Ligh with built in PAR meter?

[Corbidorbidoodle]

Don't you think it'd be cool to have an integrated PAR meter? We've got computer monitors at work with color calibration that automatically pops out of the bezel.

Then you could know exactly what your tank is getting via an app.

Obviously I'm not the first to think of it. Why isn't it a thing?

[AndEEss]

Because the PAR meter would have to be at the bottom of the tank.

[Corbidorbidoodle]

But I could be on a wire. With a weighted sensor or whatever.

[Patrick_G]

It’s a good idea. I’d love to see any kind of affordable par meter. 

[anewbie]

Given that most par meters are more expensive than the light....

[gardenman]

On 6/24/2022 at 6:17 PM, anewbie said:

Given that most par meters are more expensive than the light....

That's part of the problem and you also only really "need" the PAR meter initially. Once you know the PAR from a light it's not going to change a lot. LEDs will degrade a bit over time but it's so gradual that you'd probably not notice it. And you don't even need to know the PAR in your tank if someone else has done the testing on that model of light in your water depth. (Assuming there's decent quality control being done by the light maker. One light of the same model should be nearly identical to another.)

[Scapexghost]

On 6/24/2022 at 4:17 PM, anewbie said:

Given that most par meters are more expensive than the light....

 

On 6/24/2022 at 4:05 PM, Patrick_G said:

It’s a good idea. I’d love to see any kind of affordable par meter. 

There's no need for PAR meter in the aquarium hobby. PAR is determined by the kelvin rating and LUX of the light. Since the kelvin is already known, just get a cheapo LUX meter and plug it into an online calculator. If you can't get a waterproof LUX meter, measure the PAR out of water and divide it by 2^(h/4) with h being the height of the aquarium.