LED Lighting - DIY vs Premade Fixtures

[mseepman]

This is just my opinion, and some of what I'm saying below is meant to have some humor so please take it that way.

I totally disagree that DIY isn't cheaper than manufactured. The Radions are $825 each the last time I checked and they indicated I would need 6 over my tank when I was at MACNA. $4950 (plus tax) and then I would have to spend the money to figure out how I was going to hang all of those fixtures in an attractive way. If i went with Vertex...one 72" wouldn't light my 32" wide tank so then I'm into the whole thing for $8000 or more. YIKES!!

I'm buying an Aquarium controller for the tank anyways as I'm not going to give up purchasing a controller just because the lights can control themselves. Lightening storms are cool, but like most men, my attention span is pretty short so that will grow boring pretty quick. Maybe my aquarium controller will be able to do it?

I will be into my fixture for just a hair over $2100 and a little elbow grease. This figure includes the extra module that I will have to buy with a controller to do the dimming. I will be using the same (or possibly better) CREE LED's as the Radion. It also includes the equipment I will be using to power lift the light up and down which I couldn't do with 6 Radions for any reasonable amount.
I personally can't work additional hours for my job at night so my time is just my time. Note that there is definitely a lot of time involved in making one of these, but I got more time than money so this works for me.

Lastly, can someone help me understand why anyone would need a PAR meter for a DIY light and not for a manufactured light? Did Ecotech build in a PAR meter and not tell me? Even Sanjay agrees that PAR meters do a poor job of measuring LED. I believe that as with all things in this hobby, you have to start off slow...so dim down the lights and then ramp them up over time.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Wasn't making any assumptions, just saying you need a decent multimeter, if you have one good for you, not everyone does....

Where did you order your sensor from Steve?

direct from apogee. when I got it they were 80 bucks but that was 10ish years ago.. probably needs to be sent back for a recal. I likes that one as I could mount it to a acrylic track I built and test any tank at exactly 10" below the top of the tank while mantaining exactly a 90 degree angle.

Steve