Letting your garden get a head start this spring by planting indoors under a grow light is an excellent way to ensure strong roots and growth prior to transplant. Not only will you save money by starting your own crop rather than depending on store-bought starter plants, but you also may extend your production season and won’t have to be fighting to get a crop in before early autumnal frosts.

Grow lights can be helpful in many other capacities as well and can serve as an alternative light source for your plants through the winter, or even support a cash crop in early growth, or even bloom and production stages. The Mars Hydro LED Grow Light reviews below highlight a popular, and dependable brand many hobbyists and professionals have found to be useful.

5 Best Mars Hydro LED Grow Light Comparisons

How Does a Grow Light Work?

Quite simply, grow lights promote vegetation in various stages of growth by providing specific ranges of the light spectrum. These mimic the wavelengths provided by daylight utilized by plants for growth and production. Plants require light to survive, mainly because plants process light energy through the chemical process of photosynthesis. This is when light energy is converted into an energy the plant can utilize for its own stages of growth.

Blue wavelengths are short and warm and are best used in early stages to mature stages of growth. Red wavelengths are longer, and cooler, and help influence bloom and production of plants. Other wavelengths may be used at various times in smaller quantities, whereas others are reflected away and not used at all (such as green, which is why many plants look green to our eye). Grow lights are able to concentrate the specific wavelengths needed and not waste energy on those that are not, ensuring your plants gets what it needs when it needs it.

What are Mars Hydro LED Lights?

      

              

            

Mars Hydro has been a leading manufacturer of LED grow lights since 2009. With their own team of researchers, designers, developers, production engineers and testers, they are their own experts of the lights they sell so you don’t have to worry about any middleman. Committed to providing high-quality products to their customers, they are a global shipper, with warehouses in the US, UK, and Australia.

All products are CE and RoHS certified, while specific products hold ETL certification. These certifications ensure that the products offered to you have completed rigorous safety testing and is free from hazardous materials. Constantly evolving, the company is dedicated to providing leading-edge technology and advancements within the industry.

Why Choose a LED Grow Light?

During the past decade, LED has gained in popularity and growth due to their inexpensive design. They’re powerful, long-lasting bulbs, which draw low energy, resulting in a lower electric bill for you. Plus, they also have the ability to customize your wavelength light ratio. LED bulbs are used in panels, in series of rows, to provide consistent lighting. They are also are a cooler burning bulb, meaning they can be utilized easier in smaller grow spaces.

These bulbs can be mixed and matched to include the entire spectral range and provide your vegetation with everything it needs, without having to worry about various growth stages. This means you may be able to place plants of differing ages, species, and needs under one lamp- depending on the style of panel you decide upon. This not only saves energy, but also saves you sums of money, time, and commitment from having to have multiple bulb setups and growing areas.

Mars Hydro Warranty

The company provides a comprehensive 2-year warranty against defective parts and bulbs, and also has a customer service support line located in the countries that house warehouses to ensure efficient help for your questions. A 30day satisfaction guarantee also comes with each product, allowing you to return your item if is isn’t what you expected or wanted. Considered top notch, customer support gets back to their consumers in more than acceptable time via email and on the phone.

How to Choose the Best Mars Hydro LED Series for Your Plants

It’s easy to become overwhelmed when trying to decide exactly which lighting system may be best for your particular situation. Variables in plant species, as well as room sizes, are all details that drive your needs and should be taken into consideration before making a commitment to a light investment.

What stages of plant development do you need to support?

You should consider what end result you have in mind. If you only need to start seedlings, influence bloom, or simply provide temporary lighting through the winter months, this can greatly influence the lights you purchase. It also can make a huge difference concerning cost. Be sure that a complete LED spectrum is what you need for your plants before purchasing one.

How much space do you need to cover?

The space you need to cover is important to know in advance, more than you realize. Be sure to take measurements and ask questions surrounding personal experiences of consumers prior to purchasing. This way, you allow yourself to get a true idea of how much light each panel provides. Also, remember that plants get larger as they grow, and you should be aware of their ideal mature height and width to keep them from crowding your vegetation.

What plants do you plan on growing?

Some plant species utilize light differently than others. Before providing artificial light to your plants, first do a little research surrounding what your vegetation requires, and what light grows best. This is especially true of plants that you may want to bring to production.

The Mars Hydro LED Lights Explained

The company offers a wide range of LED panels and bulbs of various sizes for you to take advantage of. Everything from single bulb style lights, to 400, 600, 1200 watts, and everything in between, and then some. This is a company that wants to provide exactly what their customers need. Their most popular lights, based on Mars Hydro LED Grow Light reviews, are listed below to provide you with an idea of what the company has to offer.

Top 5 Mars Hydro LED Grow Light Reviews

MARS HYDRO 24W LED Grow Light Bulb

• Dimensions: 123 x 26 x 118mm
• Light spectrum: 430nm, 460nm, 630nm, 660nm
• Lumen: 252
• Output Power: 24 watt

As one of the smallest LED lights offered by the company, this E26 socket bulb has a 24-watt influence and holds a total of 12 LED bulbs in the round housing. With 4-peak wavelength to influence healthy growth and mature sustainability, this little bulb offers support to all stages leading to production and comes in an affordable package.

The unique designs keep it from getting too hot and include an all aluminum housing with a built-in heat sink to dissipate any heat build up. Its smaller shape also allows you to use it in just about any light socket so you can take further advantage of the extra space and lighting you may already have. Made for small plants, multiple plants in early growth stages, or for a single plant through all stages, this light emits about an 18-inch cone when placed 26 inches above the plants.

PROS

• Very little heat output
• Noticeable healthy new growth
• Convenient to mount

CONS

• Extremely bright (good for plants, bad for your eyes)
• Some may have a short life (customer service good)

PRO TIP

Since this light isn’t made for a largnumber of plants, it serves as an excellent choice for hobbyists who are just getting started and wanting to know how to best use a grow light., It’s also perfect for anyone needing more compact lighting that’s convenient to use for their plants.

Mars Hydro 300W LED Grow Light

• Dimensions: 12 x 8 x 3 inches
• Light spectrum: 430-440nm, 450 – 475nm, 620-630nm, 650-670nm, white
• Lumen: 4377
• Output Power: 300w

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This mid-sized panel falls between Mars Hydro’s ECO Series of lights and larger watt outputs offered by the company. At 12 x 8 x 3 inches in diameter, and 6.6 pounds in weight, this is an easy-to-use product that comes with hanging ratchets for your convenience. With a full range of the light spectrum offered through the use of 60 5 watts LED chips, you can support your plants in any stage of growth. It also includes white light to mimic sunlight even further.

This is a very typical design for this type of light and includes 4-sided ventilation, a silent forced air intake fan, and a pincushion heat sink to ensure it runs cool. The design further allows for a consistently uniform light footprint and is popular in 2 x 2 foot grow tents due to how cool it stays and the intensity of the light provided.

PROS

• Immediate growth changes
• Excellent value
• Runs cool

CONS

• May need to hang higher than suggested
• Fan is noticeable when running

PRO TIP

This is the perfect small set up for grow tents and other small, more enclosed spaces. The size and weight ratio is convenient for hobbyist and commercial growers depending on need.

MARS HYDRO 720W Reflector LED Grow Light

• Dimensions: 33 x 10 x 3 inches
• Light spectrum: 430-440nm, 450 – 475nm, 620-630nm, 650-670nm, white, IR 730nm
• Lumen: 13789
• Output Power: 720 watt

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This panel is considered to have one of the most efficient growth and production spectrums offered by the company, and includes a full wavelength coverage, including white and IR. The 33 x 10 x 3 inch area weighs less than 15 pounds, and can cover up to 2.5 x 4.5 feet of space when in vegetative mode. To simplify your lighting needs further, a switch is added to intensify the lights needed for the stages your plants are in.

4-sided ventilation, a 3 fan set-up, and pincushion heat sinks are only a few details that make the Mars Hydro Lights a quality item. Plus, this light claims it runs 60% cooler than HID lighting, making it more efficient and useful overall. Called the Reflector series because of a high light penetration, these bulbs reach into the canopy to ensure more even coverage to your whole plant.

PROS

• Cost and energy efficient
• Very bright and plants respond well
• Run cool and quiet

CONS

• May need to adjust height for best results

PRO TIP

These lights are for larger spaced grows and more serious numbers of plants. Although easy enough to be used by hobbyists, these are popular with more serious growers looking after producing crop.

MARS HYDRO Pro II Cree 1280W LED Grow Lights

• Dimensions: 23 x 21 x 5 inches
• Light spectrum: 440nm, 630nm, 660nm, white
• Lumen: n/a
• Output Power: 1280 watt

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One of the newest series offered by the company, the Pro II Cree is one of the most powerful, large sized panels offered by the company. The uniquely curved shape measures only 23 x 21 x 5, and can cover up to a 4 x 4 foot space with ease. This shape is called a reflector cup, and has yielded some of the highest THC measurements at harvest compared to other similar products. Plus, you can daisy chain together to take advantage of an even larger space, and specify your switch to either vegetation or production.

The shape supports 4 fans, a heat sink, and excellent ventilation for a quiet, cool grow light experience. Plus, with a full spectral support, this light supports all growth stages of just about any plant, and the shape provides an even higher amount of light reach into your plant canopy.

PROS

• Reliable product
• Excellent for winter gardening production
• Efficient energy draw

CONS

• May need to adjust for growth stages

PRO TIP

These lights are for larger spaced grows and more serious numbers of plants. Although easy enough to be used by hobbyists, these are popular with more serious growers looking after producing crop

MARS HYDRO II 1600W LED Grow Light

• Dimensions: 20.5 x 20.5 x 3.5 inches
• Light spectrum: 430-440nm, 450 – 475nm, 620-630nm, 650-670nm, white, IR 730nm
• Lumen: 44678
• Output Power: 1600 watt

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One of their more original designs, the MARS II is a dependable, long lasting product that has rave reviews by the consumers who swear by it. At only 20.5 x 20.5 x 3.5 inches, it can cover a huge 5 x 5 foot area in vegetative growth stages. With the ability to switch between vegetative light support and production, this simplifies your use of the product to make it even more efficient.

With claims of faster growth, tight spacing, and increased production, this is a light that provides strong light down and out to provide excellent coverage in equal measures. It also can be daisy chained together to provide a large coverage through any size grow space.

PROS

• Great flowering support
• Supports serious growth sizes
• Incredibly bright

CONS

• Carefully monitor as it can easily burn plants as they grow if placed to close

PRO TIP

The size of this panel dictates its use as a more professional model for more serious spaces whether you are looking for seasonal greenhouse support or to provide light to a cash crop.

Conclusion

Our research into the Mars Hydro Grow Lights reveals excellent and good-quality of the products offered, and are popular with consumers due to their durability, ease of use, and excellent customer care. The lighting systems supports a wide range of plant needs, and allows for canopy penetration and equitable coverage for even growth.

Obviously, your choice of lights should be based on your specific needs and preferences, and with a 30 day money back guarantee, and 2-year warranty, you can rest easy when making a decision. Whether you are looking for single plant support, or need to cover a large area of connected lighting, Mars Hydro has you covered.

If you have any experience with this brand or have any questions, please let us know in the comments below. And, as always, please share!

*You might also like: Taotronics Led Grow Light Review.