5 Reasons That Make Marineland Eclipse 5 a Good First Aquarium

When you decide to buy your first aquarium, you will probably come across Marineland Eclipse 5 in your search. It’s a very 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 can apply similar steps to your buying process involving any other brand of aquarium.

1. Aquarium Size

This is typically the first choice to make when buying a new aquarium. The size of your tank will depend mainly on the limits of your living space. Are you buying this aquarium for your child’s room, or your office? Marineland Eclipse has several smaller tank sizes, ranging from 1 to 3 gallons. Sure, the absolute minimum of space for a single Betta fish is 2-3 gallons, but I would not recommend a tank any 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 line-up: Marineland Eclipse Hex 5 Fully Integrated Aquarium Kit, Marineland Eclipse Hex 5 Aquarium Kit and the Eclipse System 5 Corner Combo.

2. Material

Next you will often want to decide between glass or acrylic. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but with an aquarium this size, I assume that ease of maintenance and weight will be important, especially if you are purchasing this tank for a child. Acrylic is lighter than glass and it doesn’t break. That would make it a safer choice for a household with children.

Acrylic is more expensive than glass, but at this price level, it won't make a huge difference.

Many people prefer glass, because it doesn’t scratch easily. With cheap acrylic that might be a concern, but Marineland Eclipse is made with a higher quality acrylic where it shouldn’t be a major problem. And if you do get scratches on it, there are many products out there to help you get them out.

3. Ease of Aquarium Set up

Marineland Eclipse 5 is not hard to set up. It was meant to be simple and easy to operate. It comes with the lighting and filtration which save you a few steps and few additional purchases. Many people who have bought the Eclipse talk about how simple it is to set up and operate.

4. Aquarium Style

There are certainly many styles of aquariums on the market. There is something to please anyone’s taste. The variety is available for all sizes, even the small ones. After all, an aquarium isn’t meant only as a place to house your fish in. It is an addition to your living space which can have a major impact on its overall attractiveness. Aquariums are wonderful to watch, even if their design is not spectacular. It is their content which is a source of so much pleasure to their observers.

And yet, a bad design is not going to make you happy. It can take away from the joy of having an aquarium. Marineland Eclipse does not have that problem. It is simple, yet elegant, especially with the hexagonal shape offering a panoramic viewing area.

5. Aquarium Price

And then there is the issue of price. Marineland Eclipse is priced very competitively. You are looking to spend between $40 and $60 for a 5 gallon tank. It is a good price which doesn’t present a barrier to starting this hobby. Again, as I pointed out above, the fact that a bio-wheel filter and mini-compact fluorescent lighting system are included, means that you won't have to spend money on buying those components separately.