When there isn?t enough light in a grow room, plants will make desperate attempts to reach it. Unfortunately, not all have tendrils by which they can survive such unfortunate situations, a process usually referred to as phototropism.
The little light that manages to sneaks its way through into an organic garden is never enough. So, as a homesteading enthusiast, you have to help your leafy friends acquire this vital necessity through every means possible. You can use grow lights for weeds or you can have a look with this article.
White SurfacesIncrease reflectivity by painting the grow room?s walls, ceiling and even its floor with flat, white, latex paint. The more surfaces that kind of paint covers, the more the plants will benefit. If the paint covers the wall opposite a window in front of which plants sit, then light from the window will reflect off that wall and onto the plants? side that faces the wall, but the wall won?t reflect light onto the plants? other sides or top. When the room?s back wall, side walls and ceiling are painted with flat, white, latex paint, most of the plants? foliage will receive reflected light. If you don?t want to paint the floor, then slide a large piece of white poster board under the plant pots or plant stands to reflect light onto the plants? low leaves. Paint with a lot of white pigment reflects more light than paint with less white pigment. Determine a paint?s reflection rate by checking its label for a light reflectance value. Paint with a high light reflectance value reflects more light than paint with a low light reflectance value.
MylarSliver Mylar is maybe the most common grow room reflective material that usually comes in 1 mm or 2 mm thick sheets and reflects more than 95% of the light that hits that surface. This material is fairly inexpensive and it comes either in flat roll form or pre-made sheets that you can stick to your walls. There are various versions of this material that you can get but the best ones are those that have some kind of a texture that will help with light reflection and will stop wrinkles from forming. Regular mylar sheets are usually very fragile and any damage to them can result in bends and folds that tend to concentrate light in one spot and if that happens near your plant then it can get heat damage.
FoylonFoylon is another very popular choice to go with when it comes to reflective surfaces for marijuana grow rooms. Now, this stuff looks more or less the exact same as mylar, but there are some key differences.
In terms of light reflection, Foylon will reflect between 95% and 100% of light, which is of course very good. Also, just like mylar, it does also produce a lot of radiant heat due to such a high amount of reflection, so you do also need good ventilation when using this stuff.
The big difference is that Foylon is made to be much more durable. It?s a bit thicker and much more resistant to tearing and ripping, thus also making it significantly more expensive than mylar.
BLACK & WHITE FOIL (PANDA FOIL/PLASTIC)Cheaper overall than Mylar, while still offering similar levels of light reflection, ?panda? plastic gets its name from the black on one side and white on the other. The white should always face inwards (towards your cannabis plants), while the black stops any outside light from getting in.
Black/White Poly Panda Film can be fixed in place, either using staples, nails, or tape we mentioned earlier. The only issue with this material is that it?s plastic. That means, if it is placed too close to your lights, it can melt. Melted plastic is not a good reflector!
Best Grow Light Reflector Tent
iPower 4’x4′ Hydroponic Mylar Grow Tent
Make your life easier by investing in a grow tent that is already installed with a reflective material instead of having to install them separately. This hydroponic tent is one of the best examples, which already comes with a Mylar sheet on its interior walls.
With a size of 44 feet, this is 99% light-proof. This means that it is protected from the external environment, making it possible to maintain the condition that is ideal for the growth of plants, especially when it comes to its lighting requirements. It has double stitches and premium zippers that will prevent the penetration of light from the outside.
It is also a good thing that there is an observation window. This makes it easy to monitor the condition of the plants without the need to open the door.
In terms of construction, the best 44 grow tent comes with heavy-duty poles that stand upright and can be able to withstand the test of time. Inside the tent, there is also a removable water-resistant cover. Plus, there is a convenient organization bag for keeping the tools handy.
Lastly, the tent comes with a one-year warranty from the manufacturer.
Additional Grow Room Reflective Material TipsThere are a couple of other things to consider when adding a reflective material to your grow space. Reflected light is most effective in close proximity to plants. This is one time when ?roomy? isn?t an advantage. If the airflow is good, the closer the plants are to the reflective material, the more they?ll benefit. Remember the inverse square law.
Installation planning is another important consideration. Reflective films like Mylar should hang smooth and wrinkle free. Ripples and wrinkles are what cause hot spots, and even minor imperfections like scratches and small tears can have negative consequences. If you?re looking for an easier way to install these types of materials, try using adhesive hook-and-loop tape.
