Free shipping on any 2+ items - Excludes Bulk
PAR METER (PPFD): Lightray Diffuser & Cosine Corrector - 1 Unit is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
BuildASoil is committed to sourcing the highest quality ingredients you can trust. over 10,000 Five Star Reviews and over a decade in business
At BuildASoil, we’re committed to providing the most affordable and reliable shipping possible—for both our customers and our business. We continuously evaluate and improve our fulfillment process to ensure faster, smoother deliveries. We know shipping is often a pain point in shopping online, and our goal is to make it feel painless. For full details, please read the complete policy below.
Notice: Each product page displays accurate estimated delivery windows based on real-time fulfillment and carrier schedules.
| Option | Cost | Transit Speed | Fulfillment Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BuildASoil Shipping | Free | Up to 10 business days | Standard | Free on any eligible items; ships at our discretion |
| Standard Shipping | Paid | 3-7 business Days | Standard | Standard handling and transit |
| Standard Shipping: Rushed Out the Door! | Paid (slightly more) | 3-7 business Days | Same Day | Fast handling out the door with standard transit |
| Get It Fast | Higher | 2–3 business days | Same Day | Fast handling and transit |
| Overnight It | Highest | 1 business day | ASAP | Fastest possible option |
| Pickup at Factory Store | Free | N/A | Ready In 24hrs | Local pickup option |
| FedEx Freight Economy | Varies by order | 2–9 business days (varies) | Varies | For large or heavy orders |
| FedEx Freight Priority | Varies by order | 2–7 business days (faster) | Varies | For large or heavy orders |
We ship with FedEx, UPS, and USPS. Carrier preference is not guaranteed unless explicitly communicated to us.
Orders shipped to PO Boxes often require additional costs and are not eligible for free shipping. Use a physical address to avoid delays and fees.
We ship to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Free shipping generally does not apply to large or bulky items shipped to these locations. Hawaii and Alaska do have more flexibility with this due to carrier policies. Quotes will be calculated at checkout or by request.
We do ship to Canada for select items. Canadian customers must choose “UPS Standard® Shipping to Canada with no Surprises!” at checkout to ensure proper customs clearance and avoid unexpected brokerage fees or delays. Orders using other methods may be subject to delays or rejection at customs.
Some products are fulfilled by vendor partners and display estimated ship dates on their product pages. Questions about these items should be sent to support@buildasoil.com.
Freight deliveries involve pallets via box trucks or semis. Liftgate service is assumed unless specified otherwise.
Important: Inspect all freight shipments before signing. Count and examine all packages. Signing the delivery receipt confirms that the order arrived in full and undamaged.
Orders that qualify for full truckload (FTL) delivery will be custom quoted after checkout. Rates are based on location, order volume, and unloading requirements.
Tracking information is emailed upon shipment. If not received, visit buildasoil.aftership.com and enter your order details. For help, contact support@buildasoil.com.
This low-cost optional add-on at checkout insures your shipment against loss, theft, and damage. Claims are fast-tracked for resolution or replacement.
Even with protection, we encourage submitting photos, videos, and documentation to assist our carrier claims process.
All claims must be submitted via email to support@buildasoil.com. Phone-based claims are not accepted.
Required Documentation:
Do not discard packaging or damaged items—carriers may require inspection.
Once an order leaves our facility, we are not liable for delays, damage, or misdelivery caused by the carrier. We assist with claims but final decisions rest with the carrier.
We have zero tolerance for mistreatment of delivery drivers. Verified misconduct may result in cancellation and refund of your order minus shipping costs.
You can’t dial in what you can’t measure.
Light is one of the biggest levers in your entire grow, and most growers are flying blind on it. You’re trusting the manufacturer’s PPFD chart, eyeballing your hang height, and hoping you’re in the right range for your stage. But those specs are measured in perfect lab conditions, not your tent. Being off on your light means leaving yield and quality on the table, or stressing your plants without ever knowing why.
The other option has always been a dedicated meter like an Apogee, which runs $500 to $600. For most home growers, that’s a hard pill to swallow just to check your light.
There’s a better way, and it’s already in your pocket.
The Lightray Diffuser clips onto your phone’s camera and, paired with a free app, turns it into a genuinely accurate PPFD and DLI meter. We use it at BuildASoil right alongside our $500-plus Apogee device, and we find it comparable. That’s not a gimmick, it’s professional-grade light measurement for a fraction of the cost.
Now you can walk your canopy, see your real PPFD at every spot, set your hang height with confidence, and actually hit the targets in our Environmental Protocol instead of guessing.
How it works
The diffuser is a precision semi-transparent disc with a microscopically rough surface that scatters incoming light evenly. That even diffusion, combined with proper cosine correction (the directional accuracy that matters in real-world lighting), is what lets your phone read light accurately from any angle. It’s developed and tested in a Swiss optics lab, and each one is hand-assembled and quality-checked. You clip it over your camera, open the app, and read your light. That’s it.
What to know before you buy
The diffuser works with the free Photone or LM-3000 app. The app is free to download and use. To measure your specific light source accurately, you unlock that light type for a one-time cost of about $3 to $7 (valid for life). We use and recommend the Full Spec LED option. Optional Pro features (all light sources, color temperature, advanced settings) are available as a subscription if you want them, but you’re never charged anything without explicitly choosing to buy.
It works with iPhone and iPad, and with many Android devices as well, though not every model is supported. Please check your device on the full list before ordering: see the compatibility list.
See it in action
We walk through measuring PPFD, DLI, and VPD to dial in your grow tent in this tutorial: How To Set Up Your Grow Tent Environment // DLI, VPD & More (Season 6, Episode 03).
Why growers choose it
Free shipping is included when you purchase two or more “free shipping available” items.
Stop guessing at your light. Measure it, dial it in, and grow with confidence.
Questions?
We are here to help and our entire staff knows how to grow. Just reach out via chat, email or even phone. We are passionate about growing and want you to succeed.
Payment methods
Your payment information is processed securely. We do not store credit card details nor have access to your credit card information.
| Quality |
Rated 4 out of 5
|
| Value |
Rated 4 out of 5
|
| Shopping Experience |
Rated 4 out of 5
|
excellent
| Quality |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
|---|---|
| Value |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
| Shopping Experience |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
Get the app and go. This is so nice. No more guess work. It's fast and easy. Fantastic
| Quality |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
|---|---|
| Value |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
| Shopping Experience |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
nice simple device that makes it much easier to make correct decisions regarding my plant lighting.
| Quality |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
|---|---|
| Value |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
| Shopping Experience |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
I had no idea how bad I was treating my plants. Now I can count on my phone to give me accurate PAR readings. I was way over PAR recommendations. Thanks to Photone and this diffuser I have the correct readings.
| Quality |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
|---|---|
| Value |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
| Shopping Experience |
Rated 5 out of 5
|
Seems to be working. Only time and results will really tell. Thanks BuildASoil
You can’t dial in what you can’t measure.
Light is one of the biggest levers in your entire grow, and most growers are flying blind on it. You’re trusting the manufacturer’s PPFD chart, eyeballing your hang height, and hoping you’re in the right range for your stage. But those specs are measured in perfect lab conditions, not your tent. Being off on your light means leaving yield and quality on the table, or stressing your plants without ever knowing why.
The other option has always been a dedicated meter like an Apogee, which runs $500 to $600. For most home growers, that’s a hard pill to swallow just to check your light.
There’s a better way, and it’s already in your pocket.
The Lightray Diffuser clips onto your phone’s camera and, paired with a free app, turns it into a genuinely accurate PPFD and DLI meter. We use it at BuildASoil right alongside our $500-plus Apogee device, and we find it comparable. That’s not a gimmick, it’s professional-grade light measurement for a fraction of the cost.
Now you can walk your canopy, see your real PPFD at every spot, set your hang height with confidence, and actually hit the targets in our Environmental Protocol instead of guessing.
How it works
The diffuser is a precision semi-transparent disc with a microscopically rough surface that scatters incoming light evenly. That even diffusion, combined with proper cosine correction (the directional accuracy that matters in real-world lighting), is what lets your phone read light accurately from any angle. It’s developed and tested in a Swiss optics lab, and each one is hand-assembled and quality-checked. You clip it over your camera, open the app, and read your light. That’s it.
What to know before you buy
The diffuser works with the free Photone or LM-3000 app. The app is free to download and use. To measure your specific light source accurately, you unlock that light type for a one-time cost of about $3 to $7 (valid for life). We use and recommend the Full Spec LED option. Optional Pro features (all light sources, color temperature, advanced settings) are available as a subscription if you want them, but you’re never charged anything without explicitly choosing to buy.
It works with iPhone and iPad, and with many Android devices as well, though not every model is supported. Please check your device on the full list before ordering: see the compatibility list.
See it in action
We walk through measuring PPFD, DLI, and VPD to dial in your grow tent in this tutorial: How To Set Up Your Grow Tent Environment // DLI, VPD & More (Season 6, Episode 03).
Why growers choose it
Free shipping is included when you purchase two or more “free shipping available” items.
Stop guessing at your light. Measure it, dial it in, and grow with confidence.
Default
