Home built system, or manufactured system from a hydroponics company?
Hi all -
I've been looking at various examples of home built hydro systems, some of which were nicely done . . . but this does present a question.
Recently I was at the local Home Depot, walking around with my list of materials and trying to get a handle on what it would actually cost, and also the construction time, trial & error testing, and all that to build a home made hydroponics system.
Then I took a second look at some of the pre-manufactured hydro systems from various manufacturers, like Botanicare, General Hydroponics, and several others.
Though these various systems look pricey at first glance, the reality is that by the time I added up all the various components and materials that I would have to get from the hardware store, and figured in the time to construct and test my home made system, perhaps the pre-manufactured hydro systems are not that pricey after all.
There's actually more to this than what first meets the eye.
Also, the manufacturers have already been through their own trial & error testing, developing new prototypes and refining these designs, as they have been used by an expanding user base.
This sort of reminds me of PC computers, especially from a previous time, when a lot of people (myself included) would buy various components, and then build their own custom computer.
In today's world, unless you're going for something really esoteric or high end, it makes sense just to buy the computer as a fully manufactured, ready to go product.
From what I've seen in various catalogs and at trade shows, I think the same can be said for current hydroponics systems. The technology has definitely become much more sophisticated, and various designs have been "field tested" for years.
I don't want to re-invent the wheel . . . I just want to set it up, plug it in, and follow the instructions. If anything does go wrong with a manufactured system, at least I can call up tech support for the products being used.
Of course, if anyone out there thinks I might be wrong about this, or just has an opinion to share, I'd appreciate any thoughts offered.
Ciao . . .
Hi all -
I've been looking at various examples of home built hydro systems, some of which were nicely done . . . but this does present a question.
Recently I was at the local Home Depot, walking around with my list of materials and trying to get a handle on what it would actually cost, and also the construction time, trial & error testing, and all that to build a home made hydroponics system.
Then I took a second look at some of the pre-manufactured hydro systems from various manufacturers, like Botanicare, General Hydroponics, and several others.
Though these various systems look pricey at first glance, the reality is that by the time I added up all the various components and materials that I would have to get from the hardware store, and figured in the time to construct and test my home made system, perhaps the pre-manufactured hydro systems are not that pricey after all.
There's actually more to this than what first meets the eye.
Also, the manufacturers have already been through their own trial & error testing, developing new prototypes and refining these designs, as they have been used by an expanding user base.
This sort of reminds me of PC computers, especially from a previous time, when a lot of people (myself included) would buy various components, and then build their own custom computer.
In today's world, unless you're going for something really esoteric or high end, it makes sense just to buy the computer as a fully manufactured, ready to go product.
From what I've seen in various catalogs and at trade shows, I think the same can be said for current hydroponics systems. The technology has definitely become much more sophisticated, and various designs have been "field tested" for years.
I don't want to re-invent the wheel . . . I just want to set it up, plug it in, and follow the instructions. If anything does go wrong with a manufactured system, at least I can call up tech support for the products being used.
Of course, if anyone out there thinks I might be wrong about this, or just has an opinion to share, I'd appreciate any thoughts offered.
Ciao . . .
I think it boils down to can you do it yourself? I have friends that could mow their own lawn but would rather pay me 
