Changing the shape of the grow space to better collect/conserve the light?

tstick

tstick

Well-Known Member
So, maybe this has been discussed somewhere before....I didn't look. But, as I was looking at a video of a "sphere" test for some lighting fixtures, it was mentioned that the spherical shape and the high-reflectivity of the interior allowed for the highest capture of the photons to determine a given light's output.

What about taking this idea and applying it to the actual shape of the grow space? In other words, make a spherical ( or close to it) tent with a highly-reflective interior surface -maybe an inflatable design or something that would be able to make the shape really round....place a single-emitter at the top and allow the photons to "bounce" all around in the space and get those photons to all levels of the plant via more efficient reflection....the idea would be to get vertical-grow-like results from a single-point light source...yes? no? please explain...I'm here to learn! :)
 
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tstick

tstick

Well-Known Member
*by single-point light source, I guess I mean unlike a bulb -which is omnidirectional....but I guess it wouldn't really matter what kind of directionality the light source has in a sphere...right? Or, does it?
 
RM3

RM3

Well-Known Member
See if you can get a flash pic in the dark to see how the photons bounce in your garden, I have a sperical wall around my garden, it is painted white
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photon2.JPG
 
tstick

tstick

Well-Known Member
I have been kicking around the idea of building and entire room with walls and ceiling of "all-light" -not sure if T-5s or COBs or whatever....I know that would provide incredible coverage, for sure. I'm just wondering how much light efficiency (applied) you could get from altering the shape/reflectivity (similar to the sphere) of the growing space...regardless of the type of light.

And I'm not talking about using an actual light-testing sphere because they cost like half a million dollars or something! :) But, as long as I'm thinking about it... in theory, would that sphere chamber be the ultimate space for providing the the most efficient distribution of the photons to a plant that was placed inside it with a good light source?

A room of lights would definitely be an example of altering the typical grow space to provide the most light to all portions of the plants...but at a greater cost. Any other examples or ideas?
Thanks
 
puffenuff

puffenuff

Well-Known Member
Yeah dome shapes are popular with greenhouses too. There's probably a scientific reason why but that's beyond me.

That tent is called grocell
 
tstick

tstick

Well-Known Member
So...Whattaya think? COULD changing the shape of the grow space actually change the efficiency of the light -I mean by way of a more efficient distribution of photons?

What if a large reflector could be made that would kind of "engulf" the plant in a spherical shape? -almost like a globe with an opening at the bottom that could sit on the top edge of a garden pot and then have the light source at the top of the globe so that basically everything sits inside the reflector? Does that make sense? :)
 
G

grouch

Well-Known Member
The light sphere that catches the photons is not the reflector you guys are describing. To replicate the light sphere you need to change the surface that is catching the light (the plants) and train them stadium style to reach up around the edges and grab the light that would be hitting the walls otherwise
 
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