Mars-Hydro LED Grow Light Discussion

[Mars Hydro]

Hello Sara- Looking for LED light for a new set up.. tent will be 4x4 and 7 foot high.. I'm considering all my options.

I found those deal on Ebay (directly from Mars Hydro) - I understand these are the older model
147.99$ for 2 x 300W - about 135 true watt each (270w)
277.99$ for 2 x 600W - about 265 true watt each (530w)
(I saw about the same price on Amazon, but seems like they won't ship to Canada while those on Ebay will...)

So if I get both for about 400$ USD - I'd have around 800 watt from the wall while having 4 units to have a better light spread in the tent. Mars Hydro II and the reflector series are much more expensive and was wondering what would be the main difference between the two and also would you still recommend the older Mars Hydro - seems like the best bank for the buck that I've found so far.. I understand they don't have IR or UV but from my research looks like light power (actual power) would matter more than having IR and UV to get better Yield.

Does it make sense or I'm missing something? Thanks for your Input

You don't need put 4pcs of lights in 4'x4' tent, the coverage and draw power is too much for your grow size 4'x4. If you want the small lights to distribute the light evenly, you can try 2pcs of reflector 144, each can cover 2'x4'.
Mars reflector, marsII, proII lights have IR, have no UV, when we add it in the light, the panel is easier to burn out. 300W and 600W have no IR.

 

[Mars Hydro]

Look for your ppfd differences and spectrum coverage ?

How much blue red green yellow and accent colours that help make it a true full spectrum .
Two reflector 144 like this in a 4x4x6.5 would thrive I have one check it out

The 200 600 would be best if price is issue

Here is a chart look at ppfd

Here is my reflector 144 covering mostly Larry and curly week two day one flower .

Larry under 144 its a good light for its buck. Bit heavy wish they could have found a way to make it tad lighter but decent light .

I'm only pushing 500 watts in my 4x4x6.5

So 800 would be crazy intense

I agree with you Kingjoe83, 800W is too much for 4'x4', your girls are growing happier under 144. I also recommend 2pcs of 144 for 2'x4' grow size, it can cover plants well and reflector series also has competitive price.

 

[KingJoe83]

I agree with you Kingjoe83, 800W is too much for 4'x4', your girls are growing happier under 144. I also recommend 2pcs of 144 for 2'x4' grow size, it can cover plants well and reflector series also has competitive price.

Yeah two reflectors 144 in my 4x4 would be sweet

 

[Mars Hydro]

This guy has done some very laboursome and thourough testing of lights for all our benefit, he's sticking out for you - the grower - helping you save money, time, regret etc etc etc.

This is not merely a minor mistake, think VW emission scandal but bigger discrepancies, it is of course most likely just a typo and Mars Hydro should fix it ASAP.

So please get off his back, see the bigger picture and relax with a spliff with your 420 friends

Hi PurpleGunRack, I have communicated with our engineer about PPFD testing on our website, but we are waiting our boss to come back to discuss about how to revise the website.

 

[Mars Hydro]

Yeah two reflectors 144 in my 4x4 would be sweet

 

[Mars Hydro]

Btw PAR just means the lightwaves that fall between 400Nm and 700Nm and isn't a unit for measuring, the thing we measure is PPFD

PAR includes all lights that plants can absorb

 

[Mars Hydro]

What sizes? They won't fool a dog - right?

It is 27x16cm, we found this kind of activated carbon bags are popular , not many manufacturers of it in China now.

 

[Mars Hydro]

Oh - I did some googling and there are several companies claiming their bags are k9 proof. Hmmm.

I want to test some of those bags SmokeSara

Ok, no problem, I will ask our manager if we will send some out to test.

 

[The rooster]

Ok, no problem, I will ask our manager if we will send some out to test.

Agreed. That's game changing lol I use jars but even jars are nots k9 proof

 

[Mars Hydro]

The Mars hydro eco49 is a good bit lighter compared to the Mars hydro 300 so gotta give them that. It's also a larger unit overall and not as chunky as the 300. It has 35 less watts so it gets a better spread and runs cooler and will probably outlast a Mars

We are looking forward to seeing your growing pictures under ECO49

 

[Mars Hydro]

Hell it's not like people have the common sense to do that anyhow... I was with a friend once when he was delivered a package from the mail man... The weed smell was obvious before you open it plus the fuckers just had it wrapped up in a black bag with a label slapped on it that was it you could squeeze the package and fill buds directly under that black garbage bag shit was gangja It was not discreet at all and he would be so shocked when his delivery wouldn't even fucking make it 30% of the time. But that's what happens when you got these gangs across the states willing to ship legal weed to illegal places and just don't care about the consequences anyhow nor really consider them especially for how much they are paying for it considering most of the time it's low self shit.

We understood them well, that's why we packed our lights and tents discreetly and without any suspicious words or pictures on it.

 

[ConstantGreen]

Hi PurpleGunRack, I have communicated with our engineer about PPFD testing on our website, but we are waiting our boss to come back to discuss about how to revise the website.

If I may make a suggestion, I was thinking about what the standard should be for defining the dimensions of a panel's coverage. I was thinking once a light has dropped 50% in intensity from center, that would be a fair cut-off.

LED chips come in different lens angles, like 120, 110, 90, 60 degrees. Wider angles spread light wider, narrow focuses it further. But even a 120 degrees chip still casts some light in nearly 180 degrees from the chip surface. When they make the 120 degree lens they define it that way because 50% of the focus is lost beyond 120 degrees. 90 degree lenses lose 50% intensity past 90 degrees.

120 degrees lens angle diagram:

If that is a chip standard, and LED panels are basically one large LED chip, then maybe the panel's coverage could also be defined by the point where a panel loses 50% of its maximum intensity. PPFD on a sunny summer day peaks in the 1900 umol's. Cannabis can't use more than 1500 in a perfect environment, and realistically probably not more than 1200 PPFD. So maybe pick one of those numbers as a standard maximum PPFD, figure out what height your panels would hang to hit that maximum in the center, then measure out until it drops under half PPFD of the center, and that would be the coverage. A panel rated for 3x3 coverage should illuminate at 50% of its maximum intensity at the edges of the 3x3 footprint.

 

[The rooster]

I'll say what I've been saying on my instagram. These lights work fantastic underneath it. The canopy fades out like purple and enthe have been saying. The canopy fades out. Granted these are older mars. I believe it's a common occurrence with all led. However there is no lack of power underneath them. Photosynthesis like crazy.

 

[Skullman420]

They do fade out. the reason I have not felt scammed or anything is that they're behaving exactly like I expected. I mean - I knew they would do that. Although I perhaps don't understand those charts on the webpage as well as someone who build lights, they're clearly showing me that the lights are fading out the closer to the edge of the canopy you comes. So yeah - I honestly don't feel scammed.

 

[illizm775]

What tent would you recommend for the eco 98? On the line it said 3x2. Would there be a mars tent compatable with the tent?

 

[Skullman420]

I have a question about the activated carbon bags. How long does the carbon remain active?

 

[Mars Hydro]

I'm actually interested in the eco series. They're extremely cheap. Probably great for keeping a few mothers alive. Wonder how many you need of these in a 4x4 to get a decent yield - to match the pro II 320 or better

I think 4pcs of ECO 49 or 2pcs of ECO 98 can work for 4'x4'

 

[Mars Hydro]

The other obvious advantage with using many small lights is that you are far less likely to lose a grow because your lamp dies. If one or two of nine lamps die, you're still in business. If the only lamp you have dies - that sucks

Could we put this post in our official website? It is very useful for customers when they choose lights.

 

[Mars Hydro]

The eco series is advertised as lights for beginners, but the more I think about it, the more attractive these lights become. Today I have 3 Mars Pro II 320's, 4x Mars Pro II 80's and 1 Pro 160, 4x Mars bars 24-60, 1x Mars COB.

I noticed that 4x Mars Pro II 80 would perform better than 1x Mars Pro II 320 in a 4x4 tent because you get better spread of the lights. The more lights you have spread out in a tent, the more even coverage and the better end result you'll get.

I have a desire to do a side by side test of the same strain with:

1 tent with a Mars Pro II 320
1 tent with 4x Mars pro II 80
and.......

It makes a lot of sense - doesn't it? Especially since they can be daisy chained

We can recommend small lights instead of one big lights, but not too many small lights, middle size will be better, or the budget will be a problem.

 

[Mars Hydro]

Im done growing sorry I couldnt finish the eco49 grow but shit happens

I am sorry to hear that