Why not use mirrors as aquarium bottoms and backs?

[FlyPenFly]

It seems like instead of wasting the energy into heat with black backs, it would make a lot more sense if the back of the aquarium had a mirror to reflect back light on to every surface of the coral to encourage 360 polyps growth.

For those not running T5 or strip LED setups, it's a struggle to get the surrounding enveloping light that can avoid shadows and consequently polyp die off is always a struggle.

Another benefit is that you get more viewing area if your aquarium back is to a wall. I've always been curious what my aquarium looks like from that angle.

If you run bare bottom setups, a mirror on the bottom would also help with polyps underside that never got light.

 

[Travis Rohrbach]

That could be interesting

 

[davidfrances]

I tried this about 20 years ago with mirror tiles on a Oceanic 58. The reflection tormented my tusk and several other territorial fish. I suspect the reflection disoriented the fish as well. I never liked it the look and removed it.

 

[Reef Frog]

Plus with a back mirror you would be looking at yourself & the other side of the room, kind of like a carnival funhouse.

As for reflecting useful light, a white background reflects far more light than a conventional mirror.

 

[FlyPenFly]

As for reflecting useful light, a white background reflects far more light than a conventional mirror.

Is that really true?

 

[mattvisocky2003]

They really reflect close to the same amount of light, but a mirror or polished metal reflects directionally while a white background fragments the light everywhere. Also I think mirrors contain aluminum oxide, silver, etc and may be kind of risky.

 

[Dissy]

It seems like instead of wasting the energy into heat with black backs, it would make a lot more sense if the back of the aquarium had a mirror to reflect back light on to every surface of the coral to encourage 360 polyps growth.

For those not running T5 or strip LED setups, it's a struggle to get the surrounding enveloping light that can avoid shadows and consequently polyp die off is always a struggle.

Another benefit is that you get more viewing area if your aquarium back is to a wall. I've always been curious what my aquarium looks like from that angle.

If you run bare bottom setups, a mirror on the bottom would also help with polyps underside that never got light.

Ever held a mirror up to a semi/aggressive fish? It ticks them off and stresses the crud out of them.

 

[FlyPenFly]

They really reflect close to the same amount of light, but a mirror or polished metal reflects directionally while a white background fragments the light everywhere. Also I think mirrors contain aluminum oxide, silver, etc and may be kind of risky.

I think you can just mount it on the outside.

 

[xrayjeeper83]

It would have to be easily removable so you can keep coraline from growing on the back glass like usual

 

[SpartaReef]

Your fish would die from stress

 

[EnderG60]

because fish will fight with their reflections, and you still have to keep it super clean.

 

[mm949]

it would give your girlfriend a reason to look at the tank..lol

 

[Timfish]

If it's light reflection you want inside the tank just keep your glass clean. Just like the mirror effect when you look at the inside side of the DT from the front, the insides have near 100% reflecton of the light coming down from the surface.

 

[Epicreefer]

It would be interesting on a coral only tank. Anything other than schooling fish will stress them out. It's actually a trick to introduce a new tank mate with aggressive fish, say add a yellow tang to a purple tangs tank, to put up a mirror for a week. The purple tang is so obsessed with his reflection, the bigger opponent, he doesnt pick on the yellow and becomes used to it.

 

[FlyPenFly]

It would be interesting on a coral only tank. Anything other than schooling fish will stress them out. It's actually a trick to introduce a new tank mate with aggressive fish, say add a yellow tang to a purple tangs tank, to put up a mirror for a week. The purple tang is so obsessed with his reflection, the bigger opponent, he doesnt pick on the yellow and becomes used to it.

Hah. Neat idea.

 

[Spirofucci]

Hmmmm? Good question really. A long time ago I had a couple of fw tanks with mirrored backs. I liked the look and the fish seemed to get bored or used the the mirror after a while. I assume the same would be true for SW but not sure?

Just like a large mirror in a room gives the perception of depth, the same is true in a tank.

 

[jimmyj7090]

Some relevant reading;
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/5/equipment

 

[Reef Frog]

They really reflect close to the same amount of light, but a mirror or polished metal reflects directionally while a white background fragments the light everywhere. Also I think mirrors contain aluminum oxide, silver, etc and may be kind of risky.

Correct...polished metal like aluminum or Mylar is the most reflective material you can use. Quality light fixture manufacturers use it it their reflectors of course.

Bright white will reflect more light than a standard bathroom or household mirror. By how much I'm not sure. Probably doesn't make a practical difference on most reef tanks. And a white background might not be visually appealing. This has been documented in publications for greenhouse growers & indoor gardeners with light meters.

 

[hilgert]

Our systems are basically "light pipes". Much more of the light stays "in" the tank then actually "leaks out" the sides, but only once it hits the water (prior to hitting the water surface, while still in the air, it's the inverse square effect). Of course water clarity and such are important, but removing those, what light actually enters the water goes further than might seem obvious.

There was a discussion on this a long time ago that I spent some time digging up again...I have included the link below. Sometimes we get caught up in what SEEMS obvious that we ignore the physics...and the link below describes some of that.

If this seems counterintuitive, then consider fiber optic cable. The light heading down those "pipes" does not escape, and there is NO reflective material on the outside of the cable...it just bounces off the sides. Anything that "escapes" the sides of the cable is due to imperfections in the glass used. Similarly, our tanks are like fiber optic cables (the "same enough" material for this discussion).

Anyway, read the contents of the link...it's very old, but physics is physics...that really does not change much.

http://www.thekrib.com/Lights/depth.html

 

[hilgert]

Also, using the fiber optic cable example, if the medium is pure there is no reason light could not travel a very long way. In our systems, in water, it's the same...which is why many people who don't use carbon, and then one day drop a load in, see dramatic results within a day (or even hours), and often times bleach their corals with the sudden increase in light transmitted.