Plant reflector idea, post your thoughts please.

I have been trying an idea I had for a few months now and I think it is a good one. Maybe it has been done already I do not know but it works good I think. I have been wanting to maximize my lighting inside because where I live electric is crazy. Of course I was smoking some nice herb from my outside garden this summer while watching an old movie on TV. I can't remember the show but it was from the 60's I think, anyhow in the movie women were using aluminum foil and cardboard to make sun reflectors so they could tan faster. This got me thinking, Why can't I do this with my plants. SO I did, I got cardboard and aluminum foil, I made a circle of cardboard bigger than the pot by 3 inches. Then I covered it with aluminum foil. I cut the circle halfway trough the center then cut a x in the center so the stem could come up trough easily. This worked good and I could see the light all over the leaves reflecting up. I then searched the internet for something more durable. I found small bubble bubble wrap with an aluminum coating on it. I found a 120ft x 2ft wide for about $45 plus shipping. I ordered it and when it arrived I cut many different sizes for different size pots. I have some plants under t5's and some under a 600w MH and all plants are responding good. I am looking for any thoughts good or bad with this idea. It helps me in 2 ways. It reflects the light back up to the plant instead of the pot and soil soaking the light up. The other thing it does is keeps the soil moist longer and you do not need to water as often. It does not cut off airflow to the soil because fans or even a small breeze will lift them up a small amount and they do not always sit perfectly flat. If you wanted to make them more sturdy you could possibly staple the bubble wrap to cardboard or something. I will try and post a photo of some of them.

Tried and tested..great minds think alike..

Your better off painting them white then using foil. That foil is going to absorb more light then it reflects.

Foil absorbs more light than it reflects?

Aluminum foil also creats 'hotspots' due to imperfect angles and any crinkle that's put in it. I agree with Fender, go with the white over foil... foil will also reflect heat, in a higher quantity than the paint will.. so temperature control may prove to be an issue depending on your setup.

Oooops! I nearly started another foil/paint/mylar debate...

sworth said:

Oooops! I nearly started another foil/paint/mylar debate...

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Nothing to debate really, Jorge is one of the authorities on this, and he says foil is bad.. that's enough for me. Volley, your turn.

Nope! I'm not playing!

All hail Mylar.

Figong said:

Aluminum foil also creats 'hotspots' due to imperfect angles and any crinkle that's put in it. I agree with Fender, go with the white over foil... foil will also reflect heat, in a higher quantity than the paint will.. so temperature control may prove to be an issue depending on your setup.

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If white paint works better and the imperfections in the foil creates hotspots. Why are most hoods aluminum and many have a hammered finish to them? As for heat dont really see that as an issue. The reflectors are at the bottem of the plant far away from light, heat and are sitting on top of the cool root system. I can see a lot of light reflected back up onto the plant and the plants are liking it. Thanks for the input.

I like the idea , Its very smart. With my soil Based Grows i actually place White pebbles over the soil to mostly keep The Soil from evaporating to much Water, it also reflects a little, With my Hydro i use white buckets and The White reflects back up as well.

i think it is a brilliant idea! look at all those big colas on top while the guys on the bottom are tiny, the reflector would really help using the wasted light

Hilltophigh said:

If white paint works better and the imperfections in the foil creates hotspots. Why are most hoods aluminum and many have a hammered finish to them?.

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The foil acts like mirrors focused on too single points when light bounces off the unplanned creases (ever seen the mythbusters episide of the ancient death ray) The hammer finished aluminum is done in a much different way with no creases or folds and evenly distributes light to create no hotspots.

idk it may seem like a good idea, but the amount of light reflected back would be nothing with a full room of plants blocking the light.

they may also slow down air movement between the pots and slow down the soil from drying out if using soil.

if you have a spot where light is reaching down there, why isnt there a bud site in that spot using that light instead?

Hilltophigh said:

If white paint works better and the imperfections in the foil creates hotspots. Why are most hoods aluminum and many have a hammered finish to them? As for heat dont really see that as an issue. The reflectors are at the bottem of the plant far away from light, heat and are sitting on top of the cool root system. I can see a lot of light reflected back up onto the plant and the plants are liking it. Thanks for the input.

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dimpled or hammer-toned surfaces, if done properly... have awesome light dispersal qualities