Reflective material

[safeman]

here are the choices:
1) reflective material
2) black & white poly
3) block-IR- infared blockers
4) diamond foil
5) Orca - this is the best and most expensive
6) flat white paint

which one would you use ? leaning toward Orca ($60.00) the most expensive

understand that reflective material an increase yields by 10-15% Thoughts ?????

 

[TorturedSoul]

Three best choices, in order from best downwards, would be 5, 6 (or eggshell instead of flat, so you can clean it when needed), and 2.

In my mind, it's not a question of increasing yields, that's backwards (sort of). Like thinking that a certain type of spark plug will "increase" torque/power of one's engine. In this case, you start out with light-energy that you're paying for each month via the lighting device's electrical usage. You're already paying for 100% of its output - can't get better than that. If everything in your grow space (other than your plants) is 100% reflective to light, then you'd effectively be using 100% of the light-energy that your devices produce, because each photon would simply bounce around until it hits a plant. You won't see that; the closest you'll come will be the Orca Film. It's "pretty good," but even that isn't 100% reflective to light. It is still taking away something, so to speak.The percentage it removes (absorbs) is, in relative terms, negligible. But it isn't adding light-energy. Again, it is not a perfect (light-)reflector, but for rounding purposes, assign it a multiplier of one. Neutral.

Properly prepped, primed, and painted walls - using the brightest white you can source, titanium white, maybe, in the flattest finish you can live with - is up there, too, but it's still a slight negative, in relation to the Orca Film.

If you lack both time and money, choose #2. Or buy a grow tent, lol. Especially if you can find one that has white inner walls. That took a huge popularity hit... IDK, must have been 20+ years ago when at least one company screwed up and used cheap materials, then compounded the issue by not testing their products. In a move reminiscent of MiracleGro's bird seed product that contained bird poison ( ), they ended up designing, manufacturing, and selling grow tents - which off-gassed toxic fumes and killed plants.

Inconvenient, that.

HomeBOX still produces tents that have white inner walls. That company isn't a forum sponsor, though. But that isn't my fault .

 

[safeman]

Three best choices, in order from best downwards, would be 5, 6 (or eggshell instead of flat, so you can clean it when needed), and 2.

In my mind, it's not a question of increasing yields, that's backwards (sort of). Like thinking that a certain type of spark plug will "increase" torque/power of one's engine. In this case, you start out with light-energy that you're paying for each month via the lighting device's electrical usage. You're already paying for 100% of its output - can't get better than that. If everything in your grow space (other than your plants) is 100% reflective to light, then you'd effectively be using 100% of the light-energy that your devices produce, because each photon would simply bounce around until it hits a plant. You won't see that; the closest you'll come will be the Orca Film. It's "pretty good," but even that isn't 100% reflective to light. It is still taking away something, so to speak.The percentage it removes (absorbs) is, in relative terms, negligible. But it isn't adding light-energy. Again, it is not a perfect (light-)reflector, but for rounding purposes, assign it a multiplier of one. Neutral.

Properly prepped, primed, and painted walls - using the brightest white you can source, titanium white, maybe, in the flattest finish you can live with - is up there, too, but it's still a slight negative, in relation to the Orca Film.

If you lack both time and money, choose #2. Or buy a grow tent, lol. Especially if you can find one that has white inner walls. That took a huge popularity hit... IDK, must have been 20+ years ago when at least one company screwed up and used cheap materials, then compounded the issue by not testing their products. In a move reminiscent of MiracleGro's bird seed product that contained bird poison ( ), they ended up designing, manufacturing, and selling grow tents - which off-gassed toxic fumes and killed plants.

Inconvenient, that.

HomeBOX still produces tents that have white inner walls. That company isn't a forum sponsor, though. But that isn't my fault .

Well put - thanks Some years ago that a paint just for grow room wall (MonsterGardens) it did work quite well but company stopped making it (Guess it wasn't that good after all !!!!!!!) considering Orca film but it's expensive if not orca maybe a good paint ????????????? thanks for you info -Peace

 

[TorturedSoul]

I watched a video on YouTube that showed the usefulness of Orca Film in pretty graphic terms. Grow tent, bright light, guy on floor with PAR meter's sensor. Assistant hangs sheet of the stuff onto one wall, meter reading jumps. Assistant hangs sheet of the stuff onto second wall, meter takes another jump. Et cetera. Yes, it's expensive, especially when you factor in the shipping cost for a big roll. But probably worth it, if one can afford the buy in.

Paint can range from excellent all the way down to poor, depending on the materials used and the person doing the work. I suppose it can end up being kind of costly, too, if the person doesn't start out already owning drop cloth(s), tape, bucket, screen, roller, handle, roller pad(s), paint brush(es), et cetera. Of course, you can go on to use all that on the rest of your house, but still. I'm not a Sherwin Williams fan, but last time I checked, they had the brightest white around here. That was 15 years ago - and this is a small city - though, so things might be different now.

 

[safeman]

I watched a video on YouTube that showed the usefulness of Orca Film in pretty graphic terms. Grow tent, bright light, guy on floor with PAR meter's sensor. Assistant hangs sheet of the stuff onto one wall, meter reading jumps. Assistant hangs sheet of the stuff onto second wall, meter takes another jump. Et cetera. Yes, it's expensive, especially when you factor in the shipping cost for a big roll. But probably worth it, if one can afford the buy in.

Paint can range from excellent all the way down to poor, depending on the materials used and the person doing the work. I suppose it can end up being kind of costly, too, if the person doesn't start out already owning drop cloth(s), tape, bucket, screen, roller, handle, roller pad(s), paint brush(es), et cetera. Of course, you can go on to use all that on the rest of your house, but still. I'm not a Sherwin Williams fan, but last time I checked, they had the brightest white around here. That was 15 years ago - and this is a small city - though, so things might be different now.

Yea thanks !! Orca might be the way to go getting a new "board" the series 3 Red spec,, full spectrum, uv the 250 - I all ready have the series 2 Red spec ,ect You know up-gradeing^^^^^^^^ all the time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bobrown14]

Ceiling white paint.... we did a room with it. VERY reflective. Cheap enough and can paint over it easily.