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View Full Version : Using Mylar reflectors


underground
02-21-2005, 07:55 PM
I'm currently using mylar film glued into the inside of my hood as a reflector, since the hood is a Juwel Rekord one and hence has little room inside.

Is this likely to be adequate?
Ian H
02-22-2005, 12:52 AM
I thought about using Mylar as it's cheap and highly reflective. I hung back as I wasn't sure if it would withstand the high temperatures.

I suspect that it isn't as effective as a shaped reflector and would scatter the light rather than focus it downwards.

Ian
chubasco
02-22-2005, 01:54 AM
I suspect that it isn't as effective as a shaped reflector and would scatter the light rather than focus it downwards.

Ian

Depends on the shape that it is glued to :) If it is in the shape of a MIRO4
reflector, it would approximate its vaunted reflectivity. However, some
mylar doesn't hold up to high temps like you stated, and one morning you
could wake up to see all these shiny flecks on the surface of your tank,
not a good thing. There's a guy on APD that recently built a reflector and
used the safe kind of mylar. Will check the archives and see what he used.

Bill
chubasco
02-22-2005, 01:56 AM
I suspect that it isn't as effective as a shaped reflector and would scatter the light rather than focus it downwards.

Ian

Depends on the shape that it is glued to :) If it is in the shape of a MIRO4
reflector, it would approach (perhaps) its vaunted reflectivity. However,
some mylar doesn't hold up to high temps like you stated, and one morning
you could wake up to see all these shiny flecks on the surface of your tank,
not a good thing. There's a guy on APD that recently built a reflector and
used the safe kind of mylar. Will check the archives and see what he used.

Bill
chubasco
02-22-2005, 02:41 AM
This is from the APD archives:
http://www.hydroponics.com/pricing/pricing02.htm (www.hydroponics.com)

Click on "Price List" then "Reflective Material"

The "heavy" stuff is supposed to be safe, that is, resistant to heat and
water.

Bill
Ian H
02-22-2005, 10:13 AM
I think I'll stick with my polished aluminium reflectors for now. My lighting phylosophy is 'to allow one for the pot' any way and allow for less than optimum reflection.

Ian
Tom Barr
02-22-2005, 04:46 PM
It's better than nothing.
I use it on cheapy 15 w lights.

Otherwise buy a decent reflector, see Aquaticeco for reflectors.
I got some smaller ones for about 5-8$ ea and these are similar to those MIRO's.

Regards,
Tom Barr