Light meter...

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biothanasis

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Hello all,
I didn't know in which section to put this, but I guess here is the proper place...

I am thinking of purchasing a light meter but I don't know which limits it shopuld have.... Should it read measurements of about 50,000 lux or more?? Is 100,000 lux ok...? It is meant for orchid culture of caurse!!!!!! Please let me know your thoughts about it and what it would be more convienient...!!!!! Thank you...:D

Kindest regards, Thanasis...:)
 
I know a few people that use light meters bought for their photography hobby. I don't think it specifically needs to be for orchids.
 
Hello all,

Thank you both for the information you shared...

Candace: I just said that it is maent for orchids so as to help you tell me what qualifications it should have (depending on what light requirements non hardy orchids have)... Thank you by the way for stressing that, because maybe I can find smth here in Greece and not from eBay...

TheLorax: You have done a great research indeed... !!!!! :clap: Good work... I've seen on eBay light meters that can estimate till 200,000lux but are quite expenssive so I guess I will have to compromise with a 100k lux meter... :):)

Thank you both again, you gave me really valuable info... and in the long turn helped me to realise what is wrong with my growing area...:D:D:D :(
 
Usually I see biological applications of light levels in footcandles rather than lux but the conversion is easy. About 10 lux per fc. So a 50, 000 lux meter will work over 5, 000 fc.

Full blown tropical sunlight at noon and no clouds is about 10, 000 fc. For most practicle applications in greenhouses you probably max out between 5,000 and 7,500 fc (75000 lux). So you will probably need to peg a 50,000 lux meter if you are growing terete vandas. But if you are growing phals you would be near the lower end of the scale only needing 800 to 1000 fc of 10,000 lux.

I have a light meter that only goes up to about 50,000 lux, but it has a clip on 10 to 1 screen so if the meter gets pegged you put the screen on read on scale, and multiply by 10.
 
Thank you Rick... :) I needed to know some approximate estimations in light tensity for orchids in practice....!!!! Thank you again... :)
 
Hello,
50000 lux is the light needed for orchids that require the highest light levels (some Vanda, Renanthera, Rhyncolaelia and Cattleya...), so it's a good choice for a light meter, especially for Paphs and Phrags that need about 5000 to 35000 lux (deep shade to light shade)
 
I am going to hijack this thread and turn it in a different direction. The question is: If you are growing under florescent lights do you need a light meter? If so how do you use it since florescent lighting does not come close to the fc mentioned for growing orchids in natural sunlight?
 
I am going to hijack this thread and turn it in a different direction. The question is: If you are growing under florescent lights do you need a light meter? If so how do you use it since florescent lighting does not come close to the fc mentioned for growing orchids in natural sunlight?

You can get over 1000 fc from a florescent bulb, but you just need to be up close to it. That puts you on the lower end of the scale for most light meters out there. In fact you may be hard pressed to find a light meter to operate at the higher end (full sun) of the scale than the lower end.

The main applications of a light meter with florescent lighting is too:

1) determine the proper distance between bulbs and plants
2) determine the number of bulbs needed (fc from bulbs is partially adative)
3) determine proper amount and orientation of reflector material.
 
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