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Club PAR meter

Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Main
Forum Name: Suggestion Box/Recommendations
Forum Description: This is the place to submit recommendations to the WMAS presidency.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=43481
Printed Date: March 28 2024 at 4:09pm
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Topic: Club PAR meter
Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Subject: Club PAR meter
Date Posted: September 18 2010 at 12:02pm
I suggest we as a club buy an Apogee PAR meter for rent to Members only. I would bet that most people would donate $10 to buy one then get to use it for a day.

I bet you could even get Apogee to give the club a discount.

Just a thought.



Replies:
Posted By: SGH360
Date Posted: September 18 2010 at 12:19pm
Sounds pretty good. Give one to each of the presidency and when a member needs it just ask and write it down just in case


Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Date Posted: September 18 2010 at 1:46pm
Originally posted by SGH360 SGH360 wrote:

Sounds pretty good. Give one to each of the presidency and when a member needs it just ask and write it down just in case



There is no way the club can get that many. They are about $400 a pop.

I mean at $10 a volunteer, it will take 40 members to contribute for just one.

If we can get 2 or 3, that would be awesome!


Posted By: bugzme
Date Posted: September 18 2010 at 4:18pm
I will definately donate!

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Jeff
125 tank
50 gallon sump
T-5 lighting
Rum drinker, Carbon User
I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!!


Posted By: Laird
Date Posted: September 18 2010 at 7:12pm
I'll donate for one too

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Indefinite hiatus from sw aquariums.

Once I have my glorious return I'll set back up the following.
50 Gallon rimless cube.
180 Gallons mixed reef paradise


Posted By: BDerron
Date Posted: September 18 2010 at 7:15pm
id throw 40 bucks in twoards one.


Posted By: bur01014
Date Posted: September 18 2010 at 11:23pm
I'd donate as well


Posted By: SumpCrab
Date Posted: October 28 2010 at 11:11pm
I would pay $20 per day to rent one and I think many others would as well. I am not sure how you ensure it comes back though... 


Posted By: bur01014
Date Posted: October 28 2010 at 11:22pm
Sounds like a good investment for a LFS to pick one up and use to rent out....seen this done in other states...


Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Date Posted: October 28 2010 at 11:27pm
Originally posted by bur01014 bur01014 wrote:

Sounds like a good investment for a LFS to pick one up and use to rent out....seen this done in other states...


Glad you brought this back to life!

I was going to ask what the Presidency decided on this recommendation.


Posted By: davser
Date Posted: October 29 2010 at 12:05am
i would probably do the 10 if i knew what it is sorry it may sound dumb but can someone give me some info about what this is? and again sorry im new to the sw hobby maybe a year or so

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It's not about what you know but about who you know


Posted By: Chad
Date Posted: November 04 2010 at 1:41am
PAR meters measure the Photosynthetically Active Radiation. They measure how much usable light for feeding photosynthetic animals is being produced by a certain light source.

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What?! You pooped in the refrigerator, and ate the entire wheel of cheese?! I'm not even mad.... That's actually amazing!


Posted By: thefu
Date Posted: November 04 2010 at 9:26am
From what I know ( http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/5437-PAR-meter-vs-PAR-sensor-from-Apogee - http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/5437-PAR-meter-vs-PAR-sensor-from-Apogee ), you can simply buy the $139 apogee sensor  ( http://www.apogeeinstruments.com/quantum/sqpricing.html - http://www.apogeeinstruments.com/quantum/sqpricing.html ) connect it to a voltmeter, and multiply by 5.  If you want to track PAR across time (what many people do with these is track PAR of sunlight in a particular position across the day) then by all means get a logging meter.

Personally I am going to buy the sensor and a $3 Harbor Freight multimeter and permanently connect them and then do the math in my head.


Posted By: thefu
Date Posted: November 04 2010 at 9:27am
Oh, and just curious, does anyone know if Apogee will be selling these at a discount at the MWRF?


Posted By: Laird
Date Posted: November 07 2010 at 5:02pm
Let's buy one from that company in Logan that was at the fest.

-------------
Indefinite hiatus from sw aquariums.

Once I have my glorious return I'll set back up the following.
50 Gallon rimless cube.
180 Gallons mixed reef paradise


Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Date Posted: November 07 2010 at 5:53pm
Originally posted by Laird Laird wrote:

Let's buy one from that company in Logan that was at the fest.


That was apogee. I talked to them yesterday. While their products are awesome, the representative was terrible. I tried to get him to show me how the unit worked and take some readings of the units at the show and he wouldn't do it.

Good job selling your product apogee!


Posted By: BillyC
Date Posted: November 21 2011 at 11:27pm
I was doing a search of PAR meter and found this thread. 

Did anything come out of this? I would definitely donate as well and think this would be extremely useful for the club. 


Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Date Posted: November 22 2011 at 7:54am
I never heard a word from ANY Presidency member about this.

I have been thinking of buying one though and people can rent it from me or pay me to come take readings for them. I just don't know what a fair price is. I would definitely want a deposit that you can get back but also a daily rent of some kind.

I would hate to loan out a $150+ unit and have someone bust it. Kind of a "you break it, you buy it" motto.


Posted By: Adam Blundell
Date Posted: November 22 2011 at 8:06am
If you bought one, and were going to lend it out for $20.... that would seem fair to me.  

Not sure if the club wants to buy one, but if anyone else here did that would be great for them.

Adam


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Come to a meeting, they�re fun!


Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Date Posted: November 22 2011 at 8:15am
Originally posted by Adam Blundell Adam Blundell wrote:

If you bought one, and were going to lend it out for $20.... that would seem fair to me.  
Not sure if the club wants to buy one, but if anyone else here did that would be great for them.
Adam



Adam you could be even richer if you lent yours out!

JK. Once I get my new lighting maybe I can have you over again. The Ecoxotic stuff should be here next week if everything goes as planned.


Posted By: kellerexpress
Date Posted: November 22 2011 at 4:05pm
How much are these?  I wouldnt mind buying one and renting it out if its not too much.

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IM 30L
Kessil A160we x2


Posted By: BillyC
Date Posted: November 22 2011 at 5:23pm
Dunno but I'd rent it from ya!


Posted By: CapnMorgan
Date Posted: November 22 2011 at 8:58pm
Originally posted by kellerexpress kellerexpress wrote:

How much are these?  I wouldnt mind buying one and renting it out if its not too much.

$400+


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Steve
http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=40637&PID=356246" rel="nofollow - My Old 180G Mixed Reef
Currently:
120G Wavefront Mixed
29G Seahorse & Softies
Running ReefAngel Plus x2
435-8


Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Date Posted: November 22 2011 at 10:02pm
Originally posted by CapnMorgan CapnMorgan wrote:


Originally posted by kellerexpress kellerexpress wrote:

How much are these?  I wouldnt mind buying one and renting it out if its not too much.
$400+



Or you can buy just the sensor for like $140 and hook it up to a multimeter and multiply the number by 5.

Im actually thinking of selling my Vortech to fund a PAR meter.


Posted By: go2sleep
Date Posted: November 22 2011 at 10:29pm
I actually have an Apogee PAR meter that I would love to let members use.  That is kind of why I bought it.  I have loaned it to a couple of people.  My problem is I live up in Idaho so I can't be in charge of loaning it out.  Maybe Aquatic Dreams would be willing to keep it.  I don't care if people use it for free.  I just need a way to know it is going to come back and in one piece.  Any ideas?
Steve


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Steve


Posted By: 08TRDOFFROAD
Date Posted: November 23 2011 at 7:25am
If Aquatic Dreams would be willing to lend it out for you. They could just take a credit card payment "deposit" of the cost of the meter. If the meter comes back, the deposit is refunded to the card. If not the unit was "purchased" by the borrower and the funding would be there to replace it.


Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Date Posted: November 23 2011 at 8:40am
Originally posted by 08TRDOFFROAD 08TRDOFFROAD wrote:

If Aquatic Dreams would be willing to lend it out for you. They could just take a credit card payment "deposit" of the cost of the meter. If the meter comes back, the deposit is refunded to the card. If not the unit was "purchased" by the borrower and the funding would be there to replace it.


When I have thought about this scenario, here is the problem. Who is going to put down a $400 deposit? If someone is willing to put that kind of money down to use the meter, they might as well just buy one.

If I get one, I don't think I could trust someone with it. To begin with I would probably have to drive to their house and take readings for them for a small fee. Just enough to cover gas, some time and hopefully have the meter pay for itself.


Posted By: Jimbo
Date Posted: November 23 2011 at 9:24am
I think he meant you would have to leave your credit card information so the card could be charged if you failed to bring the meter back or bring it back damaged.


Posted By: Ryan Thompson
Date Posted: November 23 2011 at 9:52am
Originally posted by Jimbo Jimbo wrote:



I think he meant you would have to leave your credit card information so the card could be charged if you failed to bring the meter back or bring it back damaged.


Yeah I know that. But are you willing to really leave your card on file knowing that if you break the sensor you will be charged upwards of $400?

I just find that a huge gamble to take. Just my opinion though.


Posted By: Jimbo
Date Posted: November 23 2011 at 10:54am
Good point. I could see that leading to all kinds of headaches for whoever took the responsibility of holding on to the meter.


Posted By: go2sleep
Date Posted: November 23 2011 at 8:10pm
I just talked to Ryan at Aquatic Dreams and he said he would be willing to be the one to rent out my par meter.  Probably be like a redbox thing.  There would be a small daily charge so the longer you keep it the more it would cost.  Hopefully help insure that you actually bring it back.  I'll try and get it down to him in the next couple of weeks.

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Steve


Posted By: 08TRDOFFROAD
Date Posted: November 24 2011 at 7:14am
Originally posted by Ryan Thompson Ryan Thompson wrote:

Originally posted by Jimbo Jimbo wrote:



I think he meant you would have to leave your credit card information so the card could be charged if you failed to bring the meter back or bring it back damaged.


Yeah I know that. But are you willing to really leave your card on file knowing that if you break the sensor you will be charged upwards of $400?

I just find that a huge gamble to take. Just my opinion though.
 

No, I mean they actually swipe your card and process the "deposit" transaction before you leave the store with the meter. Taking a deposit like I mentioned is no different than what O'reilly and Autozone do when you rent a tool from them. They charge you a "Deposit" for the cost of the tool. When you return it in satisfactory condition they reverse the charge on your card.

 
I think it is a big mistake if you don't charge a deposit equal the cost of the meter. By taking the deposit, people will treat the meter far better knowing that if they damage it, they bought it, rather than if they are just charged a small fee and know that if they damage the meter they aren't on the hook for replacing it. I put several hundred dollars on my card every time I rent a tool (which I have done about half a dozen times), but it doesn't even worry me because I take care of them, use them the way the are intended, and return them without a problem. Same thing would go for the meter. 
 
I also think that you need to write up some sort of rental agreement stating the conditions of the deposit, rental, etc...that is signed by the renter at the time of rental. All of this is just to protect the owner of the meter.
 
If these things that I mentioned aren't done, I think the owner is just asking to get burned.


Posted By: 08TRDOFFROAD
Date Posted: November 24 2011 at 7:21am
Originally posted by Ryan Thompson Ryan Thompson wrote:

When I have thought about this scenario, here is the problem. Who is going to put down a $400 deposit? If someone is willing to put that kind of money down to use the meter, they might as well just buy one.

If I get one, I don't think I could trust someone with it. To begin with I would probably have to drive to their house and take readings for them for a small fee. Just enough to cover gas, some time and hopefully have the meter pay for itself.
 
It isn't even close to being the same thing as buying one...
 
All they are using the card for is collateral and incentive for the renter to show some respect and care for the meter they are renting. If they return the meter, they are charged nothing, or next to nothing in a rental fee. Nowhere near the $400+ it would cost to actually purchase one.


Posted By: jmw
Date Posted: November 24 2011 at 7:56am

$335

http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/test-kits-electronic-testers/apogee-par-meters - http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/test-kits-electronic-testers/apogee-par-meters
 
 


Posted By: go2sleep
Date Posted: December 17 2011 at 4:42pm
I just dropped off my PAR meter with Ryan at Aquatic Dreams.  If you are interested in using it get in touch with him.  I left it up to him to figure out the rental logistics.  

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Steve


Posted By: MIK3B
Date Posted: December 29 2011 at 10:26am
Steve - thank you for this!

It's awesome to know we have the capability to "rent" something this costly and will come in handy for folks like me that will eventually be making the switch to LED. Before and after readings or a visit with the meter in hand to someone who has LED's already set up would be great.



I think the "deposit" like the auto parts store do idea would work perfectly, and tack on a small daily fee to eventually recoup some costs and to handle the management of it also makes sense.



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