THE AQUAEIUM, APRIL, 1894. 



107 



aquarium tank we find the rectangular 

 shape the best for all around purposes. 

 Its advantages over the round, the tri- 

 angular and the hexagonal shape are so 

 apparent that any of the latter should 

 only be constructed for special purposes. 



The first thing to be considered when 

 about to construct a tank is the space or 

 location which it is to occupy. As a 

 rule amateurs make their tanks too 

 large. A large tank, when proportion- 

 ately stocked, makes a grand effect ; 

 this we admit, but its size and weight 

 make it inconvenient at certain seasons 

 of the year, and the cleaning and re- 

 filling involves a great deal of labor and 

 time which everybody has not at his 

 disposal at the required time. We 

 always advise building one medium 

 sized or two small tanks ; in the latter 

 you are enabled to keep different species 

 that are not on friendly terms with one 

 another. 



The medium sized tank, which we 

 find best suited for a parlor, sitting, or 

 dining-room, has a capacity of about 

 eighteen gallons. The inside dimen- 

 sions, from glass to glass (the jjroper 

 way to measure an aquarium tank), is 

 twenty-four by twelve inches, by fifteen 

 inches in height. This tank sets on a 

 stand, the top of which is on a level 

 with the window-sill. 



To make such a tank, get an iron- 

 worker to make you a simple iron frame 

 out of one-inch angle iron (see illustra- 

 tion) to correspond with above dimen- 

 sions, and at perfect right angles at tlie 

 corners. This frame is painted with 

 one coat of red lead. After this is per- 

 fectly dry, a straight piece of one- 

 quarter inch thick rough plate-glass, 

 such as is used for large skylights, is 

 cut to fit loosely, leaving about one- 

 eighth of an inch play all round in the 

 lower part of the frame. This glass is 



to be the bottom of the tank. It forms, 

 so to speak, the foundation, and great 

 care is therefore to be exercised in 

 placing it properly. ' To this effect all 

 of the entire lower angles are covered 

 liberally with rather stiff aquarium 

 cement, (our water-proof cement is 

 made for the purpose) being especially 

 particular that the corners are well sup- 

 plied with it. Now take a dry rag and 

 wipe the corners of the plate perfectly 

 clean and lay it gently and evenly on the 

 cement bed. If the frame stands where it 

 should, on a perfect level, the weight of 

 the glass will tend to sink it into posi- 

 tion ; if, however, the cement is not 

 very pliable, it will be necessary to assist 

 by pressing it down with the hands ; in 

 this case the pressure should be gentle, 

 uniform, and only in the middle of the 

 plate. The surplus cement is now re- 

 moved, both below and above, with a 

 putty knife, followed by a dry rag. If 

 examination shows that the cement has 

 taken hold of the glass at every point, 

 it is left to stand quiet for at least 

 twenty-four hours. The two lights, 

 twenty-four by fifteen, that are to form 

 the front and rear, are now prepared. 

 These may be cut out of second hand 

 polished plate-glass (pieces of broken 

 show windows), or where this can not be 

 had, they should be extra heavy double 

 thick French, or so-called English 

 twenty-six ounce glass. In every case 

 the lights should be as straight as they 

 can be had. Should one or the other 

 be slightly bent, the bend (convex side) 

 should go towards the outside of the 

 tank. These also, like the bottom, 

 should fit loosely into the frame, and if 

 one of the long edges should be rough 

 or ragged, this should go up in order 

 to have the lower edge fit snugly against 

 the bottom. The lights are now cleaned 

 with water and wiped perfectly dry. 



