how do I use my equipment?

[Lindsey]

I just bought an Eclipse 10 off of craigslist today and it came with a few things I have never used before. Can you guys give me a quick run down on how to use and hook up this stuff?




I am not sure what the white thing is at the bottom or how to hook up the tubes that come out of it. Also, what is the black thing in the middle?

[FishHead]

the blue box thing is an air pump. Hook an airstone up to it and it will provide the tank with bubbles. Fish like these as it helps add oxygen to the tank.

The black thing looks like a partial powerhead, but I could be wrong.

The white thing at the bottom is an undergravel filter. You can use it, but if you are using sand for your substrate, I would pass. I actually had 2 of these on my tanks and I removed them. They were more hassle than good.

[COM]

^^ Right.

Is that all that came with it? If so, i think you may be missing some parts for the Eclipse.

The Eclipse should have a motor unit with an intake tube that will distend into the tank and a diffuser that fits over the end of the tube. The motor is a loose piece connected to a power cord and it has a groove that will fit over a lip in in the Eclipse. This will pump up water into the Eclipse lid. The water then runs over a filter cartridge and then out through a biowheel to the discharge chute and back into the tank. I can see the discharge on the right in your picture, so there should be an opening on the left.

The motor assembly looks like this:


If you can't figure it out, let me know and I will take pictures of mine. I have the same exact setup.

http://www.marineland.com/sites/Mari...pse_manual.pdf

That's the owner's manual with a listing of all part numbers in case you are missing anything. Big Al's online sells all of the parts.

The Eclipse is a great system. It's dead silent and looks nice and clean.

[akangelfood]

Whether or not to use the undergravel filter is dependant on what you plan on doing with your tank. If you plan on doing gravel with artificial plants, it will help keep your gravel clean. However, if you're using sand or another fine substrate, or if you plan on doing live plants in the substrate, you'll want to remove it. I have a couple of tanks that I do use the undergravel filter in, and it does an amazing job of keeping the gravel clean (I also use a HOB filter for those tanks).

Let us know if you plan on using it, if so I'm sure we can help you find the resources to get it set up.

[TheOldSalt]

Never put an octopus in one.
Don't ask. Just... don't.
*sigh* poor otto...

But seriously, don't use it for any critter that might be inclined to pull or climb on the pump parts dangling in the tank. The assembly comes right apart under enough force, thereby shutting down the tank completely.

[Lindsey]

I don't want to use the under gravel system since I have sand, so will I have to buy another filter? And, no I didn't get that motor assembly part. This is confusing, LOL. All my other tanks have a simple hood, a seperate whisper filter and a heater. That's it. :P

[Lindsey]

The more I look at this the more it looks like I am missing a lot of pieces. Basically I have the hood, the tank, the under gravel filter, some tubes that come out of it (that I have no idea what they attach to on the top), the black piece shown in picture two and the blue thing. I guess I am just going to have to use the hood and a filter I already have since I don't think I would be able to figure this stuff out even if I had all the parts.

[FishHead]

i would personally not use the undergravel filter and use yoru air pump with an airstone for bubbles. Throw on the filter, throw in the heater, add your substrate, hook up the air pump to a hose and airstone and throw that in the tank and let it roll

[COM]

The black thing in the second picture is a powerhead. You don't really need that.

Big Al's online sells the part that you need. Here is a link to the page: http://www.bigalsonline.com/StoreCatalog/ctl3684/cp18684/si1379759/cl1/marineland_motor_assembly_for_eclipse_1?&path=c368 4-def-USD-16695%23%23-1%23%23-1%7E%7Eq65636c69707365%7E%7Ec3684-def-USD-18645%23%235%23%23t%7E%7Enc3684-def-USD-18684%23%230%23%23g&query=eclipse&offset= You will probably also need the bio-wheel, http://www.bigalsonline.com/StoreCat...clipse&offset=, and filter cartridge, http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS...cartridge3pack.

The point of the Eclipse system is that it will provide filtration and light silently and in a compact form. You won't be able to set up any kind of hang-on filter with the Eclipse system. It won't fit.

The Eclipse is, IMO, one of the best systems in the market today. It's sleek and clean, runs silently, and is very effective in cleaning the water. I'm a big fan. The Eclipse is way better than any Whisper product that you may find out there, and, since you already have it, I'd recommend that you buy the parts and let it run. The only downside to it that I have found is that it isn't great for planted tanks.