maybe send back the MG to appease the governor, and pick up a PAR meter? 
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Guess who has clean water? That’s right, @FieldEffect and his governor does 
It’s been a lot of flushing and re-flushing. Only got doused in water twice during installation and debug, mostly thanks to my 2 year old eagerly “helping.” I’d count it as a success.
I’m glad I got a model with a 3 gallon storage tank. The refrigerator dispenser functions identically, but tastes much better. I’d be happy with this even if I didn’t garden.
It’s about 15 “ppm” TDS versus about 300 “ppm” from the tap. We’ll see how it does. I haven’t worked much with that 1/4" plumbing I love the slide fittings and how easy it is to work with.
@noknees that’s probably exactly what is going to happen 
@MissinBissin I love the support! We’ll see how many tools get added
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I was wondering what you were using to get these par readings. As someone who’s always mentioned Photone to people, I’d get it checked/calibrated if you can. Photone has quick short instructions on their yt channel, or their website, on how to calibrate it. If you have an android phone, I’d definitely try an calibrate it. Whether it’s against a par meter (maybe a local grow store would let you do that at their store, or maybe you know someone who has a par meter you could use. It only takes a few minutes), or against someone else who has an iphone. The app can be (is, generally) much more accurate on an iphone because there is less hardware and software variance than android and it’s hardware. You also can use a quality lux meter to calibrate the app, but I’d prefer a par meter to compare against.
Everything looking good, man.
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Yeah I had read about the variance on Android hardware. I am not particularly interested in paying $500 for an Apogee, but $150 for a Photobio is perfectly within my comfort zone, and the route I’d take. If this was something that I needed all the time, I’d buy the best instrument. But for dialing in some homebrew lights, eh, I don’t think I’m going to get much value from an Apogee. I don’t know anyone with a good one locally to calibrate against. The threads I can find on here indicate the Photobio is used by several of the guys I have a lot of respect for, and they find it a perfectly serviceable instrument within about 10%.
Honestly, the first time I heard talk about Apogee my first thought was there’s more to the calibration than the filtered photodetector and diffuser. It’d be fun to build one. But I don’t have access to the optics labs I used to. I did electro-optics for years and changed paths pretty recently. And it’s doable certainly. But not anymore. Certainly not on a budget
Perhaps I can convince my wife to install it on her iPhone. We do have an iPad, will that work?
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You ever look at this kind of thing? Seems like you’d have an easy time of it with one of these as a DIY since you probably have the other Arduino stuff:
There’s also the TSL2561, slightly different:
https://agsci-labs.oregonstate.edu/openslab/2018/04/27/2018-4-27-tsl2561-or-tsl2591/
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Purchased a semi cheap light meter UT383BT based on info in this thread. Might be of interest
I’ve been satisfied with the results from my $35 lux meter (MAKE SURE TO BUY BLUE TOOTH MODEL)
Interesting read and videos. Results match what manufacturer (ViparSpectra) claims.
I’m using Android FWIW.
Just my $.02
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@Dirt_Wizard @JOHN1234 I’ll take a look at these tomorrow, thanks for the leads 
@potpotpot good thinking 
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They are continuing to grow, faster now. I do have some concerns about the size and less-than-ideal health of the leaves. The Runtz x Sour Bubble are all pushing their helmets above the rooting plugs.
Are you guys under the impression that I’m running too bright with the lights? Or is this a nutrition issue? I dimmed them a little bit after I took these pictures.
I have never seen such small full leaves. When using the two 20W shop lights I didn’t have this issue. Of course, I’m not doing anything the same so essentially it could be all or any of the things. Temperatures all look OK, it’s not like they are cooking alive or frozen. Air is about 83F daytime, 68F at night.
Temperature Log:
I’m watering with AN Sensi Cal Mag Xtra at a rate of 2mL/L. This is the calculated solution elemental properties.
AN Sensi Cal Mag Xtra:
MegaCrop recommends 0.53g each part A and B for veg. That (with no Cal Mag) looks like this,
MegaCrop Veg Recommendation:
Anyway, I think it’s important that I get some answers for the PPFD question sooner than later to rule that out. Then there’s the question of spectrum, these are 6000K LEDs. I’ll get a solution to that ordered today but I’m probably going to mix up a new feed liter of water with some of the MegaCrop. I don’t like the fact that there’s such limited nutrition available at this point.
I’ve got these in my Amazon Cart:
Any input?
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Good morning @FieldEffect
That megagarden fits tight tight tight!
Hard to say if your light is too bright w/o a meter you trust but I’d wager its not too weak either b/c they aren’t stretching hard for it. Either way I’d dim it slightly until you green them up. IMO you should be using your veg nutes as a base and calmag only if you think you need it. Start low n’ slow
I’ve read great things about the photone app on iphones, ie; just as good as expensive meters. Maybe pick up a cheap used iphone just for the garden and posting on overgrow 
@potpotpot those syringes are a must have imo… I use my 150mL almost daily.
edit: looks like its time to gives those larger ladies some new shoes!
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pot 'em up and feed em! quicker the better.
you could use a good lux meter for your 6K Quasars, but it won’t read your flower light very well. buying two cheap meters? to me, this is another spot where you skip the nickel-and-dime, and nut up for the quality kit (apogee, etc)
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Yea, it’ll do, I think. I just meant options that don’t cost you anything.
Yea, use her iPhone. Calibrate your phone/app to hers. Don’t ask her though, just do it while shes preoccupied with something. Tell her after.
Get the par meter, the photobio, out of those two options.
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Your setting a man up to be injured there sir.
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Haha. I was going to point out that I don’t even have a girlfriend, so careful with my suggestion.
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I don’t think the Photobio is a “cheap” meter at all - it’s entry level of the reputable PAR meters. The Uni-T is certainly in the “cheap” category. I think primarily I’d use the Photobio. I’m thinking about getting the Uni-T just to compare things and try with the PPFD app as @JOHN1234 and the orginal poster @The_Lazy_Hippie in the linked thread. I can rent an Apogee to compare them all and post real results. Then I’m out half the cost of an Apogee, have a calibrated (on my actual lights) stand-alone meter solution, and can post real-world comparisons so hopefully this debate can have a test to reference. A real side-by-side of the two (primarily the Photobio and the Apogee) I haven’t really seen done. Lots of phone app comparisons to a PAR meter but seldom the 3-4 real options side-by-side.
I don’t know. I’m going to sleep on it. It’s not like buying an Apogee would ruin my fun money budget I just think that I’d get better value with other things.
Absolutely!
LOL I’ve got a little more sense than that.
I’m soaking rockwool cubes now for transplant…we’ll see how that goes
Figured I’d just stop typing and thinking about PAR and do the job.
Was surprised I had roots. Quite a few actually. Some of the NLs had quite a few more but hands were wet and so just took pics of the first one pulled.
Just tried to carefully get them down into the holes nice and tight without breaking them.
I gotta say, these plugs plus the rockwool cubes with the holes are pretty f***ing convenient.
Mixed up some 80% nutes and pH’d to 5.5ish. Meter is calibrated, and verified with pH paper and the liquid indicator solution to be between 5 and 6. I’m getting a better meter eventually, trying to decide which. I like the Apera ones, especially the multifunction like the GroStar GroStar® GS4 pH/EC/500ppm/700ppm/Temp (5-in-1) Combo Pen Tester (Gen II). For my needs I think that would be great and easier to manage.
1.623g Part A, 1.626g Part B, 1 gallon RO at 15 “ppm TDS”
Gave them just a splash of the nute water, the cubes had been soaking in RO that was pH’d to 5.5 so I am getting quite a bit of dilution on the first little taste of nutes.
Back home…
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I got an Apera PH60 as I saw @DougDawson using his and having great results. It came as a kit with the calibration solution for EC and PH which is nice. It is night and day faster and more accurate than the $30 meter I had been buying for years. I’m a big fan, just need to see how it lasts going forward.
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Lookin’ good in there
Is the plan to veg them on the other side in the megagarden?
@FirstCavApache64 How long have you had it? I really like my apera PH60 also, so far the probe has ~8 months on it w/ very little drift in between calibrations. If the probes last a year I think that’s a win.
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@FirstCavApache64 The PH60 seems really popular. @DougDawson also uses the Photobio PAR meter I’m looking at.
@NoCal I think for now I’ll veg them on the veg side. Hand water for a while. Nice to hear you like the Apera PH60 as well. Once they get big enough to take clones those will go on the MegaGarden deck. I may do drip or something on the veg side eventually. Lots of learning going on trying to incrementally approach these things and get familiar along the way. We’ll see how it works.
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Yeah, I have had mine for years now and it’s amazing. Best meter I have ever owned. I store it right and have not had to change the probe in the 2 years I have been using it. Congrats on the purchase, it was a great choice IMO.
I do recommend that unit. It’s not overly expensive and pretty accurate IMO.
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It’s been about 2-3 months I think. If I get a year or more out of the sensor I’m good as well. I used to buy the cheap meter almost every 6 months and have to calibrate every week or it would be way off.
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