GB2414153A - Fish refuge - Google Patents

Abstract

The refuge comprises a body (2) provided with an internal chamber accessible to fish and a support (4) for a submerged pump clear of the floor of a pond. The refuge may have a passage (6) extending between apertures (3) (7) (8) and may be moulded from thermoplastics material to resemble a naturally occuring material such as stone. The refuge may also comprise a lighting means.

Description

FISH REFUGE

The present invention relates to a structure for use within a fish pond or the like. More particularly, but not exclusively, it relates to a structure to enable fish to hide from the view of predators or humans, and to avoid a flow of water from a circulating pump or the like.

Fish ponds have become very popular features of gardens. It is customary to provide various aquatic plants therein, both for aesthetic effect, and to provide the fish with a realistic habitat, within which they may hide. It is also standard practice to provide submerged pumps to circulate water within the pond, to prevent it becoming stagnant. These pumps may also be provided with water clarification systems and/or sterilization systems, for example using ultraviolet illumination, to kill organisms that might otherwise grow in the pond.

However, these circulating pumps can lead to problems. For example, in very cold weather, a lowest part of the pond may be the warmest part, water being at its densest at about four degrees Celsius. Fish will therefore tend to take refuge near the bottom of the pond.

However, if a circulating pump is positioned so that it causes a flow through the lowest part of the pond, then this warm region will be destroyed. In an extreme case, the whole pond could cool to a temperature close to freezing point. Furthermore, the lowest part of a pond may become silted over time and it would be advisable not to recirculate this silt through the pump. For both these reasons, it is hence usual to mount a pump on a pair of bricks or the likes rather than directly on a floor of the pond. However, this is far from decorative.

Many fish are also accustomed to a habitat providing more cover in which to conceal themselves than is provided by aquatic plants alone.

It is hence one object of the present invention to provide a structure for use within a pond or the like to act as a refuge for fish and to allow the fish to avoid cold and/or circulating water.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a structure on which to mount a submerged pump.

According to the present invention, there is provided a structure disposable underwater on a floor of a pond or the like, comprising a body provided with chamber means therewithin accessible to fish and means to support submerged pump means above the floor of the pond.

Preferably, the chamber means comprises passage means extending through the body between first and second aperture means, through which fish may swim.

Advantageously, each aperture means is located on a generally verticallyextending surface of the body.

Optionally, the body may be provided with at least three aperture means connected to said passage means.

Preferably, the body is adapted to receive the pump means on a generally horizontally- extending surface thereof.

Advantageously, the body is provided with a substantially flat upper surface adapted to receive the pump means.

The body may be provided with means for the pump means to be attached thereto.

The body may comprise a plastics material.

The body may be moulded from a thermoplastics material, optionally comprising a single moulding.

The body is preferably externally configured generally to resemble a naturally-occurring material such as stone.

The body may be provided with lighting means to illuminate the pond for decorative or safety purposes.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a frontal elevation of a first grotto embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of a second grotto embodying the present invention; and Figure 3 is a schematic crosssectional view of a third grotto embodying the present inventions in use in a pond.

Referring now to the Figures and to Figure 1 in particular, a first grotto I is intended to be submerged in a pond, such as an artificial fish pond in a garden, resting on a base or floor thereof. The first grotto 1 comprises a moulding of plastics material, for example polypropylene or polyethylene, optionally weighted to avoid any tendency to float. For aesthetic reasons, it is moulded to appear as if it comprised a number of individual rocks or stones 2, or as it if were a natural outcrop. However, the grotto 1 is preferably produced as a single moulding. The first grotto 1 is provided with a first cave entrance 3, into which fish may swim for refuge. A roof 4 of the grotto 1 may be used to support a submersible pump (see Figure 3 for details).

As shown in Figure 2, a second grotto 5 has, the first cave entrance 3 leading to an internal cavity 6 or passage, leading in turn to a second cave entrance 7, allowing fish to swim through the grotto 5. A grotto 1, with only one cave entrance 3 would not be suitable for those types of fish, such as sturgeon, that can only swim forwards and might not be able to make a sufficiently sharp U-turn to exit the grotto 1, through the same entrance 3 through which they entered. The internal cavity 6 may also be connected to one or more supplementary entrances 8 if desired.

It is envisaged that an alternative form of grotto to that shown in Figure 2 would have a similar outward appearance, but would comprise a shell with relatively thin walls such that the internal cavity 6 would comprise a majority of the volume of the grotto. Such a grotto would still preferably have at least two entrances 3, 7 extending through its walls into the internal cavity 6.

Another form of grotto would comprise an internal cavity 6, leading directly or indirectly from a first entrance 3 to a second entrance 7, having a diameter similar to those of its entrances 3, 7. Thus, the internal cavity 6 would take the form of a tunnel through the grotto.

Again, supplementary entrances 8 could be provided, linked to side tunnels connected to the internal cavity 6.

Grottos with more than one separate internal cavity 6 are possible.

Figure 3 shows a third grotto 9 in position on a floor 10 of a pond 11. A submersible circulating pump 12 rests on the roof 4 of the grotto 9. (NB a power supply to the pump 12 and its outlet pipe are omitted for clarity) . A fish 13 is thus free to swim into and out of the grotto 9 through its entrances 3, 7. The position of the circulating pump 12 ensures that a flow of water generated thereby is directed from an upper portion 14 of the pond 11 and not from a lowest portion 15 thereof.

In cold weather, the pond 11 is likely to cool from its surface downwards. Initially, denser cool water will descend into the lower portion 15. However, water is at its densest at around four degrees Celsius. Therefore, once the lower portion 15 has reached this temperature, colder water will not descend into it, and the lower portion 15 be relatively safe for fish, even if the upper portion 14 were to freeze. The position of the circulating pump 12 ensures that this thermal gradient is not destroyed by significant mixing between water in the upper 14 and lower 15 portions. Water within the grotto 9 is protected from such mixing to an even greater degree.

The grotto 9 thus provides a refuge for fish 13 that are accustomed to more cover than is provided by aquatic plants, and ensures that a lower portion 15 of the pond 11 is relatively undisturbed by a current produced by the pump 12. Even in temperate weather, many types of fish 13 will prefer to lurk in relatively calm water even when not hiding in the grotto 9.

While it is envisaged that such grottos 1, 5, 9 will be produced as thermoplastics mouldings, it is also possible that thermoses plastics castings may be employed, or composite materials such as glass-reinforced plastics. Concrete or artificial stone castings may also be employed if desired.

The grotto 1, 5, 9 may be provided with underwater lighting fixtures, optionally sharing a power supply with the pump 12.

The grotto 1, 5, 9 may be so formed that it can act as a surface on which aquatic plants may be grown.

Claims (8)

1. A structure disposable underwater on a floor of a pond or the like, comprising a body provided with chamber means therewithin accessible to fish and means to support submerged pump means above the floor of the pond.

2. A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chamber means comprises passage means extending through the body between first and second aperture means, through which fish may swim.

3. A structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein each aperture means is located on a generally vertically-extending surface of the body.

4. A structure as claimed in either claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the body is provided with at least three aperture means connected to said passage means.

5. A structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body is adapted to receive the pump means on a generally horizontallyextending substantially Pat upper surface thereof.

6. A structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body is moulded from a thermoplastics material, optionally comprising a single moulding, so as to resemble a naturally-occurring material such as stone.

7. A structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising lighting means to illuminate the pond.

8. A structure disposable underwater substantially as described herein with reference to the Figures of the accompanying drawings.