eclipse

[chaozie3]

has anyone had any experience with the eclipse fish tanks? i would like to buy an eclipse 12 for my college dorm( or i may have to settle for a 6) because let's face it, it's just not practical to go carting around my 20 gallon. so, are they any good? would you reccomend them? they look efficient and strurdy enough and they come with a biowheel, always a plus. thank you!

 

[Abercrombie6202]

Yes and No, if you are going to do live plants, NO, the lighting is horrible in eclipse aquariums, but if you'r going to do fake plants and fish and stuff, yes they are great, the filters are very good, becaus eof the bio-wheel, they are small and mroe expensive, but there sometimes worth it!!

 

[Dakota]

An eclipse Is a great tank. I have the six, and it has been the best tank I have ever owned. I have never had a problem with ammonia/nitrate or even "cloudy" water. I have a limited space problem for a big tank myself, but since owning the eclipse, I don't really miss the bigger tanks. They are just great little tanks.

 

[Pooky125]

I have 2, the eclipse system 1 on a 12 gallon glass aquarium and the 3 gallon. My 3 gallon, is heavily planted, and thriving. Granted, it's planted with various species of crypts, and anubias, but they do great in there. The 12 was planted until, my fishes decided to make a snack out of it, with gren hygro and crypts. However, I've had great luck also growing any low light plant known to man. If you pick your plants wisely, then you should have no problems having a great looking tank. The filters are also great. But the cartridges are expensive. That's the only downfall I've ever encountered with eclipses. However, I use quilt badding instead and have no problems.

 

[sinasster]

they are both great tanks, worth every penny. I would go with the 12.... bigger is always better.

 

[chaozie3]

thanks for the inputs, it's too bad they are kinda expensive but the price of filter tank hood and the convenience of them together adds up i guess. thank goodness for big als, the tanks were at least 30 dollars cheaper there.

 

[Abercrombie6202]

If you say so the acrylic tanks scratch VERY EASY and high-medium lighted plantsa do horrible in the tanks, whatever you wnat though, the filters aren't expensive at all!!! LOL maybe if you have 40 billion tanks like Pooky then it adds up LOL

 

[Dakota]

I'll never know why everyone says acylic tanks scratch to easy. Outside of cleaning it with steel wool, how do they get scratched? Maybe I'm missing something. Not being wisea**......Just a wundering.

 

[Abercrombie6202]

I don't know, mine never scratch, just incase you were thinking about trying to insult me, but i know many people who said they do, pooky told me not to get a 12 ACRYLIC eclipse, because it would scratch to easy

 

[Dakota]

No, trying to insult you, I was just wondering what people are doing inside their fish tanks to scratch them. I never managed to scratch a tank, glass or acylic.

 

[Pooky125]

My 3 gallon is all scratched up on the outside. I got it used, looks like someones cat had a go at getting at the fishes. I've never had to many problems scratching them, but I'm really careful not to.

 

[Dakota]

Yeah, I've never had a problem either. As long as you're careful. Glass OR acylic, you should be careful how you treat them regardless.

 

[BigCiX]

i have an eclipse system 3 on a 40 gallon. the filter system is great...but like someone mentioned.....lighting isnt all that good. especially if you own the 40 gallon. the tank is very tall therefore the light really doesnt hit the bottom that great. overall it´s a great tank.

read about it.

http://www.franksaquarium.com/Marinelandeclipsefiltersystem.htm

 

[davros]

I have an eclipse 2 on a 25 gallon and I think it's great. It's quiet and it keeps the water very clear. With a little research, I've found quite a few plants that grow very well as it is, but now I'm thinking about getting a power compact retofit kit for it so I can grow some higer light plants.

 

[Coyote]

I have Eclipse too. What does the power compact retrofit kit look like? How does it fit in the eclipse system?

 

[smoothdragon]

I own both the Eclipse Six and the Eclipse Twelve and they are both great tanks. Having owned both, I'd say the Eclipse Twelve is superior to the Eclipse Six above the size difference. The filter box is set up much more efficiently in the Eclipse Twelve so that the biowheel never clogs. In the Eclipse Six, the filter pad is laid down flat so that once the entire pad is saturated with gunk the water level rises and spills out of the filter box and the biowheel becomes "stuck" since water is spilling from various angles from the filter box. The lighting of the Eclipse Twelve is also much better (less yellowish) which is a boon to me because plants are flourishing better and brown algae is hardly evident in my tank. One caveat with the Eclipse Twelve is the filtration. It has a 150 GPH filter, and this leads to a tangible current in the tank. You really have to fill the water level up to the exhaust portion of the filter or the "waterfall" will often knock fish around. Concerning the acrylic tanks being scratched, I've been looking over my tanks and I can't find evidence of even one scratch. They are pretty durable and light, which is great for me being a college student and having to bring it home every few months or so during breaks. The last thing I need is a heavy glass tank that cracks at the seams or shatters!