So I'm at the point with aquariums where I'm starting to have demanding lighting requirements. Not a huge deal but it can be an expensive one. I feel like most reefers come to this point eventually. Soo, im making this post to reach out to the community to see what the pros vs cons of DIY/retro fits kits vs prebuilt lighting. They make kits easy enough that most people shouldn't have an issue building them.
Lighting, to build or not to build
- Thread starter Andyr005
- Start date
ksicard
New member
I have a lot of fun building my light setups. Just because its DIY doesn't mean it has to be junk or ugly looking. It mainly just depends on your skill with this type of project. Here's my current lighting. The sunpower retrofit is over my frag tank and the other lights are over my DT. Both setups are controllable from my phone and they turned out great. The LED's over my DT are 4 years old now and still work like a charm. Plus if you build it you can fix any issues that arise for pretty cheap.
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Mr. Brooks
MASVC Member
Keep in mind that you won't really have any resale value in your DIY. If that's important to you I would stay away.
It depends on what you really want to accomplish. Ive built LED lights and it was a lot of fun. Even made my own boards, ardunio to controll lights and various drivers. Total blast building it but i wont do it again. Led lights have progressed a lot and i dont have the time to build everything. The cost to build was great years ago but now its not nearly cost effective especially with phones controlling the light now.
If it was me I would evaluate what it would ttske to build the light and compare to pre-built lights. Best of luck
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If it was me I would evaluate what it would ttske to build the light and compare to pre-built lights. Best of luck
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I try to buy local so I pay the same price as on BRS or marine depot.
Ive bought LEDs from rapidled and the drivers from some other company that had no clue what I needed them for lol.
I saw a kit on rapid led for $300 that had a lot of what Ive bought individually. Gives you an idea of the cost.
http://www.rapidled.com/48-ultra-premium-led-diy-kit-with-dimmable-drivers/
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Ive bought LEDs from rapidled and the drivers from some other company that had no clue what I needed them for lol.
I saw a kit on rapid led for $300 that had a lot of what Ive bought individually. Gives you an idea of the cost.
http://www.rapidled.com/48-ultra-premium-led-diy-kit-with-dimmable-drivers/
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All depends on tank size and what you want to grow. I did mine for softies using some royal blue and whites. Did a massive scrubber with 630nm reds leds. Worked for what I was doing at the time. Contemplating making a fuge light with what I have left over. For that, I will find out what leds are best for growing chaeto and do a quick build.
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