Aquarium filter assembly, components thereof, and methods

1. An aquarium filter cartridge comprising:

(a) a frame having a top member, a bottom member, a first side member between the top member and bottom member, and a second side member between the top member and the bottom member;

(i) the first side member having a first section in extension from the top member, and a recessed section between the first section and the bottom member;

(A) the recessed section being laterally spaced relative to the first section toward the second side member;

(B) the recessed section of the first side member extending a distance of 20% or greater than a total distance between the top member and the bottom member;

(ii) the second side member having a first section in extension from the top member, and a recessed section between the first section of the second side member and the bottom member;

(A) the recessed section of the second side member being laterally spaced relative to the first section of the second side member toward the first side member;

(B) the recessed section of the second side member extending a distance of 20% or greater than a total distance between the top member and the bottom member;

(b) a media pack attached to the frame; the media pack having opposing panel sections and including a bottom, a first side edge extending from the bottom, and a second side edge extending from the bottom;

(i) the bottom of the media pack being adjacent to the bottom member of the frame; the first side edge being adjacent to the first section of the first side member and being spaced from the recessed section of the first side member, and the second side edge being adjacent to the first section of the second side member and being spaced from the recessed section of the second side member;

(ii) the media pack having first and second wedge-shaped sections adjacent to the recessed sections of the first side member and second side member that are frame-free between the opposing panel sections;

(c) the first section of the first side member is parallel to the first section of the second side member;

(d) (i) the recessed section of the first side member is angled inwardly between 5-20° from the first section of the first side member to the bottom member; and (ii) the recessed section of the second side member is angled inwardly between 5-20° from the first section of the second side member to the bottom member;

(e) (i) the recessed section of the first side member extends a distance 20-50% of a total distance between the top member and the bottom member; and (ii) the recessed section of the second side member extends a distance of 20-50% of a total distance between the top member and the bottom member.

2. The filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the media pack comprises a sock forming a surrounding wall with the first and second side edges and the bottom being a closed bottom; the surrounding wall and the bottom defining an interior volume; the sock including an open mouth opposite of the closed bottom;

(i) the frame being removably oriented in the interior volume of the sock to provide the open mouth being adjacent to the top member of the frame.

3. The filter cartridge of claim 2 further comprising:

(a) activated carbon within the interior volume of the sock.

4. The filter cartridge of claim 2 wherein:

(a) the frame includes first and second flanges flexibly extending from opposite sides of the top member; a rim of the mouth of the sock being received between the first and second flanges and the top member; and

(b) a removable pressure clip holding the first and second flanges against the rim of the sock.

5. The filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the recessed section of the first side member extends a distance of less than 50% of a total distance between the top member and the bottom member; and

(b) the recessed section of the second side member extends a distance of less than 50% of a total distance between the top member and the bottom member.

6. The filter cartridge of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the frame further includes at least a pair of supporting bars between the first side member and second side member and in extension between the top member and the bottom member.

7. An aquarium filter assembly comprising:

(a) a housing having a sidewall, an interior volume, a water inlet, and a water outlet; the sidewall having first and second opposing receiving grooves in the interior volume;

(i) the first receiving groove having a sloped section being angled inwardly toward the second groove; and

(ii) the second receiving groove having a sloped section being angled inwardly toward the first groove; and

(b) the filter cartridge of claim 1 removably oriented in the first and second receiving grooves; the water inlet being upstream of the filter cartridge, and the water outlet being downstream of the filter cartridge;

(i) the recessed section of the first side member being adjacent to the first receiving groove sloped section;

(ii) the recessed section of the second side member being adjacent to the second receiving groove sloped section; and

(iii) the first wedge-shaped section of the media pack being compressed between and against the first receiving groove sloped sections and the recessed section of the first side member; and

(iv) the second wedge-shaped section of the media pack being compressed between and against the second receiving groove sloped sections and the recessed section of the second side member.

8. The aquarium filter assembly of claim 7 further comprising:

(a) a biological host media filter element removably oriented in the interior volume of the housing downstream of and adjacent to the filter cartridge.

9. A method of servicing an aquarium filter assembly; the method comprising:

(a) removing a filter cartridge according to claim 1 from an interior volume of a filter housing;

(b) removing the media pack from the frame;

(c) providing a new media pack and securing the new media pack to the frame so that a bottom of the new media pack is adjacent to the bottom member of the frame, a first side edge of the new media pack is adjacent to the first section of the first side member and is spaced from the recessed section of the first side member, and a second side edge of the new media pack is adjacent to the first section of the second side member and is spaced from the recessed section of the second side member; the new media pack having first and second wedge-shaped sections that are frame-free between opposing panel sections of the new media pack.