Great Diffusion Material- Tested only 5% light loss through water

[McJosh13]

Our friends at Candlepowerforums have found a great diffusion film. Its called DC-Fix and costs $8.99 for a large roll 17 3/4"wide x 6'5" Long.

http://www.berlinwallpaper.com/dcfix/Transparent.htm

 

jzmtl tested it and found only a 3.2% light loss on his flashlight lens.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showth...omparison-photo

 

I decided to give it a try and see how it well it diffused the light on my 42 full spectrum diy led light fixture over my 30gal oceanic tank. Then I set up an empty tank, filled it with water and tested the light output through the filled tank in 11 marked positions with the film installed and then with it removed to see how much real world light output loss we can expect through water. I used a LUX meter to measure the light output because its the only light intensity measuring equipment I've got.

 

This is a picture of the the test set-up I used: I pre-marked 11 positions

(the lux meter was placed right up to the glass for taking the measurments)

 

 

This is a picture of my light fixture with and without the film installed

 

 

 

The readings were taken in this pattern

 

 

 

Here are the readings I got on my LUX meter

 

w/o Film (x10^3):

1=445

2=480

3=506

4=462

5=466

6=432

7=451

8=446

9=437

10=458

11=464

 

w/film (x10^3)

1=425 (-4.5%)

2=465 (-3.1%)

3=496 (-2%)

4=446 (-3.5%)

5=443 (-5%)

6=414 (-4.2%)

7=416 (-7.8%)

8=411 (-7.8%)

9=413 (-5.3%)

10=430 (-6.1%)

11= 432 (-6.8%)

Total Avg light loss=about 5%

 

And now finally for the visual results, see the videos below. The diffusion properties are very nice and completely eliminates the disco effect, there is still a tiny bit of color banding in the hard shadows if you look close.

**update- the video quality was greatly degraded by photobucket so it can be hard to see how great the reduction in color banding is**

 

Before Video:

After Video:

[d0lph1n]

Great stuff. I appreciate it.

[McJosh13]

Great find. I appreciate it.

 

The 2nd link doesn't work and the picture of your test setup doesn't display.

 

Yeah, I accidently hit submit too early and am still working on he post, lol. Also I'm at work and loading some of videos from my laptop to photobucket are too long. Gonna have to finish i when I get home

[Veng]

Can't see the pictures from work, but sounds awesome! Will look for sure when I get home.

[Trick]

what is the stuff called? there are a bunch of different different ones on that link.

 

Is it called sand?

[McJosh13]

what is the stuff called? there are a bunch of different different ones on that link.

 

Is it called sand?

 

Yes, Its the sand one

[Trick]

Excellent find. I wonder why it took 3 years before someone on our site found something like this. Pretty amazing.

[solefald]

most excellent. i've been trying to find a good diffuser material. the stuff from Ace Hardware and Home Depot does not work as well.

[kgoldy]

So who's going to buy a roll and distribute little pieces? Haha. I'll take four pieces of 3"x3". Thanks.

[Trick]

lol, i'll buy a *roll.

[d0lph1n]

This stuff should be perfect for my no-optics rebel es built.

[McJosh13]

The stuff works pretty good, the overall look of the tank is greatly improved and the color banding is greatly reduced to almost nothing. I am adding the before and after videos but photobucket degraded the quality so much that you can hardly see the disco effect in the before picture. In the undegraded video it is obvious and immediatley apparent

[basser1]

Excellent find. I wonder why it took 3 years before someone on our site found something like this. Pretty amazing.

 

 

Actually Dave Fason with Nano-Box Reef has been using a diffuser material for quite some time.

[Cintax]

What about using YouTube for the videos?

[acropora1981]

Great job!

[McJosh13]

What about using YouTube for the videos?

 

Ok, switched to youtube, its a little better. It appears in the video that the shimmer is killed but in real life the shimmer is just toned down to a nice reasonable level instead of being overwhelming

[Trick]

Actually Dave Fason with Nano-Box Reef has been using a diffuser material for quite some time.

Dave Fason never told us what it was or where to get it.

[basser1]

Dave Fason never told us what it was or where to get it.

 

 

It's a trade secret.....

 

If he told he'd have to well....... you know

[Daveg99]

looks like it removes the shimmer

[Paleoreef103]

On the link, which type did you use? Sand? Prism?

[jfarabaugh]

Yes, Its the sand one

 

 

On the link, which type did you use? Sand? Prism?

 

sand, see above

[jfarabaugh]

nice find!

 

This stuff looks real nice. I have been looking for a while now for something other than the diamond pattern diffuser (which I still really like) but I haven’t been able to find any small sizes until this site.

 

I am pretty sure Dave is using something very similar but he quoted me something crazy like $5.00 a square inch.

 

They do have larger rolls FYI

 

http://www.berlinwallpaper.com/dcfix/privacy-film-Door.htm

[madfx]

looks like it removes the shimmer

It won't remove it, but it will greatly diffuse the caustic highlights we call shimmer lines. I prefer the more muted and softer shimmer, more relaxing to look at.

[ajmckay]

Nice find!

 

I'm going to try to attempt an LED build sometime soon, but I'm limited on funds so I'll likely have to live with less-than-ideal spacing... I may have to test something like this to see if it will be enough...

[GTi]

Yes, Its the sand one