What kind of glass should i use in my reflector?

So I'm building this coolable reflector for a 1000hps, and was wondering if some types of glass were better for allowing light to pass through it.. I realize that i should buy heat tempered glass, but didn't know if there was an ideal type of glass for this application...

borosilicate? or would plain ol hardware store glass be good? eh?

feel free to join in kids

This is a good question.
Nobody probably has an answer.

But, we all know that our house windows diminishes most of the blue rays from transfering to our window plants.

So isn't any piece of glass on your reflector going to do the same?

I imagine glass is glass.

I dont know to be honest but peoples plants in greenhouses seem to grow very well so i would assume you would need the same kind of glass that is used in a greenhouse.
Here is a wiki link to greenhouses and the glass that they use

Greenhouse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lexan might work, but I don't know for sure.

natmoon said:

I dont know to be honest but peoples plants in greenhouses seem to grow very well so i would assume you would need the same kind of glass that is used in a greenhouse.
Here is a wiki link to greenhouses and the glass that they use

Greenhouse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Click to expand...

i dont know if im just high as fuck, or if that really sounds like a great idea!!!!

if you cant get light through glass then just use plastic XD

Hi, i am a Glass-Maker and trained as a scientific glass blower. you must use at minimum Borosilicate, trade name "Pyrex" "Duran" big makers Schott Ruhrglas.

The walls are so thin at 2-3mm that light transmission is not an issue.

word, thats what i was thinking, psy, and good work on the greenhouse materials idea as well... What is that specific property called? Albedo? Or is that a materials ability to abrsorb heat (not light)? God damn, why do I pay to go to school if I'm gonna forget everything a week after semester ends...?

anyways bud, you think a thin sheet of boro? I could really use anything that'll allow for light transmission, and withstand/insulate against the heat as well.... good to know theres some lampworkers around too, i posted a thread in another forum on riu asking about it, but nobody responded

and on a side note, I have a fatty roll of polypropylene, which is fairly heat-resistant.. its got to be maybe 2 mils thick, so i imagine ill lose hardly any light through it, but i cant seem to find any info on it anywhere.. dont really want to buy a light meter either..

anyone know anything about this?

DO NOT USE PLASTIC. If your fan fails it will melt/distort. Pyrex is available in tube form almost every diameter imaginable. any scientific glass/instrument maker will cut you a length to order in the size of your choice. Guide price for a 20" length at 8" diameter-£12-15.
Polypropelene is just plain wrong. use it for waterproofing.

do you know if they use boro in professional coolable reflectors?

Certainly any that use glass, will be using boro. Someone on rollitup is building a cool tube using a Pyrex "baking cylinder" ($10)- also contemplate Pyrex cylindrical fluid measures. hope that helps

right on, right on.. thanks man

I think the guys tag is HoLe

you have to pay extra for windows/glass that filter out "bad" sunlight. any heat tempered glass should do the trick.