repurposing gardening PAR meter?

[Kiara_Pyrenei]

Hello,

So, I can't really afford a proper aquarium par meter rn, so I'm looking for alternatives. (Also I can't rent one, because I live in Japan and they don't do that here that I've found)

I know that most garden light measurements are just Lux meters, which is a different thing, but i've found some that are specifically stated to be PAR meters. Is there any particular reason I can't just.... stick something like THIS in a bag and use it?

Is there something I'm missing?

 

[Waters]

Hello,

So, I can't really afford a proper aquarium par meter rn, so I'm looking for alternatives. (Also I can't rent one, because I live in Japan and they don't do that here that I've found)

I know that most garden light measurements are just Lux meters, which is a different thing, but i've found some that are specifically stated to be PAR meters. Is there any particular reason I can't just.... stick something like THIS in a bag and use it?

Is there something I'm missing?

The difference is that will only show PAR at the surface.....an aquarium PAR meter is submersible so you can check PAR levels underwater where each coral colony sits. If you put it in a bag, I don't know how accurate it will be (although some do that with cell phones and free apps).

 

[Kiara_Pyrenei]

The difference is that will only show PAR at the surface.....an aquarium PAR meter is submersible so you can check PAR levels underwater where each coral colony sits. If you put it in a bag, I don't know how accurate it will be (although some do that with cell phones and free apps).

Couldn't you just... calibrate it to account for the bag? Like, if I take two measurements at the surface, one with the bag and one without, I should be able to know how much the bag reduces light intake, right?

 

[Waters]

Couldn't you just... calibrate it to account for the bag? Like, if I take two measurements at the surface, one with the bag and one without, I should be able to know how much the bag reduces light intake, right?

Won't be as accurate as an actual PAR meter but, yes.......you could do that and it will probably provide you with accurate enough data.