do you guys use reflectors on your cfls bulbs?

I have a very small box, all painted white inside and i have about 11 cfl bulbs in there. so i'm thinking i don't need any reflectors, since the whole top of the box is basically crammed full of bulbs. i actually have heat issues, have to have the fan on full.

just wondering if you guys have reflectors for your cfl grows or if you just let them hang free

thanks

A reflector will still reflect more light down on the plants than no reflector. I'd definatly get one providing it wasn't going to be too much of an issue fitting it. I see a lot of cfl bulbs just hanging with no reflector when they are used as supplementary lighting.

Dude get some reflectors on them bulbs, i use 4 inch plastic gutter cut to my desired lengh then split down the middle, then paint the inside white too.

A pic would be grrreat!!!!!! (Tony The Tiger voice)

haha yeah a pic would be greaaat. but i dont have any batteries, sorry.

i was thinking about cutting up some beer cans (theres enough lying around my house lol) though the last time i did that i had problems with the tape coming off constantly from the heat.

but my little box would fit only 1and a half 5 gallon buckets in it if i was lucky, and on top of that then there would be no room for the plants because its a short box. i have like 6 little 1 foot plants in there in little pots. so thats why i was wondering if i needed reflectors even since its so small

Well if everything's white then you don't really need a reflector. And depending on the size of your area, 11 cfl's should be more than enough. I had 6 at the most for my last grow for one plant and it was fine. I had the clamp reflectors from lowes and it worked well but I noticed it also retained a lot of heat and raised my temperature... All in all, it'll help, a little. But you really don't need it

prebs said:

Well if everything's white then you don't really need a reflector. And depending on the size of your area, 11 cfl's should be more than enough. I had 6 at the most for my last grow for one plant and it was fine. I had the clamp reflectors from lowes and it worked well but I noticed it also retained a lot of heat and raised my temperature... All in all, it'll help, a little. But you really don't need it

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thanks. i think i might try experimenting with a few anyways, just to get maximum light out of them