Mirror bottom frag tank?

[tecsavi]

Well my new cube tank hasn 't even been wet yet and I am already thinking about my next project. I want to build a small SPS prop tank and am thinking about ways to maximizing growth and color. I have always heard the benifets of a light colored sand bottom reflecting light back up under a coral. I was thinking about putting some kind of mirror under the prop tank to reflect light back up under the coral. You know how you get those shaded areas under the braches that just don't quite get the coloration of the rest of the coral. I was thinking it would bounce light back up to the reflector as well and maximize as much of the light as possible.

 

Has anyone done this? Does it sound like it would be of any benefit?

 

 

[trockafella]

You would get algae (corraline) and it would eventually be covered. Good thought though.. Just my $.02

[tecsavi]

I could always scrape it just like I do the sides. Then there would the pain of having to move the frag racks to clean the glass.... Good point.

 

 

[davelin315]

I think that by the time the light reflected back up it would do minimal good and may even promote nuisance algae growth. The more the light degrades the less useful it is. Just an opinion, not based on any facts. It's worth a try, though, maybe it'll work, maybe it won't.

[treesprite]

My first thought when I saw the thread title..... algae.

[Amuze]

Don't use a cheap light and you won't need to make up for it. Use lighting sized right for the coverage and depth of your tank.

Edited November 6, 2010 by audible

[tecsavi]

Thanks everyone for the feedback, much appreciated. Many good points and I especially am not liking the idea of keeping a hard to reach area. I wasn't looking to make up for poor lighting, just a way to improve on a frag tank to mazimize growth. Sounds like it would cause more problems than it's worth.