Diy light diffuser questions

[Tathamet]

Hi everyone,

So I have a big sheet of micro prisma light diffuser that I want to try to add to my AI Prime HD and am looking for some opinions on the matter.

My first question is how far should the diffuser be from the bottom of the light or does that not matter too much as long as the heat can escape?

My second question is about the shroud.
I have some left over PVC X sheet (basically pvc pumped full of air bubbles. Like an aero chocolate bar) from a snake rack build that my brother and I worked on years ago. I figure I can cut this and heat/bend it around the light with some dado cuts to hold the diffuser in.

Would it be beneficial to line the inner sides with Mylar or Panda film (I have tons left over from an indoor garden build) to help reflect some of that light off the new black shroud?

for now I will probably just cut the diffuser and hang it with some twist ties or paper clips or something to do some testing but would love to hear some opinions before I do the full build.

let me know what you think.

thanks,
Al

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

I never understood the need for a light diffuser for Aquarium LED’s. Any top, including screens is going to diffuse the light. Water is an excellent diffuser, add for motion to the surface, equals an increase to diffusion. Isn’t the whole purpose of the lights is to get the most PAR, to the bottom of the tank?

 

[Tathamet]

I never understood the need for a light diffuser for Aquarium LED’s. Any top, including screens is going to diffuse the light. Water is an excellent diffuser, add for motion to the surface, equals an increase to diffusion. Isn’t the whole purpose of the lights is to get the most PAR, to the bottom of the tank?

Honestly it’s more for aesthetics for me to help reduce the disco affect and also to help get rid of a bit of sharp shadowing.

as for par I believe I should have room for adjustment. From what I’ve read the high par areas would lower but the low par areas raise. It evens out the spread. My tank is shallow. about 11-12” to the sand bed from the water line. I can either lower my light a bit or raise the output to compensate for loss on the high par areas.

I don’t use a screen or top and sure the water diffuses it, but not as evenly as I’d like.

it kinda gives it that t5 look without using a t5 which are all too big for my tank. unless I go compact fluorescent, which I’m not a fan of.