LED's for a 5'x9' Room - Mars Hydro FC 6500, HLG 600 Rspec?

Hello everyone. Exhausted researching the web for grow room LEDs and I think I found the best light for the money. Can anyone comment on their direct experience with these or other similar lights. I like the Mars Hydro FC 6500 for their price of $1540 or so out the door for 2 lights, as well as the fact that they can daisy chain and have removable heat sinks that you can place outside the room.

The only other lights I spotted that I really liked were the HLG Scorpion Rspec and the HLG 600 Rspec ($999/$775) - which are a bit more expensive but appear to be better made and very popular on YT. Also, I believe HLG is a US company which I like. If I went with a more expensive light than the mars I might just add one at a time. Thanks for any input.

You don't hear a lot of people crapping on Mars Hydro but HLG is a better light; one of the best in the industry. I don't know if they're made in the USA but they have a great reputation for customer support and quality.

MustGro said:

You don't hear a lot of people crapping on Mars Hydro but HLG is a better light; one of the best in the industry. I don't know if they're made in the USA but they have a great reputation for customer support and quality.

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Thanks @MustGro - that's how it seems. Both look decent and like they'll do the job, HLG seems a little higher end. Can I ask what you personally use for lights/grow medium/hydro setup? Did soil for my first batch, and thinking to go coco with a watering system or hydro.

I used 4 of these https://growlights.ca/collections/led-grow-lights-fusion-board-leds/products/250-watt-fb288-lm301h-3000k-660nm-uv-ir-led-fusion-board-light

You can see what they can do in my signature grow (link on bottom of my posts). Looks like a good yield. Probably 700 plus grams of lowers and that much again easy in uppers off 960 watts. 4 of those setups.
I just bought 4 panels from Grow Lights Australia

If I were you, and had the cash, I'd go HLG for veg and maybe a Scorpion Diablo for flower.
I'm super happy with my 420 boards and plan on ordering more for this grow. Maybe not so veg oriented BUT they're at least as good as the S. Diablo if not better in my opinion. And they aren't really much more $$$ than the knockoff boards I have.
Quality is nice if you can afford it from the start. It's also easy to unload a quality LED setup to your grow friends if you decide it's not for you.

NICE man. Those are some beautiful, very thick grows. The amount of wires/rope above your grow would confuse the hell out of me! All that matters though is the final result though. Can you tell me what that white digital gauge on the wall is?

My space is probably going to end up 5x9, so was looking at 2 of the refurbed HLG 650R lights. Would likely buy one at a time because they are still expensive. Also checking out a fairly basic general hydroponics 8 bucket waterfarm as every hydro kit I see is also a small fortune.

Still learning everything after doing 8 outdoor plants. Hydro looks nicer, neater, and the best way to go. Thanks for your input!

GreenKushy said:

NICE man. Those are some beautiful, very thick grows. The amount of wires/rope above your grow would confuse the hell out of me! All that matters though is the final result though. Can you tell me what that white digital gauge on the wall is?

My space is probably going to end up 5x9, so was looking at 2 of the refurbed HLG 650R lights. Would likely buy one at a time because they are still expensive. Also checking out a fairly basic general hydroponics 8 bucket waterfarm as every hydro kit I see is also a small fortune.

Still learning everything after doing 8 outdoor plants. Hydro looks nicer, neater, and the best way to go. Thanks for your input!

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The white gauge is a temp/humidity meter.
I have an 8 pot powergrower setup that I don't use. If you want some more advice on hydro; I'd advise you to skip that setup and go to their Aeroflo series instead. The water farms and powergrowers are great and will grow impressive big plants. BUT you really need to be able to watch your PH in each pot to make each plant happy and there's no way to do that in their 8 pot series unless McGyver a way yourself. Plus it's 8 fucking pots to check every day. The Aeroflo series uses one common reservoir. I run one of them and love it. You can kinda see it in my signature grow. Only ran 6 plants in it.
All that being said you'll have to move now to buy any GH gear. It's not being made anymore and Monsanto is calling the shots at GH. If you find a place that has some GH grow systems; let me know. I'd love to get an Aeroflo 36, 60 or 60 with the extension.
You might like the Eurogrower for 8 plants. It uses one big reservoir to grow 8 plants so only one res to check and change and buy a chiller for.....

I will keep an eye out and post here if I find them (currently in mad search mode for all this). From what I've read though, small buckets like in the Eurogrower, are for small plants. I have 2 outdoor Jack Herer's now and the freakin things are about 5' tall each. I though I needed to go 8 gal and up to do that indoors, and I'd be happy to just have 6-8 of those going.

Also, just found these guys. They have pretty reasonably priced RDWC and Fallponic system and by their YouTube, the dude running it seems to know his stuff: https://shop.pahydroponics.com/ - only thing with their RDWC is that they are 5 gal buckets. Fallponic looks nice but I don't like that the buckets are so close to center.

Edit:
Looks like they have them, do not know the company: https://www.discount-hydro.net/general-hydroponics-aeroflo-systems/

I would like to suggest Elevated Lighting Company who were formerly Budget LED. I linked you to their Infinity Boards that have a switch that allows you to switch between blue lighting for veg and/or far red for flowering and UVA on/off switch too. I bought their big 4 panel quantum like board setup but wish I had done 2 of the above instead to help with various flowering heights. I will show some picks from my current grow after 3.5 weeks in my 5x5. I also just moved 2 plants yesterday to another 5x5 in hopes of growing a few monsters under a 3 year old HLG 550W QB at 3000k lighting, but I miss the blue for them. Running both boards at roughly 40% power of the dial. They also have a 10% Off code (420mag), Michigan based and run by I believe former army vets.

Budget LED Light now Elevated Lighting Company



3 Year Old HLG 550W Light

Thanks @EhCndGrower - those definitely look interesting. To save a buck I think I'm going with a refurbed HLG.

@MustGro - now you have me looking at the Aeroflo2 systems. You're right, near impossible to find. Can I ask why you like them so much. I've been down a reading rabbit hole on them and it sounds like once you add a few things like a second filter and a water chiller - they will run reliably. Maybe I'll join you on your quest to find a supplier. I finalized my grow space design and it is going to be 4.75' x 6' - so the aeroflo 36 would tuck right in there.

Alternatively my plan is to go with the PA Hydroponics 6 place 8 gallon RDWC setup. I think he has it right with those 3" tubes to prevent clogs.

GreenKushy said:

Thanks @EhCndGrower - those definitely look interesting. To save a buck I think I'm going with a refurbed HLG.

@MustGro - now you have me looking at the Aeroflo2 systems. You're right, near impossible to find. Can I ask why you like them so much. I've been down a reading rabbit hole on them and it sounds like once you add a few things like a second filter and a water chiller - they will run reliably. Maybe I'll join you on your quest to find a supplier. I finalized my grow space design and it is going to be 4.75' x 6' - so the aeroflo 36 would tuck right in there.

Alternatively my plan is to go with the PA Hydroponics 6 place 8 gallon RDWC setup. I think he has it right with those 3" tubes to prevent clogs.

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The Aeroflos are great in my opinion. Only one reservoir to look after and it does multiple plants. The spacing is too close and the arms are too BUT I only run every second pot and I put 3 extra holes in my top so I can run half the fingers the other way. Chillers are nice for them, but a second filter is unnecessary. I struggled to keep the lines in mine clean until I discovered pump filter bags. Put the pump in the bag and tie it tight = done.
Have a recent pic of my 36 right after I put clones in her.
I'd be happy to have you with me; quests can get lonely....

I found a place in Canada that seems to have them, but they will not ship to the USA. I think I'm going to go with PA Hydroponics 5 bucket 8 Gal RWDC and for lights the FC-E6500 from mars hydro. It's like $650 right now which seems decent for power. Getting good reviews. May add some cheaper t-5's on the sidewalls too. Amazon has some Barrina's for under $100.

Here's the place in Canada: https://www.tthydroponic.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1182

I feel like evil Monsanto phased them out because they were too efficient. I see a lot of people on the grasscity forums talking about them.

Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a shot.

Monsanto is evil and getting bigger. GH, Scott's, Bayer. I'm afraid for companies like Jack's that make a great product. Suddenly the new GH has a powder line out just like the Jack's 321...
I tried to get a part from them last month and got this reply



Hi ,
Thank you for reaching out to Hawthorne Gardening Company - General Hydroponics. Unfortunately we have since discontinued the systems line of General Hydroponics. You may still be able to find some older systems online, but moving forward we are not going to offer these.

Thanks,


Technical Support Team

All I think this will do is lead to us regular people innovating. I love PA Hydroponics because dude sells his systems at non rip-off prices AND he tells you how to just build it yourself if you want to save a little in highly detailed YT videos. The danger comes when they patent stuff and prevent small guys from building it.

I'm trying really hard to get good at day trading right now, because I'd love to be a mid-sized guy in this industry. It isn't quite working out at the moment, but if I make it I'll do something good. Things are only getting bigger for retail and home growers. We just need more people that will act conscientiously. There needs to be a balance between profit, and doing things that generally help others. A company that patents seeds is evil on its face. Mission: control the food supply and now the MJ supply.