Mars Hydro TS1000 Deep Dive
The Mars Hydro TS1000 draws 150W and produces 343 µmol/s at 2.3 µmol/J, landing over 1,340 µmol/m²/s on the centre of the canopy from 12 inches. It covers 2 x 2 ft in flower and up to 2.5 x 2.5 ft at most, and it does it from 354 Bridgelux diodes under a white reflective hood.
The people's champion
Every so often a product comes along that simply resets what people expect for the money. The TS1000 is one of them. It is the Ford Fiesta of grow lights. Everybody seems to have had one, everybody seems to have liked it, and plenty of growers who have since moved on to bigger things still keep one running in a propagation tent.
What makes it different from the flat boards around it is the hood. Mars Hydro wraps the board in a white reflector and has widened its angle from 90° to 120°, which it says improves light efficiency by around 5%. The idea is simple. Light that would have splashed sideways onto the tent wall gets turned around and pushed back down onto the plants.
Like the SF1000, it is passively cooled, with no fan, so it is silent. And for 2026, Mars Hydro has given it Bluetooth control. Plug an iConnect stick into the dimmer box and you can dim and schedule it from the MarsPro app on your phone.
What the numbers actually mean
The TS1000's party piece is sheer punch. At 12 inches, the four centre readings on Mars Hydro's map are all above 1,340 µmol/m²/s. That is more than most small plants can use, which is precisely why Mars Hydro's own guide keeps the light at 12 inches and uses the dimmer to control intensity instead of the rope ratchets.
Lift it to 18 inches and the centre drops to around 710, with corners at about 430. That is a much flatter spread and a very comfortable place for flowering plants in a 70cm tent.
The price for all that light is power. It draws 150W against the SF1000's 100W, so a 12 hour flowering day costs about 47p at 26.32p per kWh. Still less than a can of Red Bull, and our running costs guide has the sums for every light we sell.
Specifications
These are Mars Hydro's own figures, from its official TS1000 product page and the TS series user manual.
| Specification | Mars Hydro TS1000 |
|---|---|
| Power draw | 150W ±5% (AC100 to 277V) |
| Light output (PPF) | 343 µmol/s |
| Efficiency (PPE) | 2.3 µmol/J |
| Diodes | 354 Bridgelux chips |
| Spectrum | 660 to 665nm red, 730 to 740nm IR, 3000 to 3200K and 6000 to 6500K white |
| Flower coverage | 2 x 2 ft |
| Veg coverage | 2.3 x 2.3 ft |
| Max coverage | 2.5 x 2.5 ft (80 x 80cm) |
| Dimming | 10 to 100% by knob on the dimmer box |
| Daisy chaining | Yes, by RJ11 dimming cable (DIM on the main light, EXT on the rest) |
| Smart control | Bluetooth via the MarsPro app with a Mars Hydro iConnect stick |
| Reflector | White reflective hood, angle widened from 90° to 120° |
| Current draw | 0.6223A at 240V |
| Heat output | 511.5 BTU |
| Size | 38.2 x 33.7 x 5.5cm |
| Weight | 1.8kg |
| Certification | UKCA, CE, RoHS, ETL |
| Rated lifespan | 50,000 hours |
| Warranty | 5 years (Mars Hydro) |
| In the box | Light, dimming cable, power cord, YoYo hangers, hanging kit |
PPFD by hanging height
PPFD is the usable light landing on each square metre of canopy every second, in µmol/m²/s. These readings come from Mars Hydro's official TS1000 PPFD map, measured on a 4 x 4 grid in an 80 x 80cm grow tent.
| Hanging height | Centre | Edge midpoints | Corners |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 inches (30cm) | 1,344 to 1,349 | 726 to 746 | 497 to 502 |
| 16 inches (41cm) | 829 to 834 | 601 to 610 | 463 to 468 |
| 18 inches (46cm) | 708 to 713 | 535 to 543 | 429 to 434 |
Mars Hydro's own targets are 150 to 300 for seedlings and clones, 400 to 850 for veg and 500 to 1,350 for flower. At full power and 12 inches, the centre of the canopy sits right at the top of that flower range, so use the dimmer or raise the light until your plants are well established.
Who is the TS1000 for?
- Growers in a 60 x 60cm or 70 x 70cm tent who want plenty of light in hand for flower.
- Anyone growing in a cold loft or garage in winter, where extra power on the dial is welcome.
- First-time growers who want a forgiving, well-proven light.
- Mars Hydro households who want phone control through the iConnect stick and MarsPro app.
- Stealth growers who need a silent, fanless light.
Who should look elsewhere? If efficiency is your priority, or you want your light inside Spider Farmer's GGS system, read the Spider Farmer SF1000 deep dive. If you are moving into a 1.2m tent, the next TS series step is the Mars Hydro TSW2000 LED Grow Light 300w (iConnect Edition).
Setup and hanging guide
The TS1000 goes up in a few minutes, and it all comes in the box.
- Hang the steel hanger from the tent frame.
- Hang the adjustable rope ratchets (the YoYos) from it.
- Fit the driver and dimmer box on the light, or take them off if you would rather mount them outside the tent.
- Connect the LED board to the driver.
- Connect the power cord.
- Hang the light from the YoYos and set your height.
To dim, set the switch on the dimmer box to DIM and turn the knob. To chain lights, run the RJ11 dimming cable between their dimmer boxes, set the main light to DIM and the others to EXT. The main light's knob then sets the brightness for all of them.
Mars Hydro's current hanging and dimming guide:
| Growth stage | Hanging height | Dimmer | Target PPFD (µmol/m²/s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seedlings and clones | 12 inches (30cm) | 25% | 150 to 300 |
| Veg | 12 inches (30cm) | 75% | 400 to 850 |
| Flower | 12 inches (30cm) | 100% | 500 to 1,350 |
If you would rather move the light than dim it, Mars Hydro's TS series page suggests 24 to 30 inches for germination, 24 inches for seedlings, 18 to 24 inches for veg and 12 to 18 inches for flower, with 18 hours on and 6 off (or 20 on and 4 off) in veg, and 12 on, 12 off in flower. Download the full Mars Hydro TS series user manual (PDF) for the safety notes.
What to pair it with
- Mars Hydro TS1000 150w LED Grow Light (iConnect Edition): the light itself, in Manual Control or iConnect Bluetooth Control.
- Mars Hydro Grow Tent - 0.7m x 0.7m x 1.6m: the right size home for it.
- Mars Hydro iFresh 4" Smart Ventilation Kit: a 4 inch extractor fan, carbon filter and iControl controller, all in the Mars Hydro family.
- Mars Hydro iConnect USB Stick: adds app control if you bought the Manual Control version.
- Mars Hydro TSW2000 LED Grow Light 300w (iConnect Edition): the upgrade when you move to a bigger tent.
TS1000 or SF1000?
The TS1000 has more light in hand, while the Spider Farmer SF1000 is more efficient, lighter and plugs into the GGS system. We weigh them up in SF1000 vs TS1000: which should you buy?, and the full rival breakdown is in our Spider Farmer SF1000 deep dive.
Frequently asked questions
What size grow tent is the Mars Hydro TS1000 for?
Mars Hydro rates the TS1000 at 2 x 2 ft in flower, 2.3 x 2.3 ft in veg and 2.5 x 2.5 ft (80 x 80cm) at most. A 70 x 70cm tent is the sweet spot, and Mars Hydro's own PPFD test was done in an 80 x 80cm tent.
How high should I hang the TS1000?
Mars Hydro's current guide keeps the light at 12 inches (30cm) and changes the dimmer instead: 25% for seedlings and clones, 75% for veg and 100% for flower. Its TS series page also gives a more traditional height guide: 24 to 30 inches for germination, 24 inches for seedlings, 18 to 24 inches for veg and 12 to 18 inches for flower.
Can I control the TS1000 from my phone?
Yes. The updated TS1000 has Bluetooth dimming through the MarsPro app once a Mars Hydro iConnect stick is plugged into the dimmer box. Our iConnect Bluetooth Control version comes with the stick, or you can add the Mars Hydro iConnect USB Stick later.
Can I daisy chain two TS1000 lights?
Yes. Link the lights with the RJ11 dimming cable, set the main light's switch to DIM and every other light to EXT, and the main light's knob then controls them all. Make sure the total wattage does not exceed the rating of your timer.
How much does the TS1000 cost to run?
It draws about 150W. A 12 hour flowering day uses 1.8kWh, which at 26.32p per kWh is roughly 47p a day. An 18 hour veg day uses 2.7kWh, or roughly 71p.
Should I buy the TS1000 or the Spider Farmer SF1000?
The TS1000 puts out more light, 343 µmol/s against 249 µmol/s, so it has more in hand for flowering in a 70cm tent. The SF1000 is more efficient, lighter and plugs into Spider Farmer's GGS system. Our SF1000 vs TS1000 guide goes through it in detail.
What warranty does the TS1000 have?
Mars Hydro quotes 5 years. In the first year, repairs and shipping are free. From year one to year five, Mars Hydro covers the components and you pay the shipping, repair and handling costs.
Sources
All figures on this page come from Mars Hydro's official TS1000 product page, its official TS1000 PPFD map and hanging guide, and the TS series user manual (PDF). Running costs are our own sums at 26.32p per kWh.
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