CHAPTER V. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE AQXJARIUM. 



I N aquariiun in the formation of wMch cement of 

 any kind has heen naed, should stand filled with 

 water for ten days or a fortnight, and the water be 

 changed several times during that period, before it is stocked. 

 The cement wiU thus have an opportunity of giving ofB anything 

 which would be likely to injure the inhabitants of the tank. 

 When the aquarium has been sufficiently seasoned in this way, 

 empty it, clean it, and put it into its permanent position, taking 

 care that it stands quite firm and is perfectly level in every 

 direction. After this has been satisfactorily arranged, some 

 sand should be taken from a river or running stream; but if 

 it cannot conveniently be procured from there, ordinary bird- 

 sand will do very well when it has been prepared in the following 

 manner : By means of a fine-meshed sieve all the larger stones 

 should be separated from the rest of the sand. As the sand 

 is riddled it should fall into a bucket of water. When a 

 sufficient quantity of sand has been obtained in this way, it 

 ought to be energetically stirred for several minutes with a 

 stick, and then the muddy water poured off. The pail should 

 now be filled with boiling water, in which the sand ought to 

 be thoroughly washed, and then the water emptied away. 

 When this operation has been repeated two or three times, 

 the sand will be ready for the aquarium. River-sand should 

 also undergo the same careftd washing. This cleansing of 



