The Marineland Eclipse 12 aquarium is designed to make keeping fish as easy as possible by providing a complete “out of the box” setup. As well as the main fish tank you will find an aquarium hood, lighting unit and tube plus a patented filtration unit. The Marineland Eclipse 12 even comes with water conditioning solution, food and an introductory book on keeping fish.
All you need to do is to add gravel, fish and, if you so choose, some plants and you’re all set up with a beautiful, simple-to-run aquarium that will show your fish off a treat.
Acrylic Aquarium
The main aquarium itself comes in a range of sizes including a 3 gallon model, a hexagonal 5 gallon model and a 5 gallon corner model though this review looks more specifically at the Eclipse 12 – so-named because it has a 12 gallon capacity and is hence the largest fish tank in the Marineland Eclipse range.
To help you visualize the tank it has dimensions of 21 x 11.5 x 17.5 inches so it a reasonable size for many smaller community fish and is easy to accommodate even for those with little space. On the other hand these small dimensions do mean that a number of larger species of fish cannot really be kept in a tank like this.
The aquarium itself is made from acrylic rather than glass which has two main benefits. Firstly it is far lighter meaning it is easier to work with, set up and maintain. And secondly acrylic tanks like this are far stronger than glass meaning that your tank should have a long lifetime without the risks of cracks and chips.
Lastly the acrylic tank has a slightly curved front to enable better viewing of your fish at all angles.
Integrated Hood
The black hood of the Marineland Eclipse 12 houses both the lighting unit and the filtration unit yet flips up easily to allow routine maintenance of your aquarium.
The benefit of having the electrics in the hood are that not only are they easy to access but they are also hidden well out of view creating a more attractive display for your fish. No more trying to hide an unsightly filter behind some rocks and plants!
Lastly having the filter in the hood means more space for your fish to swim around in rather than having a percentage of the space in the water taken up with a mechical device.
Filtration Unit
The filtration unit itself is a patented design with is guaranteed not to break down for life. This means more peace of mind for you as you can feel confident that your aquarium water will stay clean and safe for your pets and will eliminate any nasty surprises that many fish keepers experience when their filter finally gives out.
The filter is also designed to require little or no maintenance unlike many other popular filters available today so further reducing your workload and allowing you to spend more time enjoying your fish.
Lighting Unit
The lighting unit is one aspect that gets a lot of coverage because quite simply not only is it incredibly simple to set up but just as importantly the light that it gives out is excellent. The light not only helps to show up the true colors of your fish – making your aquarium the center of attention in any room – but it also gives out the necessary wavelengths to allow you to grow live plants in your fish tank if you so desire.
How Much You Should Expect To Pay
The current list price for the Marineland Eclipse 12 is $199.99 though it seems a price of between $100 and $150 seems about average for most suppliers. So far the best deal I have found is at Amazon where it is currently for sale for less than $90 offering a considerable saving over most other suppliers.
What Others Are Saying
The Marineland Eclipse aquariums are understandably incredibly popular (and well-respected) aquariums and this fish tank currently has an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Here are a few of the actual user comments I found:
- “If there was one word to describe this it would be: Effortless.”
- “I think this is an excellent small to midrange aquarium set. I’ve been using this aquarium for 3 years now and am very pleased with it.”
- “It looks great, it works great, and the light makes the fish and plants look vibrant”
- “Almost perfect”
Where Can You Buy A Marineland Eclipse 12?
Marineland Eclipse aquariums can be bought from most aquatic retailers both online and off however probably the best place to buy it at present is from Amazon. They have the cheapest price I have seen and you can click here to visit Amazon now.
Where Can You Read More Reviews Of The Marineland Eclipse Aquariums?
The best place to read reviews from people who actually use this fish tank is on Amazon. Click here to read more reviews.
