Got bit by the aquarium bug - Eclipse System discussion

[s_anthony]

So my little 15 gallon tank is working out really well.. and now I got bit by the aquarium bug.

I bought a Eclipse System 12 from my LFS today. I saw it at petco for 129.00, but this one was on sale for way less. Granted after the cost of buying things to put in it, I'm looking at more money either way. I love the look of the tank, but I am a rectangular tank type of person (am I nuts, or are others this way too?), and I am having a hard time justifying opening this tank up and setting it up. I am concerned about all the parts being in the hood. I'm the type of person who likes being able to replace parts one by one if they break like with my 15 gal. Someone talk me into how nice these tanks are... or not.... please!!!!

I also bought a 10 gal starter tank. Seems that when I went looking for 15's that they are no longer made, is this true. No store I went to has any. All 10's, 12's and 20's. The starter tank is a rectangular tank.. I'm considering keeping this one instead of the eclipse, but I wanted a slightly bigger tank. I don't want a 20 because that would be obviously bigger than a 10 (we aren't technically allowed to have over 10 in our rental house, but I'm sure I can sneak a 15 gal in).

So, Eclipse owners... tell me - do you like your tank ?


Shayla

 

[FroggyFox]

Well if you can't have anything bigger than a 10...an eclipse 12 should be good I think the ONLY thing I've ever heard bad about an eclipse was that there was an issue with the hood leaking on a smaller size (5?) if the tank wasn't exactly level...but that might have just been on one model and I remember it being small. Also if you're someone who wants to be doing a bunch of modifications with lights or switching filters etc you might not want an eclipse. Other than that (and the price)...I've never had one but I hear so many good things about them. And I think they're good lookin tanks too.

 

[s_anthony]

I absolutely love the looks of the tanks.. I'm just thinking of how this bowed tank would look with my castle set up (it's kinda big for my 15 gal tank).

I am the type of person who likes to tinker with filters etc.. but I shouldn't... so maybe getting something that I *cant* tinker with might be a good thing.

I would keep this 10 gal rectangular in a heartbeat if it was a 15. I just don't want that small of a tank, yet I don't want a 20 gal either.. well I do - just really can't *have* it... LOL

I'm tempted to start my search on freecycle or craigslist for a 15 gal, and see if I can just build it up - but then you can run into it costing just as much as a brand new tank in the end anyway...

I guess I'm just trying to talk myself into breaking the seal on these tanks so I can't return them and have to stock them full of fish

 

[FroggyFox]

Man I hate to suggest to people to set up more than one 10G...then when you move somewhere you can have a 'real' tank you'll have like 10 10 gallon tanks to sell Dont you think you could get permission from your landlord for a bigger tank?? At any rate you could still get a 2nd filter going on your existing tank or some extra filter media so whatever tank you decide to set up wont take as long to cycle

 

[s_anthony]

Thats my delemma.. I want a BIG tank... but I know I would never get it approved (we already have my parrot "under the table" against our lease). We've been here for 6 years and are good tennants, so I don't see the 5 gallons over our limit as a problem. They've even said mainly that the lease we signed was for the townhouse plans they have - seems they have a lot of troublesome tennants, and the rules were mainly for them - which was the explaination I got after they approved my parrot...

But I don't think I would trust our floors here for a larger tank. They creak a bit here and there. I could see me doing a 30 gal easily, but probably wouldn't be too comfortable with anything over that here - and don't want to move it when we buy a house in a few years (probably the next 2 years actually). I also don't want to move 10 - 10 gallon tanks either which is why I am thinking really hard about the two tanks I have here.

I don't mind giving them away if the time ever came to get others started with a fish addiction, but I want to make sure my money is well spent now and I get the most out of it, and the best options out of my money right now....

The eclipse tank is really really nice. I love it. But again, I can't break away from the rectangle issue...

I have a co-worker offering me a 30 gal set up - maybe I should just say to heck with it and get it and set it up. If I had to ever break it down, I could just stick them in smaller tanks ...

Don't you hate decisions... LOL

 

[FroggyFox]

Yes yes...decisions are terrible lol For what its worth, my 46 bowfront is my favorite tank by far...the one that is the 'prettiest' if you will. Personally if it were my choice I'd get the eclipse AND the 30 (which btw I would not worry about your floors. Just be sure to put the tank across two joists if possible on a load bearing wall. My floors creak all the time and I have a 55 on an inside wall...so far no big splash into the crawlspace AND renters insurance policies will USUALLY cover damage from fishtanks, you'd have to talk to your insurance company to make sure.) I think my 29 is actually my favorite SIZE of tank that I have...its what I reccomend to anyone wanting to get into the hobby. A 10 is just so small...a 15 or a 20 just isn't that much bigger (looking over at the wall where I have a 10 and a 20 side by side)...but the 29 gives extra inches front to back and top to bottom.

Moving tanks is TERRIBLE. I just moved all of mine upstairs from downstairs...except the 55 which I decided I did NOT want to try and get up the curved staircase...so I moved it into the living room and begged my roommate to let me keep it down there lol

 

[s_anthony]

I hear you about the size issues.. I agree that 10 is just too small...

I think Im going to talk to my coworker about the 30 and take it anyway. I'll probably pester my rental company about it .. cause I know if I don't it will eat at me .. if not I'm sure I could find a home for it with some fish-person here.

I'm happy with my 15. I would love to get another just like it if I could.. it is kinda small, but it works well in my house. I think I would have to stick to 30 and under just for placement in my house so they are away from windows etc...

 

[Chris89]

I'm not sure if you have a Big Al's by you, but they sell 15 gallon tanks. I've also seen them recently at smaller, unincorporated stores. I know Petsupermarket doesn't sell them, and I'm pretty sure PetsMart and Petco don't either.

 

[s_anthony]

I'm not sure if you have a Big Al's by you, but they sell 15 gallon tanks. I've also seen them recently at smaller, unincorporated stores. I know Petsupermarket doesn't sell them, and I'm pretty sure PetsMart and Petco don't either.

You've given me hope.. I'll put off opening these guys up and call around some more tomorrow... I just know they are so far pretty darn hard to find...

 

[Lotus]

As far as I know, you can get most replacement parts for Eclipse systems online, or at some good LFS.

 

[PlecoCollector]

I'm not sure if you have a Big Al's by you, but they sell 15 gallon tanks. I've also seen them recently at smaller, unincorporated stores. I know Petsupermarket doesn't sell them, and I'm pretty sure PetsMart and Petco don't either.

We're lucky; the only Big Al's in the US is the one near us. All the others are in Canada I agree though, they you can probably find 'em at a privately owned store. Sometimes they can special order them for you if you really want a 15g.

And back the Eclipse- I've had mine set up for 2 weeks now and I've quite enjoyed it. My only complaint is that the slot where the food is suppose to go is really small, but then, I have a small tank (3g). Nice little tank though. Have fun with your decisions!

You're in Pittsburgh, right? Have you ever heard of "All Oddball Aquatics"?

 

[s_anthony]

As far as I know, you can get most replacement parts for Eclipse systems online, or at some good LFS.

My question is for how long. I've always been able to find parts or replacement bio filters that fit the normal rectangle tanks with the hood cut-outs.. If I keep this tank for 10 years I'm concerned that I might not be able to find replacements as easily as I can with rectangular ones ... I could in theory take an old 55 gal that my aunt has that hasn't run in about 10 years, and set it up and find parts for it anywhere that would work with it.. I'm not so sure about the eclipse ones... It might become a useless tank if it breaks past the point of support from the company that makes them.

 

[s_anthony]

You're in Pittsburgh, right? Have you ever heard of "All Oddball Aquatics"?

I am in "da burgh" .. I'll have to look them up. My current supplier is Elmers Aquarium.. Much better than the other LFS/pet stores in the area IMHO - although I had to return a half-banded loach today from there that I bought. I had him a little over an hour and when I transferred him into my tank, he wasn't doing so well. Wasn't doing too well in the bag either now that I think about it. Just kinda floated around in my tank. I tried to catch him in the net to re-bag him and he was so lifeless that I couldn't get him into the net - totally opposite of the behavior of my other loach. By the time I got him to the store I think either he was dead, or close to death

I have another that was bought at the same time that I'm concerned about now too... I can't find him in my tank anywhere - and I'm concerned that I might end up sucking up a skeleton soon when I clean my gravel...

 

[PlecoCollector]

I am in "da burgh" .. I'll have to look them up. My current supplier is Elmers Aquarium.. Much better than the other LFS/pet stores in the area IMHO - although I had to return a half-banded loach today from there that I bought. I had him a little over an hour and when I transferred him into my tank, he wasn't doing so well. Wasn't doing too well in the bag either now that I think about it. Just kinda floated around in my tank. I tried to catch him in the net to re-bag him and he was so lifeless that I couldn't get him into the net - totally opposite of the behavior of my other loach. By the time I got him to the store I think either he was dead, or close to death

I have another that was bought at the same time that I'm concerned about now too... I can't find him in my tank anywhere - and I'm concerned that I might end up sucking up a skeleton soon when I clean my gravel...

Aw, poor thing

If you get the chance, look that place up. It's owned by Eric Bodrock (whom I just remembered that I owe an email to). He's an expert Cory Cat breeder and the guy I bought my Zebra Plecs from. He has a lot of catfish and other bottom feeders, as well as some other pretty cool fish. All Oddball Aquatics, Tropical Fish, Catfish, Killies, Killifish, Cichlids, Dwarf Cichlids and Angelfish

 

[Lotus]

The Eclipse are made by Marineland, the same manufacturer as Bio-Wheels. I'd say expecting a 10-year lifespan out of anything these days is being optimistic, but you might get lucky.

If you really want to be able to replace the whole filter in five or ten years' time, then an all-in-one system probably isn't the best choice.

 

[s_anthony]

Ok, so I got impatient and dug around a bit in my tank for my missing loach... I found my baby loach that we got a few weeks back (about an inch)... then I finally found my big loach that I just got today hiding in one of my castles (about 3 inches)... so that mystery is solved

 

[s_anthony]

Oh and sitting here doing reading on lots of fish related stuff... I decided tomorrow that I'm going to return the Eclipse. I really think that an "all in one" system is really nice to have, but I am a tinkerer, and like to buy new hardware, etc. I don't think that it is going to work well for me.

I might however look at some of the 20 gallons tomorrow instead, or possibly call around to see if I can find any 15 gallons...

I am considering keeping the 10 gallon, and keeping a betta in there with a few small fish since the tank only cost me 20 bucks with bio-filter and all... my only complaint is that it doesnt have an underground filter.. so I'm not sure how that changes how the tank works.. I've always had underground filters - guess thats my next stop for reading tonight...

 

[rohnds]

UGF filter are great (probably the greatest) for biological filtration but provide very little mechanical filtration. Power filter is your best option. Although the filter media in the power filter might not be able to carry a large bioload, but it provide excellent mechanical filtration.
If you are like me, on a tight schedule and lazy, power filter is your best choice.

Rohn