Neptune Aquatics

PAR meter for rent/borrow?

S

sfsuphysics

Supporting Member
BARcard
Anyone have a Quantum Flux Meter (fancy name for PAR :) ) that I could borrow for a few days (or a week?). Perhaps even bring it to the meeting? I don't need any fancy add ons for it, I simply would like to take a reading of the light in my covered porch area and compare it to what comes from lights (no need to submerge anything), I want to know if the light in there is sufficient throughout the day (I mention borring it for a week because hopefully one day this week there might actually be sun in the sky rather than clouds!).

Thanks Mike
PS. I'll pay for new batteries for it too :) (assuming they aren't a speciality brand that costs $30 each!)
 
Mine is "in the mail" and won't have my new one for a few weeks, maybe then :)
 
I'm charging club members though :D Do you have a paypal account?
 
I honestly don't mind renting one for money, its one of those items that similar to a movie might be nice to use one or two times, but not enough times that it'd be worth buying one...

and yes I do have paypal :)
 
I was 1000% kidding, but your right. I used my last one around 15 times. Divide my total purchase price/shipping and that comes out to around $25 per use. I don't know how many times Rich used it in Tonga though.
 
This may be a valuable asset for the club to own, if we can just figure out a mechanism for loaning it out. Let's kick this around, and bring it up to the BOD for approval.
 
Good luck figuring that one out. We kicked it around several times, but always came back to "who's going to police it's use" issue. Same thing with the library.
 
Ok, so here's a proposal...

I am willing to maintain possession of a club PAR meter. Anyone who wants to use it can make a 1 week reservation. I will post a calendar of who gets it on a thread in this site. Borrowers are responsible for picking it up and returning it to me. Pick-ups are on Sundays (unless I am out of town in which case its Monday), drop offs are on Saturdays (or earlier).

Anyone who breaks the rules (ie doesn't return it when they are supposed to) gets one warning and then I start posting their info on BAR and RC.

I'd be willing to do the same for a library as well... as long as it doesn't get too big (heavy).

What am I not thinking of?
 
Kudos fot stepping up :D

Here's a few things I see....

The member that keeps it, and your posts that get deleted + you banned for posting against the RC UA (no posting of others personal info). Not to mention the lawsuit against BAR BOD members for releasing personal info of a member. Since BAR BOD doesn't have BOD insurance, the lawsuit will fall on each of their shoulders.

The member that drops it in their tank, and doesn't own up to it, or tell anyone.

The member that pulls the sensor cord out of the unit (easy to do)

It's a very sticky subject policing members. I was a part of a national group that tried to figure it out. The lawyers shot down every thing we though of. It always came back to lawsuits and libal. Even if you win, it still costs a load of time and money to fight a suit.
 
Thanks Gresham, I knew it wouldn't be that easy.

I still have some questions & comments...

FWIW, I see how "info" could be misinterpreted. I didn't actually mean "personal info" (as in address, phone #, etc) so much as handle and statement of not returning club equipment. The idea being people who don't play by the rules get ostracized. Everyone remembers everyone elses reputation, and that alone is strong incentive to play nicely.

Regardless, if someone really wanted to be trouble even that could become a libel suit, if they found a willing attorney. Sure truth is a defense, but I can't say that I'd be excited about the prospect of paying to prove the accusations were true.

Anyways, I have a sneaking suspicion that it would take me a few weeks to rehash all the arguments you've already considered. :)

So what was the best scenario you and the national group came up with? And how much do these things cost?

Charles
 
would there be a lawsuit about posting personal info though? I think that'd fall under the guise of defaulting on credit. Eitherway getting personal info, copy of drivers licenses, deposit, only lending out to members who have been in the club X number of months (no newbies!), sign a contract that waives any right for you sue if you default on the lending agreement, and don't post on RC they may have a UA, but here?
 
contracts = legal advice from a lawyer. Charles is dead on when he says we'd have to fight, even if right. There's a great saying about that in India, but I can't remember it correctly right now.

Any business that is in the credit business, has had major legal counsil. Do you really want to go down the contract road, for a reef club? Even after signing of a contract, that doesn't mean it's iron clad and a lawsuit is out of the question.

The unit is only $350 or so, shipped.

Charles, the group I was talking about, gave up on policing it's members. Far to many ways to get sued for them to do it. They can't do anything to keep members from following their "best practices" which each member signs.
 
Link. W/ probe ;) Mine is on the more expsensive side as it has both sunlight and electric lighting settings.
 
Charles asked for this via PM, so I thought I should post it here:

http://webtrolley.org/mivastore/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=apogee&Category_Code=BQM

I prefer the accuracy of Apogee units. The do OEM them for other companies, but i doubt the others would be cheaper then direct from Apogee themselves. They do have a $190 something model, but it doesn't come with a probe(sensor).. Kinda a huge drawback IMO.
 
I know I'm resurrecting an old thread, but I was reading through the forum and thought this was interesting. How about requiring the borrower to put up a big security deposit? If someone puts up $300, I think they'll take care of the PAR meter. Worst case, if they don't, the borrower doesn't get their money back, and you have the funds to buy a new unit.
 
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