Time for a PAR meter but which one?

TX_Punisher · Dec 31, 2018

Not looking for the Latest and greatest Apogee.

What are you guys running within reason? There are quit a few out there some interfacing to PC and even IOS.

Running an 8-bulb t5 with two Med bars. Need to have a real idea of what par is at.

Any recommendations?

Thanks

Brad Miller · Jan 1, 2019

BRS did a comparison on BRSTV and the seneye was as good as the more expensive ones

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/seneye-reef-monitor.html

This Seneye reef comes with every thing you need to measure PAR.
It can do a lot more though and the price is good too.

Fishyfishyman · Jan 1, 2019

Bump!!

Wiskey · Jan 1, 2019

I bought just an Apogee sensor and soldered it to banana connectors to interface with a DVM. I already had the meter and could verify it against a calibrated Fuke DVM that my work owned so I knew the readings were good, and it saved me a ton over buying the full package.

It's worth noting that I had two DVM's, one was a $12 one that was mainly for automotive troubleshooting and I found that one to be wildly out of calibration. In the MV range, it Mis-read par by about 75. I was reading 375 when the calibrated reading was 300. The other one was also cheap, costing about $50 at harbor freight but was meant for more general electronics and it was almost dead on, varying by less than 10 PAR against the calibrated Fluke.

Whiskey

happysalt · Jan 1, 2019

I second the Seneye....accurate enough for reef tank usages and has multiple functions!

mitch91175 · Jan 1, 2019

TX_Punisher said:
Not looking for the Latest and greatest Apogee.

What are you guys running within reason? There are quit a few out there some interfacing to PC and even IOS.

Running an 8-bulb t5 with two Med bars. Need to have a real idea of what par is at.

Any recommendations?

Thanks