Eclipse vs canister filter

[beache]

I wandered into a Petsmart store today to check out the aquarium sale they have going on. The employee who helped me was really into the Eclipse setups. I'm planning to get a 37 gallon glass aquarium with a canister filter because I don't have room to hang a filter off the back.
The Eclipse is appealing because everything is in the hood, but somehow I doubt the filter is as effective as a canister. Am I right?

 

[sumoschro]

Bio Wheels are great filters, and I have them on my 5 gallon and my 29 gallon. I would say go for the eclipse, because its all right there and probably less expensive than an aquarium with a separate filter.

 

[JSchmidt]

I think the advantage of the Eclipse is that you get a modular filter built into the canopy. Biowheels provide fine biofiltration, but I doubt they provide as much as a canister, esp. if it's prefiltered. I would think mechanical filtration would be superior in a canister, too.

The Eclipses aren't bad, by any means. Lots of folks like them and are quite satisfied. They are somewhat more limited in their use, unlike canisters.

If this is a first tank, you could do worse than an eclipse. I don't hear of many of them bought for second or third tank, though.

HTH,
Jim

 

[Captain Hook]

Never owned an eclipse system but I think both bio wheel and canister filters are both very good. One thing I like above the eclipse is that it is fully covered, which means evaporation will be kept to a minimum and fish will not be able to jump out.

What size of eclipse were you considering?

 

[beache]

With the 37 gal tank it would be an Eclipse 3. I don't know anything about them. I have a 10 gal tank now with an Aqua Clear on the back. Just can't fit an HOB filter once I go bigger.
Thanks for any input you all can provide.

 

[O-man21]

I have an eclipse system 6 and I love it! Keeps the water crystal clear, and the cartridges are really cheap too. The one thing I don't like is tht ot has a small bio-wheel, and the pump is too weak to pick up water when doing water changes. (as in below 2 inches of normal water level) Otherwise its great! I would buy another one if I had room

 

[Gimli]

I've used an eclipse on my 20gal and it worked fine.

Will be using it again once I start filling it back up with water and trying to do the fishless cycle.

Though, what is a good canister filter? I like the eclipse cause of the hood being all-in-one kinda thing.