Affordable PAR meter?
- Thread starter Nano101
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Do you have an apex?
https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/apex-pmk-par-monitoring-kit-neptune-systems/
https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/apex-pmk-par-monitoring-kit-neptune-systems/
redfishbluefish
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Apogee is the gold standard with PAR meters. The Biotek product is actually an Apogee sensor.....and if I wanted to own one, that's the one I'd buy. However, there is no need to own one unless you're in the lighting business or wish to do studies.....check your LFS's in your area to see if they rent them. We have one here in NJ that rents them....for a reasonable amount of money.
"affordable" is subjective. I'd also recommend looking for one to rent or borrow. odds are, you're not going to use it often at all. if you still want to buy, I'd get the apogee mq-500.
mcarroll
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Hydrofarm makes one for under $150, but you're likely to get a chorus of nay-sayers if you don't stick to the approved brand names. PAR is good! It's so good that lux is no good. (But it's better to have nothing if the brand isn't right!)
I agree with this.
For regular daily use, I'd just spend the $10-$15 on a lux meter. Works just fine for most reef purposes and for the cost differential you can't beat it. Plus it's useful around the house (or outside) for general lighting purposes.
If you really want to have readings in PAR units for some reason, you can still borror or buy/return a PAR meter and make a conversion factor that's specific your lights. From then on you take a reading with the lux meter, apply your conversion factor, and voila you have an accurate PAR number. Usually this isn't required, but it depends what you want the meter for.
This has more info on the subject:
Product Review: Lighting for Reef Aquaria: Tips on Taking Light Measurements by Dan Riddle
There are no approved brand names. The best one is the one with the flattest response curve and that's about it. But then again all PAR threads are going to have the Lux parade rolling through it linking insanely old articles and no conversion factors of their own to help anyone.
How is the OP supposed to get his lux conversion factor? Is it going to come to him in a dream?
How is the OP supposed to get his lux conversion factor? Is it going to come to him in a dream?
mcarroll
10K Club member
Gus, please.
If you still haven't read the article, I can't help. Nobody can.
I even gave a nutshell explanation of how in my post.
I hesitate to think what would happen if I showed you how to make a $15 lux meter into a PAR meter?
Yep, that's going to be one of those "old threads" too....like so old how could more people not know this already old!
If you still haven't read the article, I can't help. Nobody can.
I even gave a nutshell explanation of how in my post.
I hesitate to think what would happen if I showed you how to make a $15 lux meter into a PAR meter?
Yep, that's going to be one of those "old threads" too....like so old how could more people not know this already old!
lol.
Apogee is the gold standard and the 500 will be the best, but its likely that any Par meter will do, so look at used as well. A couple popped up here and went FAST.
Heres another old article doing some comparisons of the meters.http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/2/equipment
The only thing us #luxtroll have noticed is the Seneye gives VERY high Par values to some very low end led's sometimes and using basic lux/par conversions and other Par maps as comparisons, they cant be better than the highest par t5 mh imo, so personally Id avoid that one. Its not been consistent in all tests ive seen def but enough to make me question getting one.
edit. the seney tests ive seen have a lux reading on the seney par display. SO one of the two is wrong, but readings were far in excess of the par charts id seen for the same fixtures.
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Gus, please.
If you still haven't read the article, I can't help. Nobody can.
I even gave a nutshell explanation of how in my post.
I hesitate to think what would happen if I showed you how to make a $15 lux meter into a PAR meter?
Yep, that's going to be one of those "old threads" too....like so old how could more people not know this already old!
Except ohh wait what do I have here.
Why it's a lux meter with a bunch of filters with the sensor sealed so it's waterproof. Oh my.
And here is it's response curve.
Unless you have something similar please come back and tell me how I'm clueless.
Ohh and as you can see OP the lux police have arrived.
dude thats totally cool! how'd you do that?Except ohh wait what do I have here.
Why it's a lux meter with a bunch of filters with the sensor sealed so it's waterproof. Oh my.
And here is it's response curve.
Unless you have something similar please come back and tell me how I'm clueless.
Ohh and as you can see OP the lux police have arrived.
pulling out the rosco swatch book right now.
Many moons ago when I was hardcore into planted tanks a guy on a forum I frequented put these together for some folks. I got lucky and scored one of his last ones. The filters he used actually cost more than the lux meter itself. It was like 50 bucks I think, dunno it's been years. Last I heard he was working on a new revised version but I haven't anything heard about it in a while so I guess he got bored and moved on.
once you climb the mountain why do it again.
I have most of the filters in the garage. and well... some lux meters. The 4815 might be an old number. I cant find it in the swatches.
who did the response cure testing?
I listed an mq-200 recently and it sold within a couple hours at $250. I'll have another for sale once I get it calibrated.
....hit me up when its ready.
willthethrill
Active Member
Which store in nj?
Greasemonkey13
Community Member
Ever thought of the Seneye reef monitor? Needs to be hooked up to a computer or their wifi box not to bad I want to say $150 range. Only draw back is the slides need replacing every 30 days but are not needed for the light meter
