Kessil Penetration

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 15, 2016

icecool2 said:
I have mine set to 100%blue/100%white (50% color on my reef angel) and 60% intensity and I get right around 200k lux 6" under the light, dead center.

Put a pice of white printer paper over the sensor and try it again

Please.

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 15, 2016

Eckolancer said:
I get over 2 million lux at the light. Right at water surface of water it is 7.5k lux not sure below water what the readings are. That is while running white if running blues it cuts down to 900 lux at water and 900k at light. This is where I don't think they have found a proper way to measure LEDs penetration.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sub-Lux-Lig...364634?hash=item1c5376951a:g:kvAAAOSwxYxUw~FN
old school

TheEngineer · Feb 15, 2016

saltyfilmfolks said:
Put a pice of white printer paper over the sensor and try it again

Please.

I must have misremembered the number. 79k 6" under. Same with a sheet of paper over it.

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 15, 2016

icecool2 said:
I must have misremembered the number. 79k 6" under. Same with a sheet of paper over it.

thank you.
perfect. Its a good test for the accuracy of the meter. @100,000 plus and other oddly high numbers sometimes its the sensor reading the bulb,globe,tube.
and sorry 7.9k or 79,000 lux? 79k is a heck of a lot. cool though.

my MH+led 20in deep sps is 34,000 l the dt is 24in t5 @ 23,000k with high blue so a higher par.
I dont care whats on the bottom, but if i did I'd just shine the light on the meter @ 20in:D
(I actually already did that before I hung it. so I knew it would work)

TheEngineer · Feb 15, 2016

I think this app is a horrible indicator. The values bounce around. Here's another test at the water surface with a piece of paper over the camera.

TheEngineer · Feb 15, 2016

I get 138 reflected off my black sand.

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 15, 2016

icecool2 said:
I think this app is a horrible indicator. The values bounce around. Here's another test at the water surface with a piece of paper over the camera.

I agree
yea, I always advise move the app over the surface of the tank and get an average.(or the paper trick)
But before that I advise get the $15 meter.
Really the best use of the meter is acclimation.(match intensity, drop it 30% slowly bring it up like tracking alk consumption or vodka dosing) OR the curious question do I have enough light.
Or when buying a light you can test it dry. (knowing its spectrum and likely par)
OR you can shine you tank light on the wall or floor @ the distance you want to hang it at and see if there is any fall off(decrease in intensity)
It is a phone.
or for Iphone its a computer with a camera you can call people with:D

so imagine how bad the other apps were LOL

icecool2 said:
I get 138 reflected off my black sand.

got anything white? or grey?
(cameras are calibrated at 18% grey)

at a certain point these are all just mind candy really.
gotta run. My vanilla orchid just got a new pod. We keep it in a spot where it gets no more than 1000 footcandles during the day and suppliment with a 5600 kelvin led. @400 fc.:p

TheEngineer · Feb 15, 2016

saltyfilmfolks said:
I agree
yea, I always advise move the app over the surface of the tank and get an average.(or the paper trick)
But before that I advise get the $15 meter.
Really the best use of the meter is acclimation.(match intensity, drop it 30% slowly bring it up like tracking alk consumption or vodka dosing) OR the curious question do I have enough light.
Or when buying a light you can test it dry. (knowing its spectrum and likely par)
OR you can shine you tank light on the wall or floor @ the distance you want to hang it at and see if there is any fall off(decrease in intensity)
It is a phone.
or for Iphone its a computer with a camera you can call people with:D

so imagine how bad the other apps were LOL

got anything white? or grey?
(cameras are calibrated at 18% grey)

at a certain point these are all just mind candy really.
gotta run. My vanilla orchid just got a new pod. We keep it in a spot where it gets no more than 1000 footcandles during the day and suppliment with a 5600 kelvin led. @400 fc.:p

I actually ordered one and something at Amazon got screwed up and it never came. I might try ordering it again.

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 15, 2016

icecool2 said:
I actually ordered one and something at Amazon got screwed up and it never came. I might try ordering it again.

dang.. if you like these kinds of puzzles its pretty fun and the meter will last a long time and you can lend it out. Yea its like a api test, but... the par meter is confusing too.

The neat bit is when, like I did, upgrade the lighting to the same intensity and actually see the corals respond to the new color(more available par). light spectrum and coral photosynthesis is really an amazing thing.
while your ordering get the $5 spectrometer. More science!

TheEngineer · Feb 15, 2016

I bought the spectrometer. Haven't figured out how to use it with my tank yet. The light source seems too bright for it.

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 15, 2016

icecool2 said:
I bought the spectrometer. Haven't figured out how to use it with my tank yet. The light source seems too bright for it.

wear sunglasses. no really..If its too bright to look at dont.

TheEngineer · Feb 15, 2016

Not a problem for my eyes. The spectrometer seems to get blown out and I can't see any lines. Works on regular lights though.

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 15, 2016

icecool2 said:
Not a problem for my eyes. The spectrometer seems to get blown out and I can't see any lines. Works on regular lights though.

thats a trip, witch one did you get? do you still have the link?

TheEngineer · Feb 15, 2016

EISCO Premium Quantitative Spectroscope, +/- 5nm Accuracy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B84DGDA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_OxMWwbDY31R4F

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 15, 2016

yea I have that one. weird. try the sunglasses. I have a glass ND filter for bright lights. Nutral density

TheEngineer · Feb 15, 2016

I'll mess with it more at some point.

mcarroll · Feb 15, 2016

I have this one...

http://shop.sciencefirst.com/diffraction-interference/2761-spectrometer-project-star.html

I don't know if it's very similar or not, but I will say there is definitely a touch to using it well. Not unlike using a gun or telescope sight in case you have tried that.

mcarroll · Feb 15, 2016

icecool2 said:
I think this app is a horrible indicator. The values bounce around. Here's another test at the water surface with a piece of paper over the camera.

Glad you got the numbers straightened out! :)

Just try to train it in so you can get a maximum reading at each location you measure - don't worry too much about the jumping around.

It's a good place to start but there's a good reason I recommend the handheld meter every time I recommend the app. :p

I think you will find the lux meter and spectrometer very interesting to have around!