Mars Hydro is well known in grow light business. Mars Hydro presents cost-effective and high-quality LED grow lights with fast delivery and excellent customer service. Mars Hydro moved from SP250 to more advanced and innovative LED light and recently added a new model SP 3000 to the SP range. The new edition has a well-thought-out set of features that are easy to use, beginner-friendly, and deliver high-performance light intensity. IP65 waterproof rating of SP 3000 LED grow light allows the growers to use it in high humidity growth environments without any issue.
Quick Overview: MARS Hydro SP 3000
Highlights:
- High Efficiency & Higher Quality Yields
- Full Spectrum UV & IR Grow Light
- Dimming Daisy Chain & Flexible Dimmer
- Water Resistant (IP65)
- 960 PCS Samsung LM301B LEDs
- Dimension: 14″ x 10.8″ x 3.0″
- Silent Operation (0 dB noise level) & Solid Construction
- Full Body Aluminum Heatsink (Passive & Silent Cooling)
Our Verdict: The SP 3000 is recommended for indoor growers who want to keep their running costs down while supplying the plants with the optimum wavelengths for optimal growth. SP-3000 is more user-friendly and more plant-friendly.
Main Features of Mars Hydro SP 3000
The designers of Mars Hydro’s mastermind created the SP 3000 as the finest LED option, incorporating various features to take the device to a great level. The full-spectrum grow light mimics the natural light from the sun and features a removable driver to cover all required wavelengths and reduce heat output.
Full-Spectrum Light for Healthy Plant Growth
The spectrum of light plays a major role in plant growth. The perfect full-spectrum illumination of Mars Hydro SP 3000 provides natural sunlight-like light, which is helpful for the healthy growth of plants at different stages and produces a 50% higher yield. The SP 3000 utilizes similar wavelengths as Samsung and OSRAM LEDs do, with specific intensities of 315-400 nm (UVA), 420-480 nm (blue), 600-680 nm (red), and 800-1000 nm (IR). Focusing on these spectra, SP 3000 LED grow light can provide comprehensive support throughout the crop cycle. The blue wavelength helps in germination and during the vegetative growth of plants. IR light has been shown to promote and support photosynthesis and help plants produce the energy they need when used in combination with other light wavelengths. Finally, red and UVA light helps during the flowering period. There, it improves flower production and increases yields when combined with blue light. Mars Hydro is no longer an LED grow light brand that can only produce “vegetable” lights, but it is also a truly excellent full-spectrum light for both personal and commercial growers.
Light Coverage
The Mars Hydro SP 3000 illuminates 2 x 4 feet (60 x 120 cm) growth space with appropriate intensity from the seedling to the fruiting stage. The PAR output of light measures the emission within the photosynthetic range. The SP 3000 can produce a PAR of 734 to 999 µmol at a height of 50 cm, with a dead center of 999 and some corners down to the lowest point. SP 3000 provides superior PAR (734 µmol) even at the corners which drops to 500 in case of other LED grow lights.
Efficient PPF and High PPFD
The Mars Hydro SP 3000 LED grow light uses 960 Samsung LM301B (one of the best glow light chips on the market and is known for its high light output, low heat, and long life) and Osram 660nm LED chips (well known in chip market) and costs only US$ 0.41/piece. The PPF of 840 µmol with a power draw of 300 watts is claimed in the case of SP 3000. The final PPFD for this light is about 2.8 umol/j. SP 3000 helps producers to save real energy and the grower can easily replace 600 watts HPS without any problems.
DIMMABLE CONTROLS
The SP 3000 LED grow light contains a rotary dimming switch with a wide range of 10-100% brightness settings. This high level of control allows growers to change the intensity of light according to their current stage of growth without having to change the lighting or adjust the hanging height. When hanging a light 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) above the canopy, Mars Hydro recommends 30% brightness at clone stage/germination stage, 50-75% at the seedling stage, 75-100% at the vegetative stage, and 100% at flowering stage. Dimming knob added-brightness adjustment is more convenient. The growers can daisy chain up to 15 lights and control them together with one controller/dimming switch. The daisy chain feature makes the SP 3000 a suitable option for large-scale homegrown and commercial operations. This level of control can save a lot of time when monitoring many plants at the same time.
Removable Drivers
LED lights have great advantages of low running costs and low heat output. However, powerful LED lights such as the SP 3000 still give off some heat. Fortunately, the SP 3000 has a removable driver. This built-in power supply regulates the energy required to turn on the LEDs and produces most of the heat of the device. The grower can unscrew the driver and shift it outside the cultivation tent while still connected to the long extension cord. This allows the cultivator to keep the temperature constant in the growth space. This is a big advantage, especially for those who have small cultivation tents where heat management is difficult and makes the SP 3000 stand out.
Passive Cooling
The higher wattage LEDs produce a great amount of heat. Every watt produces almost 3.41 Btu of heat and cooling is required to maintain the temperature inside the growing area. The placement of LED printed circuit board on an aluminum substrate allows heat to be dissipated toward or away from the plant, depending on the design method. Good heat dissipation is essential for long-term lighting at various stages of plant growth. In addition to the removable driver, the SP 3000 LED grow light is equipped with an aluminum heatsink which helps to dissipate the heat efficiently. No fan design of SP 3000 LED grow light keeps the working area quiet. Comparing with the old version SP 250 (230w, which has more than 700 Epistar chips on a board of the same size), it was found that the heat generated by the SP 3000 is lower than the SP 250 and increases the temperature of the growing area less than 3 ⁰C. Along with low running costs and low heat output, the lack of noise makes the SP 3000 a true stealth light.
Setting Up and Using the Mars Hydro SP 3000
SP 3000 can be easily set up. After unboxing the components, the suspension cord can be hooked to the frame at the top of the growing area. The ease of unscrewing the driver gives provision to the growers to keep it inside the tent or shift it outside the tent. In small tents, it is better to move the driver out of the tent as it is the main heat source and can increase the temperature inside the tent and the growth of the crops may get affected. After the hooking of light is complete, the dimming switch can be fitted and a daisy chain of the suspended light can be made. The light comes with a manual in which the intensity of the light while hanging at different heights and warranty information are mentioned.
Long Life Span and Fast Delivery
For all types of lights, the amount of light emitted (measured by lumen or PAR photon irradiance) decreases with use. The output of traditional incandescent HPS and MH bulbs decreases much more rapidly than LEDs. The life span of Mars Hydro SP 3000 LED grow light is 50,000 hours, depending on operating conditions and other factors. The company’s global warehouses are built in most countries, including the USA, CA, AU, UK, EU, and RU, providing better after-sales service. The company can process the order within 24 business hours and the transport time is about 3-7 working days.
Conclusion
As a successor to the popular Mars Hydro SP250, the SP 3000 offers a range of new and improved features that make it an effective, reliable, and long-lasting tool for indoor growers. Among other striking features, fanless grow light with a waterproof body has the potential to go full-spectrum and significantly improve the yield of the crops. Overall, the SP 3000 is recommended for indoor growers who want to keep their running costs down while supplying the plants with the optimum wavelengths for optimal growth. SP-3000 is more user-friendly and more plant-friendly.
Quick Overview: MARS Hydro SP 3000
Highlights:
- High Efficiency & Higher Quality Yields
- Full Spectrum UV & IR Grow Light
- Dimming Daisy Chain & Flexible Dimmer
- Water Resistant (IP65)
- 960 PCS Samsung LM301B LEDs
- Dimension: 14″ x 10.8″ x 3.0″
- Silent Operation (0 dB noise level) & Solid Construction
- Full Body Aluminum Heatsink (Passive & Silent Cooling)
Our Verdict: The SP 3000 is recommended for indoor growers who want to keep their running costs down while supplying the plants with the optimum wavelengths for optimal growth. SP-3000 is more user-friendly and more plant-friendly.
What’s the recommended height of this product to hang over your plant
Hey man 🙂 Generally speaking, a good rule of thumb is to hang grow lights relatively close to the marijuana plant canopy – ideally leaving about 12-24 inches from the top of the plant to the light. If you monitor the plants for any oddities, e.g. bleaching, discoloration, or irregular growth, these issues can often indicate that you need to tinker with the light’s height. Trial and error: practice makes perfect! 😀