If that were the case, we'd only have algae on the bottom of the aquarium versus the sides. Light scattering, reflection and refraction virtually guarantee something hits the substrate perpendicularly.
Brandon
I'm new to ATS in employing one, however I've seen them at work and have read about them for years as most of us have. There's a few things I'm not convinced of though. Roots dying is one. If the screen is filling from both sides with algae, the illumination from both sides, the light reaching the "roots", is continually diminishing on each side as the light get's blocked anyway. As for edge lighting, I don't believe that the light source has to be perpendicular as a secondary source. Light is light. It radiates and by definition that isn't a linear aspect.
I can see a scrubber where the screens are separated by two or three inches and have a few on the edge and pointed in between the screens to help with the "dying root" issue. The back of these screens aren't the primary growing medium. The front is. The edge light will not be wasted. It's still energy into the system. Heck if the entire inside of the scrubber were made of reflective material, you could probably get growth on both sides of both screens.
I guess there's only one way to find out Maybe I'll patent it
I've thought about edge lighting. Even tested it. Shine a light through the edge, and the whole screen glows (while being shaded from the light source).The light travels through the screen material.This would give light to the inside layers, but if it's enough or not, only testing it would confirm. However, plumped for the one sided screen cleanings.
Yes, roots die in double-lit screens as well. They just don't die as fast, because though it may seem like an inconsequential amount of light that penetrates from one side to the other, when light is penetrating from both sides to the roots, they will last a few more days before the dying process starts versus a single sided screen. Thickness of growth is also a factor in all cases.
Again, edge lighting really does nothing. You cannot force light to illuminate the substrate/roots from the edge. It would only penetrate a little ways along the substrate, then it would be absorbed or reflected. I'm really having a hard time understanding why you think this is feasible. I'm not trying to be a jack--- here, just honest. People have had troubles solved by changing the light orientation from a 60 degree angle to the screen to a 90 degree angle. So why would going the other direction help anything?
In as much as the screen material glowed, yes. Didn't try it with algae on though because this sets up another load of obstacles, stopping algea growing on the edge of the screen, concentrating light to illuminate he screen material and waterproofing the light source are just a few I can think of at the minute. One sided cleaning is much easier to sort out and test.
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