# Anti-reflective coatings?



## dirtmonkey (Feb 10, 2007)

Has anyone experimented with anti-reflective or anti-glare coatings on glass?

The next vivarium I'm planning will have lights suspended over the top glass, and I'd like to reduce reflections from it, and increase transmission through it, as much as possible.

Obviously it won't be the high-tech multi-layer stuff used in optics, but I thought there might be a film or spray we could use for something like that.


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## dirtmonkey (Feb 10, 2007)

Hmm - if there's something that doesn't frost or fog the view, it might make seeing and photographing easier too. Especially with all the other lights I tend to have around.


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## FrogTim (Oct 1, 2015)

I'd be interested in this as well.

The only problem I foresee is that if it reduces glare, it will also reduce light penetration...

Not the best for plants.


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## dirtmonkey (Feb 10, 2007)

Actually they increase light transmission. That's how they were discovered originally. But even if it were reduced a little, I'd have enough light to compensate.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Look for "museum glass" or Google nonreflective glass you should find some good info and sources, or at least know what to look for locally.

Or use some Starfire (which let's uvb in). There are several types of glass that reduce reflections out there. 

Acrylic might also, if I remember right good acrylic is more optically clear then most glass... till it gets scratched/scuffed that is.


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## dirtmonkey (Feb 10, 2007)

I was hoping to find a coating since the 40B's existing glass will be the top. Now that you mention it, a thinned coat of matte clear acrylic might do the job pretty well just by itself, if the silicate or whatever in it will spread evenly when thinned. It would also be sturdy but easy to remove from the glass again later if needed. I think I'll play with that.

(Edit: Ah, I forgot to mention in this thread that I'm talking about a tank conversion, so I'll be working with plain old aquarium glass for this one.)


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

dirtmonkey said:


> I was hoping to find a coating since the 40B's existing glass will be the top. Now that you mention it, a thinned coat of matte clear acrylic might do the job pretty well just by itself, if the silicate or whatever in it will spread evenly when thinned. It would also be sturdy but easy to remove from the glass again later if needed. I think I'll play with that.
> 
> (Edit: Ah, I forgot to mention in this thread that I'm talking about a tank conversion, so I'll be working with plain old aquarium glass for this one.)


Are you just wanting to stop light reflecting off the top of the aquarium and hitting walls and stuff? If that is the case maybe just build a cheap canopy with some vents to let the heat out. Paint the inside of the canopy white and it will reflect back 80+ % of whatever light hits it... eventually going back into the tank.

I meant acrylic as in a sheet of acrylic instead of glass, but clear matt Krylon might help with reflection but it won't likely help with transmission...probably decrease it slightly actually. 

I don't know if putting a pane of acrylic or starfire over regular glass would help any or not, and with the increased thickness you'd get slightly less light transmission, though if you actually replaced the aquarium glass with either of those you should probably get increased light transmission. 

Well I finally just googled spray on anti reflective glass coating, or anti glare spray on glass coating...

Here is one, and if you look at "other customers viewed" you might see some other interesting things...
http://www.amazon.com/Glare-Buster-Anti-Glare-Reflective-Coating/dp/B0006FYKSW/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8


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