Should I start a company & build the light reefers actually need?

icejam · Sep 6, 2018

unless you design some revolutionary circuitry, LED light will not be patentable at all. there are already patents covering omni- and single-direction LED arrays, bulbs, lamps in every possible combination with and without collimation, polarization, Fresnel lenses, etc..
Light patterns, specific spectra and shapes are non patentable.

Saying that get a Chinese black box light, measure light output, spectrum, power, etc then take it apart and change LEDs configuration until it resembles you final product. Only after that move to designing one from scratch

KenO · Sep 8, 2018

Years ago I actually started a company that made LED light systems for FW and SW aquariums. I even made LED lights for a guy who besides having aquariums, he also had 100’s of African Violet plants. I spent a lot time reading and understanding light spectrums and their effects on plants and corals. I also did a lot of testing on my own tanks and African Violets. At the time I didn’t have all the competition from the Chinese market or the big brand name companies. I knew when I started the company that it would not be a long term venture. The writing was on the wall that the competition would be able to reduce their build costs faster than I could. I tried using LED’s from China, but they were low quality and I had more issues with them vs higher quality LED’s like Cree. My focus was on high quality, fixtures I built 6-8 years ago are still going strong. Would I do it again today with the market the way it is today, I don’t think so.

Stay away from cheap, poor quality components. It’s not worth the headache.

If you feel you have an idea that is a game changer. Look into Kickstarter.

Nicholas Dushynsky · Sep 8, 2018

jda said:
The only other way to get a large part of the market is to convince a few of the highest end hobbyists to use your stuff and then get the same, or better results with it. Right now, most of those people who keep what I keep (I understand that this is not everybody, but this is all that I know) are advertisements for Ushio/XM/Radium MH bulbs, T5 panels, etc. where most of the LED love is from Vendors (the big ones are usually on staff with free gear) and noobies (who are all over the place with brands).

It would take years, but if you threw a Copps level tank out there with your lights, that would go a long way - you can have a wall to wall high end SPS tank in three years if you do it right. Most of the people who you are competing against just put their lights over a tank that the-day-before was lit with something else and then claim victory... or type up an infomercial in the form of a lab test. A genuine effort could go a long way here to build brand trust.

I also think that you could get some market with just having a panel with no dimmer or color control. Make a "20k" light that covers 24, 36, 48 and 60 inches that is on/off - make it in three intensities, softie, mixed and SPS wattages. This could appeal to the people who are not on the running LEDs at 100% train (which looks as legit of an answer as anything)... and also the folks who feel that the color bar sliders are a detriment. Channels only are for on/off and dimming turns off some diodes and leaves the others on still at 100%. Basically, no dimming, PWM or color changes... just plug and play goodness (but you have to make it good). There are probably not a ton of these people, but they are moving to different types of lights right now.

Could the intensity side of it be controlled with just a 3 position switch controlling the amount of voltage to the led/drivers 1,2 +3 so if starting as a soft tank you wouldn't have to buy another light that's exactly the same just higher wattage? Sorry if this is total nonsense I'm electrical not electronically trained.

User1 · Sep 8, 2018

Honestly, drop the apps, dongles, do dads, and anything else remotely related to another bloody controller nobody wants or needs. Also note if you can't come in under 700 bucks don't even try to enter the markets. I mean if you leave all the bolt on crap I noted above you should be able to package something in the 300 range. But if you start creeping over 600 bucks save your money, time, and energy. You are not going to compete with the two bigger players in the market. You just won't.

I threw together my own multi channel LEDs and came in well under 400 bucks. If I double it then I'm still right around the price point of a single Gen 4 which I consider to be the standard. Shrink wrap, off the shelf, will come with a prettier package but if it is in a canopy, like mine, I don't care about pretty. I also don't care about controllers. That is what the apex is for.

My point is that if you want to compete then you dang well better bring something else to the table that they don't have.

Edit: Market research first to see what your ROI could possibly be based on volume.