Reflector

Cultivate under reflector

What's the purpose of a reflector?

In order to get the most out of the light emitted by the bulb, it is essential to use a reflector. Its role is to concentrate the light emitted by the bulb towards your plants.
The reflector will also allow you to distribute the light over the whole of your crop.

How to choose your reflector?

There are different types of reflectors to choose from depending on your growing space, your budget, the bulb used and your needs.
It is possible to separate them into two distinct families: open and closed reflectors.

It is advisable to invest in a quality reflector if you want to obtain good crops and a good yield. But when you start out in indoor cultivation it is not always easy to know what to choose in the face of so many choices.
We will try to explain the differences in order to help you in your choice.

First of all, in order to diffuse the light more efficiently and uniformly, it is advisable to choose a reflector with a hammered coating, if you use a light bulb HPS or MHA smooth coating will create hot spots. Conversely, if you use bulbs of the type CFLA smooth coating may be suitable, as CFL gives off very little heat.
It is also mandatory that your growing area be lined with a reflective coating such as Mylar or Orca so that light reflection is optimal and luminous flux losses minimal.

Hammered coating Smooth coating

The open reflector :

This type of reflector is generally much more affordable than a closed reflector. Open reflectors are generally light, practical and easy to install, which is why many beginners in indoor culture choose this cheaper alternative.
On the other hand, they are open at the sides and therefore let light escape that cannot be absorbed by your plants. On the other hand, the fact that the reflector is open allows your plants to directly absorb the light emitted by the bulb.

Advantages of an open reflector:
Generally affordable
No loss of lumens
Easy to install
Possibility to change the bulb more easily
Light and convenient

>>> Discover the range Adjust A Wing
>>> Discover our range of reflectors for CFL lamps
>>> Discover our range of parabolic reflectors

Reflector closed :

If you are having problems regulating the temperature in your grow room because of too much heat emitted by your lamp, then the closed reflector is probably the solution for you.
Indeed the closed reflectors are hermetically sealed by a glass pane which allows you to reduce the heat emission of the lamp within your growing room.
This type of reflector imposes a loss of light intensity due to the glass, but this loss is compensated by the fact that a closed reflector can be brought closer to your plants without the risk of burning them.
Also, they are generally equipped with openings on the sides to place a sheath and extract the heat emitted by the lamp.

Advantages of a closed reflector:
Diffuses and emits less heat in your grow
room Can be brought closer to your plants without the risk of burning
them Uniform light distribution Safe
aspect thanks to the glass Easy
cleaning (it is necessary to clean the glass once a month)

Understanding luminous flux and airflow within a closed reflector :

>>> Discover the range of cooltube reflectors
>>> Discover the range of glazed and ventilated reflectors

>>> Discover all our reflector range !

Understanding light distribution:

There are many different reflectors, each of which has a specific shape.
The shape and the coating used determine the distribution of light.
The diagrams below will help you to understand the light distribution, here in lumens, according to different types of reflectors :

Light distribution with open reflectors :

Light distribution with closed reflectors :

Tips to know:

  • The closer the reflector is located to the bulb, the more efficient it will be.
  • The larger the growing area, the wider the reflector should be.
  • Adjustable reflectors are available to adapt to different crop sizes.
  • Beyond 2m2, a growing area requires two bulbs. There are reflectors for one bulb but also for two bulbs in order to have more light in a large space.
  • In a large space, the use of a reflector on a moving rail is recommended to even out the distribution of light over your entire crop, thus avoiding hot spots.
  • Make sure that the reflector chosen is compatible with the bulb used: not all bulbs can fit on all reflectors







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