PAR Shootout! Seneye Reef Monitor v2 VS. Apogee MQ-510 Full Spectrum Underwater Meter
- Thread starter jason2459
- Start date
jason2459
Well-known member
Btw, any chance there will be Mac/apple compatability in the future or does it now? I've been asked that a couple times now.
What would also be nice is a hide away structure for it like what Neptune did with the PMK or Tunze for their pump has a rock like way to hide them. Just need the light meter part visible.
AQD_ottawa
New member
When used in conjunction with the seneye web server which unlocks other features then it works on any web enabled device. If simply plugging into an Apple via USB then use on cross over. As over 75% of users opt for the web server option it does not make financial development sense to write a native Apple software when it would be little used. Money is better spent developing new products, for example the reptile monitors coming.
AQD_ottawa
New member
View your readings anywhere in the world on any web enabled device.
Unlock monitoring NH4 not just NH3. NH4 is a great tool for tracking the nutrient level in your system. Although harmless in itself, with a spike in pH NH4 swiftly turns into deadly NH3
Email alerts governed by your pre set alert levels.
Auto load to the seneye server of your data logging.
Unlock monitoring NH4 not just NH3. NH4 is a great tool for tracking the nutrient level in your system. Although harmless in itself, with a spike in pH NH4 swiftly turns into deadly NH3
Email alerts governed by your pre set alert levels.
Auto load to the seneye server of your data logging.
AQD_ottawa
New member
More info here
http://answers.seneye.com/en/Seneye_Products/sws
http://answers.seneye.com/en/Seneye_Products/sws
AQD_ottawa
New member
If you have the sensor positioned for accurate light readings then yes, see below
jason2459
Well-known member
Ok, I have a wifi web server on its way! lol Thanks Premium Aquatics!
Going to compare running it off the laptop vs web server. I can't seem to get live readings from seneye.me but I may be doing something wrong. Will see how it goes with the web server and see how ease of use is.
And a side note. I have the seneye and apogee mq510 sitting on the sandbed in the middle of the tank all day today collecting data. So far they are lining up well as expected considering previous results above.
Going to compare running it off the laptop vs web server. I can't seem to get live readings from seneye.me but I may be doing something wrong. Will see how it goes with the web server and see how ease of use is.
And a side note. I have the seneye and apogee mq510 sitting on the sandbed in the middle of the tank all day today collecting data. So far they are lining up well as expected considering previous results above.
AQD_ottawa
New member
Through the server you will get updates every 30 minutes, I am not sure but I think the PC software you have to manually upload? May be different V2 though.
jason2459
Well-known member
I'll find out [emoji4]
jason2459
Well-known member
Posting this here too...
lol
The thread I linked to in the first post gives a good reason for ammonia monitoring even on a mature tank if that helps.
If you're keeping corals its extremely useful to know par values across the tank to get help in placement. If changing lighting I found its extremely important to know before and after par values. Long term trending of par can help determine when bulbs or fixtures need replaced.
I myself am going to try and track PUR values with the seneye and see if it is sensitive enough to track spectrum shifting with my T5s bulbs and even the phosphors that are in many LEDs to give their specific colors. Phosphors will burn out well before a bulb will and before PAR values drop. This is why many change out T5 bulbs well before their manufacture rated time period. When the spectrum shifts its usually toward the red side which algae and cyano like. This can happen to LEDs too. Keep them cool.
I'm sure this thread has made some sales. So many people have thought the seneye to be pretty useless. Being able to compare it to what many thought to be a defacto tool, apogee par meter, for lighting a coral reef I think was kind of an eye opener. So many people over the years have religated themselves to borrowing or renting one out from their LFS or local reef club. Or many never and guessing on how their lights are performing and intensities and spread.
I found my 3 16" fixtures were doing a terrible job and had many hot spots. Then I found my sbreef lights sbars were way under performing. Now I'm finding my new reef breeders setup is extremely even through out. Its awesome. I would never have known with out even a basic par meter.
Great thread !! I was also on the fence about buying one .. but I'm sold on it now thankyou ! So if you could please talk too my girlfriend and convince her I need one I'd much appreciate it
lol
The thread I linked to in the first post gives a good reason for ammonia monitoring even on a mature tank if that helps.
If you're keeping corals its extremely useful to know par values across the tank to get help in placement. If changing lighting I found its extremely important to know before and after par values. Long term trending of par can help determine when bulbs or fixtures need replaced.
I myself am going to try and track PUR values with the seneye and see if it is sensitive enough to track spectrum shifting with my T5s bulbs and even the phosphors that are in many LEDs to give their specific colors. Phosphors will burn out well before a bulb will and before PAR values drop. This is why many change out T5 bulbs well before their manufacture rated time period. When the spectrum shifts its usually toward the red side which algae and cyano like. This can happen to LEDs too. Keep them cool.
I'm sure this thread has made some sales. So many people have thought the seneye to be pretty useless. Being able to compare it to what many thought to be a defacto tool, apogee par meter, for lighting a coral reef I think was kind of an eye opener. So many people over the years have religated themselves to borrowing or renting one out from their LFS or local reef club. Or many never and guessing on how their lights are performing and intensities and spread.
I found my 3 16" fixtures were doing a terrible job and had many hot spots. Then I found my sbreef lights sbars were way under performing. Now I'm finding my new reef breeders setup is extremely even through out. Its awesome. I would never have known with out even a basic par meter.
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AQD_ottawa
New member
The interesting thing we have seen is the demand for the product originally came from the Light meter and a unit that finally made reading outputs easier to follow with its graphs and more so the PUR percentage. But now more and more are catching onto the benefits of the ammonia and particularly the ammonium monitoring. That's a topic in itself.
For example the use of a Redox probe is often used a barometer for nutrient levels in a tank. However unless you exercise the probe regularly, I do not mean calibration I mean forcing the probe up to max and down to min to flush the membrane, the readings go very inaccurate. Where as monitoring your Ammonium level is far more accurate at telling you of building nutrients. NH4 is not a negative in itself its harmless, but of course is an indication of nutrients and also can and will change to Ammonia NH3 given the right environment of higher pH levels.
If you watch your NH4 level (ammonium) then you will get an advanced warning of nutrient build ups.
What is Ammonium?
http://answers.seneye.com/en/water_chemistry/what_is_ammonia_NH3_NH4/what_is_ammonium_NH4_?
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jason2459
Well-known member
Premium Aquatics has shipped the seneye wifi web server. I think I will keep the seneye plugged in up in the DT area and monitor in the back overflow box I have (beananimal overflow). I've got a billion sensors in my sump area and only a high level switch in my overflow box. This will be good for run dry event in my overflow. Because well, that would be bad if that happens with out me purposefully turning off my return pump.
Then having up in the DT area I could then pull it out from back there and drop it in certain areas I want to get PAR/LUX/PUR readings on periodically. Even just leave it in a spot for a day or two like I did this weekend.
What I'm really hoping for with the web server is that I can just drop in the seneye in the DT and pull up readings right from my phone with out having to drag my old clunky laptop out from underneath the tank every time. I know lazy. It's called a severe case of LARS.
Then I will see if I can get live readings from the seneye cloud with the webserver and if I can't I will feel a heck of a lot more comfy setting up port forwarding to the seneye web server then a full rdp session to my laptop that probably has a billion security vulnerabilities still running Winidows XP. It will be pretty restricted to just the webserver that I wouldn't really care if they compromised that and get my tank data... oh no. Then I could get the local seneye live PAR/LUX/PUR readings from anywhere which would be cool if I have it sitting in a spot in the tank one day.
But will see soon enough now what it can do over just plugging the seneye into a laptop.
Then having up in the DT area I could then pull it out from back there and drop it in certain areas I want to get PAR/LUX/PUR readings on periodically. Even just leave it in a spot for a day or two like I did this weekend.
What I'm really hoping for with the web server is that I can just drop in the seneye in the DT and pull up readings right from my phone with out having to drag my old clunky laptop out from underneath the tank every time. I know lazy. It's called a severe case of LARS.
Then I will see if I can get live readings from the seneye cloud with the webserver and if I can't I will feel a heck of a lot more comfy setting up port forwarding to the seneye web server then a full rdp session to my laptop that probably has a billion security vulnerabilities still running Winidows XP. It will be pretty restricted to just the webserver that I wouldn't really care if they compromised that and get my tank data... oh no. Then I could get the local seneye live PAR/LUX/PUR readings from anywhere which would be cool if I have it sitting in a spot in the tank one day.
But will see soon enough now what it can do over just plugging the seneye into a laptop.
jason2459
Well-known member
Actually both pH and Temp are completely controllable even if moderately. If anyone doses anything that could alter pH I would highly suggest monitoring pH especially limewater (kalk). Or for anyone that has cronic low pH issues (like my tank) measuring pH is also useful.
Measuring Temp can be extremely useful to know if a heater is stuck or even if no heaters for the summer if you need to get a Fan going or a chiller. I have a fan blowing over my DT and another over my Sump if it gets to warm.
jason2459
Well-known member
But I completely agree with wanting at least an Alk monitor. Right now KH Gaurdian is already out with a very steep price tag. GHL is working on one as is Apex from Jim Welsh. Jonas another forum member developed one too and just got a partnership with another company.
I believe GHL is also working on a Ca monitor. I don't know of anyone else. Pinpoint has a Ca monitor but from what I have read it's very cumbersome to do and accuracy varies.
Then there's mindstream.... but it would have a very high monthly replacement cost. I would love to see seneye come out with something similar to mindstream in the parameters it can monitor but keep the replacement costs of the slides at or very close to where they are now.
I believe GHL is also working on a Ca monitor. I don't know of anyone else. Pinpoint has a Ca monitor but from what I have read it's very cumbersome to do and accuracy varies.
Then there's mindstream.... but it would have a very high monthly replacement cost. I would love to see seneye come out with something similar to mindstream in the parameters it can monitor but keep the replacement costs of the slides at or very close to where they are now.
jason2459
Well-known member
This is cool. I've got the SWS web server from Premium Aquatics and getting it setup and I like the local interface and is now reporting up to seneye.me I've had some issues but mostly my own. I'll write up a Seneye SWS vs Laptop connection thread later.
On another note there's been some issues with BRS's PAR measurements with their Licor and their Apogee which looks like Apogee will be having to fix their new MQ-510. Seneye looking pretty good about now... lol
Starting at about the 7 minute mark. Pretty cool they are doing this and getting response from these manufacturers to get things fixed.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6hUkufXBb3I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
On another note there's been some issues with BRS's PAR measurements with their Licor and their Apogee which looks like Apogee will be having to fix their new MQ-510. Seneye looking pretty good about now... lol
Starting at about the 7 minute mark. Pretty cool they are doing this and getting response from these manufacturers to get things fixed.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6hUkufXBb3I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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AQD_ottawa
New member
Great news you got it all up and running? did the instructions we sent help?
http://answers.seneye.com/en/Seneye_Products/sws/instructions
http://answers.seneye.com/en/Seneye_Products/sws/instructions
jason2459
Well-known member
I totally missed the part in the instructions that it was accessible on the LAN only. I was thinking the sws.li was an externally accessible cloud site like seneye.me. So that was my fault. I am or was still having issues connecting to it from my phone so will have to try again later when I get home. I was able to connect to it from my laptop and desktop PCs. There was some glitch last night when I first hooked it up but it must have been a firmware updating thing but wasn't being reflected on the Web Interface like the instructions show it would but it worked itself out which is fine. Tech Support was on the ball and I had an email response first thing in the morning when I woke up and was responsive after that as well.
I'm going to setup a DMZ on my router and put the Seneye SWS in there and setup port forwarding to it so I can access the local web interface from anywhere and get the live readings I'm looking for.
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