Mars Hydro vs Spider Farmer (2026)

Mars Hydro and Spider Farmer sell nearly the same lineup: square and bar-style LED boards, complete tent kits, inline fans, dehumidifiers and their own smart-control systems. They are also two of the most-compared brands in budget-to-midrange grow lights. This page puts their published specs side by side with the independent measurements that exist for each, and with each brand’s own warranty terms.

Quick verdict

• 4x4 lights: Mars Hydro’s FC-E4800 has more evidence behind it: a published, method-stated PAR map of a full 4x4. Spider Farmer’s SF4000 is a simpler single board with similar rated efficiency, but its 2026 diode change hasn’t been independently tested.
• 2x4 lights: in independent tests of earlier versions, Spider Farmer’s SF2000 was the more efficient board, and Mars Hydro’s TSL 2000 covered the full 2x4 more evenly with more total light.
• Warranty: about even. Both list 5 years on their mainstream lights with full coverage only in year one.
• Smart controls: both have an ecosystem (Mars Hydro iControl, Spider Farmer GGS) with RJ12-linked devices. Pick the one that matches the other gear you own.

4x4: FC-E4800 vs SF4000

	Mars Hydro FC-E4800	Spider Farmer SF4000 (2026)
Rated power	480 W ±5%	450 W
Rated PPF	1,344 µmol/s (wholesale site: 1,331)	1,171 µmol/s at 120 V
Rated efficacy	2.8 µmol/J	2.7 µmol/J
Diodes	Bridgelux white plus OSRAM 660 nm red	Bridgelux (earlier versions Samsung LM301B)
Rated coverage	4x4 maximum, 3x3 “core”	4x4 flowering, 5x5 vegetative
Independent PAR map	Yes: Coco For Cannabis, June 2021	None found for the 2026 version
Warranty	5 years (FC-E series)	5 years (SF series)

Manufacturer figures from each brand’s product page; independent figures below. All checked November 13, 2026.

What the measurement shows. Coco For Cannabis tested the FC-E4800 on June 29, 2021 and measured 471 W at the wall, a 751.2 µmol/m²/s average across a 4x4, 1,081.8 µmol/s of usable PPF and 2.3 µmol/J of usable efficacy. “Usable” means light that actually landed in the test area, which is why it is lower than the rated fixture figure. That average clears the roughly 700 µmol/m²/s that Coco For Cannabis uses as its target for a fully lit flowering space.

The SF4000 gap. Spider Farmer says the 2026 SF4000 moved to Bridgelux diodes “while maintaining the same output, uniformity, and reliable performance.” We found no independent PAR map of that version to confirm it. Owner feedback collected by THCFarmer includes one member’s SF4000 described as performing well “but is slightly too small for a 4x4”, which fits a 450 W board sitting at the low end of THCFarmer’s member-reported 430–500 W range for a 4x4.

More 4x4 options, including ViparSpectra and AC Infinity, are in the best grow light for a 4x4 tent.

2x4: TSL2000 vs SF2000

	Mars Hydro TSL2000	Spider Farmer SF2000 (2026)
Rated power	300 W	200 W ±5%
Rated PPF	717 µmol/s	608.5 µmol/s
Rated efficacy	2.6 µmol/J	2.7 µmol/J (doesn’t reconcile with the PPF at 200 W)
Independent 2x4 average	727.2 µmol/m²/s, low 524 (earlier Epistar version, 2020)	572.6 µmol/m²/s, low 272 (2020 unit)
Measured wall power	286 W	201 W
Usable efficacy, measured	1.83 µmol/J	2.05 µmol/J

Both tests were run by Coco For Cannabis in 2020, on hardware that has since been revised. The TSL 2000 was tested in June 2020 at 14.5 inches; the SF2000 at 15.5 inches.

How to read this. The SF2000 turned more of its power into usable light, but at 200 W it simply puts out less, and its square footprint left both ends of a 2x4 under 500 µmol/m²/s. The reviewer recommends planning on a 2x3 flowering area. The TSL 2000’s longer fixture spread more light more evenly across the whole 2x4, at the cost of drawing more power per unit of light. A second independent reviewer, HWGrow, measured 590 and 643 µmol/m²/s at the center of two 2023 SF2000 units, which agrees with the first test about output but says nothing about the corners.

Spider Farmer’s spec sheet for the 2026 SF2000 is inconsistent: 608.5 µmol/s divided by 200 W is about 3.0 µmol/J, not the 2.7 listed. Our SF2000 review goes through the numbers. For complete 2x4 kits from both brands, see the best 2x4 grow tent kit.

Warranty, side by side

	Mars Hydro	Spider Farmer
Main LED lines	FC, FC-E, TS, SP series: 5 years. Year 1 full (parts, repair, shipping); after that free components, repair and shipping at your cost, depreciation charged for a full replacement	SF, SE, G series: 5 years. Year 1 full; after that paid shipping or a discounted replacement
Shorter-warranty lights	SP150, TS600, VG, Adlite: 2 years	Check the policy for other series
Inline fans and controllers	2 years (full for 12 months, then free parts)	GGS controllers: 2 years
Tents	1 year, defects only	1 year
Other	Heat mats, clip fans, humidifiers and kit water pumps: 1 year	Accessories: 1 or 2 years depending on category

Both from each brand’s warranty page, checked November 13, 2026. Mars Hydro lists warranty centers in the US, UK, Germany, Australia and Canada, and gives only free components (you pay shipping and customs) on orders shipped directly from China.

Returns. Mars Hydro’s kit page says grow tents cannot be returned or exchanged once purchased. Check Spider Farmer’s current return policy before you buy, too.

Smart controls and accessories

Both brands now sell a controller ecosystem. Mars Hydro’s 38 pint (18 L/day) dehumidifier connects by RJ12 to its iControl system for humidity and VPD automation, and Spider Farmer’s 32 pint dehumidifier connects by RJ12 to its GGS controllers. Neither drives the other brand’s devices natively. Pick one ecosystem, then fill gaps with simple on/off devices. Our dehumidifier guide compares both units. If you’re weighing Spider Farmer’s system against AC Infinity’s, see Spider Farmer vs AC Infinity.

Which to choose

• You want the most evidence for a 4x4: Mars Hydro FC-E4800.
• You want one simple board for a 4x4 and trust the brand’s claim that the 2026 version matches the old one: Spider Farmer SF4000. Hang it high enough to reach the corners, or plan on a slightly smaller footprint.
• You want a whole 2x4 lit: Mars Hydro TSL2000.
• You flower in a 2x3 or want the lowest power bill per unit of light: Spider Farmer SF2000.
• You already own one brand’s controller: stay with that brand.

How this comparison was made

We compared each brand’s flagship 4x4 and 2x4 lights on their own published specifications, then checked them against independent PAR measurements where one had been published, and against each brand’s current warranty policy. We did not test these products ourselves. Independent tests were of earlier hardware revisions, as noted above. See how we research.