said prefabricated openings into the aquarium space. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein said collection of particles and said layer of material function together to secure items placed within the combination of said collection of particles and said layer of material. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein said layer of material secures said collection of particles such that said collection of particles do not disperse throughout said aquarium. 
     
     
         9 . A container for use inside an aquarium comprising:
 said bottom panel,   a second group of four walls, of about the same height, connected to said second end of said bottom panel;   and   said second top panel operably connected to said second group of four walls.   
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 9 , wherein at least one wall of said second group of four walls contains a number of openings. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein said layer of material is selected from the group consisting of foam, mesh, and steel wool, wherein said layer of material is positioned adjacent to said fourth wall such that said layer of material covers said fourth wall. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein said second top panel contains an opening such that a pump or other suction device can be placed within said second top panel to aid in the movement of water within said aquarium. 
     
     
         13 . A container for use inside an aquarium comprising:
 a bottom panel with a first end and a second end;   at least eight walls, of about the same height, connected to said bottom panel; wherein a first set of four of said eight walls is positioned at said first end of said bottom panel, wherein a second set of four of said eight walls is positioned at said second end of said bottom panel;   a first top panel operably connected to the upper edges of said first set of four of said eight walls;   a second top panel operably connected to the upper edges of said second set of four of said eight walls;   
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein a open space along said bottom panel separates said first set of four of said eight walls and said second set of four of said eight walls. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein said collection of particles is positioned above said bottom panel and within said first set of four walls. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15 , wherein said collection of particles is selected from the group consisting of: soil, sediment, and organic matter. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein said collection of particles serves to secure aquarium plants placed within said container such that the roots of aquarium plants grow within said collection of particles within said first set of four walls. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 17 , wherein said first layer of material is selected from the group consisting of foam, mesh, and steel wool, wherein said first layer of material is positioned above said collection of particles, but below said first top panel. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 18 , wherein said first top panel is optionally removable from its position atop said first set of four walls. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 19 , wherein said first top panel contains prefabricated openings, said prefabricated openings exposing the interior of the first section of said container, wherein said first top panel is positioned directly above said first layer of material, such that said aquarium plants grow through said prefabricated openings into said aquarium. 
     
     
         21 . The container of  claim 20 , wherein said collection of particles and said first layer of material function together to secure items placed within the combination of said collection of particles and said first layer of material. 
     
     
         22 . The container of  claim 21 , wherein said first layer of material secures said collection of particles such that said collection of particles do not disperse throughout said aquarium. 
     
     
         23 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein said second top panel is optionally removable from its position atop said second set of four of said eight walls. 
     
     
         24 . The container of  claim 23 , wherein at least one wall of said second set of four of said eight walls contains a number of openings, wherein said one wall is perpendicular to said open space along said bottom panel. 
     
     
         25 . The container of  claim 24 , wherein said second layer of material is selected from the group consisting of foam, mesh, and steel wool, wherein a second layer of material is positioned adjacent to said wall; wherein said second layer of material is atop said prefabricated openings of said wall. 
     
     
         26 . The container of  claim 23 , wherein said second top panel contains an opening such that a pump or other suction device can be placed within said opening of said second top panel to aid in the movement of water within said aquarium. 
     
     
         27 . The devices of  claim 8  and  claim 12 , wherein said bottom panel of container  8  and said bottom panel of container  12  are the same bottom panel, wherein said container of  claim 8  and said container of  claim 12  are separated by a gap along said same bottom panel, wherein said container of  claim 8  and said container of  claim 12  are positioned parallel to each other along said same bottom panel such that said fourth wall is facing said container of  claim 8  positioned across said gap. 
     
     
         28 . A container for use inside an aquarium comprising:
 a bottom panel;   at least two four-sided compartments attached to said bottom panel; and   an uncovered area of said bottom panel; and   at least two top panels.   
     
     
         29 . The container of  claim 28 , wherein a first top panel is positioned removably above a first four-sided compartment attached to said bottom panel. 
     
     
         30 . The container of  claim 29 , wherein said first top panel contains a number of openings such that the interior of said first compartment is open to the environment. 
     
     
         31 . The container of  claim 28 , wherein a second top panel is positioned above a second four-sided compartment attached to said bottom panel 
     
     
         32 . The container of  claim 31 , wherein said second top panel contains at least one opening such that a pumping device may be attached to said second compartment. 
     
     
         33 . The container of  claim 32 , wherein an uncovered area of said bottom wall exists between said first compartment and said second compartment, wherein an interior side of said second compartment perpendicular to said uncovered area of said bottom wall contains a number of openings such that water from said aquarium may flow through said second compartment 
     
     
         34 . The container of  claim 33 , wherein said pumping device is attached to said opening of said second compartment such that said pumping device pulls water through said number of openings at said interior side of said second compartment.