peace to all growers I have just aquired some mirror boards for my grow room mk 2 but i have been told that white boards work better at reflecting light so what is the best to use peace mr mashed
As a rule white will always reflect LIGHT better. It has the advantages of not giving "hot spots" where light is focused by the reflective surface onto a small spot, this can of course damage your plants. Mylar has good reflective properties but isn't cheap. As an alternative just buy bright white cheap paint, a few layers later your grow room is lab like
I have used just about every material known to man trying to maximize my lighting. Here is what I found: White is the general color of choice, because it reflects the complete spectrum of the light and a nonshiny surface diffusses the rays. The closer the reflective surface to the plants the better. I usually recycle white plastic/styrofoam saucers/plates to use under each plant, and tuck white styrofoam or cardboard into corners. I try to make my reflective area circular or octagonal to avoid deep corners which take up light. I cover all the spaces between and around pots so the entire 'ground'level is as reflective as possible. When flowering time comes, I replace the white ground cover with bright red. A study done in the Agro industry, found a 35% increase in tomatoe production when the old black ground cloth was replace with bright red. I know, it sounds labor intensive, but it is low cost, and mostly just a matter of rearrangement of cardboards, etc. as the day goes on. But that is part of what makes this old earth girl so happy and peacefull.I love to stay with my plants, talk to them, examine them closely, get to know each ones little quirks...Can hardly wait til the beginning of cooler weather! Visualize whirled pease...I mean, world peace! eg
a mirror reflection, like a space blanket works better than white, because all the flos give off is diffused white, anyway, and no hot spots are going to develope using fluoros. If you could form an octagon with real mirrors, that would be good to maximize those 'cool' type lights.
Of course.... because it is going through the glass twice? I wish there was a way I could remove my window's glass, frame and all. I try to keep it spotless, but it is still robbing me of some good rays. Plus the shadows cast by the framing hurt my feelings. But then, what are my MH and CFs if not suppliments to cover this contingency? Because there ain't no such thing as a free lunch (or light). Even the good sunlight of outdoor growing comes with a hidious price until the laws change. The HID manufacturers will miss us, then! thanks, HJ, C U L8R...eg
Youve gotta go with myrar and it aint that hard to put up i just use double sided tape and put it up like wallpaper,my yeild went up when chaned from flat white.
T'ain't easy McGee, so I use the space blankets, and remove/replace, or just place over. The nature of a space blanket with it's light weight, and it's tiny fold lines causes a good deal of shimmering reflected light. No hot spot issues. They are flimsy, but even the small pieces can be utilized to increase reflection from beneath your plants. They are impossible to wash, so it's strictly renewal for dirty/waterspotted/wornout material. Earth girl finds the space program to have many benifits for earthlings. It gives her wings!!!! Byyeeeee.e..e...e