t»EC. m, 1891J 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
B6f 
THE BALANCED AQUARIUM. 
How It should be Made and Managed. 
BY T. C. SHEPHERD. 
The self-sustaining, or, as it is now named, the balanced 
aquarium, if it is made and managed on scientific princi- 
ples, is one of the most interesting and instructive recrea- 
tions, and is within the reach of anyone with modest 
means who has a love of nature. 
Little is known by people generally of the strange and 
wonderful animal and plant life to be found under the 
water of almost any pond or stream, and even by those 
who do know something about them, without a knowledge 
of how to find and capture them and to arrange them so 
that their habits can be watched and studied, much pleas- 
ure is lost. 
I will try to explain in a few words what the balanced 
aquarium is, and how it is to be managed. It is simply a 
fish pond in miniature, which we can sit by in our own 
comfortable room, and in it observe the curious and beau- 
tiful life that is going on in any clear lake or stream. The 
globes and small tanks, with a few sickly goldfish and a 
little pond weed, is not in any sense an aquarium. 
It is universally known that growing plants give off 
oxygen and absorb carbonic acid, and fish and other 
animals breath the oxygen and give off' carbonic acid gas. 
Now what we want to do is to have no more animal life 
in our aquarium than the oxygen given off" by the plants 
will sufiice to keep in life and health. I propose to give 
some idea of how this can be done. It is not an aquarium 
if the water has to be continually changed. 
The Tank. 
In starting an aquarium the first thing we must do is to 
get the tank or vessel. The rectangular-shaped tank is 
much the best, although a large jar or bell glass will 
answer, but it should not be less than 14in. in diameter, 
and about the same in depth. 
If a tank with glass sides and ends, such as can be bought 
at most of the bird stores where goldfish, etc., are sold, it 
should not be less than 2ft. long by 1ft. wide and 14in. 
deep. If larger the length and breadth should be in the 
same proportions, and 15in. in depth is enough for any 
size. 
Construction of Tank. 
Supposing the frame to be made of iron, it should be so 
made that none of the iron shall be exposed to the action 
of the water, as the iron will corrode, and so foul it, and 
will also cause the plants to decay. The iron bottom can 
be protected by a sheet of glass, cut to fit after the side and 
end glasses are properly cemented into place. This should 
be laid on a bed of asphaltum, the asphaltum being soft- 
ened by heating the iron bottom, and the glass then 
pressed into place, care being taken to see that the glass 
adheres to the asphaltum so that no water can get under 
it. After the bottom is properly covered, strips of glass 
should be cut to fit the corners, just wide enough to reach 
the side and end glass; the corners filled with cement, and 
the strips pressed firmly into place. 
The cement or putty used for putting in the glass 
should be waterproof and elastic. The following is the 
best for the purpose: Equal parts by measure of pow- 
dered rosin, litharge, fine white sand (dry), plaster of 
Paris. 
These should be well incorporated by passing through 
lin. of white gravel, such as is used by gravel roofers; the 
gravel also must be well washed. 
Rock Work. 
For this we should have three pieces of rough, porous 
stone. Two of them must be the same length and nearly 
about the same thickness, and should be placed upright in 
about the center of the tank or glass a tew inches apart. 
The other piece should be flat, and large enough to rest on 
only a few, however, which are considered the best and 
most easily obtained. 
ValUsjieria.—Ta.i>e or eelgrass— Leaves long or ribbon- 
like, resembling grass, common in almost all running' 
waters. It is one of the best plants for the aquarium on 
account of the great quantity of oxygen it gives off. 
Myriophyllum. — Water milfoil or foxtail — Commonly 
found in deep water ponds, a beautiful plant, with its 
finely divided leaves crowded around the stem, giving it 
REDHEAD. 
From " Birdcraftj" by courtesy of The Mactnillan Company. 
the top of the upright ones. It should now reach to about 
liin. from the top of the tank or bell glass. It will be best 
to cement this top stone to the two uprights, using Portland 
cement for the purpose. It will then form a rough-looking 
stone arch, the top making a landing place for many inter- 
esting amphibious creatures, of which mention will be 
made hereafter. 
Many of the dealers in gold fish and globes have terra- 
cotta centerpieces for aquaria, but as a rule they are un- 
natural and unsightly, being mostly in the form of castles 
and masonry. It is better to imitate nature as nearly as 
possible. 
The sand, gravel and rock work being already in place, 
we must now put in about 3 or 4in. of clean rain or river 
water, using a sprinkling can so as not to disturb the 
gravel and sand. The jar should then be left to stand for 
MALLARD. 
Prom " Blrdcraft," by courtesy of The Macmillan Company. 
a fine sieve, and then mixed to the consistency of putty 
with boiled linseed oil. It should be mixed as required, 
as it soon sets too hard for use. 
The receptacle being fiinished, whether tank or bell 
glass, must be thoroughly cleansed from all grease and 
dirt. If a new tank, it should be weU washed, inside and 
out, with warm water and soap, and well rinsed with clean 
water. Thus prepared, it is ready to receive the material 
for the bottom. 
Cover the bottom with rather course sand, which should 
be first washed in clean water, until water passed through 
it comes away clear; about IMn. spread evenly over the 
bottom is enough. This should be covered with about 
six or eight days, being covered with a piece of paper or 
muslin to keep out the dust. 
It would be well to have a frame made of light wood, 
and to stretch a piece of thin muslin or cheese cloth over 
it; the frame should be made to fit the top of the aqua- 
rium, to be used as a cover at all times. 
The Plant Life. 
The water having been in the aquarium six or eight 
days should be perfectly clear, and therefore ready to re- 
ceive the plants. Of these there is quite a variety that 
can be used for our purpose, and all are very beautiful 
seen through the glass of an aquarium. I wiU mention 
the appearance of a fox's tail; it is generally sold by all 
dealers in aquarium supplies, 
CeratopJiylUm. — Hornwort — Common in ponds and 
streams everywhere, somewhat like the above in appear- 
ance, but coarser and much more branched; it is generally 
found floating, and without root it is a very rapid grower. 
Anacliaris Canadensis. — Water weed — Is to be found in 
all slow-flowing streams and ponds; a slender plant with 
opposite oval shaped leaves. 
Utricularia. — Bladder wort — Common in shallow ponds 
during the summer. In the early spring it is often found 
in the form of a round, soft, green ball about the size of an 
ordinary marble, which in the aquarium soon begins to 
unfold, and forms a very beautiful plant, with its delicate, 
bright green, very much divided foliage covered with 
transparent bladders. 
PMnunculus. — Water crow's foot — A delicate feathery 
plant_ bearing pretty, white, buttercup-shaped flowers, com- 
mon in shallow ponds and streams. 
Moitonia. — Water violet or feather foil — Will be found 
in pools and ditches. This leaves white or tinted flowers 
in the form of a raceme. 
Stocklnfir the Aquarium. 
We are now ready to begin what to any one having a 
love for outdoor exercise is one of the most interesting 
and pleasurable parts of the work connected with the 
home, aquarium — that is, the searching for and collecting 
the material to stock it with. We will suppose it is now 
early summer, say the middle of May, so we will take a 
trip to some nearby pond or stream in search of plants, 
first providing ourselves with a small, long-handled rake' 
one with four or six long and strong teeth for dragging up 
the plants from the bottom of the pond or stream, and a 
tin pail with lid for carrying them in, one holding about 
two quarts will do for this; care must be taken not to 
press the plants into the pail, as they, being soft and ten- 
der, are likely to be bruised and broken. 
Myriophyllum, Aiiachaiis, Ranunculus, HoUonia and Val- 
Usneria will be found rooted in the mud, while Geratophyl- 
lim and Utricularia will be found loose and floating; the 
two last can easily be taken from the water, but the' four 
first mentioned will have to be pulled up by the roots 
and this can be done by placing the rake teeth down on 
the further side of the plants, and pulled while pressing 
down upon the handle of the rake. It is best to take only 
the young green shoots or sprouts of Myriophyllum and 
Vallisneria; the latter propagates itself much after the 
manner of the strawberry plant, that is, by runners and 
these runners are the best for our purpose. Having'now 
secured the plants, we are ready for the 
Plantiner. 
Of all those mentioned above except Vallisneria, it ig 
best to use only the tops, and these should be cut to 4 or 
5in. in length, as they will readily form new roots. Take 
two or three sprigs of each kind separately, and tie the 
cut ends to a small piece of stone, say about the size of 
half a hickory nut, using some soft darning cotton for the 
purpose; press them down firmly into the sand until the 
stone rests on the bottom of the aquarium, being careful 
to draw the gravel over the stone so that it will be held 
firml)' down in its place. 
The plants may be arranged to suit the taste of the 
planter, being careful not to overcrowd them, for once 
well rooted they will grow rapidly. They look better 
when planted about Sin. apart, and so grouped that clear 
spaces are left for the fish, etc. 
The aquarium is now ready to be filled up with water 
perfectly clean rain or river water being used, which 
should reach to within 3 or 4in. from the top; again use 
the sprinkling can for this. It should be again left to 
stand six or eight days to give the plants time to take 
