Aluminium foil
- Thread starter crooked
- Start date
mattameti1991
Active Member
I grow outside in 5 gallon buckets and i was wondering if i could put a tin foil sheet around the plant???
crooked
Well-Known Member
most people would not recomend that, including me
it could be that a can made of aluminum does infact reflect light as bad as tin foil except it won't create any hotspots since the surface is flat
rev3la7ion
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't risk it. I'd just go out and buy some mylar. It'll be worth it in the long run.
crooked
Well-Known Member
now im even more confused 
from wikipedia:
"Aluminium foil has a shiny side and a matte side. This difference in the finish has led to the perception that favouring a side has an effect when cooking. While many believe that the shiny side's reflective properties keep heat out when wrapped on the exterior and keep heat in when facing exterior, the actual difference is imperceptible without instrumentation. The reflectivity of bright aluminium foil is 88% while dull embossed foil is about 80%"
from the GrowFAQ:
Aluminum foil is no more than 55% reflective - if used, make sure that the dull side is the one that is used to reflect the light. When it becomes creased its reflectivity is even lower (around 35%.) It is also very dangerous to use because it creates hotspots easily, is electrically conductive, and is a fire hazard when it is in close contact with HID lighting. Attaching this to walls is a pain and usually using aluminum tape or glue is the best way. This should only be used as a last resort, and even then its usefulness is questionable.
from wikipedia:
"Aluminium foil has a shiny side and a matte side. This difference in the finish has led to the perception that favouring a side has an effect when cooking. While many believe that the shiny side's reflective properties keep heat out when wrapped on the exterior and keep heat in when facing exterior, the actual difference is imperceptible without instrumentation. The reflectivity of bright aluminium foil is 88% while dull embossed foil is about 80%"
from the GrowFAQ:
Aluminum foil is no more than 55% reflective - if used, make sure that the dull side is the one that is used to reflect the light. When it becomes creased its reflectivity is even lower (around 35%.) It is also very dangerous to use because it creates hotspots easily, is electrically conductive, and is a fire hazard when it is in close contact with HID lighting. Attaching this to walls is a pain and usually using aluminum tape or glue is the best way. This should only be used as a last resort, and even then its usefulness is questionable.
nickfury510
Well-Known Member
it is impossible to layout aluminum foil without making creases and krinkles...these creases and folds will refract the light in different ways creating hotspots that will act like little lasers and burn your plant....like newgrowth said..flat white paint is the way to go.....
NewGrowth
Well-Known Member
No this is wrong you will still get hot spots with flouros and aluminum is a poor reflector anyway.
BigBudBalls
Well-Known Member
One can get it just as smooth as mylar if done correctly.
And the wrinkles causing hot spots? The odds that, that wrinkle has the right curvature to focus *just* right on a leaf that should be swaying in the gentle breeze of the circulation fan , well...........
Alum is *very* good at reflecting IR, and just allow a lot of the heat energy to bounce back into the room.
HotNSexyMILF
Well-Known Member
+1.
The 'light reflectivity' wiki is talking about is different than the 'usable lumen reflectivity' we are concerned about. What you view as light is different than the lumen rays your plants are utilizing- hence why all lights do not grow plants and at varying degrees of success. Aluminum cans are better at evenly reflecting usable lumens whereas aluminum foil isn't efficient in that capacity.
Hope that helps clear things up. 
MrFishy
Well-Known Member
My plants have been right up against my fluros for 20 years, so how's foil gonna cause a hot-spots?
The main reason I try to keep them as-close-as-possible w/o touching is because they don't like to be touching anything for best grow results.
Except for the ends, my fluro tubes simply aren't hot, or are barely even warm.
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NewGrowth
Well-Known Member
20years?! I doubt that I don't know what flouros you are using but the ones I have seen and used get hotter than I want to touch.My plants have been right up against my fluros for 20 years, so how's foil gonna cause a hot-spots?
The main reason I try to keep them as-close-as-possible w/o touching is because they don't like to be touching anything for best grow results.
Except for the ends, my fluro tubes simply aren't hot, or are barely even warm.
RolliePollie
Well-Known Member
I'm sure the foil has different properties. I dont know if any of you know about recycling, but different parts of the can have different properties. The tap that opens the can is worth more than the rest of the can, meaning it has different properties.most people would not recomend that, including me
it could be that a can made of aluminum does infact reflect light as bad as tin foil except it won't create any hotspots since the surface is flat
There could be a similar situation between the can and aluminum foil. They are definately different, and the can could have a different reflective property.
Just use mylar, lol.
MrFishy
Well-Known Member
Yeah, actually more years than that. I've ALWAYS used plain old $12 shoplights (w/bulbs) and, as long as I get the more-that-adequate harvests I almost always have reaped, I'll continue. When I started, there were very few options, and it's worked great fro me. Most of these forums say it can't be done, or is a waste of time. I cannot agree.20years?! I doubt that I don't know what flouros you are using but the ones I have seen and used get hotter than I want to touch.
I'm starting to think shoplight growing is a method unto itself, just like cfl, hips, hydro, ect . . . are.
My object remains to produce the closest to truly "free" weed,
It's just that simple. I think I might be in $200 in 31 years, maybe a little less?
Plants grown under 3 double fluro fixtures w/6 40W cool white tubes.
Approx 48 days since pistils showed.
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blackcoupe01
Well-Known Member
I have to agree with MrFishy on this one. I bet I've handled more bulbs(all kinds)than 99% of the people on this site. Being an electrician, Ive handled fluorescent bulbs almost daily for the last 10 years, and Ive never seen one that was too hot to hold even while in constant use.