Setting up your light source...

[iwantFUEGO]

ok, so i was at kmart and i found this "work light" where its like a lightbulb assembly, but around it is a metal bowl thing used to direct the light. anyone who's owned a reptile or something in a tank knows what im talking about.
Anyways, i noticed that alot of you just hang your CFLs and dont have anything around them. Is it better or worse to have the metal bowl around it?
Thanks

[iwantFUEGO]

anybody? i just want to know if i should use the bowl to direct light or if i should leave them hanging free and just put up some foil to reflect?

[asintx]

I like using the reflector bowls, I think it helps to concentrate the light into a smaller radius.

[Tom Swierzbinski]

If you can afford and have the space for some sort of reflector, then go ahead. I think it would be cheaper to get some card, line it with mylar and use that. Mylar costs something like £2 for a 1m x 1.4m sheet, so it actually works out cheaper that way. Plus, mylar reflects around 95% of the light.

[Lady Vapor]

Flat white paint is one of the best ways to reflect light... So I just paint everything white - except the plants :p