In July 2020 I was sent a Mars Hydro grow light. They reached out to me and asked if I would like to try out there TS600 LED Grow Light and a Grow Tent. In exchange they asked me to talk about it on my YouTube channel (which I did)
I am so happy with the grow light and tent they sent, I’ve also decided to write about it on here.
So, is the Mars Hydro light good? – Yes. It’s amazing. My Bonsai have been loving it.
In this post I will go through my experience of using it and why I would happily recommended it for growing bonsai.
(You can read more about – Grow Lights For Bonsai)
Page Contents
Mars Hydro TS 600 Grow Light – Specs
Here are the official specifications of the Mars Hydro TS 600 Grow Light: –
- Power Draw:85W ±10%
- Max Coverage:70 x 70 cm
- Product Size:14”x13”x1.5”=35.6x31x3.6 cm
- Heat Output:231 BTU
- LED:225pcs, new SMD tech
- Cord Length: 6ft
- Input Voltage:85V-265V(AC)
- Lumen :11465 lumen±5% / AC240V
- Amp Draw: 1.37A/110v, 0.79A/220v
- PAR Value:360 umols
- Net Weight:2 lbs / 0.91 KG
- Gross Weight:4.4 lbs / 2 KG
- Max Yield: 2.5g/watt
- Replace HPS/HID: 150W
- Noise Level: 0 DB
Now, as a bonsai grower, I’m a simple man. I’m not very scientific …So what do these specs mean? Are they good? Are they accurate?
Honestly, I’ve no idea. I can confirm the size and the weight seems right. The cable is about 6ft as stated and the noise level is indeed zero. Apart from that the rest is just gibberish to me.
I did physics in school, but sadly all that important Watts and Amps stuff has long been erased from my mind. I also don’t have any way to actually test what is stated, so we will just have to take their word for some of these figures.
At the end of the day stats and specs mean nothing. All we want to know is if bonsai will grow when you use it.
Well, I can tell you the light works and more importantly, my bonsai trees are growing …They are growing VERY well.
Grow Area Of The Mars Hydro TS 600 Grow Light
The grow area (or footprint) has an area of 60x60cm which for a small tent is still a decent size. I have managed to squeeze a good number of bonsai trees in there.
The light is designed to actually cover 70x70cm, which I would believe. It seems as though the whole tent gets good lighting, even out to the edges.
The reflective interior also seems to make sure light is bounced around the tent making the light more effective in the space.
Cooling The Mars Hydro TS 600 Grow Light
This was the one area I was worried about with this light.
The grow light does not come with any self cooling. When I initially put it on, it got very hot. Ridiculously hot.
After a while it seems too have calmed down. It’s still pretty warm, verging on actually hot, but overall it’s not too bad.
I was worried it would overheat, or burn out or something like that, but it seems fine. It seems to get warm and can take it. Long term this may affect it, but after 2 years of heavy use it’s looking unaffected so far.
The extra heat was not really a concern to me in regards to my plants. I have been growing trees from more tropical climates. The light seems to heat the tent up a few extra degrees above room temperature. So my average temperate in the tent was mid to high 20s°C
The grow tent also come with plenty of ventilation. Both down low and higher up in the tent. You can easily install fans to take air in our out of the tent and having the different heights means you can provide a good air flow if needed.
In the first few days I played around with my vents and managed to get my temperate down from around 29°C to 25°C. Not drastic, but I feel just taking the edge off the temperature keeps my light from not being too hot and keeps the bonsai trees in a ideal condition with some gentle air flow.
As I said, they are tropical trees, so this temperature suits them nicely.
Build Quality Of The Mars Hydro TS 600 Grow Light
The build quality of the tent is excellent. It is made of a thick material and has a big chunky zip. After 2 years it has stood up well. Normally I would have damaged anything I own by this point, but so far it’s in great condition.
There is no fraying of the stitching and the zip is totally like the day I got it. I am really satisfied with the grow tent. The reflective interior is also really good. You can definitely see the benefit of this and can see that the light is actually being bounced back into the tent.
When I move house I will dismantle my home made grow area (my other grow light, tahts surrounded by cardboard with reflective blankets taped to it). I will more than likely buy a separate grow tent from Mars Hydro to house my other grow light in. I think the tents are excellent and i would happily pay money to get another one.
The build quality of the mars hydro grow light also seems decent. The mental outer frame seems light and flimsy, but it’s actually very sturdy and does its job, so I can’t complain about it.
The light just hangs there, so it’s not being touched much, so there isn’t going to be much wear and tear on it, but as I’ve said above, it’s holding up to the heat it generates well and I’m hopeful this will carry on long term.
How Much Does This Grow Light Cost?
So this is the big question. How much do these Mars Hydro Grow lights cost?
Well, they are actually quite cheap. They are considered budget lights and I think they are very competitive for what you get when compared to other lights in the same range.
Here are some links to the various shops across the world. These are the links the Mars Hydro sent me. I do not get any kick backs from using these links. So pick your region and see what my light and the other models are costing.
CA: http://bit.ly/marshydro-ca
EU: https://bit.ly/marshydro_eu
RU: https://bit.ly/marshydro-ru
Now it’s important to mention, you can get cheaper grow lights on Amazon, but most of these are just useless. You do pay for what you get in life.
The same applies for these lights, you could spend 5 times more and get something better, but for a budget grow light, these lights hit the quality and functionality you would need and I think they are more than fairly priced.
Conclusion
In conclusion I am very satisfied with my light and grow tent. My bonsai trees have seen some excellent growth.
If you have watched any of my youtube videos you will be able to see the grow for yourself.
I would happily recommend this grow lights and tent for your bonsai. They seems like a good budget option, but more importantly they give the results you would want and expect from a grow light.
However, before you rush out and buy one, make sure you have read my article on – Do You Need A Grow Light For Your Bonsai?
Hi, I’m Ian. I have been doing bonsai since 2014. I created this site to spread all the knowledge I have acquired over the years. Don’t forget to check out my Youtube videos where I show the progress of my own Bonsai each week or connect with me on social media.
You can read more about me and how I got into Bonsai on the About Page
