Par Meters Deep Discount

JuniorMC8704 · Oct 28, 2008

This was posted on my local forum.

Looks to be an awesome deal.

normally $250 and get it for $150.

Direct shipping to you, order direct, no games no tricks.

Im placing my order tonight.

http://www.reefcast.com/groupbuy.php

JuniorMC8704 · Oct 28, 2008

Just ordered mine. Cant wait to see what ive really working with.

It will be so nice to really know whats going on with my lights.

stunreefer · Oct 28, 2008

Heck yea, that'll be a cool toy!

Nate82 · Oct 28, 2008

site won't work for me i don't get it

JuniorMC8704 · Oct 28, 2008

really? i just checked it.

Go to reefcast.com

then go to group buy.

try getting to it that way.

NewBostonConst · Oct 28, 2008

It is almost worth buying one to see when your bulbs need changing. You should rent it out to people for like $10 a day.

FateX8 · Oct 28, 2008

hmmm interested but how good is this par meter?
not really familiar with any, just wondered if anyone is using this particular model

Acroholic · Oct 28, 2008

FateX8 said:
hmmm interested but how good is this par meter?
not really familiar with any, just wondered if anyone is using this particular model

Read this:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/7/review/view

For the money, you can't beat them. Just don't buy the Electic Calibration unit (QMSS-ELEC). Buy the Sunlight Calibration unit (QMSS-SUN).
Dave

sly fox · Nov 1, 2008

Iive been trying to buy it tonight but it wont work for me

Ian · Nov 1, 2008

Acroholic said:
Just don't buy the Electic Calibration unit (QMSS-ELEC). Buy the Sunlight Calibration unit (QMSS-SUN).
Dave

Why do you reccomend this? I contacted Apogee and asked the difference. He said its a matter of the type of light you are trying to measure...

http://www.apogee-inst.com/quantumsensor_techinfoLTSOURCE.htm

I have an MH tank and a t5 tank. According to the chart, and the tech at Apogee, the room for error for the types of lighting we are measuring is much less, in both cases, with the electronic calibration. That may explain why Melev and Quicksilver, of reefcast.com, reccomend the electronic cal. version...

Maybe you know something that I dont...

JuniorMC8704 · Nov 1, 2008

here is the way i look at it.

Im not real worried about the actual par number. Just a solid reference of a starting point.

I want to know which areas are brighter than others in my tank, regardless is it accurate or not, and long as its consistent, it serves my purpose just fine.

Also, i will be able to know when bulbs need replacing. Ill check them right out of the box, in a month, and then every month after that and track their readings.

Ian · Nov 1, 2008

I see your point buy why not get the most accurate for our application, especially if theres an option??

JuniorMC8704 · Nov 1, 2008

The most accurate is over $1200 =)

The sun version, is in fact the same price, however the manufacturer strongly urged me to stick with the electronic versus the sun. He did give me the option.

Either way they are not dead accurate, and can easily be calculated to be almost dead on, so either way, Im not too worried about it.

Ian · Nov 1, 2008

Come on Junior, you know what I mean. The most accurate option between the electronic and sunlight calibration. Not the most accurate meter avaliable on the market...

The only reason I posted in the first place was to ask why Acroholic reccomended the Sunlight rather than the electronic version...

Acroholic · Nov 1, 2008

I know it seems counterintuitive to use a sunlight calibration model for electric light sources, and I spoke with a tech at Apogee a few months ago and he recommended an electric calibration model for electric light sources just like he did for you.

But the recommendations for our reefs are based on an analysis done by Dana Riddle. Did you read the comparison article from Advanced Aquarist I linked to in my post? Here it is if you didn't:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/7/review/view

Dana Riddle compared the Apogee unit (his has both Sunlight and Electonic calibration in one unit) as a low cost alternative to the de facto Standard in Quantum Meters, the unit made by Li Cor (about $1200 in cost). In the course of his comparison of accuracy of the Apogee unit in Sunlight Calibration mode to the Li Cor unit and the same Apogee unit in Electronic Calibration mode to the Li Cor unit, he found that the Sunlight Calibration mode had a lower percentage deviation from the Li Cor unit than the electronic calibration in all Kelvin ranges except the 4000K range, which no Reefer I know of uses anyways.

So which Apogee (Sunlight or electronic calibration) model would you prefer to buy? My guess is most Reefers will buy the one that is the closest in accuracy to the industry standard meter (Li Cor) that was tested under water with the Kelvin ratings we use in the hobby.

Pay attention to the comparison tables 1 and 2 at the end of Dana Riddle's article.

The difference in the accuracy of the Sunlight vs Electronic Calibration models may be related to, and this is just a guess, the fact that we are measuring light that is passing thru a liquid medium, whereas the primary purpose of these Apogee Meters is to measure PAR of light in Agriculture and Hydroponics that is traveling thru air instead of water.

For whatever reason, when measuring PAR in a reef tank, the Sunlight Calibration model is closer to the Li Cor readings than the Electronic Calibration model.

You can use either model, but the Apogee Sunlight Calibration unit readings are closer to the Li Cor unit readings.

Hope this helps. The Dana Riddle article is pretty self-explanantory. You may also want to do a search of Reef Central under "Apogee" or "Quantum Meter" or "PAR Meter" and you'll find the same recs there.

labman · Nov 1, 2008

Hey Junior

I was thinking of getting one but I was hoping I could barrow yours from time to time when you get it. I am planing on getting the Hanna Phosphate meter very shortly so you can barrow that anytime you like. I tried to contact Hanna about maybe doing a group by on that through reefcast Marve said they would love too. but Hanna is yet to get back to me! :squigglemouth: so best place I have seen is Dr. F&S

JuniorMC8704 · Nov 1, 2008

lol, i know man, it was a joke.

bigian said:
Come on Junior, you know what I mean. The most accurate option between the electronic and sunlight calibration. Not the most accurate meter avaliable on the market...

The only reason I posted in the first place was to ask why Acroholic reccomended the Sunlight rather than the electronic version...

Here is what i want to do with this.

tank a picture of the whole tank, and mark all the different readings all over the tank, and then know where the brighter spots are.

If i get a coral and know its a higher light coral, i put at moderately high location. Then if it needs more, i can bounce around to different spots that are a little higher, and a little higher, etc.

Its not the number im so worried about, its about knowing which of A, B, C, and D is the lowest and the highest.

thats whats really important. Its not like your SPS comes with a sheet saying, hey, this needs 432 par.

Thats all im saying.

Im not trying to argue over which is the better one, im just not concerned about it at all. If i can still get them to swap it out, ill do so, if not, ill still be happy with what i got.