Mirrors in sump

Is it safe to use mirrors in a sump to use as the refug walls? Or is there silver in/on the mirror that can or will leach into the wather?

 

There may be metal in the paint that creates the mirror but I am not sure what it is.

 

I do like the idea though.... Perhaps if the mirrors were on the outside of the tank. Minimal light loss but no chance of metal leeching.

 

+1 on this

 

I have a strip of 1'x'1 mirrors behind my DT on the outside. I put them there to help me see behind the rocks. I was told to be careful since my hippo might get territorial seeing another of it's kind, but to be honest, it likes it back there and prefers to sleep next to his 'buddy' in the eve. Naturally the light is pushed back inside as well.

 

I'm going to do research on that. Perhaps instead of a mirror, get like a tinted glass that is reflective. I've seen those in tanks with no ill effect that ik of.

 

If I heard correctly in physics, mirrors absorb light, so you'd be much better off using a reflective material.

 

Take a mirror, shine a flashlight at it, and see where the light goes. If you don't see the beam of light anywhere in the room, then I'll look into this theory. Nasa uses them in billion dollar telescopes, so they must have some sort of positive effect.

 

Though algae should quickly cover the tank's walls so it would only help a little at the very beginning.

Nope, opposite. You're thinking of black objects.

 

Depends on the material used, and NASA isn't using what we purchase. Some types of glass indeed does absorb some of the light spectrum.