220 GOLDFISH VARIETIES AND 
The best wood for tanks is well-seasoned cypress, the natural habitat 
of the tree being in wet places. Any size tank may be made, but there are 
two sizes found quite convenient and which cut to good advantage out of 
the lumber. The larger measures 16 inches high, 30 inches wide and 48 
inches long. The smaller one measures 9 inches high, 24 inches wide and 
32 inches in length. For the larger size 114-inch lumber is used, which 
is about 11% inches when dressed. Here a board 16 inches wide is used, 
avoiding seams in any of the sides, and being but one in the bottom. The 
side and bottom boards are rabbeted to 14 inch deep and 114 inches from 
edge to receive the ends. Bottom boards are tongued and grooved. All 
joints should receive a preliminary coating of white lead paint. After this 
is dried a thicker coat should be applied just before putting joints together. 
The tank is then clamped and 134-inch screws inserted through the sides 
into the bottom and ends, and through the bottom into the ends. Cleats 
3 inches wide are placed across centre of bottom and all the way around 
the ends. Through the top of latter is passed an iron rod 4 inch thick, 
then secured ‘and tightened with washer and nut at ends. The smaller 
tank is constructed in the same manner, except that cleat across centre 
bottom and the iron rods are omitted. 
While painting the outside improves the appearance, it has more of a 
tendency to rot a tank than preserve it, as the paint prevents the evapora- 
tion of the moisture naturally gathered from the inside. Leaks will usually 
correct themselves in a few days, but should they not do so, a few hand- 
fulls of earth stirred in the water and allowed to stand a few hours will 
make the job tight. Occasional stirring of the dirty water helps. The 
white lead should be allowed a day to harden before filling with water. 
CONSTRUCTION OF TANKS AND POOLS 
For outdoor purposes it is better to dig holes in the ground and 
puddle them with clay rather than make poorly constructed concrete 
basins or pools of any size. Unless the work is properly done the frost 
is certain to crack it, and even the weight of the water may be sufficient 
to bring about this result. Repaired work is never satisfactory, and the 
next winter will open more seams, making continual expense, dissatis- 
faction, loss of water and of fishes. With indoor concrete tanks too, 
thorough construction is a good investment. 
The main points in the construction of such work are good foun- 
dations, thorough reinforcement, good cement properly mixed, and one 
continuous job of the finishing coat. The concrete centre ought also be 
poured within the space of one day. There is some difference of opinion 
as to the necessity for a base of cinders. The author favors them. If 
used they should be the hard kind, wetted down and packed solid to a 
