Bud Love
Well-Known Member
Omg. I’m richProbably because you paid in Loonies.
420 Magazine's Official Girl Scout Cookies Comparative Grow By HashGirl
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- #402
I tried the Photone app again and got the same kind of readings as before and yes, I'm using a diffuser and yes, I selected LED Full Spectrum. However, I'm thinking it might be because the light is too close to the tallest cola as these are the numbers I get lower on the canopy:
PPFD: 2,542
DLI: 146
LUX: 132,000
PPFD: 2,542
DLI: 146
LUX: 132,000
Damn i wish I could see it, cuz those numbers are still crazy and can't be accurate or your plants would be toast. What kind of phone do you have? An IPhone? It works perfectly on my IPhone 6s. Is it at all possible that you are able to download the app to the phone but because it's not the right phone for the app it won't operate correctly? Cuz it sounds like you're doing everything right. But some of the apps are phone specific.
You could try this: find a corner of the tent where it's either shaded or you can shade a spot. Make sure it's significantly darker and in a corner where there should be the least light. See what numbers you get a foot off the floor. Then move it to the middle right under the light at the same height. See what numbers you get. The numbers in the middle should be WAY higher. At least then we can see if it works proportionately.
I researched your light a little (nice light) and found this, which may help you. These were based on a 3x3 tent, not sure what size yours is, but for the central 3x3 square inside your tent, these are reasonable target numbers and heights recommended by Mars Hydro. You could use these as your baselines.
For Budding they recommend 24". The first chart on the left is the 24" par chart. That means those are the par numbers 24" below the level of the light. Those are good numbers for budding in my opinion, although some would recommend numbers more like 900 as Mars Hydro does. Personally I'd go with the chart and place your light two feet exactly above the canopy of your plant. If you wanted to be a little bit safer go 30", that'll reduce your numbers closer to the 900 range. That would be my suggestion to you now that I've researched your actual light. Hope this helps.I researched your light a little (nice light) and found this, which may help you. These were based on a 3x3 tent, not sure what size yours is, but for the central 3x3 square inside your tent, these are reasonable target numbers and heights recommended by Mars Hydro. You could use these as your baselines.
Brett Blaze
Well-Known Member
The strongest LEDs I am aware of put out around 1200 to 1500 PPFD if you take the reading right under the light. 1" away.
If you want to spend $20 to $30 US. you can purchase a Lux meter on Amazon. I sometimes use a Lux meter for photography. It will give you Lux readings which are better than nothing. you can set the Lux at around 50K to 60K for the top canopy. They won't give you PPFD/PAR readings and unless you spend over $400 you won't find an accurate PAR meter.
The app is ok, I use it. You can calibrate the app by using the Manufactures PPFD reading at a specific height. They usually provide this on their web page. (950 PPFD at 12" for example) Go to the calibrate section of the app and follow the instructions. I believe there are videos on how to use the app online.
Brett Blaze
Well-Known Member
Here is my reading this morning after calibrating at 18". Prior to calibrating it was around 1100 PPDF. The app vendor lists accuracy for iPhones around + or - 5%.
Good picture. This is it. Exactly what I have going on. If I had two phones I would have done this. Lol. Nice job. Of course a screen shot never occurred to me. Lmao.Here is my reading this morning after calibrating at 18". Prior to calibrating it was around 1100 PPDF. The app vendor lists accuracy for iPhones around + or - 5%.
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- #409
Okay. So if I want to calibrate the app to my lights and, if the PPFD range for flowering is 460-920, which number do I use to calibrate? 460 or 920?
Also, the light was raised 2 feet this morning.
Brett Blaze
Well-Known Member
The PPFD numbers 460 to 920 is the recommended amount not the output of the light at that height. Below is the MFG PPFD numbers for the Mar Hydro FC3000. I think this is what you are using. Use any one of the charts as a number for calibration. For example. The 12" number states the readings in the center should read around 1170. Go to calibrate in the app under settings and select Calibrate Photone. Next choose Light Output Chart. Follow the instruction and enter 1170 for "Your Light's Reference". Place your phone 12" below the center of the light and push calibrate. Now close the settings and go back and check your readings.
@Brett Blaze you're a genius. Perfect step by step instructions. Wish I had you when I was figuring this stuff out.The PPFD numbers 460 to 920 is the recommended amount not the output of the light at that height. Below is the MFG PPFD numbers for the Mar Hydro FC3000. I think this is what you are using. Use any one of the charts as a number for calibration. For example. The 12" number states the readings in the center should read around 1170. Go to calibrate in the app under settings and select Calibrate Photone. Next choose Light Output Chart. Follow the instruction and enter 1170 for "Your Light's Reference". Place your phone 12" below the center of the light and push calibrate. Now close the settings and go back and check your readings.
Brett Blaze
Well-Known Member
You're only saying that because it's true.
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- #413
The PPFD numbers 460 to 920 is the recommended amount not the output of the light at that height. Below is the MFG PPFD numbers for the Mar Hydro FC3000. I think this is what you are using. Use any one of the charts as a number for calibration. For example. The 12" number states the readings in the center should read around 1170. Go to calibrate in the app under settings and select Calibrate Photone. Next choose Light Output Chart. Follow the instruction and enter 1170 for "Your Light's Reference". Place your phone 12" below the center of the light and push calibrate. Now close the settings and go back and check your readings.
Thanks for the detailed instructions, Brett. The lights are off in the tent now so this will have to wait until tomorrow.
You will be really happy and it'll be worth the effort and frustration you may feel at the moment. You'll be able to dial in your par numbers any way you want. Once you get it, you'll learn to figure out the sweet spot for the light relative to your plants. Every plant has it's own sweet spot. When you have it perfectly dialed in, at this point in your grow, you will have the fan leaves praying up to the light a little bit. Not too much, that means they want more. But a little. Visibly. That will be a very happy day/moment for you when you open your tent and see that and realize you are DIALED IN. Trust me, it's a really cool feeling. Almost as cool as the feeling you got when you made your first dispensary purchase ever and got that one time only high from the fact that for the first time in your life you just bought pot legally in the United States of America. Where you live. At least that got me high as hell for a little while. I couldn't get over it at first, walking out with my little bag that's kind of like a little Victoria's Secret bag. Well, rolling out, lol. With a receipt and everything. Like I just bought deodorant or something. I giggled like an idiot for like twenty minutes. Lmao. Anyway, forgive the rambling story, just trying to be supportive. Lol. You got this.
You'll also get to see how accurate or not the MH claims are. I found that for my G8 the company had actually underestimated/under-reported the numbers. I found I had to add about 3 to 6 inches in height to achieve the par numbers they provided. I was pleased with that. I can get numbers close to 1700 when I'm an inch from my light. Of course without CO2 I'd never use numbers anywhere near that high. But it has some power. So don't automatically assume the par charts are accurate. Even with the 5% +/- of the app, you may find they either inflate or slightly deflate the numbers, so a little adjustment to their heights may be necessary.
I promise all this will make sense tomorrow when you follow @Brett Blaze's step by step instructions. It's not nearly as complicated as I perhaps make it sound with my gobbledygook. Lol.
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- #415
The PPFD numbers 460 to 920 is the recommended amount not the output of the light at that height. Below is the MFG PPFD numbers for the Mar Hydro FC3000. I think this is what you are using. Use any one of the charts as a number for calibration. For example. The 12" number states the readings in the center should read around 1170. Go to calibrate in the app under settings and select Calibrate Photone. Next choose Light Output Chart. Follow the instruction and enter 1170 for "Your Light's Reference". Place your phone 12" below the center of the light and push calibrate. Now close the settings and go back and check your readings.
I calibrated the app to 1170 12" from the light in the middle and the PPFD reading I got this time is 126, which seems really low since the calibration was 1170. Lights go off at 1 p.m. so I'll check back here in a little while.
Also, I'm in a 4x4 tent if that matters in regards to the numbers and the light is on 100%.
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- #416
Oops. I forgot to use the diffuser today. I will try again tomorrow. Stay tuned.
Brett Blaze
Well-Known Member
FYI. When I use the app, if the diffuser is not over the camera lens it will tell me and not let me use it.
Fuzzy Duck
Well-Known Member
Ah jeez you guys 'n' girls you are giving poor ol fuzzy a head ache with all this led lingo, I'm just old fashion with lighting at the moment 
Omg I was thinking the same!Ah jeez you guys 'n' girls you are giving poor ol fuzzy a head ache with all this led lingo, I'm just old fashion with lighting at the moment
For a good while I thought it was some elaborate code and they were sending each other secret messages, then I realised it was scientific nerd talk.
I didn’t even realise you could change the lights glow power and I thought a diffuser was a hair dryer attachment.
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- #420
Well, it let me use it without the diffuser this morning.
Ah jeez you guys 'n' girls you are giving poor ol fuzzy a head ache with all this led lingo, I'm just old fashion with lighting at the moment
Omg I was thinking the same!
For a good while I thought it was some elaborate code and they were sending each other secret messages, then I realised it was scientific nerd talk.
I didn’t even realise you could change the lights glow power and I thought a diffuser was a hair dryer attachment.
Honestly, I'm not into this whole lighting talk either. I bought quality lights. I'm sure they're doing exactly what they're supposed to be doing. I just asked about it because GSC3 was getting so close to the light and I wasn't sure whether that was okay or not.
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