Reef Tank PAR Readings for T5 Florescent & Metal Halide Users? Apogee MQ-210X

Categories: Product Spotlight & Reviews, Lighting

Last updated: Mar 08, 2022

We are big proponents of using a PAR meter to properly tune your reef tank lighting here at BRS. It really is the only accurate way to measure the light output in your tank and be confident you are supplying the right amount of light for your corals. With that in mind, it's important to choose the right PAR meter for your particular style of light in order to get the most accurate measurements.

Soft Corals & LPS: 75 - 150 PAR
SPS Corals: 200 - 350 PAR

Apogee is the leading manufacturer of PAR meters suitable for use with aquarium lighting and if LED is your lighting of choice, the MQ-510, PQ-510, or SQ-520 are going to be your best choices. Alternatively, if you're using the tried and true t5 fluorescent or metal halide style lighting, the MQ-210X is the meter of choice. The difference is the included sensor where the MQ-210X includes a waterproof sensor specifically designed for measuring fluorescent and metal halide lights underwater.

Specifications:

Calibration Uncertainty: ± 5%
Response Time: Less than 1 ms
Field of View: 180˚
Spectral Range: 370 to 650 nm
Temperature Response: -0.04 % per C
Operating Environment: Sensor can be submerged in water up to depths of 30 m
Cable: 2 m of two-conductor, shielded, twisted-pair wire with TPR jacket (high water resistance, high UV stability, flexibility in cold conditions)
Warranty: 4 years against defects in materials and workmanship

Includes:

MQ-210X Par Meter with sensor
Button cell battery

We highly recommend the use of the Sensor Wand for PAR meters (sold separately) to easily take measurements throughout your entire tank.

Features

The MX-210X allows you to take and store up to 99 manual measurements using the sample mode. The Log Mode functions like an auto mode and will power the meter on/off to take a measurement every 30 seconds. Every 30 minutes the meter will average recorded readings and save the averaged value to memory. The meter can store up to 99 averages, once full it will start to overwrite the oldest measurement with new ones. You can review the logged data directly on the meter or download the data to a computer to record and review daily averages.

Tags: t5 lighting, reef tank lighting, par meter, metal halide lighting, lighting, aquarium lighting

Robert Farnsworth - Author

Senior Website Manager

With over 25 years of experience keeping aquariums of all kinds, Robert has a detailed understanding of advanced aquarium techniques and theory. Working as a professional content creator in the saltwater aquarium industry for over 18 years, his perspective, thoughtfulness for the hobbyist, and a general understanding of the hobby, and industry that surrounds it, allows Robert to write and create digestible content that makes reefing fun and easy.