5 Reasons to Buy Marineland Eclipse 5 For Your Starter Aquarium

When you decide to buy your first aquarium, you will probably come across Marineland Eclipse 5 in your search. It’s a popular style. But the choices of brands and designs are so plentiful, that it may feel overwhelming to have so many decisions to make about an area that is still rather new to you. So let’s go through a decision-making process typical in purchasing an aquarium using Marineland Eclipse 5 as an example. You may copy this process using any other brand you are interested in.

1. Size of the Aquarium

This is typically the first choice to make when buying a new aquarium. The size of your purchase will depend largely on the parameters of your living space. Are you buying this aquarium for your child’s room, or your office? Marineland Eclipse is produced in several sizes, staring with 1, 2 and 3 gallon tanks. Even though the absolute minimum of space for a single Betta fish is 2-3 gallons, I would not recommend a tank smaller than 5 gallons.

So, I think an aquarium like the Marineland Eclipse 5 is a good starter home for one Betta fish. They have several products in their 5 gallon range: Marineland Eclipse Hex 5 Fully Integrated Aquarium Kit, Marineland Eclipse Hex 5 Aquarium Kit and the Eclipse System 5 Corner Combo.

2. Material

Your next choice will likely be whether to purchase a glass or an acrylic tank. There are pros and cons to both, but with an aquarium this size, ease of maintenance and weight will probably matter, especially if this aquarium is meant for a child. Acrylic is much lighter and it also doesn’t break. That would make it a safer choice for a household with children.

Acrylic is more expensive than glass, but with an aquarium below $70 it won't make much difference.

Many people like glass, because it doesn’t scratch easily. With cheap acrylic that used to be a concern, but Marineland Eclipse is made with a higher quality acrylic which doesn’t scratch that easily. And if you do get scratches on it, there are plenty of products available to get them out.

3. Ease of Aquarium Set up

It’s easy to set up Eclipse 5. It was produced with simplicity in mind. Lighting and filtration are included which saves you a few steps and few additional purchases. Many people who have bought the Eclipse praise it for being simple to set up and operate.

4. Aquarium Style

There are many different styles of aquariums these days. There is something to please anyone’s taste. All this variety is available even with the small sizes. After all, an aquarium is not just a place to put your fish. It is an addition to your living space which can profoundly enhance its attractiveness. Any aquarium is wonderful to watch, even if it is not all that stylish. It is the content of the fish tank that is a source of the pleasure to its observers.

And yet a poor design can be a real liability. It can dampen the joy of having an aquarium. With Marineland Eclipse you won’t have that problem. It is simple, yet attractive and the hexagonal shape offers a great panoramic viewing area.

5. Aquarium Price

And then there is the issue of price. Marineland Eclipse is priced very competitively. The cost is between $40 and $60 for a 5 gallon tank. It’s a very reasonable price which makes it relatively painless to get involved with this hobby. Again, as I mentioned above, the fact that a bio-wheel filter and mini-compact fluorescent lighting system are included, saves you from having to spend additional money on those components.