220 GOLDFISH VAKIETIES AXD 



The best wood for tanks is well-seasoned cypress, the natural habitat 

 of the tree being in wet places. Any size tank may be made, but there are 

 two sizes found quite convenient and which cut to good advantage out of 

 the lumber. The larger measures 16 inches high, 30 inches wide and 48 

 inches long. The smaller one measures 9 inches high, 24 inches wide and 

 32 inches in length. For the larger size 1^4 -inch lumber is used, which 

 is about lys inches when dressed. Here a board 16 inches wide is used, 

 avoiding seams in any of the sides, and being but one in the bottom. The 

 side and bottom boards are rabbeted to }i inch deep and 1^ inches from 

 edge to receive the ends. Bottom boards are tongued and grooved. All 

 joints should receive a preliminary coating of white lead paint. After this 

 is dried a thicker coat should be applied just before putting joints together. 

 The tank is then clamped and 194-inch screws inserted through the sides 

 into the bottom and ends, and through the bottom into the ends. Cleats 

 3 inches wide are placed across centre of bottom and all the way around 

 the ends. Through the top of latter is passed an iron rod yi inch thick, 

 then secured and tightened with washer and nut at ends. The smaller 

 tank is constructed in the same manner, except that cleat across centre 

 bottom and the iron rods are omitted. 



\Miile painting the outside improves the appearance, it has more of a 

 tendency to rot a tank than preserve it, as the paint prevents the evapora- 

 tion of the moisture naturally gathered from the inside. Leaks will usually 

 correct themselves in a few days, but should they not do so, a few hand- 

 fulls of earth stirred in the water and allowed to stand a few hours will 

 make the job tight. Occasional stirring of the dirty water helps. The 

 white lead should be allowed a day to harden before filling with water. 



CONSTRUCTION OF TANKS AND POOLS 



For outdoor purposes it is better to dig holes in the ground and 

 puddle them with clay rather than make poorly constructed concrete 

 basins or pools of any size. Unless the work is properly done the frost 

 is certain to crack it, and even the weight of the water may be sufficient 

 to bring about this result. Repaired work is never satisfactory, and the 

 next winter will open more seams, making continual expense, dissatis- 

 faction, loss of water and of fishes. With indoor concrete tanks too, 

 thorough construction is a good investment. 



The main points in the construction of such work are good foun- 

 dations, thorough reinforcement, good cement properly mixed, and one 

 continuous job of the finishing coat. The concrete centre ought also be 

 poured within the space of one day. There is some difference of opinion 

 as to the necessity for a base of cinders. The author favors them. If 

 used they should be the hard kind, wetted down and packed solid to a 



