# Reflecter?



## whitehair (Sep 13, 2009)

I have made a hood and was wondering out of white paint, chrome paint, and aluminum foil would be the best reflecter?


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## majstor76 (Feb 11, 2010)

I did some testing and alu foil came somewhat better than white paint. Dont know about chrome paint...


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## Franco (Jun 25, 2010)

I've used aluminum foil tape. (Looks like a roll of highly polish metallic duct tape) It is at hardware stores were the ductwork stuff is for furnaces, etc. It goes on much smoother and is more reflective than a lot of the high priced aluminum reflectors are that I've seen being sold on line for high output T5 systems. I just put it straight on the inside of the hood.
There is also aluminum flashing in the same section of the store or in roofing that can be cut and bent to fit anything. Almost as good as the high priced reflectors but you can also put the aluminum foil tape over that to make it better.

I even cut apart a mirror once and hot glued the pieces into the top of the hood. It cast glares across the plants and bottom of the tank though. TOO REFLECTIVE


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

Sorry to hijack this thread but it caught my eye because even though I don't have a DIY fixture for my 20g, I am using a strip light and I've wondered if I could make it a bit brighter by adding some type of silver foil to the inside of it.

This is the fixture I have. Could I put the aluminum foil tape that Franco suggested along the inside of it(along the sides, not the top by the vents) or would that not be a good idea?


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## Franco (Jun 25, 2010)

The white background is considered the reflector for your strip light but those don't really reflect anywhere close to a polished one. I had single tube strip lights similar to yours on 10 gals and I just cut pieces of the aluminum tape to fit and cover the entire white area except for the vent holes.
It made the tank look about half again as bright.
Of course, take out the bulbs first.
I had previously just used scotch tape to stick aluminum foil on it and it didn't work very well. Too wrinkly.


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## whitehair (Sep 13, 2009)

Thank you guys for a reply and might try that aluminum foil tape.


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

Franco said:


> The white background is considered the reflector for your strip light but those don't really reflect anywhere close to a polished one. I had single tube strip lights similar to yours on 10 gals and I just cut pieces of the aluminum tape to fit and cover the entire white area except for the vent holes.
> It made the tank look about half again as bright.
> Of course, take out the bulbs first.
> I had previously just used scotch tape to stick aluminum foil on it and it didn't work very well. Too wrinkly.


So would there be no difference in lighting if the tape was just put along the black part of the inside of the fixture instead of covering the white reflector? I obviously wouldn't put it up past the bulbs where the light won't get to it but if it was put along the bottom where the light from the bulbs would get to it, would that help to make things brighter or would I have to completely cover the white part that you suggested?


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