tet te 9 Al Ser ee ay ef OE ee

f all Christmas

gifts, perhaps the

most beloved is a

living gift, such as
an aquarium filled with
tropical fish. Colorful,
varied and sure to be en-
joyed by the recipient, it is
also easy to maintain and
adds a unique decorative
touch to the home.

The busiest months for
aquarium retailers are Decem-
ber and January, says Randy
Cooper, manager of Tropical
Fins & Foliage on Hillside

y | -& Avenue.

Ft TN es Nem

“It's an indoor hobby and when

the weather sours, business
definitely increases.”

It is advisable to purchase a
book providing complete in-
structions on setting up and
Maintaining an aquarium. One
basic rule, however, is to buy the
largest possible, since the
greater the water environment,
the less chance of water

’ problems.

Cooper says a good aquarium
with a 10-gallon tank can be set
up for about $100.

When determining where to
locate an aquarium, consider
several factors. Do not put it in
direct sunlight which causes

ONLY
28 Days
til Christmas

Vanessa Jewellers

GOLDSMITH ON PREMISES
1211 Douglas St. (between View and Yates)

383-4542

algae to grow on the glass ani
plastic accessories. :

Do not put it on the best car-
peting since during water chan-
ges some water is sure to splash
on the floor. Also be sure the
aquarium is on a firm stand as
water 1s heavy.

The most important accessory
will be a tightly fitting canopy
cover equipped with a fluores-
cent fixture to throw off a cool
hight and not cause fluctuations
in water temperatures.

Tropical fish require an en-
vironment of about 25 C so a
good heater and aquarium ther-

mometer are necessary. Aliquid -

crystal thermometer affixes to
the outside yet accurately
measures water temperature.

Also required are a quality fil-
ter and if keeping many fish, a
separate air pump to add oxygen
to the water.

Decorating a fish tank can be
fun. Multi-colored gravels, high-
ly decorative backgrounds,
hundreds of ornaments, and
realistic plastic plants are avail-
able in retail stores.

Add a chlorine neutralizer to
the water and only a few fish
initially. These few fish will help
develop the proper biological
conditions necessary for a fully
stocked aquarium. After three to
four weeks, assuming every-
thing is functioning properly,
add the remaining fish.

\

¢:

REMOTE AUTO
ALARMS
From

*149°°

RUNNING

BOARDS
| From

SJ @ge5

~ LIFETIME WARRANTY 2

Page § November 27, 1991.

* Consider fancy fish as a Christmas gift

Aquarium maintenance is
relatively simple. Every two
weeks undertake a partial

THE DOWN

Shoppers Gift Guide

water change by siphoning the
water from the bottom of the
tank.

COMFORT STORE

Christmas White Goose
Down Quilf Special

Twin

Double ’ | 49°

King

a | 19%

Queen ’ | 69
189

- © 100% Cotton Ticking

e 9” Square Box
Construction

e 5 Year Manufacturer’s
Guarantee

Bring in this coupon & receive a
$10.00 discount off the purchase
of a Percale Duvef Cover.

THE DOWN

COMFORT STORE

1728 Douglas St. (opposite The Bay)

381-DOWN (3696)
OPEN 12-4 Sundays during December

LS
WINDOW
TINT
From

SQ@gQe5

* LIFETIME WARRANTY. =

WZ.DOES ANYONE ON YOUR -

SUNROOFS

From

ae | Q@gqs5

fy LIFETIME WARRA

: Give Ziebart Holiday Gift
-| Certificates ... available for any
Zebart product or service!

Mon. - Fri. 8:00am - 5:30pm
Sat. 9:00am - 3:00pm

384-0064

Exp. Dec. 23, 1991

2804 Rock Bay
Victoria

© SUPER RUST PROTECTION @ SUN-ROOFS

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