JPH0889130A - Water-purifying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain the water-purifying device used in a container for aquarium fishes or alive fishes, capable of remarkably efficiently multiplying bacteria and greatly miniaturizing. CONSTITUTION: The water-purifying device comprises a purifying tank 5 produced by charging many small spheres having nonrough and smooth surfaces in a container whose longitudinal direction is directed in the direction parallel or substantially parallel to the direction of the gravity, and passage means 4, 6 for allowing water in the water tank to pass through the purifying tank in the direction parallel of substantially parallel to the direction of the gravity, while applying a specific pressure to the water.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a purifying device for purifying water in a tank such as an aquarium containing ornamental fish or a cage containing live fish (hereinafter collectively referred to as "aquarium"). The present invention relates to a purification device used in an aquarium that stores fish that live in the sea.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an aquarium for keeping ornamental fish is provided with a purifying device for biodegrading (biological filtration) ammonia components and Escherichia coli excreted from the ornamental fish in the aquarium. The septic tank used in this purification device
As the purification medium, for example, a large number of ceramic spheres having sparsely formed surfaces are used. As these ceramic spheres, those having a radius of about 5 mm or more are used (see, for example, JP-A-59-4493). When starting the use of the ornamental fish tank, first, a concentrated solution of bacteria is put into this septic tank so that the bacteria grow on the surface of the ceramic sphere. As described above, in the conventional purification apparatus, ceramic spheres having a rough surface are often used, and it is considered that the rougher the surface, the larger the surface area and the higher the efficiency of bacterial growth. This is because. After the bacteria have grown well,
When the water in the water tank passes through this purification tank, the bacteria grown on the surface of the ceramic sphere oxidize and decompose the ammonia component and the like. Specifically, ammonia is decomposed into nitrite by bacteria, and nitrite is decomposed into nitric acid (harmless) by other kinds of bacteria.

Further, in the conventional purifying device, a pump is provided on the outlet side of the purifying device in order to circulate the water in the water tank. Conventionally, this pump is installed on the outlet side of the purifier, but if a pump is installed on the inlet side of the purifier, it will also send debris in the water to the septic tank, and the septic tank will not be clogged. This is because there is a possibility that it may occur.

[0004]

However, in the conventional purification apparatus using such ceramic spheres,
The efficiency of bacterial growth after adding the bacterial concentrated solution to the septic tank is extremely poor. Therefore, it is not uncommon for the nitrous acid to fill the water tank due to insufficient decomposition of the ammonia component in the water tank. When the nitrous acid fills the aquarium, the user has to drain all the water in the aquarium, clean the aquarium, replace the water with a new one, and start over from the first step of adding the bacterial concentrate to the septic tank. there were. Further, since the conventional purification device has a poor purification efficiency, there is a disadvantage that it is necessary to use a considerably large size in order to exert a certain purification action.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems of the conventional purifying apparatus, and an object of the present invention is to provide a purifying apparatus capable of remarkably improving the growth efficiency of microorganisms such as bacteria. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a purifying device capable of exhibiting a sufficient purifying action even when it is downsized to a size that can be stored in a water tank.

[0006]

The purifying device of the first invention of the present application for achieving the above object has a rough surface in a container having a longitudinal direction parallel or substantially parallel to the gravity direction. Rather than a septic tank filled with a number of smoothly formed small spheres, water in the aquarium is passed through the septic tank while applying a predetermined pressure in a direction parallel or nearly parallel to the gravity direction. And a passage means.

Further, in the present invention, the passage means supplies water while applying a predetermined pressure from the gravity direction side of the septic tank,
It is desirable that water be discharged from the side opposite to the direction of gravity of the septic tank.

Further, in the present invention, it is desirable that the small spheres filled in the septic tank are formed to have the same or substantially the same size.

Further, in the present invention, it is desirable that each small sphere filled in the septic tank is formed into a true sphere or a substantially true sphere.

Further, in the present invention, it is desirable that each small ball filled in the septic tank is formed to have a radius of about 0.5 to 5 mm.

Further, the purifying apparatus according to the second invention of the present application includes a large number of minute gaps whose surfaces are not sparse and are formed smoothly, and these gaps adjacent to each other are partially continuous with each other as a whole. It is characterized by including a septic tank containing a purifying medium that is formed so that water can pass therethrough, and a passage means that allows water in the water tank to pass while applying a predetermined pressure to the septic tank.

In the second aspect of the invention, the passage means supplies the water in the water tank from the gravity direction side of the septic tank while applying a predetermined pressure in the septic tank, and discharges the water from the side opposite to the gravity direction of the septic tank. It is desirable that it be something that can be done.

[0013]

As described above, in the purifying device of the present invention,
Pass the water in the water tank while applying a predetermined pressure in the direction parallel or almost parallel to the direction of gravity in the septic tank that is filled with a large number of small spheres whose surface is not rough. Therefore, the inside of the septic tank is always kept under a predetermined pressure, for example, a pressure of 30 g / cm 2 or more. Then, according to the experiments of the present inventor, this state in which a predetermined pressure is constantly applied is extremely suitable for efficient growth of bacteria. This can be inferred from the fact that a condition in which bacteria propagate in the sea is always under a predetermined pressure.

Further, according to the present invention, in the septic tank in a state in which such a predetermined pressure is applied, the water in the container is passed in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the direction of gravity for purification. , Which brings about the following effects. That is, although water pressure due to gravity is applied in the septic tank, when looking at each layer in the direction orthogonal to the direction of gravity, equal water pressure is applied to each layer. Further, the passing water is also made to flow in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the direction of gravity, so that the flowed water uniformly passes through the entire layers. Therefore, in the present invention, the water will pass through the entire septic tank evenly. That is, assuming that the septic tank is longitudinal in the direction orthogonal to the direction of gravity and water flows in the direction orthogonal to the direction of gravity, the water is centered on the lower side of the septic tank due to the action of gravity. It does not pass through the upper part of the septic tank so much that it cannot evenly pass through the entire septic tank, and efficient purification cannot be performed (if you try to prevent this, the water inside the septic tank will be It is necessary to provide a plurality of partition plates to prevent straight passage, but there is a drawback that the size of the whole becomes large when such a plate is provided). Then, as described above, the water passes through the entire septic tank evenly, so that the purification efficiency is remarkably improved.

Further, in the present invention, the small spheres filled in the septic tank are formed so that the surface thereof is not sparse and is smooth. In the conventional purification device, it is considered that it is more efficient to make the surface of the small spheres that are the purification medium rough and increase the surface area because the place where bacteria inhabit becomes wider,
Actually, ceramic balls etc. have been used. However, in the experiment of the present inventor, contrary to such conventional common sense, under the condition that a predetermined pressure is applied, for example, a surface formed of a material having a smooth surface such as glass or plastic has a smooth surface. It was found that the use of small spheres markedly improved the reproduction of bacteria. This was found by conducting experiments under the new idea of applying a predetermined pressure to the septic tank similar to that in the sea, whereas the conventional idea was not to apply pressure to the septic tank. It is a fact that

Further, in the present invention, the passage means is configured to supply water while applying a predetermined pressure from the gravity direction side of the septic tank and to discharge the water from the opposite side of the septic tank in the gravity direction. As a result, in the septic tank, the flow of water (flow in the direction opposite to the direction of gravity) is always suppressed by gravity, and as a result, even if water is supplied while applying a predetermined pressure, Flow relatively slowly, and a predetermined pressure can be applied inside the septic tank (in contrast, water is supplied while applying a predetermined pressure from the side opposite to the gravity direction, and the water is in the septic tank. In order to allow the water to flow relatively slowly and to apply a predetermined pressure in the septic tank, it is necessary to provide a plurality of partition plates for suppressing the flow of water).

As a result, a predetermined pressure, for example, a pressure of 30 g / cm 2 or more is always applied to the septic tank,
Moreover, the water flows relatively slowly at a low speed. According to an experiment by the present inventor, a predetermined pressure is applied to a septic tank in which a large number of gaps are formed by small spheres having a smooth surface, and water to be purified flows relatively slowly through the septic tank. At this time, the bacterial growth efficiency is significantly improved, and the purification efficiency is also significantly increased. The reason why the purification efficiency is improved when the water flows relatively slowly in this manner is considered to be that the chemical reaction of the water with the bacteria is sufficiently carried out. Also, although it is a side effect,
In the present invention, by supplying water from the gravity direction side,
It also prevents the impurities from settling at the bottom of the septic tank due to gravity.

Further, in the present invention, since each small sphere filled in the septic tank is formed as a true sphere or a substantially true sphere,
The gaps formed by these small spheres are of equal size to each other, creating an environment more suitable for bacterial growth.

Further, in the present invention, since the small spheres filled in the septic tank are formed to have a uniform size with a radius of 0.5 to 5 mm, the gaps formed by these small spheres are different. The size is also set to a predetermined small size, and an environment more suitable for the propagation of bacteria is created.

Furthermore, the purifying apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention includes a large number of minute gaps whose surfaces are not sparse and are formed smoothly, and these gaps are partially continuous with each other so that water can pass as a whole. Since the water in the water tank is allowed to pass while applying a predetermined pressure to this septic tank, the presence of a large number of minute gaps having a smooth surface, An environment is formed in which a predetermined pressure, for example, a pressure of 30 g / cm 2 or more is applied to these gaps, which is a condition suitable for efficient bacterial growth.

In the second aspect of the invention, the water in the water tank is supplied from the side of the septic tank in the direction of gravity toward the inside of the septic tank while applying a predetermined pressure, and the water is discharged from the side opposite to the direction of gravity of the septic tank. Therefore, even if water is supplied while applying a predetermined pressure, gravity works to suppress the flow of water,
Water flows in the septic tank relatively slowly and at low speed. Therefore, a state in which water slowly flows at a low speed under a predetermined pressure and which is suitable for bacterial growth and a chemical reaction of water by bacteria is realized.

[0022]

【Example】

Example 1. 1 is a schematic view showing a purification device according to a first embodiment of the present invention and an ornamental fish tank provided with the same, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the purification device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a center of the purification device of FIG. FIG. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is, for example, a water tank for 50 to 60 liters for keeping saltwater fish, 2 is water (sea water) in the water tank 1, 3 is bottom sand spread on the bottom of the water tank 1, and 4 is a pump ( In this embodiment, for example, the product name “Eheim 2007” manufactured by Eheim GmbH of Germany (power consumption 3 W, flow rate 180 l)
/ H, compatible water mark 30 to 60 cm, external size 65 (φ) x 17
0 (H) mm) 4a is a sponge for removing dust and the like before supplying the water 2 in the water tank 1 to the submersible pump 4 and 5 is a pipe 6 for the water from the submersible pump 4 It is a septic tank supplied via.

Next, the structure of the purifying apparatus of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, reference numeral 4a is, for example, a sponge filter, and the water 2 in the water tank 1 is filtered by the filter 4a, sucked by the pump 4 from the suction portion 4b, and sent to the septic tank 5. . 2 and 3, reference numeral 11 is a container body of the septic tank, and 12 is a lid for closing the opening above the container body 11. Below the container body 11, a pipe 6 for supplying water from the submersible pump 4 is connected. Reference numeral 13 at the lower end of the container body 11 is a cavity into which water from the pipe 6 is poured. A plate 14 having a plurality of small cage-shaped openings is fixed on the cavity 13.
This plate 14 is for supporting a large number of small balls 17 as a filter medium which will be described later. A relatively coarse mesh filter 15 for filtering relatively large dust is laminated on the plate 14, and a relatively fine mesh filter for filtering relatively small dust is further provided on the filter 15. The filter 16 made up is laminated. A large number of small balls 17 are spread on the filter 16 in the container body 11,
Is filled.

On the small balls 17, as shown in FIG. 3, a wool restraining sheet 18 having a relatively fine mesh, a restraining sheet 19 made of a wool having a relatively coarse mesh, and a cage-shaped board 2 of a cage.
0 is stacked. The sheet 18 is for restraining the small balls 17, and the sheet 19 is for cushioning between the sheet 18 and the plate 20. The top of the plate 20 is a cavity 21 for passing purified and filtered water. The water carried to the hollow portion 21 is discharged to the outside of the septic tank 5 via the discharge pipe 22 and the L-shaped pipe 23 and returned to the water tank 1. This L-shaped pipe 23
Can be rotated in the α direction in FIG.
The user can rotate the L-shaped pipe 23 to arbitrarily adjust the water discharge location.

In this embodiment, the total height of the water tank 1 is, for example, 360 mm, and the height of the water surface from the bottom in the water tank 1 is about 3.
The height of the bottom sand 3 is 30 mm, and the height is about 5 to 70 mm. The size of the container body 11 of the septic tank is, for example, 50 mm in diameter (reference numeral a in FIG. 3) and 350 mm in height (reference numeral b in FIG. 3). For example, the diameter is 40 mm and the height is 200 mm (reference numeral c in FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 1, the septic tank 5 is the water tank 1.
Submerged in water 2 of the vertical direction (direction parallel to gravity direction)
And the L-shaped pipe 23 only projects above the water. The lower end of the septic tank 5 and the lower part of the submersible pump 4 are buried in the bottom sand 3.

Further, in the present embodiment, the small spheres 17 are made of glass or plastic, and the surface thereof is smooth and not rough. Further, the small sphere 17 has, for example, a radius of 0.5 to
They are formed to have a size of 5 mm and are substantially equal to each other. In the present invention, the radius of the small sphere 17 is determined according to the size of the water tank 1, and a radius of 0.5 to 1 mm may be used for a small water tank, and a radius of 1 to 2 mm or 2 to 2 for each larger water tank 1. Three
mm, 4-5 mm, 5 mm-10 mm are also possible. Further, these small spheres 17 are formed into a true sphere or a substantially true sphere. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a large number of small balls 17 are formed between the small balls 17 each having a substantially spherical shape and a uniform size and having a smooth surface 17a. Although a gap 31 is formed, this many small gaps 3
1 also have a substantially equal size to each other and are present at a predetermined interval from each other.

As described above, the septic tank 5 of this embodiment is set up in the water in the water tank 1 in the vertical direction (direction parallel to the direction of gravity), and the pump 4 is installed from the lower side (direction of gravity). And water to be purified is supplied by the pipe 6, and the pipe 22, from the upper side (the direction opposite to the gravity direction),
The water purified by 23 is discharged. That is, in this embodiment, water flows in the septic tank 5 from the gravity direction side to the opposite direction side. As described above, in order to raise the water upward from the bottom against gravity, it is necessary to supply the water with a predetermined pressure.
Further, even if a predetermined pressure is applied in this way, gravity prevents the rise of water, so that the water slowly rises in the septic tank 5 at a low speed. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when water is supplied by applying a predetermined pressure with the pump 4, a predetermined pressure is always applied to the many gaps 31 between the many small balls 17 in the septic tank 5. Become. In addition, in this gap 31,
Water flows slowly and slowly. Therefore, a predetermined pressure is uniformly applied to all of the plurality of gaps 31 in the septic tank 5, and bacteria that water flows slowly and at a low rate easily grow, and the bacteria are sufficiently mixed with the water. An environment that is easy to react to will be established.

Comparative Example. Next, this Example 1 will be compared with the comparative example of FIG. 5 to explain its merits. This comparative example is proposed by the present inventor in Japanese Patent Application No. 5-351238. In this comparative example, the septic tank 33 is
On the aquarium 1, its lateral direction (direction orthogonal to the gravity direction)
Is provided in the longitudinal direction, and the purified water flows from the right side to the left side (that is, a direction substantially orthogonal to the gravity direction) in FIG. That is, in FIG. 5, filters 40 and 41 are provided at the left and right ends inside the container body 36, and a large number of small balls 42 are filled between them. The water in the aquarium 1 is
It is pumped up by the pump 35 through the filter 34a and the pipe 34, supplied from the right end of the septic tank 33 in the figure, purified and filtered, discharged from the left end of the figure through the pipe 43, and returned to the water tank 1.

By the way, in this comparative example, the pump 35 supplies water while applying a predetermined pressure, but if it is left as it is, it will pass through the inside of the septic tank 33 at high speed, and the water will not sufficiently react with bacteria. However, bacteria may not grow sufficiently in an environment where water passes at high speed. Further, the water pressed by the pressure causes the septic tank 33 due to gravity.
There is a possibility that the upper half will hardly be passed and only the lower half will be mainly passed, and the entire septic tank 33 will not be evenly passed. Therefore, in order to avoid such an inconvenience, in this comparative example, partition plates 39 projecting from the upper side and partition plates 38 projecting from the lower side are alternately projected between a plurality of small balls 42 at a plurality of locations, and Through the partition plates 38, 39 evenly pass through the entire septic tank 33, and the water is pumped by the pump 35.
Even if the partition plates 38 and 39 are pushed out by the pressure of 1, the water will not be able to pass through at high speed because the partition plates 38 and 39 interfere.

Also in this comparative example, it is possible to apply a predetermined pressure to the inside of the septic tank 33 by moving the water uniformly and at low speed to the entire septic tank 33 by means of the partition plates 38 and 39. It is possible to grow it in water, and yet to sufficiently react water with bacteria. However, in this comparative example, since it is necessary to provide a plurality of partition plates 38 and 39, the device becomes large in size, and
The manufacturing cost will increase accordingly. In addition, if a purifying device is provided on the water tank 1, there is a problem that salt from seawater adheres to the water tank 1 and becomes dirty (so-called salt dripping). On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the septic tanks are set up in the vertical direction to suppress the flow of water in the partition plates 38 and 39 of the comparative example by the action of gravity. Is no longer needed. Further, since it is placed in the vertical direction, there is an advantage that salt does not adhere to the water tank 1 unlike the comparative example. Further, in this embodiment, since the partition plates 38 and 39 are not required and can be downsized and can be used by standing in the vertical direction, one of the advantages is that they can be put in the water tank 1.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, a large number of small balls 17 are filled in the septic tank 5,
Further, a concentrated liquid of microorganisms such as bacteria is put in advance. Then, the water 2 in the water tank 1 is supplied to the septic tank 5 while the water filtered by the filter 4 a is applied with a predetermined pressure by the pump 4. This water is further filtered by the filters 15 and 16 and sent to the gaps 31 between the small balls 17, but the passage of the water is blocked by gravity, so that a predetermined pressure is applied to the septic tank 5. In addition, the water slowly and slowly passes through the entire septic tank 5 evenly. In this process, the water reacts with the bacteria grown on the surface 17a of the small spheres 17 in each of the gaps 31, and the ammonia and nitrite components contained in the water 2 cause the bacteria grown on the surface of each small sphere 12 Biodegraded by microorganisms. The purified water 2 is stored in the water tank 1
However, this operation is continuously repeated by the pump 4.

Next, the operation of multiplying microorganisms such as bacteria in the septic tank of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, a large number of small balls 17 are filled in advance in the septic tank 5 in which a concentrated liquid of microorganisms such as bacteria is put. These small balls 17 have, for example, a radius of 1 to
Since it is an extremely small true sphere of 2 mm, an extremely large number of small spheres are provided in this septic tank.
As a result, in the septic tank of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, an extremely large number of gaps 31 between the small balls 17 are formed. The place where microorganisms such as bacteria grow in this embodiment is the surface 17a (see FIG. 4) of the small spheres 17 in these gaps 31, but in this embodiment, these gaps 31 are as described above. Since it is formed in an extremely large amount, the place where bacteria and the like grow (the above-mentioned small sphere surface 17a) is also formed in an extremely large amount.
Therefore, according to the present invention, bacteria and the like can be propagated extremely efficiently.

Further, in this embodiment, the small balls 17 provided in the septic tank 5 are formed to have the same size.
Therefore, the large number of minute gaps 31 formed between the small balls 17 also have the same shape and size (see FIG. 4). In this embodiment, as described above, water is supplied in the antigravity direction by applying a predetermined pressure from the pump 4, and the flow of water is obstructed by gravity. Therefore, the clearance 31 of the septic tank 5 is always provided with a predetermined amount. It is under pressure.

By the way, the inventor of the present invention has found through many experiments that bacteria and the like are allowed to survive under a pressure of at least 30 g / cm 2 or more, preferably 50 g / cm 2 or more, without applying the pressure. It has been found that the efficiency of proliferation is much higher than that of the condition. This is supported by the fact that the environment in which bacteria grow on the natural seabed is always under a certain pressure.

Further, in the experiment by the present inventor, the conventional radius of 5
When the ceramic spheres having a diameter of mm or more are used as a purification medium for the growth of bacteria and the like, and the radius of this embodiment is 2 m.
Comparing with the case where the small spheres having a radius of 0.5 to 5 mm (preferably 1 to 3 mm) including the glass small spheres of m are used as the purification medium, the latter has a much higher proliferation efficiency of bacteria and the like. I found that. This is related to the fact that the small spheres having a small radius cause the number of gaps formed between the small spheres to be remarkably larger than the case where the small spheres having a large radius are used. That is, it is considered that bacteria and the like propagate in the gaps 31 on the surface 17a of the small spheres 17, so that the larger the number of the gaps, the higher the multiplication efficiency of the bacteria and the like. Therefore, it is desirable to use the small spheres 17 as the purification medium having a relatively small radius of 0.5 to 5 mm (preferably 1 to 3 mm). According to an experiment conducted by the present inventor, the size of the desirable radius of the small sphere 17 is 0.5 to 5 m in radius.
The range of m is desirable, but the optimum size is related to the size of the aquarium 1. That is, if the water tank 1 is small, the size of the small balls 17 is preferably relatively small, and if the water tank 1 is large, the size of the small balls 17 may be relatively large.

Further, in the experiment of the present inventor, the case where bacteria and the like were propagated by using the conventional commercially available ceramic spheres having a radius of about 2 mm and the surface of the radius of 2 mm according to this example was It has been found that the efficiency of proliferation is remarkably improved in the latter case when the bacteria and the like are propagated using smooth glass spheres or plastic spheres having high sphericity. These experimental results indicate that conventional ceramic spheres are probably difficult to make with high sphericity, resulting in large variations in sphericity. It is thought to be related to the fact that it is difficult to make a large number of them, and that there is considerable variation in the size of their radii.

That is, according to the experiments of the present inventor, it is desirable that the minute gaps 31 as shown in FIG. This is because if the sizes and shapes of the gaps 31 are equal to each other, the pressure applied by the pressurizing means such as the pump 4 can also be uniformly applied to all of the gaps 31. The state of water moving in the purification layer due to the pressure (moving speed of water, etc.) is also uniform in all the gaps 31. In this way, the fact that the state in each gap 31 is even means that the environment for breeding bacteria and the like is all equal in each gap 31, and it is extremely efficient for the growth of bacteria and the like. It is considered to be.

As described above, according to the experiments of the present inventor, in order to create an optimum environment for the growth of bacteria and the like, the minute gaps 31 as described above are formed to have the same size and shape. Can be said to be desirable. And the above-mentioned gap 3
In order to form 1 in a uniform size and shape, small balls 17
Must be as close to a true sphere as possible. Further, the present inventor conducted an experiment of bacterial growth mainly using glass or plastic spheres, and obtained extremely good results. As can be deduced from these results, it is desirable that the small spheres 17 are formed of a material (glass, plastic, etc.) having a smooth surface instead of a sparse surface, such as ceramics, in order to enhance the growth efficiency of bacteria. I can say. Further, in order to form a large number of small spheres having a high sphericity and mutually equal sizes as described above, it is easy to form a material having a smooth surface instead of ceramics, etc. Forming with a plastic or the like has advantages that the manufacturing is easy and the manufacturing cost is low.

Conventionally, the purification medium for growing bacteria and the like is more efficient when it is manufactured from ceramic or cement whose surface is sparse because the area for breeding bacteria and the like is larger. It was said to be good.
For this reason, the purification medium is usually formed by using a material such as ceramic or cement whose surface is sparse (see, for example, JP-A-59-4493). However, the experimental results of the present inventor show that the case where a spherical surface formed by using a material such as glass or plastic having a smooth surface is used as the purification medium (in addition, a predetermined pressure is applied) The efficiency of proliferation is remarkably improved, and the result is completely opposite to the conventional common sense as described above.

When a conventional ceramic sphere or the like is used as a purifying medium, the growth efficiency of bacteria and the like is poor. Therefore, if the user newly purchases an aquarium of ornamental fish,
Conventionally, ammonia contained in water in the aquarium and nitrous acid generated by decomposition of ammonia are not easily decomposed by bacteria etc., the aquarium is filled with nitrous acid, the ornamental fish die and the aquarium turns red. It wasn't the least. In this case, conventionally, it has been necessary to replace all the water in the water tank with a new one and start over from the beginning. But,
In the experiment of the present inventor, when the purifying apparatus of the present embodiment is used, even if the water tank is filled with nitrous acid and the inside of the water tank becomes red as described above, the water is not replaced as it is, and the present embodiment is performed. It was found that if the pump of the example was driven and water was continuously circulated while passing through the purification device, nitrite was decomposed into harmless nitric acid in about 2 weeks, and the ornamental fish could be raised. This indicates that the efficiency of the growth of bacteria and the like is extremely high when this example is used.

Further, in the experiment using the purifying apparatus of this embodiment, the bacterial growth efficiency was extremely high, and when aerobic bacteria decomposed ammonia or nitrous acid, a large amount of oxygen was taken in and a large amount of carbon dioxide gas was discharged. It became so.
Due to the large amount of carbon dioxide gas discharged, aquatic plants (seagrass) have started to propagate in the aquarium. Conventionally, it has been said that it is extremely difficult to reproduce aquatic plants in a small-sized aquarium for home use because the amount of carbon dioxide gas is small, but it is possible to reproduce aquatic plants by using this example. It can be said that this is one of the excellent effects of this embodiment.
As described above, when the purifying apparatus of the present embodiment is used, since a large amount of carbon dioxide gas is generated in the aquarium due to the growth of bacteria, in order to supply the oxygen necessary for the survival of the ornamental fish into the aquarium, the air is used. It is desirable to use rations together.

Example 2. Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a purification medium used in the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the configuration of the septic tank 5 such as the other containers 11 is the same as that of the first embodiment except for the large number of small balls 17. In the septic tank 5 of the second embodiment, the purifying medium 32 shown in FIG. 6 is provided instead of the small balls 17 of the first embodiment. The purification medium 32 includes a large number of minute gaps whose surfaces are not sparse and are formed smoothly, and these gaps are formed in such a state that adjacent ones are partially continuous with each other and water can pass as a whole. ing. That is, according to the experimental results of the present inventors, in short, a large number of minute gaps 31 as shown in FIG. 4 and the smooth surface 17 covering the gaps 31.
It was found that bacteria can grow efficiently under the condition that a and a predetermined pressure are applied to these minute gaps. Therefore, in order to make such a large number of gaps 31, it is easiest to fill a large number of small balls 17 as in the first embodiment, but as shown in FIG. Each of these adjacent gaps has a part of which is continuous so that water can pass through as a whole), and the surface is not rough but is formed smoothly, for example, is formed into a cylindrical shape. This also makes it possible to realize a purification medium suitable for bacterial growth. Since the surface of the purifying medium 32 needs to be smooth, it is desirable that the purifying medium 32 be formed of a material having a smooth surface such as glass or plastic. By using the purification medium 32 shown in FIG. 6, water is supplied to the purification medium 32 from the side of the septic tank 5 in the direction of gravity, and the water is discharged from the side opposite to the direction of gravity.
Since a predetermined pressure is always applied to 2 and the water slowly flows slowly in the antigravity direction,
Similarly, an environment suitable for the growth of bacteria and having a good reaction of bacteria to water is developed.

[0043]

As described above, in the purifying apparatus according to the first invention of the present application, a large number of small gaps are formed by a large number of small spheres whose surfaces are not sparse and are formed smoothly. Since water in the water tank is allowed to pass through while applying a predetermined pressure to each minute gap, a predetermined pressure is always applied to each gap, and an environment suitable for bacterial growth can be created. .

Further, in the first aspect of the invention, the septic tank is placed in the vertical direction (direction substantially parallel to the gravity direction), and the water in the water tank is supplied from the gravity direction side of the septic tank while applying a predetermined pressure to the septic tank. By discharging water from the side opposite to the direction of gravity of the septic tank, the flow of water at a predetermined pressure without providing a partition plate (see reference numerals 38 and 39 in FIG. 5) unlike the comparative example. Is prevented by gravity, so that a predetermined pressure is constantly applied in the septic tank and water can slowly flow at a low speed, which makes it possible to realize an environment very suitable for bacterial growth. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a partition plate as in the comparative example, so that the purification device can be downsized and the manufacturing cost can be proposed. Further, since the septic tank can be downsized and placed vertically, the septic tank can be put in the water tank, and the space of the entire water tank can be saved. Further, when the septic tank was placed on the aquarium as in the comparative example, there was the inconvenience that salt dripping from seawater occurred and the aquarium became dirty. can avoid.

Further, in the present invention, since a large number of small spaces (gap between the respective small spheres) suitable for the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria can be formed in the purification layer, the efficiency of the growth of bacteria can be dramatically improved. Can be increased to Further, as a result, conventionally, when the ornamental fish was dead and filled with nitrite in the aquarium for fish, it was necessary to replace all the water in the aquarium, when using the purification device of the present invention, By continuing to purify the nitrite-filled water after the ornamental fish has died, all the nitrite is decomposed by the grown bacteria and the like within a few weeks, and the environment where the ornamental fish can grow can be changed. Further, when the purification apparatus of the present invention is used, the growth of bacteria and the like is made extremely efficient, so that a large amount of carbon dioxide gas can be generated in the aquarium due to the growth of bacteria and the like, and the domestic aquarium (for seawater) It is possible to breed aquatic plants within.

Further, in the purifying apparatus of the present invention, the small spheres are formed as true spheres or substantially true spheres, so that the shapes and sizes of the gaps between the respective small spheres are formed with high precision and evenly. It is possible to increase the efficiency of the growth of bacteria and the like.

Further, in the purifying apparatus of the present invention, by forming the small spheres from a smooth material having a non-dense surface, the bacterial growth efficiency is improved, and the small spheres serving as the purification medium are spherical or It becomes easy to form a nearly spherical shape.

Further, in the purifying apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, a predetermined pressure is applied to the purifying tank whose surface is not sparse and is formed smoothly and which has a large number of minute gaps which are adjacent to each other. Since the water in the water tank is allowed to pass through while adding the pressure, a predetermined pressure is always applied to each gap, and an environment suitable for bacterial growth can be created. Further, in the second aspect of the invention, the water in the water tank is supplied from the gravity direction side of the septic tank while applying a predetermined pressure into the septic tank, and the water is discharged from the side opposite to the gravity direction of the septic tank. Even if a partition plate or the like is not provided as in the comparative example, since the flow of water under a predetermined pressure is obstructed by gravity, a predetermined pressure is constantly applied in the septic tank and the water can slowly flow slowly and slowly. An environment very suitable for proliferation can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a purifying apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention and an aquarium fish tank using the purifying apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the purification device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a central cross-sectional view showing the purification device of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a comparative example of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a purification medium of Example 2 of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Water Tank 2 Water (Sea Water) 3 Bottom Sand 4 Pump 5 Septic Tank 4a, 15, 16 Filter 11 Container Main Body 12 Lid 13,21 Cavity 14,20 Caddy Plate 17 Small Ball 18,19 Wool 31 Gap 32 Purification Medium

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] January 20, 1995

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Brief description of the drawing

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a purifying apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention and an aquarium fish tank using the purifying apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the purification device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a central cross-sectional view showing the purification device of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a comparative example of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a purification medium of Example 2 of the present invention.

[Explanation of code] 1 water tank 2 water (seawater) 3 bottom sand 4 pump 5 septic tank 4a, 15, 16 filter 11 container body 12 lid 13, 21 cavity 14 and 20 cage child board 17 small ball 18, 19 wool 31 Gap 32 Purification medium

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A purification device for purifying water in an aquarium for ornamental fish or live fish (herein, "aquarium" includes a cage. The same applies hereinafter), which is parallel or nearly parallel to the direction of gravity. A septic tank in which a large number of small spheres whose surface is not sparse and smooth is filled in a container whose longitudinal direction is the longitudinal direction, and in the septic tank, the water tank is arranged in a direction parallel or nearly parallel to the gravity direction. A purifying device comprising: a passage means for passing the water inside while applying a predetermined pressure. 2. The purifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the passage means supplies the water in the water tank from the gravity direction side of the septic tank while applying a predetermined pressure into the septic tank, and the side opposite to the gravity direction of the septic tank. A purifying device characterized by discharging water from the device. 3. The purifying apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the small spheres filled in the septic tank are formed to have equal or substantially equal sizes to each other. 4. The purifying apparatus according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein each of the small spheres filled in the septic tank is formed into a true sphere or a substantially true sphere. 5. The purifying apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein each of the small spheres filled in the septic tank has a radius of about 0.5 to 5 mm. Purification device characterized by. 6. A purifying device for purifying water in an aquarium for ornamental fish or live fish, which includes a large number of minute gaps whose surfaces are not sparse and smooth and which are adjacent to each other. A part of the clearance is continuous with each other, and a septic tank containing a purifying medium formed so that water can pass as a whole, and water in the aquarium is passed while applying a predetermined pressure to the septic tank. A purifying device comprising: a passage means. 7. The purifying apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the passage means supplies water in the water tank while applying a predetermined pressure into the septic tank from the gravity direction side of the septic tank, and the side opposite to the septic tank gravity direction. A purifying device characterized by discharging water from the device.