TeaTreeOil
Well-Known Member
No. It gives better diffusion. But it's already dimpled, which is done to diffuse light.
More Reflective? Tin Foil Or flat White Paint?
- Thread starter Mackaveli420
- Start date
No. It gives better diffusion. But it's already dimpled, which is done to diffuse light.
indianaman
New Member
is mylar any good? i got the 2mm
TeaTreeOil
Well-Known Member
Metalized Aluminum on (boPET) nylon fibers, typically coated. Can't go wrong there. Up to 99% reflective.
indianaman
New Member
whoa! flippin' sweet. i'm using the whole roll. no white paint for me.
HappySack
Well-Known Member
Let's think this through! Panda will seal the room, and reflect. Then use a carbon scrubber, or onna jelly. If $ is an issue, then paint, not that tin foil is cheap or a better reflector than flat white. I like Panda, it makes you hair stand up when you install it! It is kinda hard to install by your self. It looks so clean!
indianaman
New Member
mylar is shiny.... pretty.
indianaman
New Member
oh it's that again...
hovercars.....
with emergency wheels.
hovercars.....
with emergency wheels.
herbtoker420
Member
this was the most annoying thread ive ever read on RIU
puntacometa
Well-Known Member
Sorry thats absolutely wrong, foil has the worst reflective properties, about 50-60%, no where near anything else, especially white paint
I am considering the use of a product that is labelled Super Reflective Metallized 2ml Film.
It is sold at the local hydroponics store. It must be carefully hung/taped and stapled so that it does not wrinkle, but when properly done, looks almost like a big mirror.
Would this be a big mistake? I'm definitely new at this but I'm building a new grow room (I posted a separate thread about this).
Thanks in advance.
smppro
Well-Known Member
if its coming from a hydro shop then it should be for growing, sounds like you are describing mylarI am considering the use of a product that is labelled Super Reflective Metallized 2ml Film.
It is sold at the local hydroponics store. It must be carefully hung/taped and stapled so that it does not wrinkle, but when properly done, looks almost like a big mirror.
Would this be a big mistake? I'm definitely new at this but I'm building a new grow room (I posted a separate thread about this).
Thanks in advance.
growin an smokin
Member
I've used both paint and mylar. I like the mylar. I was told the first time that I used the mylar don't trip on the wrinkles.I have wrinkles in my mylar seems to work fine.
Straight up G
New Member
I am using white paint but it has a new founded Lumitec formulation and reflects up to twice as much light as other paint.
Dont you mean Machiavelli, the famous Italian philosopher from the 1500's, Pac based his album the don killuminati [the 7 day theory]- he read at length about Machiavelli in jail.
Have you noticed that out of Makaveli [Pac's slant on the name] you can spell "Am alive" and the remaining K is thought to be some kind of clue as to his whereabouts or piece of a MUCH larger puzzle..
Brick Top
New Member
GrowRoom Reflectivity
permalink
Choosing the right surface for the walls of your grow room is very important, as up to 40% of your total yield comes from the edge, and the right wall surface can increase the amount of light those plants receive by up to 30%! Artificial lighting diminishes exponentially with distance, so it is important to ‘contain’ as much of this light as possible, and direct it accordingly. Reflective surfaces also help illuminate the lower portions of the garden, providing lower buds with light and heat energy.
To get the best results with your light and walls, it is important to get the walls as close as possible to your garden to ensure the least amount of light is wasted. As a caveat, the percentages provided are only useful as a general guideline, as they present the range of reflectivity of the particular surfaces. The high percentage presents the best possible circumstances for that material (for example a 99% reflectivity rating for mylar sheeting would be under ideal conditions - no creases, completely flat, no discoloration, etc).
The best way to determine how well your grow room walls reflect light would be to purchase a light meter and measure your light directly; then take an opaque board and hold it a few inches off one of your walls with the light meter below the board in such a fashion that the light reflects off the wall and onto the light meter. You can then compare the difference between the two and determine a percentage from those numbers, the closer the two numbers are, the better your wall reflects light. It is important that in both measurements, your light meter is the same distance from the light, otherwise your results will be skewed.
Also important to note is that radiant light energy refers to electromagnetic (EM) radiation with a wavelength between 400-700 nanometers (nm) and radiant heat energy correlates to EM radiation with a wavelength between 800-2000nm.
Listed below are some of the most commonly used materials used for grow room walls:
Foylon:
A more durable version of mylar, made of spun polyester fabric and reinforced with foil laminate. Foylon is resistant to most solutions, won't tear or fade, and can be wiped or washed clean.
A great solution for growers who are interested in long term use, and though it may be slightly more expensive than mylar, its durability will more than make up for its cost. It has the ability to reflect about 95% of the light and approximately 85% of the heat energy, so a good ventilation system should be used in conjunction with folyon.
A recommended method to attach Foylon to the walls would be using Velcro, as it makes taking it down for cleaning much easier nd reduces the risk of tearing, creasing or bending it. If this is used for your walls, making sure you get it flush with the wall with no pockets of air between it and the wall to prevent hotspots.
Mylar:
A highly reflective polyester film that comes in varying thickness, the most common being 1 and 2 mm thick. The 2mm thick mylar while not quite as durable as the foylon, is fairly rugged. The 1mm thick mylar tears fairly easily, so taking it down for cleaning is quite difficult without damaging it in the process. Both types of mylar are able to reflect approximately 92-97% reflective, giving it the potential to be more reflective than foylon, but because foylon is more easily cleaned without damaging it as well as it being harder to crease, foylon usually ends up being slightly more reflective. Important to note is that mylar reflects radiant heat energy just as well as foylon (around 85%), so proper ventilation is necessary if mylar is used in your grow room. Attaching this to walls can be done in a similar fashion as foylon, and the same caution should be used to avoid creating hotspots in your room. The 1mm thick mylar stands a fair chance of being creased or ripped in the process unfortunately, even if Velcro is used to attach to the walls.
C3 anti-detection film: (I'd sleep better at night if I had this.)
A specialized type of mylar that exhibits the same properties as the 2mm thick mylar, but in addition to reflecting approximately 92-97% of the light, it also is 90% infrared proof, making your grow room all but invisible to IR scanning. This can also be attached in the same manner as foylon or mylar, and the same caution should be used to avoid creating hotspots in your room.
Flat white paint:
Self explanatory; a great option for large grow rooms or for people who are interested in a low maintenance wall. Flat white paint has the ability to reflect between 75-85% of the light, and does not create hotspots. Adding a fungicide is recommended when painting.
Glossy and eggshell whites not reflect light as efficiently as flat white. Semi-gloss paint for example, only has the ability to reflect between 55-60% of the light. Also important to remember when using paint is that any smears or blemishes on the surface take away from how reflective the wall is so care should be taken to avoid marking or staining the walls. Titanium white paint is very reflective; however it is usually only used on reflectors due to its high cost.
White/Black plastic (also known as panda plastic or "poly"):
"Poly" is useful if you are setting up a temporary grow room or don’t want to damage the walls. Poly is easily cleaned.
The purpose of the black side is to not allow any light to pass through the plastic, which ensures your dark cycle remains dark. The white side is 75-90% reflective. Choose a 6 "mill" thickness of poly for maximum light blockage and duribility.
If this plastic is put too close to the light, you will obviously melt it so be careful!. Panda plastic does not create hotspots. Poly can be attached to the walls by using carpenter’s nails or using tape glue or similar means. This can be used as a cheap alternative to mylar if painting your grow room is out of the question.
Polystyrene Foam Sheeting (more commonly known as Styrofoam):
This is excellent for harsh environment growrooms (your attic for example), provided you have a good ventilation system and a way to keep the temperatures from rising too high (an a/c unit or similar) as it is an excellent insulator.
It is also a great material for use in a temporary setup or for use as a "travelling reflector" on a light mover, where weight is a concern. It is approximately 75-85% light reflective so it is comparable to using a flat white paint. Foam will not create hot spots. Rigid foam can be purchased in sheets, and can be used as a free standing wall or can be taped, glued or nailed to the wall, the last generally being the most successful method.
Emergency Blankets:
These are ultra thin polyester blankets that are sold in most camping stores and are constructed of a single layer of polyester film that is covered with a layer of vapor deposited aluminum.
It is not very effective at reflecting light because it is so thin. Holding it between you and a light source, many small holes are noticed at the intersections of creases and the entire blanket is translucent to begin with, this coupled with the many creases that are in it when you purchase it takes away a significant amount of it reflectivity. It is very easily creased as well which also detracts from its ability to reflect light. And while it is reflects nearly 90% of radiant heat energy, it is only able to reflect around 70% of the light.
The largest advantage of using this type of material is that it is very cheap and therefore easily replaced. Emergency blankets can create hotspots if not attached flush to the wall so it is important that no air gaps exist between it and your supporting wall. The easiest way to attach this is to use tape (Aluminum or metal tape is recommended), as it tears very easily once it is cut or punctured.
Aluminum Foil:
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.
permalink
Choosing the right surface for the walls of your grow room is very important, as up to 40% of your total yield comes from the edge, and the right wall surface can increase the amount of light those plants receive by up to 30%! Artificial lighting diminishes exponentially with distance, so it is important to ‘contain’ as much of this light as possible, and direct it accordingly. Reflective surfaces also help illuminate the lower portions of the garden, providing lower buds with light and heat energy.
To get the best results with your light and walls, it is important to get the walls as close as possible to your garden to ensure the least amount of light is wasted. As a caveat, the percentages provided are only useful as a general guideline, as they present the range of reflectivity of the particular surfaces. The high percentage presents the best possible circumstances for that material (for example a 99% reflectivity rating for mylar sheeting would be under ideal conditions - no creases, completely flat, no discoloration, etc).
The best way to determine how well your grow room walls reflect light would be to purchase a light meter and measure your light directly; then take an opaque board and hold it a few inches off one of your walls with the light meter below the board in such a fashion that the light reflects off the wall and onto the light meter. You can then compare the difference between the two and determine a percentage from those numbers, the closer the two numbers are, the better your wall reflects light. It is important that in both measurements, your light meter is the same distance from the light, otherwise your results will be skewed.
Also important to note is that radiant light energy refers to electromagnetic (EM) radiation with a wavelength between 400-700 nanometers (nm) and radiant heat energy correlates to EM radiation with a wavelength between 800-2000nm.
Listed below are some of the most commonly used materials used for grow room walls:
A more durable version of mylar, made of spun polyester fabric and reinforced with foil laminate. Foylon is resistant to most solutions, won't tear or fade, and can be wiped or washed clean.
A great solution for growers who are interested in long term use, and though it may be slightly more expensive than mylar, its durability will more than make up for its cost. It has the ability to reflect about 95% of the light and approximately 85% of the heat energy, so a good ventilation system should be used in conjunction with folyon.
A recommended method to attach Foylon to the walls would be using Velcro, as it makes taking it down for cleaning much easier nd reduces the risk of tearing, creasing or bending it. If this is used for your walls, making sure you get it flush with the wall with no pockets of air between it and the wall to prevent hotspots.
A highly reflective polyester film that comes in varying thickness, the most common being 1 and 2 mm thick. The 2mm thick mylar while not quite as durable as the foylon, is fairly rugged. The 1mm thick mylar tears fairly easily, so taking it down for cleaning is quite difficult without damaging it in the process. Both types of mylar are able to reflect approximately 92-97% reflective, giving it the potential to be more reflective than foylon, but because foylon is more easily cleaned without damaging it as well as it being harder to crease, foylon usually ends up being slightly more reflective. Important to note is that mylar reflects radiant heat energy just as well as foylon (around 85%), so proper ventilation is necessary if mylar is used in your grow room. Attaching this to walls can be done in a similar fashion as foylon, and the same caution should be used to avoid creating hotspots in your room. The 1mm thick mylar stands a fair chance of being creased or ripped in the process unfortunately, even if Velcro is used to attach to the walls.
C3 anti-detection film: (I'd sleep better at night if I had this.)
A specialized type of mylar that exhibits the same properties as the 2mm thick mylar, but in addition to reflecting approximately 92-97% of the light, it also is 90% infrared proof, making your grow room all but invisible to IR scanning. This can also be attached in the same manner as foylon or mylar, and the same caution should be used to avoid creating hotspots in your room.
Flat white paint:
Self explanatory; a great option for large grow rooms or for people who are interested in a low maintenance wall. Flat white paint has the ability to reflect between 75-85% of the light, and does not create hotspots. Adding a fungicide is recommended when painting.
Glossy and eggshell whites not reflect light as efficiently as flat white. Semi-gloss paint for example, only has the ability to reflect between 55-60% of the light. Also important to remember when using paint is that any smears or blemishes on the surface take away from how reflective the wall is so care should be taken to avoid marking or staining the walls. Titanium white paint is very reflective; however it is usually only used on reflectors due to its high cost.
White/Black plastic (also known as panda plastic or "poly"):
"Poly" is useful if you are setting up a temporary grow room or don’t want to damage the walls. Poly is easily cleaned.
The purpose of the black side is to not allow any light to pass through the plastic, which ensures your dark cycle remains dark. The white side is 75-90% reflective. Choose a 6 "mill" thickness of poly for maximum light blockage and duribility.
If this plastic is put too close to the light, you will obviously melt it so be careful!. Panda plastic does not create hotspots. Poly can be attached to the walls by using carpenter’s nails or using tape glue or similar means. This can be used as a cheap alternative to mylar if painting your grow room is out of the question.
Polystyrene Foam Sheeting (more commonly known as Styrofoam):
This is excellent for harsh environment growrooms (your attic for example), provided you have a good ventilation system and a way to keep the temperatures from rising too high (an a/c unit or similar) as it is an excellent insulator.
It is also a great material for use in a temporary setup or for use as a "travelling reflector" on a light mover, where weight is a concern. It is approximately 75-85% light reflective so it is comparable to using a flat white paint. Foam will not create hot spots. Rigid foam can be purchased in sheets, and can be used as a free standing wall or can be taped, glued or nailed to the wall, the last generally being the most successful method.
These are ultra thin polyester blankets that are sold in most camping stores and are constructed of a single layer of polyester film that is covered with a layer of vapor deposited aluminum.
It is not very effective at reflecting light because it is so thin. Holding it between you and a light source, many small holes are noticed at the intersections of creases and the entire blanket is translucent to begin with, this coupled with the many creases that are in it when you purchase it takes away a significant amount of it reflectivity. It is very easily creased as well which also detracts from its ability to reflect light. And while it is reflects nearly 90% of radiant heat energy, it is only able to reflect around 70% of the light.
The largest advantage of using this type of material is that it is very cheap and therefore easily replaced. Emergency blankets can create hotspots if not attached flush to the wall so it is important that no air gaps exist between it and your supporting wall. The easiest way to attach this is to use tape (Aluminum or metal tape is recommended), as it tears very easily once it is cut or punctured.
Aluminum Foil:
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.
Straight up G
New Member
Dragged some of this up for ya, and theres much much more out there..
Tupac changed his rap name to "Makaveli." Nicolo Machiavelli was an Italian war strategist who wrote about faking one's death to fool his enemies. Tupac was an avid reader of Machiavelli and had read his books several times.
Tupac was cremated the day after he died. There was no reported autopsy even though he was murdered. Why was the evidence not even investigated and destroyed so quickly?
In spite of his "death," Tupac has completed two movies, three LP's and continues to appear on other artists' albums. Merchandise sales skyrocket after an artist is killed. Perhaps Tupac completed all this work so that he could release them after his faked death in order to cash in on the controversy surrounding it. Or perhaps he continues to work and cash in on his "death."
Las Vegas [Pac was shot in Las Vegas Nevada] is known as a "payoff city," meaning that many people, including doctors and press, could have been in on Tupac faking his death.
The Seven Day Theory. This is a numerological theory that suggests that Tupac will return seven years after his death. The number seven keeps popping up in the events that surrounded his death. He was shot seven days after "All Eyez on Me" was released. He was shot on Sept. 7 and survived for seven more days. The title of his new album is "The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory."
The vehicle that Tupac and Suge Knight were in during the shooting was shot twelve times, yet Knight was not even hit once. Instead, he was "grazed" by a bullet.
Tupac changed his rap name to "Makaveli." Nicolo Machiavelli was an Italian war strategist who wrote about faking one's death to fool his enemies. Tupac was an avid reader of Machiavelli and had read his books several times.
Tupac was cremated the day after he died. There was no reported autopsy even though he was murdered. Why was the evidence not even investigated and destroyed so quickly?
In spite of his "death," Tupac has completed two movies, three LP's and continues to appear on other artists' albums. Merchandise sales skyrocket after an artist is killed. Perhaps Tupac completed all this work so that he could release them after his faked death in order to cash in on the controversy surrounding it. Or perhaps he continues to work and cash in on his "death."
Las Vegas [Pac was shot in Las Vegas Nevada] is known as a "payoff city," meaning that many people, including doctors and press, could have been in on Tupac faking his death.
The Seven Day Theory. This is a numerological theory that suggests that Tupac will return seven years after his death. The number seven keeps popping up in the events that surrounded his death. He was shot seven days after "All Eyez on Me" was released. He was shot on Sept. 7 and survived for seven more days. The title of his new album is "The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory."
The vehicle that Tupac and Suge Knight were in during the shooting was shot twelve times, yet Knight was not even hit once. Instead, he was "grazed" by a bullet.
Straight up G
New Member
He's alive and laughing.
Straight up G
New Member
And probably smoking a fat blunt.
1STxTimeGrower
Member
i heard that to that foil is bad and to go with FLAT white paint. neways i have aluminum foil all over my little veg box and the foil doesnt get hot im useing cfls to veg my plants but idk? it doesnt seem to be going well but i guess that happens for the 1st time
