I tried to put together something like this on my own and came up with nearly the same setup. This is a better deal, ships quickly, and is delivered all together. The ballast barely heats up although it is located under my 55 gallon tank inside a solid wood stand next to the wet dry filter. I like that there is a 14k option for the bulbs. Its a retro kit so you will need to be crafty and handle with care. The products perform extremely well and I look forward to many years of service.