Eclipse Systems

The Eclipse system 12 is an excellent starter aquarium. Pick up a Stealth heater and call it a day.


After a while you'll either stop caring about the aquarium or get into it enough to be annoyed at the limited possibilities of such a small tank and go bigger and better!

I've kept fish my whole life but a system 12 was what opened my eyes and taught me the most.
 
I would stay away from acrylics if you have young kids, I have a friend who's son liked to play with his hot wheels on the front of the tank, of course the cichlids would follow the car lol I would have probably done the same thinkg at 5 years old. Just a heads up.
 
I would avoid acrylics altogether except for very expensive custom built, very large aquariums.

Really the only reasons for acrylics are 1) to cut down on the weight which comes with huge glass aquariums, and 2) because large glass aquariums require very thick panes which can cut down on the clarity of view.

These are really the only reasons why people choose acrylic.

I would never recommend a small acrylic tank. There is no reason for it.
 
While acrylic can scratch, glass can break (see various YouTube videos) so keep kids and adults with exercise equipment or footballs or other heavy play things away from glass tanks.

One thing that probably won't come with a kit is a thermometer. I had to buy one for my Eclipse 6. It sticks on the side and is easy to see. I also bought a Stealth heater. I like the Eclipse 6 (my first tank in 40 years), though I agree that the all-in-one (except thermometer & heater) lid is annoying when it comes to cleaning/water changing time. Turn on lights in room/open blinds, turn off lid light, lift off lid, change water/clean, rearrange plants, etc., add new water, put lid back on, turn it on. Fish happy.
 
It's no different than my previously glass 29 with a wooden stand/hood with slats - to change the water, you had to either remove it or flip the hood up. So either be blinded, or have to turn on the lights in the room. Not real different from now, but I do find resting a little spot lamp I have in it's direction makes the water changes easier to confirm I haven't sucked up a neon - but you're also talking about a dark blue painted bathroom, with no windows and limited lighting to begin with, as well as all black substrate and dark elements in the tank.

I have heard that smaller Eclipse systems make it hard to feed, etc, but I can say on the Eclipse 12 the gap they give you is plenty of room. (Though I do use a ring feeder, mainly because the food would float into my floating plastic plants.)
 
first tank was a 20g with eclipse II cover. Only needed heater and ready to rock. Still running strong after a couple of years, with no parts breaking. I also don't have kids & pets close to it, but I can be pretty stupid and break enough things on my own.

I have since added a larger tank, but the 20g is still the home for my betta and cardinal tetras.

If someone were considering the Eclipse, I would not steer them away as a first tank setup.
 
I would steer them away not only because of the problems I have mentioned previously ad nauseum; but because there is more to be learned about fishkeeping by taking the time to pick and choose each component of your setup carefully and purposefully. I think that would be more helpful to a beginner than just plopping some fish into a tank and turning on the filter.
 
I have an eclipse system tank that is 29 gallons and I am very happy with it. Right now I'm looking to upgrade my lighting and they sell a lighting upgrade now for the eclipse system that I'm looking to buy.
 
I had my Eclipse 12 for about 2 weeks now and there are already so many things I like and don't like about it.

PROS:
-Everything is included together and the filter is over the tank so it saves me a lot of space on my desk.
-I like how it is shaped, which makes it look deeper and bigger than it is.
-The bio-wheel seems like a good thing; it's great whenever a manufacturer warns against ever replacing something.
-It is very quiet.
-It has no seams.

CONS:
-Beware the cats, the office cat has already left his mark on my tank, although they are not clearly visible unless you are a few inches away from the tank.
-The opening in the hood is only big enough for feeding. If you need to change water, or rearrange your tank, then you have to take the entire cover off, and this has resulted in a wet desk everytime from the build-up of condensation at the top.
 
I will tell you what - bar none, incredible customer service.

Last Sunday I decided to pull down my Eclipse to detox it from potential pathogens. While it was down, I decided it would be worth calling the company and letting them know about a couple new bubbles I had noticed in the acrylic, as well as a chip/deformity that you couldn't feel from either side that had changed from clear, opaque. (Kind of like when you bend plastic, it turns white.)

NO questions asked, no photos/mailing old tank back, he simply asked me to fax him my Petsmart.com order history for proof of purchase. While I was at it, I told him that the removeable fliptop lid had broken, as well as the little plastic wire cover, and he said to make a note of that on my fax and he'd see if he could find some of those little plastic parts.

When I called back 3 days later he told me Fedex was tracking it, that it would be here on Saturday. Well, I just opened the box. I couldn't be more pleased. Not only does this tank not have one single scratch (and I'm going to do my best to keep it that way), but both brand new plastic pieces also.

They really do have fantastic customer service.

The first tank underwent a ton of abuse during cycling, I hauled it to my bathtub 4 times, replaced the gravel 3 times, etc. This one I'll set up once, and it'll all be good.

There were some other things I didn't do right the first time I set it up, and I think it may not have been level across the cast iron stand bar/rings as well, before I filled it up. This time I'm going to make sure the weight is evenly dispersed.

Anyway like I said, you do pay a little more for these systems, but I couldn't be happier with their customer service and warranty program. I'm so excited... I can't wait to set up my brand new fresh tank, with no pathogens either!
 
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