Spider Farmer SF1000 Deep Dive
The Spider Farmer SF1000 turns 100W at the wall into around 249 µmol/s of light at 2.5 µmol/J, and puts 928 µmol/m²/s on the centre of a 60cm tent from 12 inches up. It covers 2 x 2 ft in flower and 3 x 3 ft in veg, it weighs 1.26kg, and it makes absolutely no noise at all.
The little light that started a lot of grows
Some products arrive with a fanfare. The SF1000 arrived, did its job brilliantly, and quietly became one of the most popular small grow lights in Britain. It is the Mazda MX-5 of LED grow lights. Not the most powerful thing you can buy, not the biggest, but so well judged that an enormous number of people start with one and never feel short-changed.
The recipe is wonderfully simple. A flat aluminium board, a big passive heatsink on the back and no fan whatsoever. That last bit matters more than it sounds. No fan means nothing to wear out, nothing to rattle and nothing to hum at two in the morning. If your tent lives in a spare bedroom, that is worth its weight in gold.
For 2026, Spider Farmer swapped the old Samsung diodes for Bridgelux ones and added more of them, so each diode works a little less hard. The guys at Spider Farmer tell us output and uniformity are unchanged, and the published PPFD map is the same. That is the sort of update we like. Same result, less stress on the parts.
What the numbers actually mean
At 2.5 µmol/J, the SF1000 is properly efficient for a light at this price. Run it in a 60 to 70cm tent at 12 inches and the middle of your canopy sees over 900 µmol/m²/s, which is serious flowering territory. The corners drop to the mid 300s at that height, so it rewards growers who keep plants towards the centre or train them flat.
Raise it to 18 inches and something lovely happens. The centre falls to 557, but the corners barely move and stay around 400. The whole 2 x 2 ft footprint ends up remarkably even, which is exactly what you want for seedlings and veg.
Running costs are the other headline. At 100W, a 12 hour flowering day uses 1.2kWh, which at 26.32p per kWh is about 32p. That is less than a can of Red Bull. We cover the maths for every light we sell in our LED grow light running costs guide.
Specifications
These are Spider Farmer's own figures, from its UK product page and the SF series user manual.
| Specification | Spider Farmer SF1000 |
|---|---|
| Power draw | 100W ±5% (AC100 to 277V) |
| Light output (PPF) | 249.21 µmol/s (UK product page), 259.1 µmol/s (SF series manual) |
| Efficiency (PPE) | 2.5 µmol/J |
| Diodes | Bridgelux (2026 update, replacing Samsung) |
| Spectrum | 650 to 665nm red, 730 to 740nm IR, 2800 to 3000K and 4800 to 5000K white |
| Flower coverage | 2 x 2 ft (Spider Farmer quotes 70 x 70cm) |
| Veg / max coverage | 3 x 3 ft |
| Recommended extractor fan | 4 inch |
| Dimming | Dimmer knob on a detachable dimmer box, 0 to 10V control |
| Daisy chaining | Yes, multi-light connection with unified dimming |
| Smart control | Spider Farmer GGS controller via the GGS Light and Fan Adapter |
| Cooling | Passive aluminium heatsink, no fan, silent |
| Current draw | 0.4363A at 240V |
| Light size | 32.5 x 29.0 x 5.9cm |
| Weight | 1.26kg net, 1.92kg boxed |
| Operating temperature | -20 to 35°C |
| Rated lifespan | 50,000 hours |
| Warranty | 5 years |
| In the box | Light with dimmer box, power cord, 2 hanging kits, 2 rope ratchets, user manual |
Spider Farmer's UK product page lists PPF as 249.21 µmol/s, while the SF series manual prints 259.1 µmol/s. We have shown both so you can see exactly what the brand publishes.
PPFD by hanging height
PPFD is the amount of usable light landing on each square metre of canopy every second, measured in µmol/m²/s. These readings come from Spider Farmer's official SF1000 PPFD map, tested in a 60 x 60cm grow tent.
| Hanging height | Centre | Inner 1 x 1 ft | Edge midpoints (2 x 2 ft) | Corners (2 x 2 ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 inches (30cm) | 928 | 807 to 811 | 536 to 555 | 354 to 360 |
| 14 inches (36cm) | 756 | 697 to 701 | 501 to 533 | 402 to 407 |
| 18 inches (46cm) | 557 | 534 to 538 | 464 to 468 | 400 to 405 |
In plain English, 12 inches gives the most punch for flower, 14 inches is a good all-rounder, and 18 inches gives the evenest spread across the tent.
Who is the SF1000 for?
- First-time growers who want a proven light that is very hard to get wrong.
- Anyone growing in a 60 x 60cm or 70 x 70cm tent, or a cupboard of a similar size.
- People who need silence. With no fan, it is ideal for bedrooms and flats.
- Growers who plan to go smart later, because it plugs into the Spider Farmer GGS system.
- Anyone keeping a close eye on the electricity bill.
Who should look elsewhere? If you are growing in a 90cm tent or bigger, or you want more headroom in flower, step up to the Spider Farmer SF2000 LED Grow Light 200w. If you want the most raw light for a 70cm tent, the Mars Hydro TS1000 deep dive is worth a read.
Setup and hanging guide
Getting an SF1000 up and running takes about ten minutes, and you will not need any tools.
- Clip the four small hooks from the hanging kit into the four holes on the back of the light.
- Attach the hooks to the two adjustable rope ratchets and hang the light from the tent frame.
- Plug the power cord into an earthed socket. The SF1000 is Class I equipment, so it needs a proper earth.
- Switch on and set the dimmer knob for the stage your plants are at.
Leave at least 2.5cm of clear space above the light so the heatsink can breathe, and keep anything flammable at least 50cm away. The dimmer box slides off the board, so you can mount it outside the tent if you would rather adjust it without opening the door.
Spider Farmer's recommended heights and dimmer settings by stage:
| Growth stage | Hanging height | Dimmer | Light schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germination | 24 to 30 inches | 50% | 18 hours on, 6 off |
| Seedlings | 24 inches | 50 to 75% | 18 hours on, 6 off |
| Veg | 18 to 24 inches | 75 to 100% | 18 hours on, 6 off |
| Flower | 12 to 18 inches | 100% | 12 hours on, 12 off |
Spider Farmer also suggests a tent temperature of 18 to 35°C, humidity of 50 to 70% and a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. Under strong light, plants can want a little extra calcium and magnesium. Download the full Spider Farmer SF series user manual (PDF) for the safety notes.
What to pair it with
- Spider Farmer SF1000 LED Grow Light: the light itself.
- Spider Farmer Grow Tent - 0.7m x 0.7m x 1.6m: the right size home for it.
- Spider Farmer 4" Smart Ventilation Kit with GGS Controller: a 4 inch extractor fan, carbon filter and the GGS controller, which can run the light too.
- Spider Farmer SF1000 Smart Grow Tent Kit: the lot in one box.
- Spider Farmer SF2000 LED Grow Light 200w: the upgrade when you move to a bigger tent.
SF1000 or TS1000?
It is the question we get asked more than any other. The short version is that the SF1000 is more efficient, lighter and silent, while the Mars Hydro TS1000 puts out more light for a little more power. We go through it properly in SF1000 vs TS1000: which should you buy?, and the full rival breakdown is in our Mars Hydro TS1000 deep dive.
Frequently asked questions
What size grow tent is the Spider Farmer SF1000 for?
Spider Farmer rates the SF1000 for a 2 x 2 ft (60 to 70cm) area in flower and up to 3 x 3 ft in veg. Its own PPFD test was done in a 60 x 60cm tent, and it suggests a 70 x 70cm tent with a 4 inch extractor fan kit as the natural home for it.
How high should I hang the SF1000 above my plants?
Spider Farmer's manual suggests 24 to 30 inches at 50% for germination, 24 inches at 50 to 75% for seedlings, 18 to 24 inches at 75 to 100% for veg and 12 to 18 inches at 100% for flower. Start at the higher end and come down slowly while you watch the leaves.
How much does the SF1000 cost to run?
It draws about 100W. On a 12 hour flowering day that is 1.2kWh, which at 26.32p per kWh comes to roughly 32p a day. On an 18 hour veg day it is about 1.8kWh, or roughly 47p.
Can I link two SF1000 lights together?
Yes. The SF1000 supports multi-light connection with unified dimming, so one dimmer can set the brightness for every light on the chain. Spider Farmer warns not to overload the timer you are using, so add up the wattage before you plug a chain into one.
Does the SF1000 work with the Spider Farmer GGS controller?
Yes. Spider Farmer lists its SF series as GGS compatible, apart from the SF1000D, SF300 and SF600. The SF1000 uses 0 to 10V dimming and connects through the GGS Light and Fan Adapter, after which you can schedule it, dim it and run sunrise and sunset from the app.
Is the new Bridgelux SF1000 any different from the old Samsung version?
Spider Farmer says the 2026 SF1000 moved to Bridgelux diodes with a higher diode count, while keeping the same output and uniformity as the Samsung based version. The published PPFD map for the new light carries the same values as before.
What size extractor fan do I need with an SF1000?
Spider Farmer recommends a 4 inch extractor fan for the SF1000. Our pick is the Spider Farmer 4" Smart Ventilation Kit with GGS Controller, because the same controller can then run the light as well.
What warranty does the SF1000 come with?
Spider Farmer quotes 5 years. In the first year, quality faults are repaired or replaced with shipping covered. From year one to year five, parts are supplied free and you cover the cost of shipping the parts.
Sources
All figures on this page come from Spider Farmer's official UK SF1000 product page, its official PPFD map and the SF series user manual (PDF). Running costs are our own sums at 26.32p per kWh.
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