Light Reflector

[chanbi]

How much does a light reflector affect the lighting? There are numerous type in the market like Spiderlight, PFO, parobolic that all look alike but maybe different aluminium reflector (eg: Alcoa Everbrite or plain aluminium foil)? Do they really made a different? There is this review on Spiderlight that showed ~40% improvement in efficiency but the comparison is not fair (spiderlight reflector vs normal flat aluminium reflector but why not plain aluminium foil in parobolic shape?).. Spiderlight review In sgp, i guess most of us just used normal plain aluminium foil and try to bend it into a parobolic shape. Wonder how much we really do lose out in efficiency as a result... basically is it worth spending ~S$60-100 for a simple MH reflector?

[Achilles Tang]

Chanbi,

A good reflector is MORE important that the bulb itself, IMO!

A good reflector will bounce a LOT of light back into the tank and also helps prevent wastage by restrike (eg. all the light reflected back into the bulb)... take a look at the spiderlight... it has a V shape where the bulb sits under, the V prevents light from hitting the bulb but is deflected off the V to the sides.

It is a good investment and one should not ignore try to put every light atom into your tank! Light is precious and expensive!

[bawater]

Try not to think of plain aluminium foil .

1. It dulls over a few months(very fast)

2. It crumbles & the dust size particles get everywhere.

3. Not very reflective if u get crinckles in them(which is easy).

4. better for food than Tank use.

5. did i mention they crumble?with or without salt spray.

maybe those silver aluminium trays for barbecue work better-so far using them for DIY FL on 2ft but not for reflective measures,mainly for light direction. eerm i wouldn't think of using it for MH though.

Normal aluminium reflector $10 for 4ft length. $10(& u can cut up as needed) compared to $100(does this included shipping?) of course commercial units will have lots of info to back up the product but do check out www.DIY spider Inspiration by phang .

[Phang]

Hey Chanbi,

Thought you saw my look alike DIYed Spider reflectors????

[chanbi]

AT and bawater, thanks for your view. I do agree that reflector is important but was not seeing much infor in our forum and that is why i brought it up. I did go to Phang's place and his reflector look good and it looks similar to a spiderlight shape (or i called it parobolic). So was thinking of doing a similar one. So i look around for aluminium foil and there is only one and only type that i can see so far. And i guess it should be much inferior in term of reflective performance (but cannot confirm) as compared to the Alcoa Everbrite polished aluminium foil. And so in a dilemma per se (well, i can only afford 250W and not 400W and hope can make best use of it).

So anyone know where to get better or so called mirror like reflective aluminium foil in sgp?

[Phang]

Most hardware stores would have it.... alternative... Chan Huat electric and Nature Aquarium...

[Achilles Tang]

Aluminium foil and Aluminium sheets are two different things!

I think you meant 'sheets' right?

[chanbi]

LOL!! realised my mistake! I mean sheet..