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There are a lot of factors that go into a successful cannabis grow and one of the most important is the lights. Choosing the right lights for your grow room is a critical decision every business and every home grower must make. So how do you sort through the options and choose the best grow light for you?
Mars Hydro is a well-known name in the cannabis space as a manufacturer of growing supplies. The company makes everything from the ventilation system to the grow tents, but it’s best known for top-of-the-line grow lights, with a variety of options for every grow space and budget.
Option #1: FC-E Series LED Grow Light
Specs
- 5 lights in series
- Ranges from 300W – 1000W
- Covers a growing space from 3×3 up to 5×5
- Features Bridgelux chips
- Smart lights can be controlled from the app
- Prices range from $239 – $820
- Works for home growers, hobbyists, and amateur cultivators
Perfect for home growers, the FC-E series of lights is Mars Hydro’s best value so you can enjoy higher yields and bigger harvests without having to spend an arm and a leg.
These lights feature Bridgelux diode chips that offer a full light spectrum to help your plants photosynthesize and flower more. They’re also smart lights – you can control everything from the Mars Hydro app. Use the pre-programmed sunrise and sunset simulation or control each light separately from the others, without needing to set up additional cables. The light bars are also detachable with adjustable spacing so you can customize the light intensity for your growing space.
This series offers a selection of five lights with different wattages:
- FC-E3000:
- max wattage 300w
- works for up to 3×3 grow spaces
- FC-E4800:
- max wattage 480W
- works for up to 4×4 grow spaces
- FC-E6500:
- max wattage 730W
- works for up to 5×5 grow spaces, can also purchase with UV IR
- FC-E8000:
- Max wattage 800w
- works for up to 5×5 grow spaces, can also purchase with UV IR
- FC-E1000:
- max wattage 1000W
- works for up to 4×6 grow spaces
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Best value for money | Not Samsung diodes |
| Perfect for new home growers | |
| Easily control smart lights from your phone | |
| Detachable light bar for customization |
Option #2: FC Series LED Grow Light
Specs
- 4 lights in series
- Range from 300W to 800W
- Covers a growing space from 2.5×2.5 up to 5×5
- Feature Samsung LM301B diodes
- Sunlike full spectrum light
- Price ranges from $269 – $899
- Smart lights can be controlled from the app
- Works for commercial grow spaces, professional cultivators, and home grow lovers
The FC Series of lights features some of the best bulbs on the market, Samsung LM301B diodes. To the layperson, it may not sound impressive, but plant lovers know the importance of high-quality lights. Samsung LEDs are renowned in the growing world for having a full spectrum of green light in addition to the red and blue light spectrums that are common in growing lights. The addition of green helps stimulate photosynthesis and prevent diseases, two big benefits.
These lights were made with commercial growing spaces in mind, and bring that professional quality to any home grow. They have smart controls, which means you can increase or decrease the light intensity, set timers, or use one of Mars Hydro’s pre-configured smart programs with the Mars Hydro app.
The lights have a dimming daisy chain to make it easy to increase and decrease light strength. The multi-bar style lights help keep them cool and allow heat to dissipate quickly. Every light in this series has the same light spectrum and Mars Hydro has a suggested smart fan and grow tent pairing for each light, so you can get the maximum harvest possible
There are four lights in this series, for a variety of sizes and strengths:
- FC 3000:
- Max wattage 300W
- works for up to 3×3 growing spaces
- FC 4800:
- Max wattage 480W
- works for up to 4×4 growing spaces
- FC 6500:
- Max wattage 730W
- works for up to 5×5 growing spaces
- FC 8000:
- Max wattage 800W,
- works for up to 5×5 growing spaces
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Full sunlike spectrum of red, blue, and green light | Cost for multiple lights can add up |
| Uses Samsung LM 301B diodes | |
| Ranges of prices and sizes for all cultivation types | |
| Commercial grow quality lights | |
| Easily control smart lights from your phone |
Option #3: FC Samsung LM301H EVO Led Grow Lights
Specs
- 5 lights in series
- Ranges from 300W – 1000W
- Covers a growing space from 2.5×2.5 up to 5×5
- Most efficient lights from Mars Hydro
- Features Samsung LM301H diodes with EVO chips to increase efficiency
- Sunlike full light spectrum
- Prices range from $309 – $979
- Smart lights can be controlled from the app
- Works for commercial grow spaces, vertical grows, and experienced home growers
The FC Samsung series of lights are serious professional-grade lights, perfect for commercial growing spaces, vertical growing, and the experienced home grower. Not only does this series of lights feature Samsung LM301H diodes, these diodes have Samsung EVO chips for even better processing and light efficiency. The most efficient lights from Mars Hydro yet, the FC Samsung series has the convenience of smart lights, fully controllable from the Mars Hydro app.
The lights in this series are also different because of how they’re arranged within each light bar – in a scientifically-optimized pattern for the most even light distribution and no hotspots. These lights also have a full spectrum of red, green, and blue light for the most efficient photosynthesis, and to help your plants stave off diseases and increase flowering capacity.
There are five lights in this series, with different wattages:
- FC 3000-EVO:
- max wattage 300W
- works for up to 3×3 grow space
- FC 4800-EVO:
- max wattage 480W
- works for up to 4×4 grow space
- FC 6500-EVO:
- max wattage 730W
- works for up to 5×5 grow spaces
- FC 8000-EVO:
- max wattage 800W
- works for up to 5×5 grow spaces
- FC1000W-EVO:
- max wattage 900w – 1000w (dependent on battery voltage)
- works for up to 4×6 grow space
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Most efficient grow lights on the market | Cost adds up quickly |
| Uses Samsung LM 301B diodes | May be too much for a new home grower |
| Sunlike full spectrum of red, blue, and green light | |
| Easily control smart lights from your phone | |
| Diodes arranged in an optimal growing position to avoid hotspots |
Pricing of Mars Hydro grow lights
Cannabis is a finicky plant, and it can be hard to make it “grow like a weed.” In addition to the right soil and light schedule, you need the right amount of water, the right nutrients, and the right touch.
Having the right lights goes a long way to get you started. After all, a cannabis seed would never move from germination to sprouting without light!
How much you want to spend on lights is personal, but going to your local hardware store to save on your upfront costs can turn into a plant with fewer flowers and lower cannabinoid production. With cannabis, what you put in is what you get out. You don’t have to break the bank to get a high-quality light, but if you want to go all out, you can. If budget is on your mind, stick with the FC-E LED grow lights for the best value. And if high yields and maximum trichome production is what you want, the FC Samsung LM301H EVO grow lights are worth the splurge.
Comparing lights from Mars Hydro
Which light is right for you? It depends on your experience growing cannabis, as well as the size of your grow space.
| FC-E LED Grow Lights | FC Samsung LED Grow Lights | FC Samsung LM301H EVO Grow Lights | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price range | $239 – $820 | $269 – $899 | $309 – $979 |
| Cultivation space | 3×3 – 5×5 | 2.5×2.5 – 5×5 | 2.5×2.5- 5×5 |
| Light type | Bridgelux chips | Samsung diodes | Samsung diodes with EVO chips |
| Controlled from app | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dimmable daisy chain | Yes | Yes | No |
| Self-cooling | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Best value | Best diodes | Experienced growers and large grows |
Is it legitimate?
All of Marrs Hydro’s products come with a 30-day return period and a 5-year maintenance warranty. If you have questions, concerns, or need to replace a part in your lights, their customer care team always responds within 24 business hours, so you’re never left hanging.
Mars Hydro also ships all of its products in discreetly designed bags so nothing shows up at your door advertising cannabis.
What People Say About Mars Hydro Grow Lights
Jenny: Smooth transaction. Thanks!! Great price, great communication, and lightning-fast shipper! A++++++++++++++
Jack: Fast shipping and great communication + great quality products. Can’t say enough good things about this company their products and staff. Excellent communication, very helpful, and care about your experience working with them. Great product as described – impressive! Excellent protective packaging, and fast shipping. Highly recommend!
Lisa: Always as expected. Good quality and service – thank you! Love this place. The response time for questions is quick and they always ship fast.
Fannon: I’ve had my fce3000 for over a year now and it is a great light for veg and flower it produces some amazing flowers and, with the mars hydro app makes it even better being able to monitor from my phone is a bonus and it has sunrise and sunset mode which makes it that much better
Final verdict
There are few factors as important to a cannabis grow as having the right lights. With Mars Hydro, you get the benefits of years of growing experience with some of the best lights on the market today. There are options for every budget and grow space, with responsive and timely customer care – the perfect combination to set your next grow up for success.
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