roarke wrote:How is your homemade reflector ?
Homemade reflector is a piece of corrugated cardboard 12 inches by 19 3/4 inches. It is covered in heavy duty aluminum foil on both sides. There are two 1 1/8 inch diameter holes cut in the middle 10 inches apart and about 5 inches from each end. The purpose is to maximize the light hitting your plants and minimize the light escaping upwards.
To assemble, you need 2 100 W equivalent Daylight LED bulbs, 2 cord and plug assemblies, (or DIY equivalent) and the reflector. The sockets go on the reflector's back side, the light-bulbs screw in from the front side, and you're all set.
The internal dimension of a 10 gallon aquarium frame is about 9 3/4 inches by 19 3/4 inches. Gently bend the reflector assembly into an arched shape, looking like the old fashioned military Quonset hut barracks. The foil covered cardboard reflector fits perfectly into the inside aquarium frame. The LED light-bulbs generate very little heat, so no fire danger is posed to the cardboard. Notice that the ends of the arch are open, allowing air circulation and heat escape.
A person should not do any electrical work without a thorough understanding of the risks, dangers, and hazards, involved. They should follow all applicable laws, codes, and statutes. Blah, blah, blah, don't sue me if something goes wrong. This post is for informational purposes only.
I attached a couple mediocre pictures to show what the completed setup looks like. Go ahead and laugh.... It works. It currently sits on a 10 gallon tank lighting 2 one gallon pots of Drosera regia seedlings that I am slowly acclimating to real world conditions.
Here is one possible light socket, cord, switch, plug, assembly:
socket/cord/switch/plug assembly
Good growing,
Mike
Reflector with one lamp removed to show detail. Reflector 1.JPG (148.02 KiB) Viewed 6079 times
End view showing arched appearance. Reflector 2.JPG (99.73 KiB) Viewed 6079 times
Low angle side view. Reflector 3.JPG (148.5 KiB) Viewed 6079 times