The Apogee MQ 500 Bundled with Telescopic Wand, Accurate for LED, with Included FGI Protective Case

Today I received the Apogee MQ 500 and had the opportunity to put my lights to the test. Despite the lack of instructions, the unit was relatively simple to figure out. The display was difficult to read after I unboxed the unit. When I looked closer, I saw that the front panel was actually just a thick type of sticker that wasn't properly aligned when it was stuck on the unit. The sticker front wasn't even fully adhered to the unit, so I had to press it down firmly to get it to read correctly. This can be seen in the second image. br>br>The second issue I discovered is that the sensor is of such poor quality that it isn't even completely round and does not fit properly in the housing. This is evident in the first photograph. This sensor is in no way waterproof, despite what the manufacturer claims. Finally, the inside of the unit's battery polarity is reversed. It appears to be positive against the circuit board, but it must be powered on with the positive facing away from the circuit board. You'll have a hard time getting the battery out once you've inserted it because it effectively vanishes beneath the case, where you won't be able to reach it with any tools. br>br>Overall, this unit appears to be about the same price as a $15 Walmart multi-pack of cigarettes. meter. It's made of thin, cheap plastic with a $2 calculator-style display and comes with PLASTIC screws, and there's visible heat shrink at the cable ends. This is not what I would expect from an "American" company, especially for $600.

Orion Terry

| May 13, 2021

The meter is excellent in and of itself: precise It is simple to use. However, for the money, I would expect a case and a pocket guide that can be used whenever necessary. After spending $605 plus tax on this meter, I'd like to protect it from dust, water, and any other stresses it might face in a work environment. I altered the box so that it could be used as a protective case. It was a pain to remove the battery cover. Getting the battery out to replace it should be a challenge as well. Finally, a word about After purchasing this item, I went to their website and discovered that it is currently on sale for $530 with free shipping! I could have saved more than $75 if I had done things differently. Normally, Amazon's price matches that of the manufacturer, but not this time. A good PAR meter at a reasonable price is hard to come by; 4 stars for Amazon's price. There isn't a case to be made.

Nellie Holder

| Sep 09, 2021

I did a lot of research before purchasing this meter because it costs a lot of money. I use only LED lighting to grow a variety of edible plants in my basement. Several of the models I looked into weren't suitable for LED lighting. br>br>I had previously used light meters that measured LUX and/or lumens before purchasing this meter. LUX and lumens measure lighting brightness, while PAR meters measure the amount of usable light for plants, according to my research. The readings from a LUX (lumens) meter can be misleading. The Kelvin rating of a fluorescent or LED tube, for example, varies. A tube with a color temperature of 6500 K will be significantly brighter than one with a color temperature of 3500 K. The 6500 K tube will appear to have a much higher light level on a LUX meter than a 3500 K tube, but their PAR values may be the same or similar. You could be giving your plants too much or too little usable light if you use a LUX or lumen meter. br>br>If you don't give your plants enough usable light, they'll grow slowly and often become spindly. When you provide too much usable light, the CO2 used in photosynthesis can become a problem. This can be compensated for by providing more CO2, but it's much easier to keep the usable light level at the level required for healthy plant growth. This meter has a feature that allows you to log the readings for later reference if you want to use it outside to measure the PAR at different times of the day. I haven't used this feature because I'm only using the meter to figure out how far away the lights are indoors. This model includes a telescopic wand that extends up to 33 inches, allowing you to hold the sensor in difficult-to-reach locations. In a greenhouse with long rows of plants, this would be useful for checking PAR levels in the middle of each row. For my purposes, I like that I can see the readings with one hand while holding the sensor at the top of the plants under the lights with the other. Because many of my plants are on shelves and the lighting is above my head, a one-stop shop is the best option. I'm not interested in a piece unit. br>br>While the cost of this PAR meter may be prohibitive for many hobbyist growers, it has proven to be invaluable to me. I can now adjust the height of my lighting to meet the requirements of the plants. Most of my greens, such as Swiss chard, basil, collard greens, parsley, and others, thrive at a PAR of around 400, in my experience. Plants that thrive in full sun, such as tomatoes, bell peppers, sage, and others, thrive at PAR readings of 500 or higher. 600 Seedlings and cuttings should be kept between 300 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 400 calories per day until they begin to grow rapidly. Yes, a meter that measures usable light costs a lot of money, but it was worth it to me to eliminate the guesswork about how much usable light my plants were getting. Now I can rest assured that my plants are receiving the best possible lighting for optimal growth and development. This meter comes with a four-year warranty, but I'm hoping it lasts much longer. I'm really pleased with it so far. br>br>UPDATE: Friday, May 21: br>I've had this PAR meter for more than a year and it's still going strong. It's something I use a lot when I'm setting up new plants or checking the lighting as they grow. I've included some photos of the plants I keep indoors so you can see how well they're doing. This PAR meter assists me in adjusting lighting to meet the needs of the plants. br>br>I hope you found this review useful.

Bonnie SYKES

| Nov 29, 2021

Finally, I'll be able to tell if my plants are receiving enough light. The price of the wand is astronomically high. Back scratch on my $5 bill The quality of his wand is identical. It costs $60 from the company Apogee. br>I like that I can use the sun to calibrate it. They have a website where you can find out how many uMOLS the sun produces. It asks for your longitude and latitude, as well as the time of day, year, temperature, and humidity. It then figures out how much sunlight you should read with.

Titan Deleon

| Feb 11, 2021

It comes highly recommended!.

Van Santana

| Jul 11, 2021

I really enjoy working with this group. This item does exactly what it says on the tin. For the price, I really wish they'd included the hard cover case, but I understand it took a long time to get the sensor and the device to this point. However, a nice cherry on top would have been nice.

Emmalyn Clark

| Feb 06, 2021

After years of using a cheap PAR meter, I can't express how wonderful it is to have one that works as well as this Apogee. I finally have precise readings, and getting used to the features only took a few minutes.

Raya Rocha

| Oct 21, 2021