The Aquarium 13 



shady part of a garden, but no perceptible 

 benefit to plants or fishes should be expected 

 from this change. Frequently a very rapid 

 formation of alga? will be the only visible, 

 if undesirable, result. 



THE BOTTOM OF THE AQUARIUM. 



As long as we intend to have plants in 

 our aquariums, we have to provide some 

 material enabling them to gain a foothold 

 on the bottom. The opinion as to what this 

 material should consist of, varies almost as 

 much as to what plants are "best" for 

 aquarium use. While it is undoubtedly true 

 that most aquatics prefer a certain soil, and 

 in their wild state are mostly found where 

 this soil occurs, it is far from true that this 

 must necessarily be provided in order to 

 grow them successfully in the aquarium. 

 Different mixtures have been recommended, 

 such as loam, peat and sand, leafmold and 

 sand, well-decayed manure, loam and gravel, 

 and others, and it cannot be denied that cer- 



