Photone app/ Par meter

[Clown2Fish]

Has anyone ever used the Photone app to measure PAR readings in their aquarium? If yes it is accurate? I hard I need to use the right paper tho!

Thank you!

 

[Frank61]

Has anyone ever used the Photone app to measure PAR readings in their aquarium? If yes it is accurate? I hard I need to use the right paper tho!

Thank you!

I've been using it and am quite happy with it.

My LFS let me test it in the store against their rental PAR meter (Apogee) and it was quite accurate using a paper filter. I've since ordered the Photone accessory diffuser and assume it is even more accurate.

Incidentally, I now also use it for our house plants and DIY hydroponics.

 

[Clown2Fish]

I've been using it and am quite happy with it.

My LFS let me test it in the store against their rental PAR meter (Apogee) and it was quite accurate using a paper filter. I've since ordered the Photone accessory diffuser and assume it is even more accurate.

Incidentally, I now also use it for our house plants and DIY hydroponics.

Thank you, if it’s can save me some money that’s cool! Last question did you use in the app, the full spectrum Led or the blue/white Led?

 

[Clown2Fish]

I've been using it and am quite happy with it.

My LFS let me test it in the store against their rental PAR meter (Apogee) and it was quite accurate using a paper filter. I've since ordered the Photone accessory diffuser and assume it is even more accurate.

Incidentally, I now also use it for our house plants and DIY hydroponics.

What was the type of filter paper, if you remember?

 

[Tamberav]

I asked about this awhile ago and was told it was too inconsistent for use by some respected people in the hobby.

Seems Amazon has some good knockoffs that apparently work.

https://humble.fish/community/threads/photone-turn-phone-into-par-meter.9747/

 

[AquaLogic]

I asked about this awhile ago and was told it was too inconsistent for use by some respected people in the hobby.

Seems Amazon has some good knockoffs that apparently work.

https://humble.fish/community/threads/photone-turn-phone-into-par-meter.9747/

Perhaps there is variance between phone cameras. I just compared it, with a paper diffuser, to my Par meter using an iPhone 12 and it was exactly the same. So, was it a variance in phones? User error? (Even experts can make mistakes), or some other uncontrolled variable?

All I can say, is that with my phone, it's perfectly accurate.

 

[Tamberav]

Perhaps there is variance between phone cameras. I just compared it, with a paper diffuser, to my Par meter using an iPhone 12 and it was exactly the same. So, was it a variance in phones? User error? (Even experts can make mistakes), or some other uncontrolled variable?

All I can say, is that with my phone, it's perfectly accurate.

I think its reasonable to say it could be different on different phones, different processing hardware and cameras, etc.

 

[Lavey29]

I used it and compared it to a par meter and it was fairly close but I only had my phone at the water surface and did not check the consistency under water the photone app was the reason I rented a par meter because my corals were struggling and photone app showed low par. Once I corrected my par my corals took off.

 

[rdirtytwo]

I think its reasonable to say it could be different on different phones, different processing hardware and cameras, etc.

I could never get it to work properly on my Google Pixel 7 Pro. It was always inconsistent and when I eventually bought a PAR meter, it wasn't even close! It probably works well with some phones, just not mine.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I've been using it and am quite happy with it.

My LFS let me test it in the store against their rental PAR meter (Apogee) and it was quite accurate using a paper filter. I've since ordered the Photone accessory diffuser and assume it is even more accurate.

Incidentally, I now also use it for our house plants and DIY hydroponics.

Hello, I know this is an older post, but I just got the diffuser to use with this app, and am unsure of which setting in the app to use. Can you please help me with this? Is it one of the paid readings, like blue/ white LED? If so, I don’t mind paying for it, I just don’t know, and there is very little instruction that I can find.

 

[Ken S]

Looking at the app it looks like if you want to use advanced features like extended Par/PPFD, you need to upgrade to Pro version. It comes with other perks too.

It looks like this app has come a long way, especially if you buy the diffuser. They even make mention of taking measurements under water

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Thank you for the reply. Yeah I am hoping to use it in the water. I have a clear watertight bag to place the phone in.

 

[penfold2]

Hello, I know this is an older post, but I just got the diffuser to use with this app, and am unsure of which setting in the app to use. Can you please help me with this? Is it one of the paid readings, like blue/ white LED? If so, I don’t mind paying for it, I just don’t know, and there is very little instruction that I can find.

The led settings are free, no payment is required. I use the blue/white setting because reef leds contain far more blue than a full spectrum led. Full spectrum is white, and blue/white is just full spectrum plus more blue, which is exactly what reef lights are.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

The led settings are free, no payment is required. I use the blue/white setting because reef leds contain far more blue than a full spectrum led. Full spectrum is white, and blue/white is just full spectrum plus more blue, which is exactly what reef lights are.

I can not thank you enough for your help with this. I do use LED lights. So do you think it is worth getting the paid version then? I saw the blue/white setting. I do not mind at all paying for that if it will be the most accurate. Still MUCH cheaper than a par meter.

 

[metro6775]

I downloaded the photone app today fully expecting that I needed add a diffuser. But according to the app it's stating that I do not need a diffuser.

During my research everything that I have ever read has talked about using a diffuser, but the app is saying I don't need a diffuser. I'm a little confused has anyone ever used the app without a diffuser?