Good PAR meter for reasonable price?

[flylowgethigh]

So why doesn't the new dual channel light controller I have adjust the power up and down with the CO2 level, from a baseline CO2 condition? Why isn't there a leaf temp sensor on the light looking down at the plants, and adjusting the power from that? Would come in handy if you had to be away for a while, and the plant stretched up to the light and was getting too hot. I should train my sleepy dawg to sleep near the tent air inlet.

 

[troutman]

My little $150 Photobio is my main tool. I really like it, and have no idea how to set a light without it.

I'm almost done my 1st LED grow and could have use this to maximize things. I'm used to MH so changing to LED has a learning curve I'm finding.
That being the LED's run cooler so it's harder to gauge how close to put them to the plants compared to MH. This cool tool will eliminate the
guesswork out. Since it seems like a nice tool I just ordered a Photobio Advanced Quantum PAR Meter as well a few minutes ago.
I paid just under $260 CDN taxes and shipping included. Small price compared to what I paid for my 2 SF4000 LED's and larger grow
tent. The SF4000 LED's have dimmer knobs on them. So as you can imagine the light levels change and there's no way to guess
what they are without a par meter when you mess with the light power like I do. lolz

 

[mexcurandero420]

I'm almost done my 1st LED grow and could have use this to maximize things. I'm used to MH so changing to LED has a learning curve I'm finding.
That being the LED's run cooler so it's harder to gauge how close to put them to the plants compared to MH. This cool tool will eimininate the
guesswork out. Since it seems like a nice tool so I just ordered a Photobio Advanced Quantum PAR Meter as well a few minutes ago.

View Image

For how much?

 

[troutman]

I bet plants used to growing in place like Afghanistan or Mexico can handle more light intensity than plants used to growing in Northern environments.
So growers may have to take that into consideration when trying new plants to maximize their yields and/or quality of their buds.

 

[Loc Dog]

My little $150 Photobio is my main tool. I really like it, and have no idea how to set a light without it. There is a short coiled cord, and a longer one that you can use as a remote. Look at the post I made in the LED section, see it in use.

For example, I have the lights at the nursery at 250 umols at plant top - and they are not stretching between nodes, the stalk is no longer getting too long. This is on the 3rd set of leafs. That may even be too much light.

Edit: after I typed I went back and saw Switcher's post. I agree, 240 may be too high for my plants right now. The light meter is my main tool. EC truncheon - don't need it. Ph , naw. The Co2 logger is also nice. BTW, there is a CO2 chart better than this one, but this is the general idea. Temperature also is a factor, and I bet humidity as well.

View Image

I saw a professor of cannabis from a Utah university in one video say 3000 umol, in another video same guy said 1000 and pushing it 1500, and this chart says 500 at normal CO2 levels.

Guess I will shoot for 500 across canopy, and then slowly increase till I have problems. Really hate not using the lights to their optimum ability.

How do you maintain high CO2 levels, if continuously ventilating tent to keep heat and humidity down? Another issue is no natural gas connection, so will need to see if can be converted to LP.

 

[Loc Dog]

I bet plants used to growing in place like Afghanistan or Mexico can handle more light intensity than plants used to growing in Northern environments.
So growers may have to take that into consideration when trying new plants to maximize their yields and/or quality of their buds.

Would really be problem with autoflowers, since half the genetics are used to extreme far north.

That meter is about $160 USD.

 

[f-e]

I didn't invent those numbers! I did forget that CO2 augmentation is necessary over 1000 umols. I run my light at 850-900 in bloom.

Oh I know. It's a huge range. I see how tight your figures are in comparison.

I think 700 - 1200 might actually be for sodium light. Where I need loads more light for the same growth. I don't think photon flux density is the last word in lighting, when the energy they carry isn't equal. As an example, a blue photon carries 50% more energy than a red one, and is actually the only difference in conventional physics. While the orange photons of a sodium lamp don't do as much for the plant as the red one's from typical grow LED's.

This difference in ppdf requirements between lighting is very real and without being specific about light type a chart becomes quite useless.


I reckon a proper sized dog has to be worth 500 co2 points in a domestic situation. When I visit my meter tent the co2 generally goes past 1000. Just sat in my open-plan with the windows open a crack and the kitchen area extractor on, I see about 600ppm when outside is just over 400

I have often pondered over how many plant's would be symbiotic. My giving them co2 and them giving my oxygen. I know I sleep much better when the lights are on.

 

[troutman]

Would really be problem with autoflowers, since half the genetics are used to extreme far north.

That meter is about $160 USD.

It could be that Autos suffer more and if you think about it that $160 USD could save you a lot in the long run.

 

[Switcher56]

Oh I know. It's a huge range. I see how tight your figures are in comparison.

I think 700 - 1200 might actually be for sodium light. Where I need loads more light for the same growth. I don't think photon flux density is the last word in lighting, when the energy they carry isn't equal. As an example, a blue photon carries 50% more energy than a red one, and is actually the only difference in conventional physics. While the orange photons of a sodium lamp don't do as much for the plant as the red one's from typical grow LED's.

This difference in ppdf requirements between lighting is very real and without being specific about light type a chart becomes quite useless.


I reckon a proper sized dog has to be worth 500 co2 points in a domestic situation. When I visit my meter tent the co2 generally goes past 1000. Just sat in my open-plan with the windows open a crack and the kitchen area extractor on, I see about 600ppm when outside is just over 400

I have often pondered over how many plant's would be symbiotic. My giving them co2 and them giving my oxygen. I know I sleep much better when the lights are on.

I hear you good buddy

For those that have followed my progress, I always finish off with... this is what works for me under my environmental conditions.

Wrt the numbers, I forgot where I got those. That being said, a neophyte needs a baseline for, where to start and go from there.

In this particular thread we are talking about PAR meters. Of course you can spend thousands of dollars on one, that may give you a BJ on the side, but is it necessary for a home grower? The answer is no. The meter for the avg dude is simply a tool that provides repeatability. If your meter says 597 umol and the neighbor's meter (expensive one) says 600 umol, isn't 597 close enough, when compared to a tape measure or the heat felt on the back of the hand? Both tools here (hand and tape) are guess work at best.

I have played with CO2 and because I didn't see a noticeable difference, quit the practice, for the time being. That being said I wasn't growing in a "sealed" room.

Some folks grow SCROG I don't like the method because it removes all flexibility, e.g on my hands and knees to water/feed etc... Simply not my cup of tea. More important with SOG/SCROG your girls are stuck in "that" spot, until they finish. Sure it gives you an even canopy of sorts but that may not be sufficient.

There is a lot of things that happen in the background e.g going by "pot weight" wrt when to water etc... I do not grow a specific strain at a time, usually 2. of course although I ensure the strains are compatible with each other, you get the odd one that will grow at a different rate, even of the same strain. I have pedestals that alleviates that problem.

The most important part in my setup, is the flexibility of having a free moving canopy/pots. I affords me what I call tent management:

• One ~ I rotate my plants daily, clockwise and back to front; and
• Two ~ Because I have a PAR meter, I know the light intensity at any point in my tent, I can strategically position each plant to get maximum lighting and penetration. e.g if the growth of that plant is uneven, the taller colas will be to the outside, while allowing the lower growth to face the inside.

(click to enlarge)
Notice the pedestal under the plant on the right, in place to even out the canopy.

Week 8 of bloom...

(click to enlarge)
The one on the far right was a girl that was 2 weeks late compared to the other of the same strain, I had 2 beans that didn't pop.

Although I have had great results using the manifold technique, my last run was disappointing. I had great results with my Dt, but the Bd was disappointing. Bd is also the strain that required 4 beans to get 2 plants. As I only have 1 bean left from that breeder, I won't be able to reevaluate whether it was the particular strain that didn't like being manifolded, or the particular beans I had on hand.

I learn every run I undertake and will rectify shortcomings but will only modify 1 thing maybe 2 at best, so I know what change did what etc...

IMHO you can't do that by winging it.

 

[flylowgethigh]

The reason I am going to have individual scrogs is for the ease of access to the plants. I will only have front access in my 4x4s. I anticipate a real mess when the different strains are stretching and flowering.

You guys will forget that $160 you spent on that meter quickly. My other very handy tool is a Ph/moisture probe. I have one of these, and love it.

https://www.amazon.com/Gain-Express-Moisture-Meter-Electrode/dp/B00NTPVHOG/?tag=19gh-20

Anybody wanna buy a very slightly used Truncheon?

 

[Switcher56]

I have a freezer in my den (where tents are located). I do all my maintenance on there, waist high

 

[heatherlonglee]

Phone App, Korona, here's youtube video of a guy testing against a Apogee meter.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0umUgrS_UE&list=WL&index=10
Korona-Grow Light Meter.

 

[Loc Dog]

Phone App, Korona, here's youtube video of a guy testing against a Apogee meter.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0umUgrS_UE&list=WL&index=10
Korona-Grow Light Meter.

Thanks. That would be fine for me, except no smartphone. I bought a cheap model Amazon.

 

[Loc Dog]

What is the highest, safe PAR for flowering, at tops of buds, without any CO2 enrichment? I screwed over entire grow by having too close at first, with all the buds foxtailing. last few weeks they were at 750 PAR. Not sure how much when first moved into that tent. Will have to do some experimenting when plant come out.

 

[flylowgethigh]

I have my lights in the big tent over 2' above the plants, and under 700 umoles at the tops. I am finding less is more with these LEDs. The other problem is keeping he tent temp down when the lights are high up and running harder. There is a happy medium in there somewhere. Wet shirts hanging on one wall are helping a lot with keeping the temp down, and the humidity up. I'm working on a way to automate the wet shirt trick.

 

[amanda88]

I have another LED grow that I screwed up from too much light. I want to maximize these lights for most grams per watt. Heard lumen meter will not do that, so going to bite the bulet, and buy a PAR meter.

Any suggestions on a very good meter, for the least money? I found one for about $160, which is $200 less than the average price. The one I am looking at is Photobio brand.

Anyone have ones they like or hate, and reasons why?

I agree about the price and until they come down in $$$ I use this HERE

or just x1.5=PPF or the chart pdf ..https://growlite.com/content/pdf/growlite_par_chart.pdf

cheers

 

[chiesesganja]

Would really be problem with autoflowers, since half the genetics are used to extreme far north.

That meter is about $160 USD.

Yes when i runing 24/0 cycle . The lights must be hung higher

 

[f-e]

This is the yellow 881 meter that Migrow put beside the real deal. He found it said 25000 at 600. Beside it we see the cheapest one handed meter I could find readily in most stores. It says 20,000 (or 2000 x10) at 600umol. There is a certain relationship I find agreeable there, a 3:1 ratio almost. Where 2 becomes 6 with just the decimal point to slide across in your mind, until it makes sense.

I won't change from this meter.
The worst one I have had, had the sensor on a cord. That was what was bad about it. So people buy selfie sticks. Or how else do you measure a meter away, without falling in. I feel it's starting to get a bit silly at that point. Having all this kit, that still can't see your UV or 730nm radiation, and needs a calculator to account for it's failings at 660nm. Our best bit.

One thing to take away from this, is that I can't tell you what your lux meter will say at 600umol. Nor can I tell you what your PAR meter will say at 600umol. Not without knowing the math to correct that model. I can only show the side by sides. Done to help people buy something that will help, for very little money.

 

[Loc Dog]

This is the yellow 881 meter that Migrow put beside the real deal. He found it said 25000 at 600. Beside it we see the cheapest one handed meter I could find readily in most stores. It says 20,000 (or 2000 x10) at 600umol. There is a certain relationship I find agreeable there, a 3:1 ratio almost. Where 2 becomes 6 with just the decimal point to slide across in your mind, until it makes sense.

I won't change from this meter.
The worst one I have had, had the sensor on a cord. That was what was bad about it. So people buy selfie sticks. Or how else do you measure a meter away, without falling in. I feel it's starting to get a bit silly at that point. Having all this kit, that still can't see your UV or 730nm radiation, and needs a calculator to account for it's failings at 660nm. Our best bit.

One thing to take away from this, is that I can't tell you what your lux meter will say at 600umol. Nor can I tell you what your PAR meter will say at 600umol. Not without knowing the math to correct that model. I can only show the side by sides. Done to help people buy something that will help, for very little money.

I wound up getting Photobio by Phantom, which has a cord for the sensor. Was cheapest I could find, and was about $160.

 

[f-e]

$160. Sounds painful. I hope you are feeling better soon