Any recommendations for a par meter

[LeastExpectedGrower]

Exactly. It’s just a small tool that you’ll use every now and then. Otherwise, I read the plants for light stress.

For me, given I use the iPhone anyway...it was worth the free app plus the 6$ download to make sure I was doing what I thought I was doing.

There's also all sorts of stuff that people don't really figure on. Like metering your tent with the door open gives you a pretty sizable error in readings...because a big reflective wall has been removed. When I'm being a fusspot, I keep my door zipped except for just enough for me to fit my arm in and be able to see what the phone screen is reading.

 

[LeastExpectedGrower]

Growers Choice ROI-720 placed roughly 1 foot away from the light at 100% power.
View attachment 5079361

T5 4' 6500k @ 1 foot away with 4 bulbs on
View attachment 5079362

T5 4' 6500k @ 1 foot away with 2 bulbs on
View attachment 5079363

It's a cool concept but the app is not going to be reliable for a huge majority of people. It's not accurate at all.

Which iPhone are you using?

 

[calvin.m16]

Which iPhone are you using?

iPhone 10s Max but also tried this app using an iPhone 13 on a friends phone at his grow. I ended up borrowing his Apogee 500 meter. I'm thinking about ordering the PHANTOM BIO PAR meter for 140 dollars so I have something on hand that is reliable.

 

[LeastExpectedGrower]

iPhone 10s Max but also tried this app using an iPhone 13 on a friends phone at his grow. I ended up borrowing his Apogee 500 meter. I'm thinking about ordering the PHANTOM BIO PAR meter for 140 dollars so I have something on hand that is reliable.

Your experience doesn't match a number of other users.

 

[calvin.m16]

Your experience doesn't match a number of other users.

I'm a former Senior Technical Advisor with Apple with almost 4 years experience in actual on the job experience. The proximity sensors and ambient light sensors from what I'm aware of are the same on the iPhone X (10) and the iPhone 13. The proximity and ambient light sensors are what are used by these apps to calculate the PPFD.

The app sucks. lol it's not my fault or my devices fault. If I turn 4 x T5 bulbs on they read almost 1500 ppfd where turning 2 off makes it read 400 ppfd how does that make any sense?

If you want to trust a $5 app and probably a $10 sensor chip then go for it.

 

[LeastExpectedGrower]

I'm a former Senior Technical Advisor with Apple with almost 4 years experience in actual on the job experience. The proximity sensors and ambient light sensors from what I'm aware of are the same on the iPhone X (10) and the iPhone 13. The proximity and ambient light sensors are what are used by these apps to calculate the PPFD.

The app sucks. lol it's not my fault or my devices fault. If I turn 4 x T5 bulbs on they read almost 1500 ppfd where turning 2 off makes it read 400 ppfd how does that make any sense?

If you want to trust a $5 app and probably a $10 sensor chip then go for it.

lol.

Yet again people who have tested against much more expensive units report minor variance. That plus my experience in using it says I'll just keep ignoring you, lil buddy!

*Also, as someone who has friends who were engineers at Apple in phone development (particularly the camera), I'm not likely to care about your supposed job with them.

 

[2com]

Photone is known to be accurate on iPhones but not so much on Samsung phones.

Where'd you read or hear this? I'm just curious.

There's a number of other apps that people here recommend for Samsung, etc.

Such as?

Also, not in response to you, just for reference to what's actually being discussed here:
Growing answers test vid (iphone): link
Migro test vid (samsung s20): link

 

[calvin.m16]

Mine was way off too (iPhone 13) until I read the damn instructions for IPhone. You have to make a diffuser for it to be accurate… easy to make in 60 seconds. But for the money at $6, it was worth it. This was an in app purchase for what type of light you’re using. After that, you don’t pay anything. Android does not require a diffuser.

I may have missed the diffuser part of the instructions..

@LeastExpectedGrower Let me try again with the diffuser and report back.

 

[LeastExpectedGrower]

I'm starting to feel like you're sponsored or affiliated with this App.

No need to be sponsored. Its an app that costs between zero and 6 bucks that for me does exactly what it says it should. I have no problem telling people I like something like that. Also, how would a company that makes a free app like this 'sponsor' anyone? Are they going to give me lots and lots of other free stuff that they give to the public for free?

Other things I like and am not afraid to say:
-HLG Lighting
-AC-Infinity fans & controllers
-Pro-Mix soils
-GH Nutirents
-Real Growers Recharge

^If anyone one from this group wishes to 'sponsor' me, I'll be happy to take the discounts or free stuff.

As someone who has had an endorsement deal in a non-related field, it's awesome, but you have to provide value to the company that you're endorsing. In this case, I don't see that telling people that a free download is a good thing will push Photone to greater heights of prosperity.

 

[calvin.m16]

@LeastExpectedGrower IT WORKS!!!! I just had to put a piece of printer paper over the sensor!!! @DoubleAtotheRON I did the same thing as you lol.

Without the "filter" it was reading 140-150 PPFD which was Wayyy off and with paper it's 1000 PPFD!!

PHOTON WORKS JUST GOTTA USE A FILTER IF YOUR ON IPHONE!
I'm proven wrong the Photon app works. It used to be called Korona when I used it but they switched the name due to the pandemic.

 

[LeastExpectedGrower]

@LeastExpectedGrower IT WORKS!!!! I just had to put a piece of printer paper over the sensor!!! @DoubleAtotheRON I did the same thing as you lol.

Without the "filter" it was reading 140-150 PPFD which was Wayyy off and with paper it's 1000 PPFD!!

PHOTON WORKS JUST GOTTA USE A FILTER IF YOUR ON IPHONE!
I'm proven wrong the Photon app works. It used to be called Korona when I used it but they switched the name due to the pandemic.

See...a happy ending!

..er...I mean a good outcome.

 

[bk78]

No need to be sponsored. Its an app that costs between zero and 6 bucks that for me does exactly what it says it should. I have no problem telling people I like something like that. Also, how would a company that makes a free app like this 'sponsor' anyone? Are they going to give me lots and lots of other free stuff that they give to the public for free?

Other things I like and am not afraid to say:
-HLG Lighting
-AC-Infinity fans & controllers
-Pro-Mix soils
-GH Nutirents
-Real Growers Recharge

^If anyone one from this group wishes to 'sponsor' me, I'll be happy to take the discounts or free stuff.

As someone who has had an endorsement deal in a non-related field, it's awesome, but you have to provide value to the company that you're endorsing. In this case, I don't see that telling people that a free download is a good thing will push Photone to greater heights of prosperity.

I can sponsor catnip

 

[LeastExpectedGrower]

I can sponsor catnip

I got some 'mint seeds' a few years back...and they ended up being catnip (Thanks Amazon!)...I planted it on our property anyway, though we don't have cats. And it's fantastic. We have any of the neighbor's indoor/outdoor cats stopping by all spring/summer/fall and flopping into the catnip patch and literally laying there for hours zoned out. Rarely do I look out the back windows and not see a rando cat down for the count on the nip. Amuses me to no end.

 

[DoubleAtotheRON]

@LeastExpectedGrower IT WORKS!!!! I just had to put a piece of printer paper over the sensor!!! @DoubleAtotheRON I did the same thing as you lol.

Without the "filter" it was reading 140-150 PPFD which was Wayyy off and with paper it's 1000 PPFD!!

PHOTON WORKS JUST GOTTA USE A FILTER IF YOUR ON IPHONE!
I'm proven wrong the Photon app works. It used to be called Korona when I used it but they switched the name due to the pandemic.

Glad you got it sorted!.. I made my paper diffuser just a little wider than recommended to make sure the sensor (camera) is fully covered. Try the DLI feature. Make sure you select the correct light time... like 18/6 or 12/12. Ive taken readings and thought something was off, but I just didn't select the right light time.

 

[DoubleAtotheRON]

... Kinda surprised that the app didn't give you a "diffuser required" notice on an Iphone13.

 

[LeastExpectedGrower]

Glad you got it sorted!.. I made my paper diffuser just a little wider than recommended to make sure the sensor (camera) is fully covered. Try the DLI feature. Make sure you select the correct light time... like 18/6 or 12/12. Ive taken readings and thought something was off, but I just didn't select the right light time.

I'm currently running 15/9 lol. They're autos, but they keep telling me I'd do better at 12/12 in flower

I use the calculator for what if scenarios. I don't care about fitting into a 18/6 or 12/12 paradigm since the DLI is what's more important to me, so I dialed my DLI to where I wanted it then adjust my lights back a bit which saves energy and all that.

 

[LeastExpectedGrower]

... Kinda surprised that the app didn't give you a "diffuser required" notice on an Iphone13.

Yeah, it do hassle you to use the diffuser, though in defense of people who don't try that, if you didn't read further you'd think they're just trying to sell you a diffuser instead of making it out of 20# paper and scotch tape.

 

[2com]

I'm thinking about ordering the PHANTOM BIO PAR meter for 140 dollars so I have something on hand that is reliable.

I would just buy a Phantom meter if you're on a budget. https://growgreenmi.com/photobio-advanced-quantum-par-meter $138.00

iPhone 10s Max but also tried this app using an iPhone 13 on a friends phone at his grow. I ended up borrowing his Apogee 500 meter. I'm thinking about ordering the PHANTOM BIO PAR meter for 140 dollars so I have something on hand that is reliable.

I'm starting to feel like you're sponsored or affiliated with this App.

I can't help but point out that...I'm starting to see some hypocrisy. Haha, don't mind the "ribbing".

I may have missed the diffuser part of the instructions..

@LeastExpectedGrower Let me try again with the diffuser and report back.

@LeastExpectedGrower IT WORKS!!!! I just had to put a piece of printer paper over the sensor!!! @DoubleAtotheRON I did the same thing as you lol.

Without the "filter" it was reading 140-150 PPFD which was Wayyy off and with paper it's 1000 PPFD!!

PHOTON WORKS JUST GOTTA USE A FILTER IF YOUR ON IPHONE!
I'm proven wrong the Photon app works. It used to be called Korona when I used it but they switched the name due to the pandemic.

Big respect to you for admitting that you overlooked a crucial part of using the app (with iPhones). When I saw your phone screenshots I thought: aww fuck, either this guys phone is fucked, he's fucked, or I'm fucked... or all three?
Thanks for reporting back, crisis averted, at least for iPhone users... because now I'm concerned about Android/Samsung (thanks, @LeastExpectedGrower)
I use an android phone, for what it's worth.

@DoubleAtotheRON, have you compared the phone app to your par meter (or did you get a replacement yet).

EDIT:
By the way, I've been eyeing that Phantom Bio Par meter for a long time. Holding a phone over the canopy (or wherever), with light blasting off the screen causing glare, is annoying to say the least.

 

[2com]

... Kinda surprised that the app didn't give you a "diffuser required" notice on an Iphone13.

You know, mine gives the "diffuser detected" warning even when it's being bombarded with plenty of ppfd, sometimes. It's weird...

 

[DoubleAtotheRON]

I can't help but point out that...I'm starting to see some hypocrisy. Haha, don't mind the "ribbing".




Big respect to you for admitting that you overlooked a crucial part of using the app (with iPhones). When I saw your phone screenshots I thought: aww fuck, either this guys phone is fucked, he's fucked, or I'm fucked... or all three?
Thanks for reporting back, crisis averted, at least for iPhone users... because now I'm concerned about Android/Samsung (thanks, @LeastExpectedGrower)
I use an android phone, for what it's worth.

@DoubleAtotheRON, have you compared the phone app to your par meter (or did you get a replacement yet).

I had taken readings on my HydroFarmer, and yes, they were very close. The HydroFarmer's battery pack had swelled up and popped the back cover off, which is why I looked into the Photone. It was free, and from what you had said, I wanted to try it. Very pleased!