Re: [APD] AHSUPPLY's Reflectors

["S. Hieber" <shieber at yahoo_com>]

Shape is one thing, refelctdive material another. Each can
be tested independent of the other for variations. Then the
nubmers will tell you what combinations are worth which
effort :-)

sh
--- Vaughn Hopkins <hoppy1 at surewest_net> wrote:

> To be honest about it, I started my project to build a
> light fixture 
> with the idea of saving money over buying something like
> the AH system. 
>   And, I might possibly do so, but it will be less than
> $10 saved.  Now 
> it is just a fun project, with the added bonus of
> avoiding the $20 per 
> bulb cost for CF replacement bulbs.  The percentage  of
> light lost to 
> reflection at the water surface, reflection from the
> cover glass, and 
> absorption by the water and cover glass will be the same
> for any light 
> system, so that doesn't enter into it.  The reflection
> losses at the 
> reflector surfaces will be greater than with AH's
> excellent reflector, 
> but now I am wondering why not use actual glass mirror
> strips for the 
> reflector - that should get closer to the AH
> reflectivity.  So, for me, 
> this hobby is about the fun of DIY as well as the fun of
> growing 
> beautiful plants.  Being retired gives me the time for
> this, and it 
> does keep me out of trouble!
> 
> On Wednesday, February 9, 2005, at 08:29 AM, Liz W wrote:
> 
> > On Wed, 9 Feb 2005 07:11:19 -0800, Vaughn Hopkins 
> > <hoppy1 at surewest_net> wrote:
> >> I don't have one of AH's reflectors, but from their
> website it seems
> >> that they consist of flat surfaces, not a parabolic
> surface.  So, 
> >> there
> >> is no exact focal point.  I am going to make a version
> of what it
> >> appears to be, using wood and aluminum or stainless
> steel tape as the
> >> reflective surface (J.C.Whitney has stainless steel
> tape), and use it
> >> for a set of three parallel T8 bulbs.  I think I can
> increase the 
> >> light
> >> output from the two outer bulbs in the set by as much
> as 50% over what
> >> a single white painted flat surface behind the bulbs
> would give.  This
> >> will be a subjective experiment since I have no means
> of actually
> >> measuring the light.  With any reflector  you can just
> look at the
> >> light and if you see a nearly uniform, but wide area
> of light you are
> >> successful to some degree.  (Plus, look at all the fun
> you get by 
> >> doing
> >> it this way!)
> >
> > IIRC, the beginning of this thread was someone asking a
> question as to
> > whether installing these reflectors was a good way to
> raise light
> > levels vs. investing in different bulbs, etc.  I have
> an AHS retrofit
> > kit installed and like it quite a bit.
> >
> > Their reflectors appear to be flat surface
> approximations of a
> > parabolic surface.  I have no doubt that measuring
> output with your
> > eye, or at a particularly wavelength through a
> detector, will show
> > increased light levels.  What I do doubt is that after
> the light
> > travels through 1 or 2 reflective surfaces (the surface
> of water in a
> > tank and a glass cover if one is in place) that the
> light intensity
> > will be much greater at a 3" water depth than it would
> be with a
> > cheap, rectangular reflector.  Better?  Probably. 
> Enough better to
> > make a difference in plant growth?  Don't know but I'd
> lean towards
> > not a whole lot.  As much difference in plant growth as
> installing
> > better lights? I really doubt it.
> >
> > Liz
> > _______________________________________________
> > Aquatic-Plants mailing list
> > Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
> > http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo/aquatic-plants
> >
> 
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> 


=====
Christel Kasselmann, 
author of the best current authoritative text on aquatic plants 
will be a featured speaker at 
The Northeast Council of Aquarium Societies 30th Annual Convention.
March 18-20, 2005 at the Marriott Hotel, Farmington, CT
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