# Light Reflection



## redclove (Feb 26, 2008)

My RCS tank is a 12 Gallon with a single 18" bulb fixture.

I've gone through the whole debate of bulb choice, but to further help intensify the light I was thinking I would get some aluminum tape and line the top of the light fixture to help reflect more light into the tank. Is this worth the trouble? I'm not sure how much it would help, hoping some peeps have tried it before. Also, aluminum tape is sorta 'brushed' shiny, but not really mirror-like or as shiny as regular tin foil. is there something better to try? what about getting an actual mirror cut to fit?

Tank = Eclipse system 2. So the light is enclosed and would be easy to retrofit.

cheers


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## Harry Muscle (Mar 21, 2007)

If the inside of the hood is black at the moment, then yes, the foil or tape idea would help, probably quite a bit. If it's already white, then you won't notice any difference, and it might even hinder it depending on who you listed to 

Harry

P.S. As for mirrors, I've read things that say they are good and others say they are bad. The good part obviously being the high amount of light they reflect. The bad part being that they don't disperse the light but reflect it in a straight line ... it's an argument I don't fully buy, but I see what they are getting at ... sort of  ... it's a long argument to explain


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

Hi redclove.

I think Harry's pretty on the money with his reply.

But, I would also think you need to reconsider using aluminum tape for the simple reason that the bulb generates heat and that heat will soften and eventually destroy the glue on the tape. You'll then have a mess on your hands.

You could always try to line the hood with aluminum foil (shiny side out) but getting it to stay in place may be a problem. Maybe using thin metal strips with holes and fasteners drilled through them and the hood (with the foil sandwiched in the middle) would work.

But ya have to me real careful here because aluminum foil, electricity and water can be a recipe for disaster if it's not fastened properly.

If the inside of the hood is black (sue the bums for the poor hood design) then I'd probably consider painting the inside of it white. But that can be a real pain as well because you have to use the right paint and prepare the surface properly.

On second (third?) thought, go buy a new hood....


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## Harry Muscle (Mar 21, 2007)

Good point about the glue ... but I got a solution for that one  ... Home Depot sells shiny aluminum tape designed for high heat applications. Sometimes it's hard to find and I think last time I looked for it I had to go to Rona to actually get my hands on it. But yes, normal tape might possibly not do OK with the constant heat given off by the lights.

Hope that helps,
Harry


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## Cory_Dad (Apr 18, 2008)

Harry Muscle said:


> Good point about the glue ... but I got a solution for that one  ... Home Depot sells shiny aluminum tape designed for high heat applications. Sometimes it's hard to find and I think last time I looked for it I had to go to Rona to actually get my hands on it. But yes, normal tape might possibly not do OK with the constant heat given off by the lights.
> 
> Hope that helps,
> Harry


Hi Harry

That's the tape I thought we were talking about. Over the years I've used it a lot myself to seal heating ducts but even it will eventually go hard. The other thing is heating ducts don't get that hot. Depending on the circulation you have or don't have in the hood, the temperature that close to the light may be quite a bit higher. Not like an incandescent of course.

There's no harm trying the tape method. If it doesn't work all he'll end up with is gooey or hardened glue to remove, depending on how long he uses it. I don't think it will give off any harmful fumes.

Good luck.


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## redclove (Feb 26, 2008)

I was thinking of the tape cause the can certainly take the heat, the hood would never get as hot as that. The inside of my light fixture is white now, so maybe it won't matter much..


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## Harry Muscle (Mar 21, 2007)

Cory_Dad said:


> Hi Harry
> 
> That's the tape I thought we were talking about. Over the years I've used it a lot myself to seal heating ducts but even it will eventually go hard. The other thing is heating ducts don't get that hot. Depending on the circulation you have or don't have in the hood, the temperature that close to the light may be quite a bit higher. Not like an incandescent of course.
> 
> ...


There's a special one designed for even hotter stuff ... I know the one you're referring to, used to seal duct work and such, but if you dig real good you can find the stuff designed for way hotter applications. I'm guessing maybe boilers or something else that's really close to the actual flame. The normal duct stuff might not be able to take the heat like you mention, but I would assume (though never tried it) that the special stuff should work. It's hard to find though ... if I remember correctly it's usually not with the normal tapes but in the building section somewhere.

Harry


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## Harry Muscle (Mar 21, 2007)

redclove said:


> I was thinking of the tape cause the can certainly take the heat, the hood would never get as hot as that. The inside of my light fixture is white now, so maybe it won't matter much..


Oh, in that case you might actually make things worse by messing with it ... apparently white is an extremely good reflector. I don't fully remember the arguments between white and silver, but I've read it in quite a few places that white can actually be better than shiny silver.

Harry


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## redclove (Feb 26, 2008)

Harry Muscle said:


> Oh, in that case you might actually make things worse by messing with it ... apparently white is an extremely good reflector. I don't fully remember the arguments between white and silver, but I've read it in quite a few places that white can actually be better than shiny silver.
> 
> Harry


perhaps the white softens the reflection and spreads it as previously mentioned in this thread..

At this point I'm gonna leave it be. But if I have some tape left over (duct work last fall) I'll attach it to some bristol board and slip it in to test it..no permanence just to see..


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

redclove said:


> perhaps the white softens the reflection and spreads it as previously mentioned in this thread..
> 
> At this point I'm gonna leave it be. But if I have some tape left over (duct work last fall) I'll attach it to some bristol board and slip it in to test it..no permanence just to see..


a quality white reflector is the ultimate. metal reflectors cause refraction which kind of sucks a little bit


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Funny, I heard bad stuff about white deflector. One reason being that it's just the colour of the plastic and it's not any special white reflector paint.

Another option you might want to explore is to some how glue mylar on your reflector. Mylar has been widely used in hydroponics. They tape them to the walls in a room to reflect ever once of light back into the plants.

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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

Zebrapl3co said:


> Funny, I heard bad stuff about white deflector. One reason being that it's just the colour of the plastic and it's not any special white reflector paint.
> 
> Another option you might want to explore is to some how glue mylar on your reflector. Mylar has been widely used in hydroponics. They tape them to the walls in a room to reflect ever once of light back into the plants.


But that's for growing erm... 'tomatos' and stuff like that in _air_ you don't want to shoot already refracted light into water, which will refract it further. Major suckage.

Use white reflector paint


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

I have to agree with Pablo on this one. Aluminum foil or any other metal type substance will not properly reflect the light, it will refract the light thus reducing the lumens of the output of the bulb. High gloss white is about your best bet here.


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