DIY Reflector Material?

[gallivanmk]

I'm sure there's info. on this somewhere, but the search tool was broken.

Basically the canopy I have (and bought off someone else) has a retrofit kit with two 400w MH and two 5' actinic VHOs (one in front of the MHs and one behind) with a single teeny tiny reflector. The relector is 5' long and maybe hangs down 2" on the front and back. The MHs do not have individual reflectors and there's probably only 3-4" of room on either side before you would be putting something in front of the actinic VHO. As you can imagine, the short front and back of the reflector that is there comes nowhere close to be as long or longer than the the MHs and light is going all over the place up there.

What I think would be the most simple is to just add reflective metal sheeting of some kind to the front and back of the current reflector that is a longer length and will direct the light down into the tank better. Any thoughts on what material to use for this? So far my searches have not turned up any great solutions on where to find just the metal used for reflectors instead of full-on lighting kits, etc.

I guess I could just use something that would only block light from hitting at the front/back of the hood and tank, but that seems like a waste.

 

[gallivanmk]

The other option which may be easier is to find a reflector that would be easy to chop up and fit to my current set-up

 

[bhbell]

I made some MH reflectors out of a "Sola Tube" that I found on the Mark down rack at Home Depot. Used tin snips, pop rivets, a couple of 1x4 scraps and "C" clamps as a break, and a pattern from a DIY post on RC. Just using a sheet of shiny doesn't improve things much if you don't get it focused where it's needed. When I researched mine all those years ago, it seems like semi gloss white paint was almost as effective as shiny when talking about a flat surface.

Sent from my VK815 using Tapatalk

 

[mfinn]

I also used the solar ( sola?) tube from HD to make diy mh reflectors.
The pattern was fashioned after the lumenarc design.
There were plans floating around the internet and here on RC for a while.
Using these plans you could make just about any size reflector you needed.
I made one that was 20" wide x 30" long.
I can't find the actual set of plans, but there is a you tube video that will give a idea.

Search you tube for:
DIY Lumenarc Metal Halide Reflectors for the 150 Acrylic Build

 

[laverda]

I have a new MH retrofit fixture you might be able to make fit. I will have to check but it is set up for PC or T5 bulbs also. I dont have the ballasts for it, so Iwould sell it cheap, say $70.

 

[gallivanmk]

Thanks for the info on the solatube.

Laverda, sent you a pm.