
MARINE AQUARIA 

Less humus will form, the glass need but seldom be cleaned, the evapora- 
tion is inconsiderable, and the conditions of the water and its temperature, 
when the aquarium is properly established and aerated, require but little 
attention. The inmates, however, should have close supervision until 
they have become accustomed to their changed environments. Occasion- 
ally, even with the most careful attention, water contamination may occur 
or a cloudiness of the water manifest itself. [his may be due to an ex- 
cessive growth of alge in the water, the death of an inmate, the decay of 
a plant, or mistakes on the part of the attendant. A more rapid aeration 
may often relieve this condition, when some such happening has been the 
cause and corrections have been made; but should this prove ineffectual, 
or after several days not improve the appearance and remove the turbidity, 
then some of the water should be siphoned and replaced by the reserve 
water. ‘The turbid water, if the contamination was not a dangerous one, 
may be filtered and when clear and in normal condition, may be again 
used or reserved. Mishaps of this kind should not occur more frequently 
than in the freshwater aquarium. 
Fritters. A charcoal filter or any other mechanical, not chemical, 
household filter will answer the requirements; but one easily constructed 
can be made of two glass funnels or of two flower pots, one a trifle smaller 
than the other. Whenconstructed of the pots, pieces of pipe are cemented 
into the bottom holes and cotton gauze laid over these openings. The 
smaller pot is filled halfway with coarse sand, then to the top with fine 
sand and covered with a piece of gauze, brought over the edge and secured 
about the outside of the pot. The larger pot is filled about one-fourth 
with fine sand. Upon this is placed a layer of powdered charcoal to nearly 
fill it, and the opening of the smaller pot then tightly inserted into the 
opening of the larger pot and firmly secured. A siphoning tube is placed 
into the aquarium, suction applied with the lips, the tube then put over 
the inlet tube in the smaller pot, the filter secured that the water of the 
aquarium will flow through it, and by a hose placed over the outlet of the 
larger pot led into a receptacle. From this it may then be returned to the 
aquarium. By siphoning from the bottom, sometimes drawing but a part 
of the water through the filter will correct the difficulties; more often, 
however, the aquarium must be almost or entirely drained. Experience 
will teach when this is necessary, and should not be needlessly done, as 
the disturbance caused thereby is always detrimental to the animal life. 
Feepinc Marine ANIMALS. Some of the inmates cannot be fed 
and must take their nutriment from the water in the form of alge, oscilla- 
toria, diatoms and infusoria. Fanciers often arrange a number of smaller 
all-glass battery jars on a shelf below the larger aquarium, sometimes con- 
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