12 gal eclipse tank?

[Mimbler1]

Over in the reef discussion group, they suggested I post this question here:
A friend at work who has a large reef tank has asked me if an Eclipse 12 gal with a backpack skimmer on it would be adequate for a couple of ocellaris and some mushrooms. Although I have a lot of experience, it is with a 200 gallon reef, and I just don't know how well something that small would work. Is anyone running something similar, or have an opinion?
thanks, Mike

[LTJGAlex]

That's it? Heck, I have a full reef in my Eclipse 12g. Some die-hard animalists might tell you it's too much, but that SHOULD be totally fine for that arrangement. Just make sure your parameters are good.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Telling someone who keeps a large reef to make sure their "parameters are good " is a recipe for disaster in a nano. While a large reef system can go weeks with little to no maintenence, a 12 gallon tank could quickly go downhill. Most large reef keepers don't do weekly water changes, which is what keeps a nano reef's water params stable.

Mike, a 12 Eclipse will make a fine beginner tank, but ultimitely will be a roal PITA to mod out to incorporate a skimmer due to the way the filter assembly sits in the tank. I'm not saying it's not possible, just that it will be a pain. The lighting is another issue that you'll have to address. The stock lighting is nowhere near the strength you need to keep corals. Again, not impossible to change, but a pain. I kept an Eclipse 6 for about 6 months till I got annoyed with the lighting, filtration, and the acrylic.

IMO you'd be better off going with a standard 10 gallon AGA and a 96 watt powerquad or a MH fixture.

[LTJGAlex]

I've found that there are a LOT of doomsdayers and naysayers on here, esp. people who consider themselves King Poseidon himself. Sometimes newer aquarists could use some encouragement, instead of merely tossing my opinion aside with "recipe for disaster" or somesuch.

[Precious Roy]

If you "engineered" it correctly like alex was saying it should work. but for the amount of work that you would have to put into making it reef ready, you mind as well buy a 10 gallon AGA or even a 15. They are just so much easier to work with IMO (space, ability to pick equipment). Just do weekly water changes, and do constant parameter checks and he should have no problem, just can't be lazy like you can with a 200!

[Daemonfly]

I would also suggest agaisnt an Eclipse 12 if you have the choice. Eclipse hood design just doesn't lend itself to easy mods for our SW needs (mainly good lighting). They're great for FW tanks though, not knocking them completely here.

I also had an Eclipse 6 and the setup was a pain if you wanted to upgrade anything. Also, rumors of stress cracks developing in the bottom of the tank. I had a very few, but for me the bottom actually warped. I can't see the weight of live rock being supported by a kinda thin bottom panel with just some "feet" here & there.

I'd go with a 10g or a 15g long if you want something in that size.

[Uriel]

I currently have 6 Eclipse running ( 1 Hex 5,3 Eclipse 6 and 2 Eclipse 12).

As mentioned above, lighting options are limited with these tanks, but i needed to go Acrylic because I house Mantis Shrimp in mine (Well, in 5 of them anyways).

That being said, I have a colony of mixed polyps in one, and lots of mushrooms in all but one other, all of which are doing great. I do weekly water changes,however, sometimes more than once a week. Since I started with these small tanks ( I will eventually fill my larger tanks;80,75,55,3x30s' and a 29), I am used to the 'hassle' of water changes, so it isn't a big deal for me. The one tank that doesn't currently house a mantis has a goby, a royal gramma,pistol shrimp and a mithrax crab,all who seem to be doing js fine. We, OK, the mithrax is a tantrum-throwing brat who refuses to eat algae and jumps up-and-down 9literally0 for nori-on-a-stick,but I digress...

If I wasn't housing animals capable of smashing glass, I would have gone for tanks with better lighting options.

-Ron