# DIY Light Uppgrade



## Jnad (Aug 17, 2012)

I forgot to say, the plant are pearling like mad

I also have one question, should i be afraid of a algae explosion? Should i reduce the light time?

The new lamp has an increase of 7W, but the lamp itself is also more effective i think, the old lamp was spilling mutch more light in to the room.

Jnad


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## Jnad (Aug 17, 2012)

Hello!

Do you think i need to run the CO2 with this light? 

Jnad


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## Michael T (Jan 1, 2013)

Very cool DIY light idea.

As for Co2 I have zero experience, wish I could help.

Tank is looking great btw.


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## Fiftymeatballs (Mar 30, 2011)

Just a word of advice, the tinfoil acts more as a diffuser of your light source spreading it all over randomly based on the crinkling. It's not creating an even source of light within the tank. If you are not going to use a real reflector(a curved smooth surface) that concentrates your 360 degree light into around a 32 degree spread in the tank you are better off without the tinfoil and just using a matte white paint as a bounce. This is not a huge deal but if your looking for the highest PAR and you have a light meter you will find better results with white paint over tinfoil.


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## anastasisariel (Oct 4, 2009)

Very cool. Yeah if that is foil, you could replace it with mylar maybe? Seems like a mirror would be amazing?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Aluminum foil is a better reflector than white paint, not by much, but it is still better. And, it is also a better reflector than aluminized mylar, at least better than typical aluminized mylar, which allows some light to pass through it. It looks like you have plenty of light, and if your plants are pearling that is pretty good proof that you have enough light. CO2 is very good for any planted tank, with any light level. If you use pressurized CO2, and maintain the same concentration of CO2 in the water every day, day after day, you should have a better chance of avoiding algae problems.


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## Fiftymeatballs (Mar 30, 2011)

Crinkled up foil is not better in my opinion, you can argue a flat sheet is. It's reflecting light all over the place randomly when crinkled up. Giving an uneven spread of light. In this setup the foil may not be an issue what so ever but for people trying to get the most out of their lighting you would be surprised how efficient a white bounce is for casting an even source of light into your tank.

Hoppy what's is your avatar ? It has always freaked me out lol.


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## Jnad (Aug 17, 2012)

Hoppy said:


> Aluminum foil is a better reflector than white paint, not by much, but it is still better. And, it is also a better reflector than aluminized mylar, at least better than typical aluminized mylar, which allows some light to pass through it. It looks like you have plenty of light, and if your plants are pearling that is pretty good proof that you have enough light. CO2 is very good for any planted tank, with any light level. If you use pressurized CO2, and maintain the same concentration of CO2 in the water every day, day after day, you should have a better chance of avoiding algae problems.


Yes all the plants is pearling, the water collumn is full of small bubbles from the pearling, and it looks like there is small streams of bubbles rising from the substrate on several places. It looks like plenty of light, i guess it might be enough with any type of reflector material

I run only DIY CO2, i would like to run without CO2 but i am afraid that the light is too strong, i started the CO2 only beacuse of the stronger light.

Jnad


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## Jnad (Aug 17, 2012)

Thanks for your inputs about the reflector material, and for liking the light fixure off course

It is easy to take out the foil so i can test if the white colored vent duckt is better or worse.

I found some opinions about reflectors in the hydrophonic departement, i dont know if the same rules goes in planted tanks though:

https://www.icmag.com/modules/Tutorials/Lighting/1486.htm
http://www.simplyhydro.com/best_reflective_film.htm

Jnad


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## Fiftymeatballs (Mar 30, 2011)

Great article. Since your doing a DIY fixture I figured white paint is the most reasonably priced option. I painted the hood of my tank flat white since the light was reflecting off the wood and turning my tank an ugly yellow color.

Quick question, is the duct material you used flame retardant?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Fiftymeatballs said:


> Crinkled up foil is not better in my opinion, you can argue a flat sheet is. It's reflecting light all over the place randomly when crinkled up. Giving an uneven spread of light. In this setup the foil may not be an issue what so ever but for people trying to get the most out of their lighting you would be surprised how efficient a white bounce is for casting an even source of light into your tank.
> 
> Hoppy what's is your avatar ? It has always freaked me out lol.


My avatar is what I see every morning when I shave (I don't deny that my vision ain't what it used to be.)

A few years ago I did some tests using various materials for a reflector, expecting to prove how superior mylar is. To my surprise, my ordinary aluminum foil was best, white paint second best, and mylar third best. My aluminum foil was not smooth, but also not totally crinkled. As long as the surface of the aluminum is approximately flat, it works fine. It makes a terrible mirror, but all it takes to spoil a mirror is very minute off axis reflections, far less than one degree off. For a light reflector, we don't need a mirror surface, we just need the light to reflect into the tank. I have also found that aluminum sheet material, probably sold for flashings, makes a very good reflector without even polishing it. This is theoretically the case too - aluminum inherently reflects a high percentage of the incident light, unlike most metals. That is why telescope mirrors are aluminized for optimum reflection, along with the fact that aluminum reflects the whole spectrum from IR thru UV very well.


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## Jnad (Aug 17, 2012)

Hello again!

i dont know if foil is the same product all over the world, the foil we have here in Norway have one shiny and one more deffuse side. i have used the most shiny side (the left pice), here is a couple of pictures of the different sides:


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Other people have noticed that the amount of light reflected doesn't change enough to notice when you use the dull side of aluminum foil - I think all aluminum foil has a dull side. Again, a mirror is not what we need for our reflectors. We just need a reflector that redirects the light into our tank. Slight "errors" in the direction of some of the light rays is of no concern for our *reflectors*, but make a *mirror* completely unusable for shaving or looking at traffic on the road behind us. This is also why white paint is such a good *reflector*, even though it is utterly useless as a *mirror*.


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## boxhead1990 (Aug 29, 2011)

I used disposable shiny baking trays for mine

Works a treat


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## Jnad (Aug 17, 2012)

Some algae (green) is starting to show on some plants. I am considering to stop the DIY CO2 beacuse of possible PH fluctations , or cut down on the light hours.

Any suggestions is appriciated?

Jnad


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

i'm not at all sure how much light you have, so it is hard to guess what you need to do now. Since you are getting good pearling you almost certainly have medium to high light, and for that you do need CO2 to avoid lots of algae problems. DIY CO2 is better with low light, where the fluctuations in CO2 bubble rate don't have as much of a negative effect for algae. I think you need to either reduce the light intensity or start using pressurized CO2.


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## Jnad (Aug 17, 2012)

Thanks!

I certenly dont want to go pressurized, i have now done some changes hoping the increased algae growth will back of:

I have removed the reflector, i know that white colored vent duct also is reflective but the light actually look a little dimmer. The vent duct white color is not glossy so i hope removing the reflector helps.

I have also stopped running DIY CO2.

The result after one day is less pearling, the plants is still pearling but not so intens. 

The tank is looking healthy so i cross my fingers enjoying the tank with a cold bear Time will tell , i post any changes.

Jnad


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## boxhead1990 (Aug 29, 2011)

It's unusual when my plants in my nano started pearling before I put the diy c02 on that tank

But it's still cool haha


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## Jnad (Aug 17, 2012)

Less pearling now, but there is some, maybe the DSB doing something, i dont know.

There is no increased algae growth but no deacreased either The duckweed is multiplying and blocking some light, hope that will reduce algae.

Jnad


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## Matsnork (Jun 3, 2013)

If you get bored with cfl you should try converting your light to led. I found plenty of led replacement bulbs online for cheap.


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## Jnad (Aug 17, 2012)

Matsnork said:


> If you get bored with cfl you should try converting your light to led. I found plenty of led replacement bulbs online for cheap.


Hello!

I have run this tank with led replacement bulbs from ebay beafore, it looks very nice, but i find the CFL to have better colors
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=277946&highlight=

jnad


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