Reflector on a T8, Worth it?

[jawnroot]

I have a dual-bulb 2' T8 (ie: tubular fluorescent) that I put together last year from one of those unwired lighting kits you'd find in a hardware store. It doesn't have a reflector.

I was thinking about adding one, but figured it would probably be a waste of time, given the low intensity a 20 watt T8 tube throws to begin with. In other words, any reflected light would probably be about worthless.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

the non-gloss side of white poster paper has good reflection and is cheap enough to throw in the creek if you don't like the results

 

[mpd]

Your prospects are governed by some rules that are non-negotiable. The reflective surface provides the opportunity to bounce the light at a right angle to the contact angle (incidence angle). When the light from the T-8 travels a total distance of say 5" its power is the square root of the wattage amount at a distance equal to about 1" away. White coated reflectors don't really reflect, the diffuse the light, bouncing it all over the place but are not true reflectors as we like to think of them. If you need to get the maximum sunshine out of those T-8s and that leads you to conclude you need a reflector, going halfway won't avail you the same level of utils as the true reflector. You'll have the same effort putting in either one, so you might as get the benefits while and where you can...

 

[jawnroot]

Your prospects are governed by some rules that are non-negotiable. The reflective surface provides the opportunity to bounce the light at a right angle to the contact angle (incidence angle). When the light from the T-8 travels a total distance of say 5" its power is the square root of the wattage amount at a distance equal to about 1" away. White coated reflectors don't really reflect, the diffuse the light, bouncing it all over the place but are not true reflectors as we like to think of them. If you need to get the maximum sunshine out of those T-8s and that leads you to conclude you need a reflector, going halfway won't avail you the same level of utils as the true reflector. You'll have the same effort putting in either one, so you might as get the benefits while and where you can...

Well, that was unnecessarily thick, but I do appreciate the feedback. :smile: I only use the thing for seedlings, clones, and mothers, so I don't need every last drop of photosynthetic energy. And diffuse light is just fine for me, eliminates hot spots, etc. And you know what they say, 90% reflectivity is 90% reflectivity is 90% reflectivity.

Eh, I dunno, I'm still back and fourth. I grew basil with this light with a fair measure of success, without reflector. Also, having no reflector does offer the advantage of letting plants grow up along side the tubes. Hmm. More thinking needs to be done.

 

[Tony Danza]

It's probably a wash either way. A t8 is such low intensity that the reflected light won't be all that great, but it will be more than nothing, but not much more.

 

[I N Hail]

YEh any reflection better than none i use one if for anything to keep
from blinding me while i'm trying to look at my girls.

 

[rochester]

Use the alum tape on the bulb itself... just be sure and line it up with the pins so it is on top.

Sticky side to the bulb is fine.

 

[magiccannabus]

The Lord is my reflector

 

[jawnroot]

The Lord is my reflector

Indeed.

 

[Ponder]

I am got some cheap reflectors from the reefkeeping guys and it makes a visable difference.