# Eclipse System 3 Journal



## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

I wouuld imagine that your micro sword will perish in short time because of the lighting situation. Your best bet will be anubis, mosses, and and java ferns. 

Your on the right track.


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## Kayen (Oct 14, 2007)

I doubt microsword could make a tank like that.
From what i've read, they need medium-high light.
Your other plants should be fine, try adding some anubias.
And what's the plant floating in the top left corner of the picture?

Also there's many pc 13w retrofit kits out there, and not that expensive, maybe try one of those to up your lighting a bit...? 
Which will open the door to alot more plants.


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## Bingo414 (Feb 7, 2008)

Thanks guys!
Even though this Micro Sword is an experiment or sorts, I still would prefer that it not die.
I've been considering a retrofit kit. If someone could direct me to a 13watt kit that will fit a 3g Eclipse and is affordable, I would be grateful. I remember that AH Supply used to have one, but from what I see on their site they no longer carry it (a real shame). I wish I had known I was going to get an Eclipse back then! If I can't find a kit, then I could always stick a standard incandescent fixture in there and put one or two screw-in GE Daylight Bulbs I've got laying around in it. My only concern then would be heat and moisture. I love this closed system with hood and filter too much to do without it (not to mention that's the only reason my fiance would let me keep it), so removing it for a different light and HOB filter is pretty much out of the question. Any suggestions as to what I should do are appreciated.

Also, that plant floating at the top of the picture is actually some Red Ludwigia clippings from another tank that I was going to throw away, but on a whim, decided to place in this tank. I guess I have a soft spot for plants. I figured it might survive in this tank better than it would in the trashcan... maybe.


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## Green Leaf Aquariums (Feb 26, 2007)

If you need some free anubias nana or java just come by and I will hook you up. The G-Vegas hook.


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## Kayen (Oct 14, 2007)

I know JL aquatics has them, not sure if they ship to the U.S as they are Canada based.

Edit: NOT jl, they cater to larger tanks.
Try www.nanotuners.com


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## chadly (May 17, 2005)

cool tank! 

I have the same tank. I retrofitted a socket from a 10 gal hood onto the back. Added 2x15w spiral PCs to it. Worked great. It gets hot and adds prob 2deg F to the tank, but won't melt the plastic.


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## Bingo414 (Feb 7, 2008)

Chadly, I love your 3 gallon eclipse tank.So, you removed the filter/biowheel unit in order to mount those bulbs, right? I was considering doing something exactly like that, except on the front of the system, in place of the stock light. Do you think the bulbs and all would fit in that part of the hood or would they be too close to the water? I've seen people do this with CFLs that arn't the spiral bulbs, but the spiral bulbs are what I have. Besides, they are cheaper. A pack of 2 10w-23w GE 6500k Daylight bulbs at walmart for 6 dollars versus 5 dollars for a single non spiral CFL from the fish section...


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## chadly (May 17, 2005)

well, to be honest, my filter broke so I didn't have any hangups about drilling a hole in the back of the hood and putting this socket in there. I dont' think anything like this will really fit in the front because the front of the hood is lower and closer to the water. This setup I came up with barely fits. I wanted to get more light to the back of the tank and the stock light just isnt' cutting it.


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## Bingo414 (Feb 7, 2008)

An update. I was given a bunch of plants/clippings by a fellow member and planted them all. I removed the microsword and planted it in a glass candy jar and sat it in a window (at least one snail has shown up in that jar) where the microsword seems to be thriving on sunlight alone. I had to leave my tank for a week as I got married on the 8th and went to Tennessee for my honeymoon. I left my mother in law instructions to keep the tank "fed" and the light on an eight hour timer. When I returned home I was pleased to see the tank had finished cycling. To be sure I added some more decaying plant matter and ammonia water, bringing the ammonia up to a measurable level. The ammonia was at 0ppm when I checked again later. Many snails have appeared and seem to be doing a great job of cleaning the tank walls and such. I wanted to get my Dwarf Puffer, but my local exotic fish store seems to have trouble keeping their hands on them for long, so I picked up a couple of Bumblebee Gobys that I have been admiring in their tanks for some time. They don't seem to be purchased as quickly because they are so tiny. I've added them to this tank to see how they do in my freshwater setup which has been prepared up to this point to house a DP. A friend of mine who has kept lots of these little Bumblebees over the years has assured me that the one I got will be fine. We shall see. They appear happy so far and eat live bloodworms twice their length like mad. I'm happy with the set up.


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## Bingo414 (Feb 7, 2008)

*Update!*

This tank has changed a bit over the past year and a half. I removed several of the plants that I was given as they weren't fairing so well. The Ferns and the petite have been doing great. Except for a short while where the java moss simply took over and was stealing most of the light in the tank! The java moss also grew close to the light and promoted the growth of some hair algae that I was battling for a while. I removed the moss recently, cleaned off most of the algae, and tied it to some rocks in my new 55g tank that is cycling. I also removed the large java fern. It has been making lots of little baby java ferns since I put it in here, but at one point it was getting too big for the tank and then was getting covered in java moss. This tank receives little in the way of maintenance. No ferts, no excel, no co2, rare water changes. It now has an adult female platty in it, a tiny young platty, and three recently added cherry shrimp in it. Both of my bumblebee gobies did eventually die. One after a about 8 months and the other just over a year. I don't think I fed them quite enough and I didn't keep a heater in the tank either then. The current fish have been enjoying this tank for a while now.


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## Strick (Apr 6, 2009)

Sweet. Love those Eclipse tanks. I have two of the 6-gallon ones. I've been planning a lighting mod like the one chadly did, but I'm going to remove the stock bulb, ballast and holder to do it so that I don't have to remove the filter.

Eventually I'll get around to it, and post some pics and instructions if anyone else is interested...


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