Done with mirrors

[wietefras]

DP didnt do anything wrong. He was at 75 watt/sq foot already.

Well that sounds "wrong" already.

The light incident on it directly from the light source is of quantity x. Reflected light pases throught that same area in quantity y. X + Y was more energy than the plant could use.

You don't get extra light from reflection. It just makes you lose less of it. So if it is all too much then don't blame better reflection, but start with less light to begin with.

 

[DesertPlants]

Well that sounds "wrong" already.


You don't get extra light from reflection. It just makes you lose less of it. So if it is all too much then don't blame better reflection, but start with less light to begin with.

The light is dimmable and can move between tents. I was specifically testing reflective materials. Other than Orca and mirrors, I also tested foil, Mylar, and diamond reflective sheeting. (Diamond refers to the shape, not the material).

 

[SSGrower]

Well that sounds "wrong" already.


You don't get extra light from reflection. It just makes you lose less of it. So if it is all too much then don't blame better reflection, but start with less light to begin with.

Without knowing the height of light and all the other factors at play I won't say 75 w/sq.ft is wrong, it's not how I would do it.

You Hit The Nail On The Head

Somehow my autocorrect got posesed by the Dawg there

 

[churchhaze]

Seriously though, if you're going to remove the glass from mirrors, isn't the lining just aluminum foil?

So can we conclude that affixing aluminum foil to the walls shiny side out is actually the pro'est method there is?

 

[Rahz]

Seriously though, if you're going to remove the glass from mirrors, isn't the lining just aluminum foil?

So can we conclude that affixing aluminum foil to the walls shiny side out is actually the pro'est method there is?

That wouldn't be expensive enough to support my ego.

 

[wietefras]

Seriously though, if you're going to remove the glass from mirrors, isn't the lining just aluminum foil?

So can we conclude that affixing aluminum foil to the walls shiny side out is actually the pro'est method there is?

Yes aluminium foil is an amazing reflector. Similar in performance to mirrors. Trouble is that it is difficult to apply and that it is impossible to clean.

Mirrors are a much more practical way to get aluminium sheets on your wall.

 

[SSGrower]

Yes aluminium foil is an amazing reflector. Similar in performance to mirrors. Trouble is that it is difficult to apply and that it is impossible to clean.

Mirrors are a much more practical way to get aluminium sheets on your wall.

A polish will help keep it clean, a thin aluminium sheet might work better. I noticed the wing I had on my light would oxidize after a few months, hit it with some mothers and a rag, cleaned right up.

 

[wietefras]

A polish will help keep it clean, a thin aluminium sheet might work better.

No that won't work at all. Bare aluminium oxidizes in minutes. That's why it gets coated to protect it. For instance with glass like the wings and mirrors are.

I noticed the wing I had on my light would oxidize after a few months, hit it with some mothers and a rag, cleaned right up.

That's coated with glass. Essentially a thin mirror ...

 

[SSGrower]

No that won't work at all. Bare aluminium oxidizes in minutes. That's why it gets coated to protect it. For instance with glass like the wings and mirrors are.

That's coated with glass. Essentially a thin mirror ...

It was a piece of al from hd, mothers has polymers in it, that is the coating you refer to.

 

[Moflow]

@Rahz have you any updates on your mirror experiments?

 

[Rahz]

I started using a soilless mix about a year ago and I'm still dialing things in so it would be difficult to draw any conclusions beyond the meter readings I took, but all is well in the mirror space. I'm good at hydro and have a ton of grows in that space so if I went back to hydro I might be able to tell if there was an obvious benefit to using mirrors. Once I feel confident I'm getting the most out of the plants with soilless I'll go back to hydro. Probably won't be any time soon but I'll update if/when it happens.

Good news is there are no negatives to using mirrors. Plants seem to like it, no hot spots or burn issues. I ended up putting mylar on the doors covering the last 1/3 of the wall surface. I'm pretty happy with it. I wouldn't consider going back to white.

 

[Dave455]

I started using a soilless mix about a year ago and I'm still dialing things in so it would be difficult to draw any conclusions beyond the meter readings I took, but all is well in the mirror space. I'm good at hydro and have a ton of grows in that space so if I went back to hydro I might be able to tell if there was an obvious benefit to using mirrors. Once I feel confident I'm getting the most out of the plants with soilless I'll go back to hydro. Probably won't be any time soon but I'll update if/when it happens.

Good news is there are no negatives to using mirrors. Plants seem to like it, no hot spots or burn issues. I ended up putting mylar on the doors covering the last 1/3 of the wall surface. I'm pretty happy with it. I wouldn't consider going back to white.

any thoughts on using red reflective mirror.? I understand the red would reflect back.

 

[Rahz]

I don't know anything about red mirrors or whether they're used for growing, but off the bat I would say I want all the light reflected back and wouldn't have any use for a red mirror.