Using Mylar reflectors

underground

Junior Poster
Feb 17, 2005
17
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1
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

Guru Class Expert
Jan 24, 2005
265
0
16
Shipley, West Yorkshire, UK
Re: Using Mylar reflectors

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

Guru Class Expert
Jan 24, 2005
284
0
16
Re: Using Mylar reflectors

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

Guru Class Expert
Jan 24, 2005
284
0
16
Re: Using Mylar reflectors

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
 

Ian H

Guru Class Expert
Jan 24, 2005
265
0
16
Shipley, West Yorkshire, UK
Re: Using Mylar reflectors

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

Founder
Staff member
Administrator
Jan 23, 2005
18,702
792
113
Re: Using Mylar reflectors

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