[billdogg]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

It is absolutely going to cost MORE money to build your own if you account for your time spent and likely even if you don't..

Just the time required to duplicate the software functionality will likely be more than the cost of a light..

Originally Posted by der_wille_zur_macht

It also depends on what you mean when you say you want to make something "like" a commercial unit. People have very very wide interpretations of what constitutes something being "like" something else.

If you are willing to throw away your time, and you're good with DIY, and you invest time in learning, and you have reasonable requirements, and you're willing to potentially compromise on things like fit and finish, etc then you definitely can DIY an LED fixture cheaper than a high end brand name commercial fixture. You can likely get similar output and functionality but it likely won't be a direct equivalent.

That said, I do not feel that cost is a good justification for DIY. You will be way in the hole if you account for your time spent, or the tools and knowledge required. And you will definitely be in the hole if you attribute any value to customer support. When your Hydra dies, you have someone to be mad at, someone to hold accountable. When your DIY rig dies, it's all up to you.

You should DIY because you want something you can't buy off the shelf. You should DIY because you have odd requirements or you have ideas for improvements that aren't in commercial units. You should DIY because you want to easily experiment with different colors of LED or different optics or you want some other flexibility without having to void a warranty. You should DIY because it's fun and it's a way to have a sense of pride in your system. You should not DIY to save money.

I think these two posts sum it up pretty well. I haven't made a light yet, but I've done any number of stands. I can put together a 2x4 stand that will hold any tank that will fit on it in a couple days, and for less than $100. I can also start with rough cut Hardwood lumber and have a furniture quality stand that will outlast any of us, but it will cost at least a couple hundred just for the materials and then factor in the 30-50 hours of my labor (When I'm on the clock I start at $55/hr) and it quickly becomes way cheaper to buy one ready made. I made my own anyway because there are very few in town who would do it as well as I can.

I would build a light the very same way (well - not out of hardwood lumber). I would build it to the best of my ability without worrying about final cost.