What is a grow reflector

A reflector is one of the most important elements of a lighting kit for indoor cultivation. Also, It has the primary function of redirecting the light of the lamp of your cultivation so that the plants can take advantage of as many lumens as possible.

Using reflectors you will get a better development of your plants and a better harvest.

How a grow light reflector works

The foundation of its usefulness lies in the effect it produces on photons. Light is made up of photons they are electromagnetic waves and particles and they travel in straight lines. When they touch an object, they bounce off different directions and with different intensity, depending on the characteristics of these surfaces. Using reflectors, you will be able to control the direction of the photons and direct them to where you are most interested.

Depending on the surface on which the light is reflected, the type of reflection will be different. If the surface is uneven and unpolished, the reflection will be scattered. If, on the other hand, the surface is polished, the photons will be reflected in it and the effect will be doubled. Lastly, if the surface is pockmarked with dimples, the photons will bounce in many directions creating diffuse light which helps light penetrate the lower leaves of the plant, taking better advantage of the light, increasing photosynthesis and improving the result of the crop.

What types of reflectors exist?

Most of the reflectors have been created to work with horizontal lamps, although we must know that you can also work with lamps vertically. In addition, there are reflectors of different technologies and shapes, but these can be divided mainly into two large groups: open reflectors and open reflectors. closed.

What differentiates one reflector from another?

OPEN REFLECTORS

They are those most common and oldest reflectors. They are made up of an aluminum reflective plate and a E40 lamp holder. These reflectors open up the light spectrum to expand the growing area even more and concentrate more lumens to be more efficient and increase production. They are available in both smooth and stucco finishes.

CLOSED REFLECTORS

The closed or refrigerated reflectors are the most used in summer or in very hot places. Your goal is control the temperature to avoid excessive temperatures. This type of reflectors "isolate" the lamp from the crop. These reflectors have ventilation ducts to extract the temperature directly from the reflector.

How to choose a reflector for each case

As we have seen, there are an infinity of reflectors of all kinds on the market, so choosing one or another will depend on the needs of each grower and his cultivation. Therefore, we must look for the reflector that best suits our demands, always taking into account the dimensions of our crop.

Comparison of reflectors for indoor cultivation

OPEN REFLECTORS

We classify them as follows:

• Smooth mirror reflector: Efficient and economical. In addition, due to its size and design, it is perfect for crops up to 1.2 m2 where a 600 watt lamp is used. It is used in small crops and located on small plants, since they do not produce diffused light for the lower leaves.
• Stucco reflector: They are made of aluminum and have a granulated finish, which increases the diffuse light that favors photosynthesis in the lower leaves of the plant and, therefore, the harvest result
• Double Parabola or Gull Wing Reflector: They are characterized by having a kind of wings on the sides which can be adjusted to open or close the beam of light according to the dimensions of your cultivation.

CLOSED REFLECTORS

We classify them as follows:

• Cooltube: This reflector stabilizes the temperature of the crop and prevents you from having to worry about the heat it radiates. Thanks to this type of reflectors, you can bring the spotlights a little closer to the plants. You will need to extract the heat through the reflector.
• Encapsulated reflector: They are closed reflectors with a thermal glass in the lower part. Their internal structure allows an excellent extraction of the air without it remaining stagnant inside, favoring the cooling of the lamp.

Now that you know a little more about the characteristics of reflectors, find the one you need for your crop at ours.