Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-07-18

A CHEAP AQuARIUM.-Thc last winter,
family derived much pleasure from an
aquarium, very easily made and costing
but little. The directions for it may be
given now, because it will be m amuse-
ment to the children to gather the mater
als for it during the summer; and the
earlier in the autumn it is started. the
preltler 1t will be during the winter.
Take milk-pan of about eighteen or
twenty inches in diameter ut the top, fill
it with rich earth, with layer of charcoal
at the bottom, and start it some months
before the aquarium with the Wandering
jew, Or some other easily-grown plants
set all around the edge Of the pan, SO that
they can fall over and conceal it, Into
this invert an ordinary glass cake cover,
winch can be procured Of any dealer in
glass and crockery ware. This should be
about fifteen inches in diameter, and the
knob must be set firmly into the earth in
the centre of the pan. Put into this glass
coarse sandy gravel, two or three inches
deep. In this gravel set one or two roots
of tape grass, (valesneria spiralis) some
roots OF water cress, (nasturtium ollicina-
lis) and the common money plant, which
grows very freely in the water. These
answer the double purpose of looking
pretty, and of furnishing food and shelter
for the fish. If these are not at hand, use
other plants that love the water, and an
sWer the same purpose--such as the
broad-leafed and narrow-leafed starworts,
the duckweed, Of the lemna tribe, the wat.
er weed, (anacharis canadensis) and many
others. Make your selection of fresh-wat.
er plants, letting them cover about one
third OF your tank. Place II few shells
pebbles, and stones on the bottom of the
tank, in such proportion as your taste die
tates. Fill your tank with rain watel
within two or three inches of the top.
The tank being thus prepared, Stock il
with three or four small goldfish, (cypri
nus auratus) which thrive admirably ir
this way, and are very ornamental. Ado
about as many pigmy dace, Oeuciscu:
pygmNus) a little fish very common ii
brooks. The black-nosed dace are easil,
found in these localities, and they give
another variety. Add few specimens o.
the minnow, the sinner, and the Dream
Put in u tadpole or two, which will be Of
interest to watch in their stages of devel
opment. Also half dozen snails.
When the right proportions are attaineC
between vegetable and animal life, it will
not be necessary to change the water, ex
cept at intervals of several weeks. BY tn,
wise law of compensation which governs
nature, the animal life absorbs oxygen
and throws offcarbonic acid gas, while tho
plants absorb carbonic acid gas, ant
throw off oxygen; thus, by Il little exper
ience, they can be adjusted so rs to NEE
the wants of each. A few weeks after tn,
aquarium has been set up, green fungu
will begin to come out on the glass, thu
pebbles, and the plants. 1t is well to re
move only II portion of this from the glass
leaving patch of it in one place, as i
serves i'm important purpose with tht
plants in vltalizing the water.
The entire expense af IN aquarium
which answers this description, is but ,
few dollars, and it gives more constan
pleasure TO the children than dozens of ex
pensive toys-a pleasure in which thei
elders share very willingly.