beldt*s aquarium 
SAINT LOUIS/ MO, 
AQUARIUM MANAGEMENT 
Aquarium Management 
Never use gravel or too many 
shells for the bottom of an aqua¬ 
rium. Food and refuse will ac¬ 
cumulate among them, because 
fish and scavengers have no ac¬ 
cess to it. It will cause the wa¬ 
ter to spoil and roots of plants 
to get black, and acid conditions 
resulting in the death of your 
pets. Use only clean river sand, 
one that is not too fine, yet not 
too coarse. Never place the fish 
in fresh water, it contains too 
much oxygen, also too many 
chemicals. After aging water for 
about a week, it is much safer 
than fresh water. A positive pre¬ 
vention against disease is to heat 
the water and let it age for about 
a week. All danger of ich can in 
this way be eliminated. Never 
keep the water in any kind of 
metal containers. Green water is 
caused by excessive sunlight or 
insufficient plant life. Two or 
three hours of direct sunlight per 
day is not too much. If the 
aquarium gets green it will clear 
up if covered with brown paper. 
Also floating plants help keep it 
clear. If you can not provide an 
eastern or southern exposure get 
an electric reflector and let it 
burn at least two hours in the 
evening; it stimulates plant 
growth. Bad smelling water is 
the result of either too much food I 
or the wrong kind. Uo not under¬ 
estimate the value of sufficient 
plants and some scavengers. 
vVhen cleaning your acquarium 
try to save as much of the old 
water as possible. Strain it 
through a towel and use it over 
as it is much safer than too much 
new water. As a rule one-third 
new water never gives any ill ef¬ 
fects even if it has not been aged, 
just so it is tempered properly. 
Occasionally syphon off the dirt 
on the bottom and replace it with 
fresh tempered water; this is 
more beneficial than harmful. It 
is best to keep two aquariums, 
one to use for quarantine pur¬ 
poses of newly purchased fish. 
Observe them for a week before 
placing them with your valued 
stock. When you get fish via ex¬ 
press save all the water in which 
they come, and add old water to 
same. This will minimize the dif¬ 
ference in chemical contents of 
the water. It also is a good pre¬ 
caution to add two drops of fun¬ 
gus remedy to the water. Good, 
clear water in an aquarium is 
very essential. It contains more 
oxygen and creates a better plant 
life. Plants absorb the impurities 
which create carbonic acid gas 
and throw off oxygen which the 
fish require. Therefore, a bal¬ 
anced condition can be created by 
keei)iug a certain amount of 
plants and fish life in an aqua¬ 
rium, and such an aquarium does 
not have to be cleaned more often 
than once in six months to one 
year. Science has made aquarium 
keeping extremely simple. Auto¬ 
matically controlled aquarium 
heaters are perhaps the greatest 
benefit ever devised for the trop¬ 
ical aquarium. The proper tem¬ 
perature is from 72 to 80 degrees 
F. Chemical aquarium testing 
kits will help you determine the 
exact acid or alkaline conditions 
and the chemicals coming with 
these kits help you to neutralize 
the water. Unless one intends to 
go in for breeding, scientifically 
prepared foods usually cover a 
most complete diet. Medicated 
aquarium balls will help to pre¬ 
vent acid conditions. Feed as 
much food as the fish will con¬ 
sume in about thirty minutes. 
Use the dip tube to remove ex¬ 
cess foods and refuse from the 
bottom occasionally. The glass 
may be kept clean with fine steel 
wool; small pieces of steel wool 
which may drop in the water are 
not injurious, but rather benefi¬ 
cial. Air pumps are a great aid 
for large community tanks. Many 
more fish may be kept in an ar¬ 
tificially aereated tank than if 
you only depend on the function 
of plant life. Glass feeding rings 
are more necessary than most 
fanciers realize. How would you 
like your dinner spread all over 
the table? Feeding rings help 
keep the aquarium clean. Glass 
covers are necessary on all heated 
aquariums, they help to retain the 
heat; many tropicals also like to 
jump out. A few bushy floating 
plants such as Utricularia minor 
(Bladderwort) or potomogeton 
densus in which newly born fish 
may hide prove one of the best 
paying investments. Do not be 
pennywise and pound foolish. 
Before investing a dime In fish, 
secure the proper equipment to 
keep them. Too many beginners 
make the mistake and invest 
$3.00 in a cheap tank and heater 
and seven dollars in fish. If this 
investment were reversed, you 
would profit In the end. Do not 
try to start the fish hobby with¬ 
out first reading a reliable book 
on this subject. Investigate be¬ 
fore you invest. 
Demand Our Good.s From Your 
Local Dealer 
Many dealers carry our sup¬ 
plies, such as foods, aquariums, 
fish, plants, and supplies. If your 
dealer does not stock them, de¬ 
mand them, and he will be only 
too glad to stock them for you. 
We shall be glad to have your 
dealer’s name and address. 
General Pershing Whitaker Aug. Koch 
A NATURAL POOL 
This type pool is suitable for larger estates. Vari¬ 
ous hardy water lilies, bog plants and ornamental 
grasses give it a natural effect. Tropical lilies may 
be planted near the shore line for additional beauty 
and color effect. 
Small Blossoms up to 2 in. diameter. 
Per doz.So.T.f 
3- 4 in. blossoms. 
Each .S."* 
4- 5 in. blossoms. 
Each .30 
5- 6 in. blossoms. 
Each .03 
6- 7 in. blossoms. 
Each .SO 
8-9 in. blossoms. 
Each . 1.23 
12 in. or larger, 
up to 16 in. 2.00 
Meramec Sand for Aquariums 
It is very important to use the right kind of sand 
for the bottom of an aquarium. Meramec sand an¬ 
swers this purpose. White sand packs too tight and 
does not allow the roots of plants to grow right; on 
the other hand, if sand is too coarse, fishfood and 
refuse collect among same, causing water to decom¬ 
pose and get cloudy. Meramec sand is put up in the 
following size packages: 
Size Each 
10-lb. sack. !S0.50 
25-lb. sack,.73 
50-lb. sack. 1-20 
100 lb. sack. 2.00 
Prices F. O. B. St. Louis 
We can ship Meramec sand via freight only if 
freight charges are remitted with order, as we cannot 
make C. O. D. charges for freight; however, we can 
ship Meramec sand via express, express charges 
collect. 
Ozark Coral 
Ozark Coral is of volcanic origin and composed 
mostly of molten sand and tiff. The hollow spaces 
are filled with ocre; it is the removal of this ocre 
that gives the rock its natural and beautiful forms. 
True lovers of nature hesitate to use castles on ac¬ 
count of being too artificial. Ozark Coral gives the 
desired natural effect in ornamentation. 
4 in. long, 3 in. high, each. $0..'J3 
6 in. long, 4 in. high, each. 50 
7 in. long, 4% in. high, each.75 
9 in. long, 7 in. high, each. l.oo 
Extra 
each 
fancy and beautiful formations, up to, 
... 2.00 
Ozark Coral is heavy and prices quoted are F. O. B. 
St. Louis. Special sizes furnished on request. All 
sizes quoted are subject to slight variations. 
I'he.se Cry.st.-il Hocks of volcanic origin arc very 
bcjiutifiil ornanionts. 
MINERAL BLOSSOMS 
Page 31 
