MikePowell
New member
Does anyone have a Par meter. i just got some new lights and was curious as to how much par my lights are putting out.
Par meter.
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jeffbrig
Premium Member
I don't know anyone with a PAR meter locally, but I have played around with a lux meter (not the same thing, though). Like Eric, I've thought about getting an Apogee PAR meter for the club. I think it would be great to have different people take measurements and collect statistics for various tanks and contents. When I've suggested this in the past, the board didn't think we had the money for it. I might have to see what the board thinks today.
If the club doesn't want to do this, another option would be to get a group of people together to go in on one. I think they're about $300 with a submersible probe. But, that leaves the issue of who keeps it once everyone has had a chance to use it. I've debated ponying up the lion's share to buy one, and asking a few others to kick in $10 or 20 each for the opportunity to use it. If we have a group of people that are serious about doing this, I'll volunteer to organize and be the "keeper of the PAR meter".
If the club doesn't want to do this, another option would be to get a group of people together to go in on one. I think they're about $300 with a submersible probe. But, that leaves the issue of who keeps it once everyone has had a chance to use it. I've debated ponying up the lion's share to buy one, and asking a few others to kick in $10 or 20 each for the opportunity to use it. If we have a group of people that are serious about doing this, I'll volunteer to organize and be the "keeper of the PAR meter".
I would throw down $10-$15 without question to be able to use it a few times a year.
Jeff, if you want to organize something like that, I'd be down for it. We can probably get a good price on one of them if we told a retailer it was for the club, or something like that.
Interesting about the club budget. I think that the (failed) bus trip last year that we ended up getting a refund for cost significantly more than the PAR meter, so maybe there's money left over from that, or just do what we did last year with the store hop and carpool.
Anyway, back on topic. Where would one find a PAR meter with submersible probe?
Jeff, if you want to organize something like that, I'd be down for it. We can probably get a good price on one of them if we told a retailer it was for the club, or something like that.
Interesting about the club budget. I think that the (failed) bus trip last year that we ended up getting a refund for cost significantly more than the PAR meter, so maybe there's money left over from that, or just do what we did last year with the store hop and carpool.
Anyway, back on topic. Where would one find a PAR meter with submersible probe?
jeffbrig
Premium Member
I believe Apogee Instruments is the mfr, and you buy direct from them.
Chef Reef, lux is a measure of general brightness of light. PAR is measure of inteisty only in the range where photosynthesis takes place.
When dealing with natural sources of sunlight, a lux meter is fine because the light source is a known spectrum (Treeman uses a lux meter in his greenhouses for this reason). But, when we switch to artificial light, it is less useful, since ever bulb has a different spectrum of light output. What we perceive as 'bright' doesn't neceessarily correlate with the spectrum needed for photosynthesis in corals. Because the PAR meter specifcially measures the photsynthetic range, it gives a much better indication of the quantity of USEABLE light reaching the corals.
A submersible probe is even better because you can lower it in the tank and find out how much light/PAR is actually penetrating to where the corals sit underwater.
Chef Reef, lux is a measure of general brightness of light. PAR is measure of inteisty only in the range where photosynthesis takes place.
When dealing with natural sources of sunlight, a lux meter is fine because the light source is a known spectrum (Treeman uses a lux meter in his greenhouses for this reason). But, when we switch to artificial light, it is less useful, since ever bulb has a different spectrum of light output. What we perceive as 'bright' doesn't neceessarily correlate with the spectrum needed for photosynthesis in corals. Because the PAR meter specifcially measures the photsynthetic range, it gives a much better indication of the quantity of USEABLE light reaching the corals.
A submersible probe is even better because you can lower it in the tank and find out how much light/PAR is actually penetrating to where the corals sit underwater.
Perhaps a bit dated, but this should "shed some light" on the situation.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/7/review
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/7/review
jeffbrig
Premium Member
Here's the one I have looked at in the past:
Apogee Quantum Meter QMSS-E ($249)
http://www.apogeeinstruments.com/quantummeter_options.htm
Apogee Quantum Meter QMSS-E ($249)
http://www.apogeeinstruments.com/quantummeter_options.htm
Yea, that's the right one for the right price I believe. It's just a matter of us making sure to get the electronic bulb calibrated one rather than the sun calibrated one. The one I was looking at before that made me think that the price was $350 was the dual-calibrated one, but we wouldn't have a use for that.
Good luck tonight
Good luck tonight
Young Frankenstein
New member
i wii rent you one for free, but delivery and pic is $ 80.00
bishoptaner
Premium Member
id chip in
