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seeds Germination Box

Mylar...if it is the best, then isn't it worth $20 USD for a roll that is 25 feet long and 4' wide?

I use mylar and have it on the inside of my grow box. (grow box dimensions - 4' square and 6' tall). I used another roll for the back side of my grow area for seedlings...the grow area is 8 feet long...so for 40 bucks, I got a great reflective surface to improve the efficiency of my lighting...
 
MiLK_MaN- do you have your fan hooked in to a thermostat or is it wired in with the lights? Or are they both just on all the time? I'm going to be setting up a dedicated germ box soon rather than take up greenhouse space. I've already got a thermostatically controlled Hydrofarm heat mat, I'm still wondering how I'll incorporate a fan into the mix. I think rather than use an Action Packer I'll build a box using blueboard or styrofoam insulation though.

huntsman said:
Translation into small words please, Hinky...??:);)
Click to expand...

Translation- mirrors reflect light.

Most (not all) mirrors are made using the silver nitrate process and most (not all) mylar is made using aluminum. Sure, there are metal (and aluminum) 'mirrors' but they're not mirrors- they're simply polished sheetmetal. Those are not what I was referring to. If it's a glass mirror and it's not 50+ years old it's most likely been made with silver. Comparing the reflectivity of aluminum and silver on the chart in the span of the light spectrum that plants use (roughly 400nM to 700nM) I would hardly say that mirrors 'are one of the absolute worst reflective materials made in regards to plants.' Quite to the contrary because- shockingly- mirrors reflect light, and quite a lot of it.
As for the white paint- the pigment in housepaint is zinc oxide. Zinc has a reflectivity of 80% under optimal conditions- I'd guess that a flat zinc oxide would be even lower than that.
I didn't say glass mirrors were superior to mylar- I said that mirrors are cheap and readily available for scrounging. I can't recall the last time I saw a roll of mylar laying to the side at the dump but there's always a mirror or two laying there. Seeing as how MiLK_MaN appeared to be poor boying it with his germ box, I thought I'd offer to him the mirror option.

I'm fascinated at the theory that mirrors don't reflect... uh... light... :lol:
 
Hinky said:
Translation- mirrors reflect light.

Most (not all) mirrors are made using the silver nitrate process and most (not all) mylar is made using aluminum. Sure, there are metal (and aluminum) 'mirrors' but they're not mirrors- they're simply polished sheetmetal. Those are not what I was referring to. If it's a glass mirror and it's not 50+ years old it's most likely been made with silver. Comparing the reflectivity of aluminum and silver on the chart in the span of the light spectrum that plants use (roughly 400nM to 700nM) I would hardly say that mirrors 'are one of the absolute worst reflective materials made in regards to plants.' Quite to the contrary because- shockingly- mirrors reflect light, and quite a lot of it.
As for the white paint- the pigment in housepaint is zinc oxide. Zinc has a reflectivity of 80% under optimal conditions- I'd guess that a flat zinc oxide would be even lower than that.
I didn't say glass mirrors were superior to mylar- I said that mirrors are cheap and readily available for scrounging. I can't recall the last time I saw a roll of mylar laying to the side at the dump but there's always a mirror or two laying there. Seeing as how MiLK_MaN appeared to be poor boying it with his germ box, I thought I'd offer to him the mirror option.

I'm fascinated at the theory that mirrors don't reflect... uh... light... :lol:
Click to expand...

You may find that you're far out of date with your thinking on usable reflected light for plants.

When light reflects from a mirror, approximately 10% of the light is lost in it's travel from the rear reflective surface, through it's way back through the glass. This is a well known statistic in most lighting manuals.

The reflected light from bright, flat white paint is approximately 90%. Sorry, it's proven. Mylar, slightly higher in the mid 90% range.

Most commercial mirrors reflect about 70-75% of plant usable light, (red and blue spectrum).

They aren't worthless, and I didn't mean to make them sound that way, but simple flat white paint reflects better. Why would someone want to use something that reflects less, and is much easier to damage?

When I stated that mirrors were one of the worst reflective materials for plants, I should have made it clear that I meant when compared to Mylar or flat white paint, as well as common household foil and other colors of paint.

All of what I've said is fact that has already been proven. If you look it up in the proper texts, you'll find that I'm correct.

As for the "I'm fascinated at the theory that mirrors don't reflect... uh... light... :lol:", I didn't say that.

If mirrors are the only thing available and afforable, then spending the $5 on the flat white paint wouldn't be an option. I have trouble believing that somone can't come up with $5 for a quart of paint to have 20% better reflectivity.
 
I've used mirrors, Mylar, white paint, white cardboard from cases of beer - the 2 mil Mylar is by far. I got a 25' roll today for my Greenhouse wall.

Mike
 
Hi,

I have got a similar box, be abit smaller, and a CFL light instead, but think I may add a Fan also. Have a spare PC fan also, however I used a Boyonet cap lighting to a single power unit (two wires to the light from the power). I noticed the Fan also has two, can I daisy chain from the light socket to keep it on the same plug?

Thanks
 
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