Milwaukee has broke the affordability plane with it's SM700 model LUX Meter. LUX is a unit that indicates the density of light that falls on a surface. The SM700 is a portable LUX Meter designed fo perform underwater light measurements. It comes equipped with an underwater light sensor connected to the meter that measures from 0 to 50,000 LUX. The average indoor lighting ranges from 100 to 1,000 LUX and average sun light is about 50,000 LUX.

The SM700 can be used to document the LUX of new bulbs. With regular testing it is simple to monitor the light intensity and natural light fall out as bulbs age. This makes it possible to squeeze all the life out of your bulbs without allowing them to age to the point were the quality of light drops off and nuisance algae begins to grow and consume your coral reef aquarium.

The SM700 retails for $117.60, but it can be found for $74.00 at Coral Outlet

SM700 Panel
Press one of the three "Range Keys" to select the proper scale according to the intensity of the light.

Converting LUX to PAR (µmol·m2·sec)With a LUX meter, it is possible to convert LUX to PAR (µmol·m2·sec ). Since spectral quality plays a part in these conversions, each light source (actinic lamp, 6,500K metal halide, etc.) will have a difference factor. The equation is:

LUX ÷ Constant = µmol·m2·sec

Lux to PAR Conversion Factors

Light Source: Constant

Sunlight: 54
Warm White Fluorescent: 76
Cool White Fluorescent: 74
URI (now UV) Actinic Fluorescent: 18
URI (now UV) Daylight Fluorescent: 54
Actinic/Daylight Combination: 38
Philips 03 Actinic Fluorescent: 40
Panasonic 6,700°K Power Compact: 72
Panasonic 7,100°K / 6,700°K Combination: 55
Osram Powerstar Metal Halide: 54
Coralife 10,000°K Metal Halide: 30
Venture "Daylight" Metal Halide: 46
Radium "Blue" Metal Halide: 51
Fusion Sulfur Lamp: 41
Westron Mercury Vapor Lamp: 70
Iwasaki 6,500°K Metal Halide: 57