HK1068765A - Aquarium filter system - Google Patents

Description

Pool filter system

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to a pond filter system and, more particularly, to such a filter system: having one or more replaceable filter elements that can be replaced without having to shut down the system. The cartridges each independently constitute a biological filter, a chemical filter and/or a particulate filter of the aquarium environment. The system includes a valve assembly that bypasses any one of the filter cartridges, thereby simplifying removal and replacement of the filter cartridges.

Background

Filters have been used in ponds for many years to remove particulate matter from the water in the pond and thereby keep the pond clean. Generally, the most common type of aquarium filter is a power filter which is suspended from the outside of the aquarium above the upper edge of the aquarium. It includes a siphon tube which transports water from the basin to a filter box. Water entering the filter box flows through various types of filter media to remove particulate matter from the water. After passing through the carbon filter, the water is cleaned of chemical impurities and pumped back to the basin by a filter pump. Examples of such dynamic filters include: SupremeAqua King type filter available from e.g. danner Manufacturing; secon dDNA Whisper type filter available from Willinger Bros.Mfg; and aquaclear type filters available from the company Rolf Hagen Manufacturing.

Another type of aquarium filter is a canister type filter that is positioned outside of the aquarium and below the aquarium. The inlet and outlet hoses hang over the rim of the aquarium and are connected to the canister filter on the bottom wall. Water flows from the basin to the canister through the inlet hose under the force of gravity. The water from the basin is both mechanically and chemically treated and pumped back into the basin by a pump in the canister. Examples of the filter cartridge type filter include: a Hagen Fluval type filter available from Hagen USA Mfg Co; a Marine Land Canister filter available from Aquaria Limited; and an Eheim Classic Canister filter, produced by Eheim GmbH & co.

Another type of aquarium filter is an internally mounted power filter. The filter includes a small canister with an internal pump, which is submerged in a basin. Water enters the bottom of the canister and flows through a filter element to remove particulate and chemical waste. The filtered water is then pumped out of the top of the canister and back into the basin. Examples of such filters include the Supreme Ovation type internal filter available from Danner Mfg, and the Hagen Fluval type internal filter sold by Hagen USA Mfg.

Another type of filter used in ponds is the bottom beach type (underserver) filter, which is constructed of a perforated elevated plate that rests on the floor of the pond. At either end of the filter is a stand pipe which extends to the top of the aquarium. A layer of gravel is placed on the perforated plate, the gravel having a thickness of about 2 ". An air line extending from an external pump is provided into the riser, extending to the bottom perforated plate, and a meteorite is provided at the end of the air line. The external pump blows air through the merle, thereby forcing air bubbles up through the riser tube to float to the surface, creating a vortex and water flow. Water is then pumped through the gravel and up through the riser. Water from the pond is pumped through the gravel bed where bacteria break down any ammonia or nitrite into more harmless nitrates. However, biofilters do not remove chemical waste. Examples of such bottom gravel type filters include filters manufactured by perceto Mfg.

Another type of prior filter commonly used in ponds is the wet/dry trickle type filter, which includes a skimmer box suspended in the pond at the top. A drip tube is provided for conveying water from the aquarium to a prefilter mounted on the exterior of the aquarium just behind the skimmer box. The water flows through the foam sleeve in the prefilter so that the particulate matter contained therein is captured. The water then flows through a hose in a tank that is typically disposed below the sink. When the water enters the tank below the aquarium, it flows onto a drip plate or spray bar in a dry chamber of the filter, which contains a plurality of plastic biospheres. The water droplets flow through the biosphere to the bottom region of the tank. On all biospheres, flora grows, and these bacteria feed on waste contained in the water flowing through them. From there, the water collects in the bottom of the filter box and then passes through a carbon filter or other filter to facilitate the removal of chemical waste from the water. The water then flows through dolomite, crushed coral or crushed clam shells to buffer the water, which is then pumped to a return hose back to the basin. Wet/dry filters may include mechanical filters, chemical filters, and biological filters. Examples of such filters include the Plus Series drip filter available from Oceanic systems limited, and the Perfect Wet/Dry type filtration System sold by Perfect Mfg.

The wet/dry filter can also be built into the basin, thus becoming a permanent part of the tank. Tenecor, Inc. of Tenebir, Arizona produces such a wet/dry filter that is permanently built into the housing.

An alternative form of wet/dry filter is an internally mounted wet/dry filter for small pools that includes an integrated water pump and heater. The filter is placed inside the aquarium against the rear wall with the top of the filter at the surface of the water. The water enters the filter and then flows through the filter element, which removes particulate matter and chemical waste. A portion of the water will then be pumped into a drip plate within a dry chamber to facilitate biological filtration. The remaining water is then pumped directly back into the pool, bypassing the drying zone. One such filter is available from Rolf Hagen Mfg under the trade name "Biolife" filter.

From the above it is clear that: proper and continuous filtration is critical to maintaining the health and pleasure of fish, and there are three basic filtration methods: mechanical, biological, and chemical methods. However, a long standing problem is: if the newly loaded filter media reaches the expected life over time, the filtration effectiveness is lost.

For example, mechanical filtration methods are used to remove, screen or skim off large particles in water, which are excess fish food and other debris, but over time the mechanical filter becomes clogged, reducing its performance to the desired effect. Chemical filters use activated carbon and an ammonia absorbent, such as zeolite, to remove odors, pigments, and harmful substances, such as ammonia, from water. However, activated carbon also loses its effectiveness over time and, similarly, needs to be replaced.

In addition, since the mechanical and chemical filters must eventually be replaced, care must be taken in the primary means for removing ammonia and nitrites (by-products of fish waste), which is a biological filter. A well-maintained pond is a natural ecosystem in which fish are interdependent with beneficial bacteria that occur naturally in the pond and coexist harmoniously and healthily. The result of this correlation is commonly referred to as a "nitrogen cycle". The fish swallows food and produces ammonia which is used as waste. Excess fish food and plant material also decay to produce ammonia. The beneficial bacteria neutralize the ammonia and produce nitrite product, which in turn is neutralized by other beneficial bacteria, which produce nitrate. Nitrate of normal concentration is harmless to freshwater fish and over time, nitrate can be easily removed from the pond by partial water change measures. Thus, the natural system in the pool can convert toxic ammonia into harmless nitrate; and does not require maintenance by chemical methods or by the customer.

In the above detailed description, it is clear that: it is desirable to provide a location for bacteria in the filtration system to allow the bacteria to be cultured and grown. The result of this would be: bacteria will grow on any porous surface within the filter assembly, such as on the filter media within a canister filter that pumps a steady stream of water to the bacteria in order to allow the bacteria to survive. That is, the water must be oxygenated because the bacteria require oxygen to complete propagation and growth. If the water reservoir provides adequate aeration of the water and the oxygen-enriched water flows past the bacteria, it will deliver sufficient oxygen to the bacteria to sustain the survival of the beneficial bacteria. Of course, it is also necessary to provide a food source (i.e., ammonia) for the bacteria. A water vat containing fish and plants will be able to produce sufficient food. In this way, the filtration system circulates the water containing ammonia through the beneficial bacteria so that the bacteria can consume the ammonia.

It is clear that once such a relationship has been established, bacteria within the filter, such as a canister type filter assembly, will have a valuable and vital role in the proper functioning of the aquarium. However, as mentioned above, it is also necessary to periodically remove and replace certain portions of the filter (both chemical and mechanical). However, when changing mechanical and chemical media, it is important: the replacement operation is performed in a manner that does not destroy the biological filter media at all, which could have catastrophic results if the biological media were destroyed.

The current situation is: the aquarium filtration art has not yet developed an ideal filter assembly system that would allow the fisherman to replace a portion of the filter media in a convenient manner without affecting the flow of water. More specifically, the aquarium filtration art has not yet presented a canister filter: it includes one or more filter cartridges, each of which can be easily removed for replacement with new filter media while maintaining normal water flow and reducing the impact on the biofiltration bed.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a filtration system that can be mounted to, or in close proximity to, a aquarium that has one or more particulate, biological and/or chemical filter cartridges that are easily replaceable. It is another object of the present invention to provide a filtration system that allows a user to replace certain filter cartridges without shutting down the entire system and without refilling the filter cartridges when replacement is complete, and that does not affect other filter cartridge sections and does not wet the contents of the filter cartridges during the performance of the task.

Disclosure of Invention

Broadly, the present invention relates to a pond filter system comprising: a water pump; a manually positionable valve assembly; and one or more interchangeable cartridges that can be replaced without stopping the flow of water. These cartridges can be easily reconfigured with respect to their position from the water pump.

In a related method aspect, a method for replacing a filter cartridge in a pool filter is disclosed herein. The method comprises the following steps: a water pump is provided and pumps water to create a continuous flow of water from the basin to the one or more removable cartridges. This operation is carried out by: after isolating any one or more of the cartridges from the flow stream, the cartridge or cartridges are replaced with one or more unused cartridges. The method is completed under the following conditions: the operation of isolating the one or more filter cartridges and replacing them with unused filter cartridges does not interrupt the continuous flow of water.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a flow directing device for directing water from a aquarium through or around a plurality of filters and back into the aquarium. The apparatus includes a first diverter movable between a first position in which water from the aquarium enters a first filter and a second position in which water from the aquarium bypasses the first filter. The apparatus further includes a second diverter movable between a first position in which water flow from the aquarium enters a second filter and a second position in which water flow from the aquarium bypasses the second filter, wherein the second diverter is movable between the first and second positions independently of movement of the first diverter.

The invention also provides a flow directing device for directing water from a aquarium through or around a plurality of filters connected in series and back into the aquarium. The device includes a first diverter movable between a first position in which water from the aquarium enters a first filter and a second position in which water from the aquarium bypasses the first filter. The apparatus also includes a second diverter movable between a first position in which water flow from the aquarium enters a second filter and a second position in which water flow from the aquarium bypasses the second filter. The device further includes a positionable actuator coupled to the first and second diverters, the actuator being movable between at least three positions, when in a first position, water from the aquarium is directed through the first and second filters; in the second position, the pool water is directed around the first filter but through the second filter; in the third position, the sump water is directed through the first filter but bypasses the second filter.

Drawings

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following description taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a pool system according to the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a valve assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a valve assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a first embodiment of a flow diverter according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the flow diverter taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4a is a side view of a second embodiment of a flow diverter according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the deflector taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a second embodiment of a flow diverter according to the present invention; and

the table in fig. 7 lists the spindle driver positions shown in fig. 6 versus filter function.

Detailed Description

FIG. 1 is a basic schematic diagram illustrating a aquarium filter system 100 according to the present invention. Water to be filtered flows into a basin through a pipe or conduit 102. The water is pushed by a water pump 104 into the filtration system. The water pump may be disposed upstream, downstream, or internal to the valve assembly 108. The water to be filtered exits the pump through a conduit 106 and enters a valve assembly 108. The direction of the water flow can be controlled by a set of controllable flow diverters 110, 120, 130. In the illustrated embodiment, the number of filters is three, and the number of cartridges can be increased or decreased without departing from the invention. These filters may include particulate filters, biological filters, and chemical filters, and their arrangement order may be arbitrary. The first controllable diverter 110 can direct water into or bypass a first filter 114. In a first position, the diverter directs water through a conduit 112A, through which it passes into the first filter 114, thereby performing filtration. Water enters the filter 114 through a conduit 116 which is connected to another conduit 118. In the second position, the diverter 110 directs water through a bypass conduit 112B rather than through the first filter 114, the bypass conduit 112B being connected to the conduit 118. In the second position, the filter 114 may be removed without allowing the valve assembly 108 to leak a continuous flow of water. The backflow of water may be prevented by either one-way or check valves 140A-140F or by appropriate design of the valve assembly as will be described below.

The water flows through the conduit 118 into the second controllable diverter 120. The second diverter 120 can divert water to or around a second filter 124. In a first position, the diverter directs water through the conduit 122A so that it flows through the conduit to the second filter 124 for mechanical, chemical or biological filtration. Water flows from the filter 124 through a conduit 126, the conduit 126 being connected to a conduit 128. In the second position, the diverter 120 diverts water to a bypass conduit 122B instead of passing the water through the second filter 124, the bypass conduit 122B being connected to the conduit 128. When in the second position, the filter 124 can be removed without allowing a continuous flow of water to escape from the valve assembly 108.

Water flows through the conduit 128 into the third controllable diverter 130. The third diverter 130 can divert water to or around a third filter 134. In a first position, the diverter directs water into the conduit 132A so that it flows through the conduit to the third filter 134 to perform filtration. Water flows from the filter 134 through a conduit 136, the conduit 136 being connected to another conduit 138. In the second position, the diverter 130 diverts water to a bypass conduit 132B, rather than passing the water through the third filter 134, the bypass conduit 132B is connected to a conduit 138. In the second position, the filter 134 may be removed without allowing a continuous flow of water to escape from the valve assembly 108. The water returns to the basin through conduit 138. The heater for maintaining the water at a predetermined temperature is not shown in the drawing. The heater may be installed in series with the valve assembly 108 or separately. The valve assembly 108 may be housed in one of the housings 108A or 108B.

The cross-sectional view of fig. 2A illustrates a first embodiment of a valve assembly 200 coupled to a plurality of filter cartridges. The valve assembly and cartridge may be coupled to the side of the basin or disposed in close proximity. The valve assembly 200 can include a plurality of individually positionable flow diverters 110A, 120A, and 130A. Gaskets (not shown) may be provided around the deflector to prevent water leakage. A portion 152A of the diverter can extend outside of the valve assembly housing 108A to allow the user to reposition the diverter between two or more positions. The diverters 110A, 120A, and 130A are shown in the form of rotatable disks that rotate about an axis 156A. Alternatively, the setting of the flow diverter may be linear. The first diverter 110A is shown in the "perform filter" position. Incoming water is directed by the first diverter 110A through the conduit 112A to the first filter 114. The catheter may be made of a rigid or flexible plastic. Alternatively, the first diverter 110A can be positioned in a "bypass" position, thereby allowing water to bypass the first filter 114. Thus, there will be no flow of water into the filter 114. After flowing through the first diverter 110A, the water is directed toward the second diverter 120A. The second flow diverter 120A is shown in the "bypass" position. The second diverter 120A diverts incoming water to a bypass 122B. And thus no water will enter the filter 124. Optionally, the second diverter 120A can also be positioned to "perform filtration" to allow water to flow through the conduit 122A into the second filter 124. After flowing through the second flow diverter 120A, the water is directed toward the third flow diverter 130A. The third flow diverter 130A is shown in the "perform filter" position. Incoming water is directed by the third diverter 130A through the conduit 132A to the third filter 134. Optionally, the diverter 130A can also be positioned in a "bypass" position to facilitate water flow bypassing the third filter 134. In this way, no water flow enters the filter 134.

When any of the diverters are in the "bypass" position, their respective filters can be removed from the filtration system without the filtration system leaking a continuous flow of water. Each diverter may include a visual indicator 158A to indicate to the user whether the diverter is in the "filter" or "bypass" position. Since the diverters 110A, 120A, and 130A can be positioned independently of each other, multiple filters can be replaced at the same time.

Thus, it can be appreciated that: any of the filters 114, 124, and/or 134 may be isolated from the filter assembly for replacement. In this regard, for example: if filter 114 is primarily a mechanical filter and filter 124 is primarily used to perform chemical filtration, filter 134 contains a filter media that provides the greatest surface area for beneficial bacteria, filter 114 can be easily replaced without adversely affecting the beneficial bacteria of filter 134. In this way, the hobbyist will rarely have the opportunity to conveniently perform cleaning of the filtration system, and this way of cleaning does not cause damage to the growing biofiltration bed, since there is no need to completely shut off the water flow.

The cross-sectional view in fig. 2B shows a second embodiment of the valve assembly 300. The valve assembly 300 includes a plurality of coupled positionable diverters 110B, 120B, and 130B that are housed in a valve assembly housing 108B. The diverters 110B, 120B, and 130B can be mechanically coupled by a spindle 160 so as to move in unison. A portion of the spindle 160 may extend from the top of the housing 108B to form an actuator 162 that allows a user to reposition the spindle 160 between two or more positions. The diverters 110B, 120B, and 130B are shown as rotatable disks that rotate about an axis 156B. Alternatively, the deflectors can be positioned in a linear motion. The first flow diverter 110B is shown in a "filter" position. The incoming water is directed by the first diverter 110B to the first filter 114. Alternatively, the first diverter 110B can also be positioned in a "bypass" position by rotating the actuator 162, thereby allowing water to bypass the first filter 114. After flowing through the first diverter 110B, the water is directed toward the second diverter 120B. The second flow diverter 120B is shown in the "bypass" position. The second diverter 120B directs incoming water through a bypass passage 122B. Alternatively, the second diverter 120B can be positioned to a "filter" position, whereby water enters the second filter 124. After passing through the second diverter 120B, the water is directed toward the third diverter 130B. The third flow diverter 130B is shown in the "perform filter" position. The incoming water is directed by the third diverter 130B to the third filter 134. Alternatively, the diverter 130B can be positioned in a "bypass" position, thereby allowing water to bypass the third filter 134.

When any of the diverters are in the "bypass" position, their respective filters can be removed from the filtration system without the system leaking a continuous flow of water. An indicator may be provided on the actuator 162 on the top surface of the housing 108B that provides a visual indication to the user as to which filter, if any, can be removed without causing water to leak from the system.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a first embodiment of a flow diverter 400 used in the valve assembly 200 shown in FIG. 2A. As shown, the flow diverter 400 is a plate 402 having a plurality of openings 404A, 404B and 406C. The beginning of the opening 404A is a distance from the central axis of the disk and the opening extends to the edge of the disk 402. A similarly shaped opening 404B is provided in an opposite surface of the tray. In the illustration, openings 404A and 404B are provided along top 408 and bottom 410 of plate 402, but alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4A: the two openings are located at a distance below the top and bottom surfaces. The opening 406C may be a through hole that extends from the top surface 408 to the bottom surface 410. The apertures 404A and 406 are angularly offset by 45 °. The offset angle between the openings can be any value without departing from the invention. Based on the size and angular displacement of the opening, the system maintains water flow through the system without having to temporarily shut off the water flow when the actuator is repositioned.

Figure 4 is a side view of the flow diverter 400 taken along line 4-4 of figure 3. Water entering the diverter 408 through the opening 404A is directed in a radially outward direction into the filter 114, 124 or 134. The water re-enters the diverter from the filter 114, 124 or 134 through the opening 404B and is directed downward. When the diverter aligns the opening 404A with the inlet conduit 106, 118, 128, water to be cleaned is directed to the filter 114, 124 or 134. If the diverter aligns the opening 406A with the inlet conduit 106, 118, 128, the water to be cleaned will bypass the filter 114, 124 or 134.

Figure 5 is a side view of the flow diverter 400 taken along line 5-5 of figure 3. Water entering the diverter 408 through the opening 406C passes straight through and does not flow into the filter 114, 124 or 134.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a second embodiment of a flow diverter 500, the flow diverter 500 being used in the valve assembly 300 shown in FIG. 2B. As shown, the flow diverter 500 is a disk 502 having a plurality of openings 504A-504E and 506. The beginning of each opening 504 is a distance from the central axis of the disk and these openings extend to the edge of the disk 502. On an opposite surface of the disk, similarly shaped openings 504A '-504E' (not shown) are provided. The openings 504A-504E are shown as being disposed along the top surface 508 and the corresponding openings 504A '-504E' (not shown) are shown as being disposed along the bottom surface 410 of the plate 502, but may alternatively be similar to those shown in fig. 4A: the opening is located a distance below the surface of the tray body. Opening 506 may be a through-hole that extends from top surface 508 to bottom surface 510. The offset angle of openings 504A-504E and 506 is 45. The offset angle between the openings can be any value without departing from the invention. The flow diverter 500 can include a polygonal opening 510 formed around the axis of the flow diverter.

As shown in FIG. 2B, multiple flow diverters can be stacked together to form a valve assembly 300. Polygonal mandrels 160 can be inserted into each of the apertures 510 to couple the flow diverters 110B, 120B, and 130B. The deflectors may be spaced apart from each other as shown in figure 2B, or may not be spaced apart from each other. The deflector 500 and the housings 108A, 108B can be formed by injection molding. The same flow diverter 500 can be placed at three locations A, B and C, forming flow diverters 110B, 120B, and 130B. When the flow diverter 500 is disposed at position a, it is coupled to the spindle 160 in a first rotational angle position relative to the driver 162; when the flow diverter 500 is disposed at position B, it is coupled to the spindle 160 in a second angular position relative to the driver 162; when the diverter 500 is disposed in position C, its coupling to the spindle is in a third angular position relative to the driver 162.

The table in fig. 7 lists the relationship between the angular position of the actuator 162 and the corresponding filter function. When the driver 162 is in the first rotational position P1, all of the filters are connected in series. Opening 504C is aligned with conduit 106 which will direct the flow of water into first filter 114, opening 504B is aligned with conduit 118 which will direct the flow of water to second filter 124, and opening 504A is aligned with conduit 128 which will direct the flow of water to third filter 134.

If the actuator 162 is positioned at the second angular position P2, the filter 114 is bypassed and the filters 124 and 134 are connected in series. The openings 506 are aligned with the conduit 106, which directs the flow of water around the first filter 114; opening 504C is aligned with conduit 118, which will direct water into second filter 124; at the same time, opening 504B is aligned with conduit 128, which will direct the flow of water to third filter 134.

When the actuator 162 is positioned at the third angular position P3, filter 124 is bypassed and filters 114 and 134 are connected in series. Opening 504D is aligned with conduit 106, which directs the flow of water into first filter 114; the opening 506 is aligned with the conduit 118, which will direct the water flow around the second filter 124; at the same time, opening 504C is aligned with conduit 128, which will direct the flow of water to third filter 134.

When actuator 162 is positioned in fourth angular position P4, filter 134 is bypassed and filters 114 and 124 are connected in series. Opening 504E is aligned with conduit 106, which directs the flow of water into first filter 114; opening 504D is aligned with conduit 118, which will direct water into second filter 124; at the same time, the openings 506 are aligned with the conduit 128, which will direct the water flow around the third filter 134. Multiple openings 504, 506 may also be added to the tray 502 to allow for the simultaneous replacement of multiple filters.

In addition, it should be noted that: within the broad scope of the invention, it is desirable to design a unique flow path for the flow of water through the filter to reduce back pressure. For example, it is preferable that: the filter construction disclosed herein may have a spiral flow path which increases the surface area for filtration while also reducing back pressure, thereby providing additional unique operational advantages.

It should be noted that: although the invention has been described in detail herein, the invention may be carried out in other embodiments without departing from the basic principles of the invention, and thus, other embodiments are within the scope of the invention, which is defined in the claims appended hereto.

Claims (12)

1. A pond filter system, comprising: a water pump; a manually positionable valve assembly; and one or more interchangeable cartridges that can be replaced without stopping the flow of water.

2. A filtration system according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of filter cartridges, each of the plurality of filter cartridges being in communication with the water pump and being arranged away from the water pump, wherein each of the plurality of filter cartridges is repositionable relative to its position away from the water pump.

3. The filtration system of claim 1, wherein: the one or more filter elements provide mechanical, chemical, and/or biological filtration.

4. The filtration system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of filter cartridges in communication with the water pump and arranged away from the water pump, wherein one of the plurality of filter cartridges provides mechanical filtration, one of the plurality of filter cartridges provides chemical filtration, and one of the plurality of filter cartridges provides biological filtration.

5. A filtration system according to claim 3, wherein: the biofiltration provides bacteria that consume ammonia and produce nitrite.

6. A drain assembly for directing water from a aquarium through or around a plurality of filters and back into the aquarium, the assembly comprising first and second removable filter cartridges and:

(i) a first diverter moveable between a first position in which water from the aquarium enters the first filter and a second position in which water from the aquarium bypasses the first filter;

(ii) a second diverter moveable between a first position in which water flow from the aquarium enters the second filter and a second position in which water flow from the aquarium bypasses the second filter, wherein the second diverter is moveable between the first position and the second position independently of movement of the first diverter.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein: when the first diverter is in the second position, the first filter can be removed from the device without a continuous flow of water from the system.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein: the first flow diverter and the second flow diverter are substantially enclosed within the same housing.

9. A flow directing apparatus for directing water from a aquarium through or around a plurality of filters connected in series and back into the aquarium, the apparatus comprising first and second removable filter cartridges and:

(i) a first diverter movable between a first position in which water flow from the aquarium enters the first filter element and a second position in which water flow from the aquarium bypasses the first filter;

(ii) a second diverter movable between a first position in which water flow from the aquarium enters the second filter and a second position in which water flow from the aquarium bypasses the second filter; and

(iii) a positionable actuator connected to the first and second diverters, the actuator being movable between at least three positions, when in a first position, the sump water being directed through the first and second filters; in the second position, the pool water is directed around the first filter but through the second filter; and in a third position, the sump water is directed through the first filter but bypasses the second filter.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: when the actuator is in the second position, the first filter can be removed from the device without a continuous flow of water from the system.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the first flow diverter and the second flow diverter are substantially enclosed within the same housing.

12. A method of replacing a filter cartridge in a pool filter, the method comprising:

(a) providing a water pump and delivering water through the water pump to form a continuous flow of water from the basin to one or more removable cartridges; and

(b) separating said one or more filter cartridges from said flow of water and replacing said one or more filter cartridges with one or more unused filter cartridges:

thus, the operation of separating the one or more filter elements and replacing them with the unused one or more filter elements does not interrupt the continuous flow of water.