FOR SCIENTISTS & SERIOUS GROWERS - Designed by world-renowned crop physiologist, Bruce Bugbee, PhD, the MQ-510 full-spectrum underwater quantum meter is the premium tool of choice among leading scientists and serious growers for accurately measuring photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) underwater.

MEASURING PAR IS CRITICAL - An accurate PAR meter is critical for measuring the intensity of light used in the precision growing of plants and other photosynthetic organisms in greenhouses, growth chambers, farms, gardens, aquariums, and additional agricultural systems. Our underwater quantum meters are specifically designed to measure the intensity of light underwater for biological, chemical, and physical processes in natural waters and aquariums.

UNDERWATER ACCURACY - Underwater PAR measurements can read low when a quantum sensor is calibrated for air. The MQ-510 applies an immersion effect correction factor to get instant, accurate measurements underwater. Precisely measures and combines the intensity of all photons between 400 and 700 nm to give a single PAR reading in µmol m^-2 s^-1 within 5 % uncertainty underwater. Unlike hobby-grade PAR meters, our meter has a stable, accurate calibration with an accuracy drift rate of less than 2 % per year.

QUALITY QUANTUM METER - Unlike cheaper LUX or footcandle sensors which are sometimes marketed as grow light meters, but are meant for measuring light for human vision, our meters feature a laboratory-grade PPFD (photosynthetic photon flux density), or “quantum,” optical detector precisely calibrated to measure the light intensity in µmol m^-2 s^-1 of the specific color wavelengths emitted by LEDs, HPS, MH, sunlight and other light sources that are utilized by plants and coral for photosynthesis.

RUGGED & EASY TO USE - Quantum sensor head is machined aluminum and potted solid with epoxy for years of use in harsh environments, including underwater. The handheld meter is attached by a cable and displays real-time readings, records samples, and logs average intensity and daily light integral (DLI) measurements. Unlike the sensor head, the handheld meter is not waterproof.

THREE MEASUREMENT MODES - The meter has a spot measurement, sample, and log mode and will record an integrated daily total in mol m^-2 s^-1. Sample mode will record up to 99 manual measurements and log mode will power the meter on and off to make a measurement every 30 seconds. Every 30 minutes, the meter will average the sixty 30 second measurements and record the averaged value to memory, up to 99 averages. Once full, it will overwrite the oldest measurements with new ones. A daily light integral will be recorded from the 48 averaged measurements for a day’s worth of readings and is downloadable via Apogee AC-100 cable.

MADE IN THE USA - All meters are designed, built, and calibrated at our headquarters in Logan, Utah, USA. Apogee Instruments has been creating research-grade instruments for scientists and serious growers for over 25 years. All meters are backed by our industry leading four-year warranty and supported by our world-class, US-based customer support team.

For a limited time, when purchased on our website from inside the USA, the meter comes with free shipping and a free neoprene carrying case (a $12 value).

MORE INFORMATION ON APOGEE FULL-SPECTRUM QUANTUM SENSORS >> click here

How is the MQ-510 different from previous Apogee quantum sensors?

The MQ-510 performs exactly the same underwater as the MQ-500, but the MQ-510 simply multiplies the PAR reading by 1.32 to account for the immersion effect. The MQ-510 is a full-spectrum quantum sensor (SQ/MQ-500 Series) with a spectral range of 389 to 692 nm ± 5 nm, which can be seen in the graph below. This improved spectral response of this meter increases the accuracy of LED measurements compared to our original models.