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. This may be due to an ex- 

 cessive growth of algae in the water, the death of an inniate, 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 ineifectual, 

 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. 



Filters. 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. When constructed 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. 



Feeding Marine Animals. Some of the inmates cannot be fed 

 and must take their nutriment from the water in the form of algse, 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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