16 



aquatic ILitt 



INDIRECT HEATING SYSTEMS 



1. System of hot water pipes passing 

 through or near the tank, but not con- 

 nected with the water in it (Aquatic Life, 

 September, 1916). 



2. Application of any system to the 

 entire conservatory or room, such as the 

 usual steam or hot air house heater, or a 

 small oil or coal stove. 



3. Application of heated air to the 

 tanks by means of pipes running close to 

 them, the heat furnished by any conve- 

 nient unit. 



It is obvious that certain sources of 

 heat are more suited to one than to an- 

 other of the above methods, and the suit- 

 ability of the form of heater used is 

 modified by the purpose for which it is 

 intended. For a conservatory a device 

 that heats the entire enclosure is best, 

 while in a room used for other purposes 

 one of the individual tank heaters is pref- 

 erable. It is the latter which will be dis- 

 cussed in this paper. 



It is generally assumed that one of the 

 indirect forms gives a more natural con- 

 dition. The form described herein allows 

 the plants to attain a beautiful growth, 

 which cannot be said for all devices. It 

 consists of a heating unit, with suitable 

 piping, that conducts the heat to the 

 closed tray below the tanks, proper draft 

 for the flame being considered. In this 

 manner the heat is evenly distributed 

 immediately below the aquaria, and the 

 water therein thus warmed. 



The heater used in this particular sys- 

 tem is a common incubator lamp. While 

 other units could be used, it is doubtful 

 if they would be as economical in point 

 of cost of operation, a gallon of kerosene 

 lasting for slightly more than a week 

 during the coldest weather. The chimney 

 of the lamp fits close into the pipe that 

 leads to the length under the tanks. 

 Standard two-inch leader pipe was used. 



with the required elbows. To help con- 

 serve the heat the piping exposed to the 

 air was covered with sheet asbestos and 

 then taped. 



The rack or stand which holds the 

 aquaria was boarded in with pine, one- 

 half inch thick, and on this rest the pipes. 

 The device would be more efficient if the 

 lamp was placed directly under the rack, 

 as much heat is lost in the double bend, 

 but the space in the present case is occu- 

 pied by tubs which cannot be placed else- 

 where. As it is this lamp heats eight 

 feet of tank space, four on each side. 

 The rack extends upward and holds two 

 more rows of aquaria, but only the bot- 

 tom row is heated, although general radi- 

 ation keeps them a little warmer than the 

 average room temperature. 



The sketch shows how the lamp is sup- 

 ported, and the provisions made for re- 

 moving it for cleaning and refilling. The 

 strip A is fastened to the floor by hinge 

 C. The strip is slipped from notch B and 

 dropped to the floor in the direction of 

 the arrow, thus allowing the lamp and its 

 holder D to slide down the legs of the 

 rack E, disengaging the chimney from 

 the pipe F. When in the lower position 

 the lamp may be lifted from its support. 

 The support or holder D is two pieces 

 of wood, separated by blocks the width 

 of the legs E and sliding on them. A 

 suitable recess was cut for the lamp- 

 base. 



The short piece of pipe F is fitted into 

 the horizontal part of a T-joint. Four 

 90-degree elbows are used in making the 

 required turns to connect with the long 

 pipes G running below the aquaria. 



Special aquaria were constructed for 

 use in connection with this heating 

 method which added to its efficiency. 

 Large two-inch angle iron was used for 

 the bottom frame, which was embedded 

 (Concluded on page 18.) 



