Re: Using Mirror for lighting reflectors?

[Wright Huntley <jwwiii at pacbell_net>]

> Date: Thu, 12 Dec 2002 05:13:08 EST
> From: ShellGirlK at aol_com
> Subject: Using Mirror for lighting reflectors?
> 
> I've been on some rather serious reef and plant groups and I've never heard 
> anyone mention using mirror for lighting reflectors. Why is this? 
> It seems to me in larger setups, and (like marine) setups requiring high 
> amounts of lighting that this would be a perfect solution to lighting loss 
> due to degradation of reflected light.


One, the reflectivity of most mirrors is not as good as you might think. 
Many require a double pass through soda lime glass with serious loss of 
important red parts of the spectrum. [First-surface mirrors are fragile and 
hard to clean without damage.] Water-white glass like "Pyrex" is expensive 
and harder to cut, sometimes.

Two, is shape. The shape of a reflector is as important as absolute 
reflectivity. Flat mirrors would have to be cut into many long skinny strips 
to make an efficient reflector, and assembled at the proper angles between 
facets. Beveled cuts and assembly would be brutal.

Three, the resultant reflector would be very heavy when compared to "Miro" 
enhanced aluminum or "Silverbrite" materials.

Except for those, why not? ;-)

Wright

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Wright Huntley -- 209 521-0557 -- 731 Loletta Ave, Modesto CA 95351

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