Question about aluminium foil.

JoDirt · Sep 14, 2012

I have read various opinions about using aluminium foil for reflecting my CFL light and I need some advice from experienced people. (I'm a newbie grower)

My plant is 4 days old and I am using 4 CFL light (82 watts total) which I know will not be enough once they are 4 weeks+ old.

But my parents does not want me to use more than 5 in my closet (electricity bill reason?) so I'll add another one and thats it.

My closet is fairly big for one plant so I want to add a reflective surrounding. I don't want/can't buy the recommended type of reflective surface so I want to use normal kitchen aluminium foil.

People say that they can cause burn to my plant but in my opinions, if I manage to glue the foil on a flat surface without any (or almost any) 'bumps' in it, I should be fine, I am right? If not why?

I'd really like to do that cause I think it will help my plant that has not the 100w recommended CFL. Any advice, tips or personal experience would be greatly appreciated.

Indagrow · Sep 14, 2012

i wouldn't use aluminum just white paint instead.. you can also get mylar very cheap on the internet as emergency blankets check out ebay.. if your dead set on using aluminum foil use the dull side to cut down on hot spots.. i would go the emergency blankets route though save the aluminum foil for the chicken nuggets

Dice Clay · Sep 14, 2012

Indagrow said:
i wouldn't use aluminum just white paint instead.. you can also get mylar very cheap on the internet as emergency blankets check out ebay.. if your dead set on using aluminum foil use the dull side to cut down on hot spots.. i would go the emergency blankets route though save the aluminum foil for the chicken nuggets

I wouldn't even use the foil for chicken nuggets

Parchment paper for the win

Indagrow · Sep 14, 2012

i save the parchment for cookies and what not.. when it comes to chichen nuggets or even Ficken Chinger (as i like to call it) AL all the way haha no pans or plates needed.. in the oven, on the table, in my mouth

Dice Clay · Sep 14, 2012

nothing sticks to the parchment paper

trunks87 · Sep 14, 2012

JoDirt said:
I have read various opinions about using aluminium foil for reflecting my CFL light and I need some advice from experienced people. (I'm a newbie grower)

My plant is 4 days old and I am using 4 CFL light (82 watts total) which I know will not be enough once they are 4 weeks+ old.

But my parents does not want me to use more than 5 in my closet (electricity bill reason?) so I'll add another one and thats it.

My closet is fairly big for one plant so I want to add a reflective surrounding. I don't want/can't buy the recommended type of reflective surface so I want to use normal kitchen aluminium foil.

People say that they can cause burn to my plant but in my opinions, if I manage to glue the foil on a flat surface without any (or almost any) 'bumps' in it, I should be fine, I am right? If not why?

I'd really like to do that cause I think it will help my plant that has not the 100w recommended CFL. Any advice, tips or personal experience would be greatly appreciated.

If you really cant have more than 5 bulbs, maybe consider flowering super early so it wont overgrow your lighting capacity. I mean it will be easier to cover a 15 inch plant than a 2 footer or more with just the 5 bulbs you have. Also, if its just the rule that you can have 5 bulbs only, maybe get higher wattage ones if you can afford it. $8-10 or so for the 43 w 200 equiv ones.

JoDirt · Sep 14, 2012

trunks87 said:
If you really cant have more than 5 bulbs, maybe consider flowering super early so it wont overgrow your lighting capacity. I mean it will be easier to cover a 15 inch plant than a 2 footer or more with just the 5 bulbs you have. Also, if its just the rule that you can have 5 bulbs only, maybe get higher wattage ones if you can afford it. $8-10 or so for the 43 w 200 equiv ones.

Well I forgot to tell my plant is an autoflowering strain (Skunk Automatic - Feminized), so I can't control when it will flower. But I guess it shouldn't get too big... So is the aluminium foil a no no, or is it possible? Whats better, aluminium foil or plain nothing except the walls that are foots away?

feliks420 · Sep 14, 2012

Why can't you just get some mylar blankets from Walmart, they're in the camping section.

trunks87 · Sep 14, 2012

At the HW store they have this board with one side that's flat white its called melanine board I believe. I used it in my closet and its working fine. But if your closet is too big you can cut it to make a smaller box or something inside the closet, and that should reflect well.

birdmananyweather · Sep 14, 2012

you can have amazing results with just 5 cfl's, just make sure they are surrounding the plant and 1-3 inches away from the canopy. paint it flat white and you're good. diamond mylar works wonders.

Martybutch · Sep 14, 2012

I used tin foil for the first 3 weeks of my grow and had no issues with it what so ever and had a great growth in that time... This was also with a 250watt cfl...

I say use it until u can get some mylar.. where i am it costs £1.75 per meter.. so 4 meters £11.00..

Hope this helps :leaf:

JoDirt · Sep 14, 2012

Well all of you guys convinced me, I just checked at Canadian Tire and they sell Mylar for 4$ so I'll go buy some right now

Thanks for your inputs

Any suggestion on how to place the Mylar in my closet? Here's some pic of my current setup..

The closet is actually 2 times bigger than whats shown in the pic, its a '2 mirror door'.

I should put the Mylar directly on the walls or should I make it smaller surrounding?

feliks420 · Sep 14, 2012

I'd keep the mylar up close, it reflects the light, so the closer the better I would think, just like your lights.

I have my plants basically wrapped in it, and it's pretty bright even with just 6 CFLs.

JoDirt · Sep 14, 2012

Big thanks to all! I should be fine with my plant now!

trunks87 · Sep 15, 2012

JoDirt said:
Well all of you guys convinced me, I just checked at Canadian Tire and they sell Mylar for 4$ so I'll go buy some right now Thanks for your inputs

Any suggestion on how to place the Mylar in my closet? Here's some pic of my current setup..

View attachment 2334520 View attachment 2334521 View attachment 2334522

The closet is actually 2 times bigger than whats shown in the pic, its a '2 mirror door'.

I should put the Mylar directly on the walls or should I make it smaller surrounding?

OOH, I would be scared that your contraption would fall from the plug under its own weight!

Tape it, tie it with string, idk, do something before catastrophe hits.

Also yes, a few inches closer would be alot more effective in reducing the stretchiness of the seedling.

JoDirt · Sep 15, 2012

Thanks for the input, but the plug is really tight. Its hard to unplug it by hand already so I'm not worried about it

And for now the lights are close to the pot, don't want it to burn the plastic so I need to let it stretch a bit. I should of added more soil in the pot at the beginning but I'm guessing it's to late now.

trunks87 · Sep 15, 2012

Meh, you wont burn anything with those. I got mine sitting ontop of party cups, literally touching for several days. No melt.

But as for your cords.... idk...

feliks420 · Sep 16, 2012

trunks87 said:
Meh, you wont burn anything with those. I got mine sitting ontop of party cups, literally touching for several days. No melt.

But as for your cords.... idk...

Christmas lights hang by cords...I think with the small amount of weight on there it'll be ok.

dolaman420 · Oct 22, 2012

lol indagrow i like that little quote. save the foil for the chicken nuggets :clap:

achaser87 · Oct 22, 2012

i used aluminum foil first and now im using white paint in the same grow area, huge difference with the paint.

Question about aluminium foil.

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