Quantum boards are all the rage.
It started with HLG, but now several budget brands have started offering quantum boards with Samsung chips and quality drivers.
One of the best is Spider Farmer and their SF line of lights.
They basically give you what HLG gives you, but at a fraction of the cost.
And their new SE line give you bar style lights that easily beat any other brand in terms of value.
Of course, they are a Chinese brand, so there is always a drawback.
But what, exactly, do you sacrifice when you go with Spider Farmer quantum board LED grow lights over HLG or other more expensive brands.
Are the cost savings worth it?
Read the rest of this review to find out.
Let’s begin by taking a look at each light in the Spider Farmer SF series, before getting to a more in-depth review of the basic SF 1000 fixture. We’ll finish with a brief look at the new SE series of bar style lights.
Spider Farmer LED Grow Light Comparison Table
- Watts: 33w
- Coverage: 2' x 2.5'
- Output: 74.92 umol/s
- Watts: 74w
- Coverage: 2' x 4'
- Output: 166.81 umol/s
- Watts: 100w
- Coverage: 2' x 2'
- Output: 250.43 umol/s
- Watts: 202w
- Coverage: 2' x 4'
- Output: 527 umol/s
- Watts: 450w
- Coverage: 3' x 3'
- Output: 1217 umol/s
- Watts: 650w
- Coverage: 4' x 4'
- Output: 1786 umol/s
- Watts: 300w
- Coverage: 3' x 3'
- Output: 822.82 umol/s
- Watts: 480w
- Coverage: 4' x 4'
- Output: 1333 umol/s
- Watts: 730w
- Coverage: 5' x 5'
- Output: 2045 umol/s
- Watts: 1000w
- Coverage: 5' x 5'
- Output: 2955 umol/s
Spider Farmer SF 1000 Review
This review focuses on the 1000 watt Spider Farmer fixture, but everything written here goes for the SF 2000, SF 4000, and SF 7000 as well, apart from the individual specifications.
The table above shows the differences in specs. In fact, the SF2000 is really just two of the SF1000 lights combined and the SF4000 is basically 4 of them.
The SF300 and SF600 have a different form factor. They function similar to bar lights. They use the same components as all the other SF lights.
There is also a new SF1000D. It is very similar to the regular 1000, but it has a different LED board that gives you a slightly more even light spread, with less intensity in the middle of the coverage area, and more around the outsides.
It also uses Samsung diodes, but does not have a dimmable driver. As a result, is not dimmable, but it also costs less than the regular one.
Finally, there are the new bar style lights: the SE 3000, SE 5000 and SE 7000. We’ll cover these lights in a section toward the bottom of this review.
- Uses 100 watts — save about 50% on your electric bill over HID lights
- Equivalent to a 200 watt HID system — but costs less to buy AND to operate
- Ideal spectrum for plants — 3000K and 5000K white light, plus 660 nm red and 760 nm IR; the perfect light for all stages of growth, with peaks on red and blue and a lot of light in every other color, plus deep red and IR
- Highly efficient — great output from a low power usage (2.7 μmol/J)
- 2.2 grams per watt max yield — yields equivalent to top brand lights, but at a fraction of the price
- 2 by 2 foot core coverage — the coverage for vegging is a bit larger at 3 by 3 feet
- Samsung LM301B diodes — the same diodes used in much more expensive HLG fixtures
- Quality Driver — dimmable and can be removed from the unit and placed outside your grow tent to keep heat down
- Rated for 50,000 hours — 4-5 years with no bulb changes
- 3 year warranty — and a 30 day money back guarantee; they have service centers located in the US, Canada, UK and Germany
Advantages
The four strongest points of the Spider Farmer quantum board series are the high quality components (Samsung chips and quality drivers), the color spectrum, the even coverage and high output per watt consumed, and the low cost.
Quality Components
Just like the much more expensive fixtures from Horticulture Lighting Group, Spider Farmer fixtures used high quality dimmable MeanWell drivers in the past and Samsung LM301B chips.
These days, both both use their own drivers that are equal to the MeanWell ones, but specifically made for their lights.
While HLG is the one who names their Samsung diode outfitted panels quantum boards, that term is now being used by consumers for any light that features Samsung diodes on a flat panel. As such, the SF series of fixtures can be said to use quantum board LED panels.
They are not available as DIY kits, like HLG quantum boards, but the ready-made SF fixtures sell for a lower price, so DIY wouldn’t make nearly as much sense anyway.
Quality components mean the light lasts longer, but they also save you money. The combination of top-bin diodes and the best driver on the market means a much higher efficiency than lights that use lower quality components.
All told, this light achieves an output of 2.7 μmol/J, which makes it one of the most efficient lights on the market. Take a look at the PPFD footprint below in the section on coverage and output to see just how much light the SF 1000 generates from a power usage of only 100 watts.
Another benefit of the Samsung and Spider Farmer driver combination is a very low heat output. It is so low that the fixture is passively cooled. It has no fans.
This does not mean that the light generates no heat, however. It does not need internal fans to cool it, but like any light, it does create heat and due to the lack of fans, that actually makes the light run hotter than fixtures that generate more heat, but have fans to help dissipate it.
As a result, you will want to use an external fan in your grow room to keep air circulating around the fixture. This is especially true of the two larger models.
In addition to the high quality components, Spider Farmer added some nice touches that you won’t find in HLG lights. They use waterproof glue on the diodes to prevent vulcanization and corrosion. They also added protective covers over the exposed wires, which helps prevent shocks or other accidents.
Spectrum
Let’s begin with the spectrum. For years we heard that purple LED light is best, but that turned out to be false. Read all about why grow lights are purple.
Today, more and more consumers are realizing that full-spectrum white light is better than just red and blue. And white light with additional red and blue is even better.
With the increase in demand for white LEDs, more manufacturers have begun making them. They come in two forms: fixtures that use COB LEDs and fixtures that use a large number of smaller diodes.
I have written about the COB grow lights here, so I won’t go into any detail about those in this review. The Spider Farmer lights do not use COBs. They use many smaller diodes.
This makes them very similar to the quantum board LEDs from HLG and the Electric Sky fixtures from the Green Sunshine Company. But Spider Farmer lights cost a lot less.
The only lights in the same price range with a similar spectrum are the Mars Hydro TS and SP grow lights. There are some differences in the spectrum, though. And, of course, in the components.
Spider Farmer SF fixtures have a mix of 3000K and 5000K white diodes, with additional 660 nm deep red and 760 nm IR diodes.
Most HLG lights have white light with added 660 nm deep red or blue, depending on the fixture. The Electric Sky lights feature white light with deep red and IR. The Mars SP and TS lights vary. Some have deep red in addition to white, while others have the same plus IR and UV.
So which is best?
If you want UV, go with the Mars Hydro SP lights. They are the only ones that include UV diodes.
But UV is really only useful for the last few weeks of flowering (more on the effects of UV here), so I always say it makes more sense to just get fluorescent UV tubes if you want to add ultraviolet light to your grow.
If you want American made, go with HLG. They cost more, but they are made in the US and they have continued to improve and are now one of the best grow light manufacturers, period.
When it comes to customer service, HLG is the easy choice. As the only American brand, they are far more responsive and also much easier to communicate with.
For value, it’s either Mars Hydro or Spider Farmer. They’re very similar all around. The primary difference is that Mars uses Epistar chips, while Spider Farmer uses higher quality Samsung chips.
I’d base my decision on which company has fixtures that best fill your grow space, with the edge going toward SF, due to the Samsung diodes.
So, what is the advantage of the all-white plus deep red and IR spectrum?
The white diodes give you light in every wavelength, with the 3000K diodes providing more reddish light and the 5000K providing more blueish.
The deep red and IR light is especially useful during bloom, where it speeds up flowering time a bit and is also said to boost yields.
Coverage And Output
Like HLG fixtures, one of the biggest strengths of the Spider Farmer lights is their form factor. The quantum boards used in the fixtures are large and flat, with LED diodes spread out over the entire surface.
This has a huge advantage over smaller fixtures.
A smaller fixture emits light from a smaller point in the center of the coverage area. Light traveling to the outside of the coverage area has to go further than light traveling straight down to the center.
Light loses intensity exponentially with distance traveled, meaning that the light loses most of its intensity by the time it gets to the canopy around the outside of the coverage area.
A fixture with a larger surface area brings diodes closer to the outsides of the coverage area, meaning light does not have to travel as far to reach the canopy there.
It doesn’t lose as much of its intensity, so it is able to penetrate deeper into the canopy. This also means that plants around the outside of the coverage area don’t suffer nearly as much from insufficient light.
Let’s take a look at the PPFD chart for the SF 1000.
As you can see, the values in the corner are more than half of the value dead center (apart from the 12 inch hanging height). That is highly unusual.
Most PPFD footprints have sky-high values in the center and tiny values in the corners. Usually the corners get less than 100 μmol/m²/s.
This shows how the large size of the Spider Farmer quantum board results in a much more even light spread.
Plants around the outside of the coverage area still get plenty of light to grow and flower, which is not the case with most smaller fixtures. (The new 1000D has a light spread that is more even still.)
The PAR footprint also shows just how much output this light gives you, while only consuming 100w.
What’s more, the driver is dimmable, so you can dial down the power when you don’t need quite so much, as might be the case when seeding, cloning or vegging. This saves you money in electricity costs.
Other Advantages
When you buy a Spider Farmer LED quantum board grow light, you get the security of a 3 year warranty and a 30 day money back guarantee.
The company has service centers in the US, the UK, Germany and Canada, so you won’t have to wait nearly as long as you do with many Chinese brands to get your light fixed if anything does go wrong.
In addition to the warranty and guarantee, SF lights also ship with stainless steel hanging hooks
and adjustable rope hangers.
Disadvantages
As mentioned above, the Spider Farmer fixtures do not have any internal fans to help dissipate heat. While they generate less than other lights, the lack of fans means they actually run fairly hot. An oscillating fan should be enough to deal with the heat generated, though.
Apart from the heat, the only real disadvantage is the fact that Spider Farmer is a Chinese brand. That means worse quality control and worse customer service than American brands, although HLG also has problems with both quality control and customer service. They do better than Chinese brands, but not good enough.
In addition to that, with Chinese companies you always have to deal with dishonesty, especially when it comes to the wattage. In this case, the SF 1000 does not use 1000 watts (it uses 100w) and it is also not equivalent to a 1000w HID light (about 200w). The 2000 and 4000 are also off by a factor of 10.
Yes, I know Spider Farmer does not put a “w” behind the 1000, so they are not outright saying that their light is a 1000 watt light. They even make a point to mention this in their Amazon listing, calling other brands’ lights “fake 1000w lights”.
But they know full-well that calling the light a SF 1000 means people will assume it is a 1000w light.
What kind of people?
Exactly the kind that these Chinese brands are trying to fool with their ridiculous wattage figures. The only reason to inflate these numbers (and to keep inflating them by larger amounts) is to trick the uninformed consumer into thinking they are getting a more powerful light than they are.
And let’s not even get into the fact that wattage has nothing to do with output and is not really a factor you should be considering when deciding on a light, unless the light has a very high wattage with a low output. Then you want to avoid it.
I know I sound like a broken record by now, since I seem to write a section similar to this on every single review, but that is because every single Chinese brand exaggerates like this and it annoys me. I don’t take it into account when rating the lights anymore, but I will continue to point it out.
Spider Farmer SE Series Review
- Samsung LM301B diodes — extremely efficient, achieving 2.75 umol/J
- Full spectrum light — can be used during all stages of growth, with white light plus deep red, UV and IR for a bloom boost
- Large even coverage — large form factor and spread out bars makes for a more even light distribution
- Daisy chainable — connect up to 30 lights
- Runs on AC100-240V — SE lights will work at any standard voltage (except SE1000W, which needs 220v)
- Rated for 100,000 hours — 8-10 years with no light bulb changes
- Includes light, hanging kit and power cord — everything you need to start growing immediately
Most people follow the current fad. And the fad in LED grow lights right now are bar style lights that were first popularized by Fluence’s Spyder lights.
Before the bar lights, it was quantum lights and before that COBs. The truth is that all three work well to grow plants. Which is best really depends on your specific needs and preferences.
If you’re deciding between the SF quantum lights of the SE bar lights, there really isn’t much difference. Having separate bars allows air to flow through the fixture, which helps cool it.
But it does not mean your grow room is any cooler. The diodes and drivers still generate the same amount of heat and that heat will warm your grow room in the same way.
Apart from that, there isn’t really any practical difference between the two styles. In terms of components, they all use Samsung’s LM301B diodes. They have basically the same spectrum, too.
The SE series gets a more even coverage area and that is really their main advantage. They are also dimmable and can be daisy chained.
While the SF series are our pick for the best value LED grow lights, the SE series are actually are top pick overall for the best bar style lights. That’s because the more expensive ones don’t really give you much (if anything) extra and the cheaper ones give you a huge drop in quality and customer service.
Specifically, the premium brands like Fluence’s Spyder and the Gavita bar lights are far more expensive and not really any better. The results you get from both are basically the same.
Optic and Grower’s Choice also claim to be premium brands (in name only, if you ask us). They are cheaper than the Gavita and Spyder lights, but still more expensive than Spider Farmer. But both of those companies, while located in the US, manufacture in China and have horrendous customer service.
Spider Farmer Review: Final Verdict
The Spider Farmer SF 1000 LED Grow Light, and the larger 2000, 4000, and 7000 fixtures, are great additions to the quantum board market.
They give you a color spectrum similar to the HLG quantum boards, but add in IR and deep red light. You also get the same high quality components, the same output and even coverage, but not the same price.
The Spider Farmer fixtures are priced much lower than comparable HLG lights, making them one of the best deals on the market at the moment.
Personally, I prefer COB lights with additional diodes to add extra blue and red to the spectrum, but quantum board lights are a very close second.
If you have decided on a quantum board light, there are only a few good options to consider. American brand (but Chinese made) HLG lights with their high prices, Mars Hydro TS or SP series lights with their lower quality Epistar chips, or these Spider Farmer lights.
As mentioned above, I would go with Mars or Spider Farmer and choose whichever has fixtures that best cover the size of my grow space. All else being equal, I would prefer the Samsung chips in the SF lights, over the Epistar chips in the Mars lights.
Apart from that, both companies’ lights are very similar, which is why I give SF lights a slightly higher rating than the Mars TS and SP lights: a 4.8 out of 5.
As for the newer SE series bar style lights, Spider Farmer is your best bet period, as mentioned above.
Terry says
Is the current price bump due to trump’s tariffs?
Steven says
Most likely. We’re going to be seeing a lot of that coming up, I think.
John says
I am very impressed with the spider farmer
Sf 4000 led and build quality !
Steven says
Yes, considering the price, SF lights are one of the best values on the market at the moment.
larry says
with a spider farmer 4000 running 12/12 how much did it add to the electric bill.
Anonymous says
Barely anything
Gabe says
Gee can you hate HLG any more? I love my HLG lamp. I bought it before there was a chinese knock off and when I need another I wont be buying a chinese knock off. I support my country. And really china can suck it. They’re crooks. Everything they put out is someone intellectual property. Aquarium lights, pumps, car parts, bongs I mean literally anything they sell is a cheap knock off. No thanks. I hope Trumps trrifs destroy them
Steven says
Support your country? HLG lights are made in China. They use the same components as Chinese brands, but slap their own name on them so that they can charge more. This is a common practice.
Generally, you get better quality control and better customer service when you buy from a US company that rebrands Chinese products, but HLG struggles a bit in both of those areas. They do better than most Chinese brands, but not better enough that I think they’re worth the extra cost.
I don’t get political and would urge you to keep the politics off my site as well. I will say that you seem not to understand what tariffs actually are or how they work.
EDIT: For some reason, Trump supporters decided to flood this comment thread. They’ve been deleted. I don’t care where you fall on the political spectrum, so I don’t want to read about it on my site. And neither does anyone else.
Aaron says
Love it, and thank you for keeping politics off your site! This is grow light info, not A MAGA circle jerk. We get it you watch Fox news… Now into my question. Are you an Amazon affiliate? Because every affiliate praises Amazon Leds like they’re too of the line, but if you actually understand a bit of led tech, terms, etc. 70% of the lights on Amazon are complete garbage. So in your honest opinion, do you truly know that these spider farmer lights are good quality? Use good components? And all the PAR,PPFD,ppf, etc on site are all accurate? Honestly, because I want a led, but Amazon seems to be a crapshoot
Aaron says
Also I want to say nice article, and don’t take my comment as me trying to be disrespectful, I just need a good led to mix with my 315 CMH, I’ve read, these 2 together can do some amazing stuff
Steven says
Yes, I do use Amazon affiliate links, where appropriate. There is a disclaimer stating as much in the footer. You’re right that most lights on Amazon are pretty bad, but you can find just about any brand on their site, good or bad.
Spider Farmer is a Chinese brand, but they’re one of the better ones. To me, there’s not much difference between them and HLG, who do customer service like a Chinese company anyway.
Aaron says
Awesome thanks for the feedback, I’m thinking of grabbing 1, to use with my 315 CMH, any advice, or sites with info on LED, and CMH grows? If u could steer me in that direction. Id appreciate it, and/or personal experience? Thanks
Chris Barone says
I agree 100%. I started buying what I thought was a good light, only basing it on reviews from people who didn’t know any better, including me! Long story short, buy a Spider Farmers light and you will get your moneys worth. I bought an SF4000 for my 5×5 tent and it is the perfect size. Depending on the size of your grow, you might opt for multiple smaller light, for the optimal coverage.
William says
U want him to not mention liking trump but why is he being brought up anyway all yall suck
james says
MADE IN AMERICA? not likely for any electronic components. Definitely not for LEDs which are typically Samsung (Japan) or Epstar ( china). If you want “Assembled in America” then you will pay for higher labor and a higher price. Best bet is to get a company that has strict QC controls for assembly in china, and excellent USA based customer service and distribution. This way you get best price and best service.
USA didnt invent the LED unfortunately so no IP theft here. Its a combination of UK, Hungary, US, Japan, and the list goes on. Blue LEDs though were figured out in the USA at Stanford and is a huge leap fwd in what “white” light is usable today. Otherwise we would still be stuck with Power hungry HID sources.
Next evolution should be USA companies willing to invest in technology for large scale indoor and vertical hydro to feed our cities. Less transportation costs from farm to table, and leave farm land for other non time sensitive farming, as well as Photovoltaic power (solar)
Stephen says
Steven…. You ate so incorrect in HLG being made in China…. Why would you spew misinformation like this without doing due diligence? Our lights are produced in East TN and we even produce our own boards on our Panasonic SMT line. Videos are available on YouTube of this machinery running in TN. By the way my name is Stephen Johnson and I’m CEO and Co-founder of HLG. Please remove the misinformation. I’m asking nicely.
Thank You
Steven says
In the past, they were produced in China, which is why it says that in the article. You guys have grown HLG into one of the best brands out there. I will update the article now to reflect that.
Costanza says
Hey Stephen Johnson,
While I appreciate that you defended your company, you lost a sale from me by acting like a 12 year old on social media. I’m glad to see your immature reply to the author, so I don’t spend my hard earned money on an overpriced light that uses the exact same hardware as the cheaper spider farmer. I also have worked for plenty factories in the US, and unfortunately our people suck at manufacturing electronics, and from what I’ve heard your customer service is quite pathetic. Thanks for helping me make my decision
Big horse allen says
U both suck dude
GrowFan says
Spider-Farmer, MarsHydro, Bloomspect etc are all made in the same factory in Shenzen, for the same company. They sell under many different brand names but are all owned by the same group. They do not make their own lights, they are made for them by a large manufacturer that makes all kinds of electronics. Even the designs of their lights are outsourced. They use the lowest bin diodes for their lights, bar initial runs which are made with higher bin diodes for review and testing purposes. They do not use the best bins because those have been secured by HLG through their ‘partners’ status with Samsung.
HLG are the O.G. trendsetters for QB’s, Samsung diodes, and MeanWell drivers. They do it first, and others copy. They literally invented the QB format. The only reason China lights even use Samsung and MeanWell are because they copy HLG.
Anonymous says
When American companies manufacture in USA, knock offs goes away. If I am a Chinese manufacturer owner building lights for HLG and I can make a better product than HLG with better parts and cheaper, I would bet you would do it. Samsung is Korean btw. Is it a knock off price or a HLG rip off?
L says
The hlg is made in China wtf are you on can’t you read?
Helen says
Who gives a fuck everything I probably got came from china it’s a grow light for god’s sake I have both hlg and sf both are good grow lights stop crying fuck trump
Yaspar Kyashred says
Hi Helen,
I want to put your mind at ease, and let you know that Trump (grrrr) hasn’t been president for over two years. Hope that makes you feel better.
Yaspar Kyashred
B. Gold Tiddies says
he’s baaaaack….
Rodrigo Aguilar says
great info im leaning towards a sf4000 from spider farmer i was wondering tho will this light compare to my 630w cmh in a 4×4 ? will i get a better yield for half the power lets find out
Steven says
It has the potential to get you a better yield, although CMH lights are already some of the best lights you can get.
Geo says
I replaced my 1,000 watt HPS with the spider farmer sf4000 and so far it’s a way better light the plants just look better
Anonymous says
Hi you all I just bought the sp4000 and it is much better made than the HLG…
But I would like to see different MW drivers
Spider farmer uses 2 of the 240 MW. instead of the 480 MW.which has to be removed to dimm the light only draw back I know of. The price is by far superior to HLG
And for MARS lights way behind on there LEDs chips. I would buy one spot 4000 over 2 of MARS sp250….
Steven says
Good insight, thanks!
Jorge says
Hi, so it is much more advantage to get 4x SF1000 (1800 umols total) than a SF4000 (1320 umols)? That is a huge difference.. about 25% more light. Are those PPF numbers right? Nice article, thanks.
Steven says
Having 4 separate lights allows you to spread them out more or place them in any way you want. It gives you more flexibility. Those PPFD numbers are just from dead center. You’d have to add up all the numbers from the entire coverage are to get an average for each light, if you wanted to compare.
Aras says
2×2=4 square foot – it is one 1000w led lamp, 5×5=25 square foot – ir is one 4000w led lamp. 25/4=6,25 it is 6,25 tImes larger space, but energy just 4 times bigger, so one 4000w led lamp much better than 4x1000w led lamp?
Steven says
You also have to take the drop off in output around the outside of the coverage area into account. The main benefit of using 4 lights is a more even coverage and flexibility.
Anonymous says
I’m pretty sure the 4000 is misrepresenting the wattage of the light. I believe it’s closer to 400 w.
Steven says
Yes. This is mentioned in the disadvantages section.
Scott Surfus says
One. Better than messing moving 4 lights up and down.
Rebecca says
So I was hoping to chat. I’m setting up a new grow and I’m short on funds to start. I’ve got 3 10x12x8 rooms and I need to put lights into them after much thought I want to start with qb I just can’t find it in my budget to do Crees yet. I am hoping to flip my first crop on lights and another building. But do you think I can do a room that size with the SF lights and how would you do it?
Steven says
You could set up 2 rows of plants, with two SF4000 lights above each row.
Ray Kania II says
Do your research. Sf2000 has more leds then the sf 1000 . And two sf2000 has more leds then a sf4000. .
Yes they have diff amount of diodes.
I bought sf2000 . For a 3′ x 4′ area and two sf2000 for aprox 4′ x 6′ area
Jerry says
In your opinion, would two SF 1000 lights be enough to bloom a 4×4 room?
Steven says
No, they would only cover half that space. You’d want four of them, or two SF 2000s, or one SF4000.
Melo says
Will 2 sf 2000 be good for a 8×4 ?
Steven says
No, you would want 4 of them, since each covers 2×4. Or 2 of the SF4000 lights.
Skunkmannn says
Im in the middle of buying 3 sf4000 made in china for about $225 each and they’ll add my logo to it. If i had one lol.Shipping is a killer but all in all it still works out to around $275 each..i know right.🤔🤔. I’m mixing some of the 5 cmh fixtures i already have going now between my veg room and bloom room with the sf4000 being the main source and cmh used to supplement those . If people could just get over the i need it today mentality and plan ahead one could save alot of money setting up with some research and sourcing.. thanks for the info here it helps with my research (confirming /debunking what i believe to be )
Anonymous says
Where are you getting those made what’s the info?
Steven says
I’m not sure where he’s buying those, but check out Kingbrite if you’re interested in buying directly from China. They’re the most reliable manufacturer.
Anonymous says
How many lights would I need to cover a 25×13 flower room if I were using the SF 4000?
Steven says
You can’t quite cover that exactly. 10 lights covers 25×10, so you would have a 3 foot aisle. Or use 15. More intensity will only help.
les h callihan says
Ok,,My question is about the mixed spectrum,,its 5000k and 3000k,,it looks to me by the chart you show above,,that it has less red spectrum(3000k) than blurple lights,,what is the split in percentage between the 5k and 3k spectrums,,how many watts dedicated to each,,doesn’t look to be a very powerful flowering light,,
seb says
I’m very interested in this as well and can’t seem to find any information on this or anything else that discusses the difference between HLG and SF spectrums. To me, the HLG spectrum seems superior, yet it wasn’t discussed on the forum at all. Also, the fact that Steven has literally replied to every comment on this forum except this question is a little disconcerting.
Steven says
It’s a white light, so of course it has less red than a blurple light. I don’t know the exact split between the two diodes, but if you look at the photo, you can see that there are more of the 3000 than the 5000. The mixed spectrum is probably around 3500K. I suppose you could count them, but it’s honestly not something that matters much. You could also contact Spider Farmer and they could probably provide the exact info.
dave says
do u have to change anything when u go from veg into flower or is it plug in good to go from start to end new to led i use mh/hp at moment i am looking at getting the 4000 model
Steven says
Nothing to change. Just turn it on and go. It’s the same for all stages.
Craig says
Hey Steven,
Im having a hard time keeping the heat down in my 4×4. How can i removed the drivers and place outside of the tent? I would really appreciate your help. Cheers!
Steven says
This is something you should ask the manufacturer, or the store where you bought it.
Theo says
1) I currently have one sf2000 in 4x4x8 but a few people have recommended I should have another 1 or 2 in this space. Is this correct ?
2) would it be ideal to get a 240w HLG in addition to my sf2000 or shall I stick to one brand and just get another sf2000
Steven says
Two of those lights would be ideal in that space. One doesn’t really cover it adequately. If you’re happy with the SF2000, I’d stick with it and just get a second one, rather than going with HLG.
HappyPappy says
SF4000, so far working grrreat! Have been vegging clones for 4 weeks. Thay look epic! Tonight at 11:00 pm (cst) I’ll be turning back the lights. Soon will know what this SF4000 can do in a 4×4 tent.
Steven says
It’s a great light for a 4×4 space, so it should do well.
HappyPappy says
Steven, can you give me an idea on the proper distance. Not sure how close I can go. I have the SF4000 on full blast. Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge! New at led grow lights. Old school hps and mh grow, trying to catch up with the new technology.
Jeff says
I see that the driver must be removed to adjust the dimmer.Are there any markings, settings or other ways to determine how much you are dimming(25%, 50%, etc) or are you adjusting it blind?
Devin says
you’re doing it blind if you don’t use a multimeter to see your current output. It’s a little screwhole on the bottom (covered by a rubber plug) of the driver that you use a little screwdriver to turn it up or down. PITA! Better off raising and lowering the fixture.
Anonymous says
Thanks for the great info. Noob doing lots of research.but get confused with the PPFD and size of lamps lots of conflicting info. Mars says one sp250 would cover 2×4 and you would need 3 150 for 2×4 prob not best example, just what they state.
SF are exact just additional boards from the looks. I like the smaller size for the flexibility option. and I would assume that avg ppfd would be the same 1000 2000 with no overlap in coverage (next on my research), but why does the larger light for most list the PPFD as higher? SF avg ppfd at 24″ for example is higher on the 2000 over the 1000. My apologies, if not explained well. Is it due to more lights grouped together that give that extra jump in the ppfd? if you test 2 1000 placed in tent similar to fixed 2000 unit i assume ppfd would be very similar. Any clarification would be great
Steven says
Yes, it is higher due to overlap.
Eddie says
On my fifth week of flower using two Blu role lights in a triangle corner tent buds ar producing very slowly, my SF2000 arrives today can’t wait to see what happens!
Steven says
I’m not familiar with Blu role lights, but the SF2000 should improve things.
dave davis says
Steven, HLG quantum boards are not made in china at all, the first few productions were and then they moved manufacturing to the USA , they have been manufactured in their factory in the US for a least the last 2-3 years. The parts are sourced from a number of places but they are not “made in china”
If your going to put out information make sure its correct.
Skunkmannn says
So your saying the lights are ASSEMBLED in the USA , not manufactured .. the parts are still “made in china” . That’s truth of the matter. Anyone can buy unassembled kits from china and put it together for a fraction of the price they charge .. your paying a premium price for a NAME slapped on it . FACT
Carl Joyce says
Hey Steven, Ive just ordered my SF2000 and plan to outfit my 3×3 tent with it. I’m just wondering will this light give adequate coverage for flowering in a 3×3? I was thinking of supplementing the lighting as there is a little more room in the tent. Maybe just add another SF2000 come flower time? Or is there a small full spectrum COB light that I can daisy chain and place in the corners or something? What would you recommend? My budget isn’t tight I’m just a bang for buck guy. I’m looking to do this right and get my best yield possible in a 3×3. Is too much light really possible? Or is temperature the limiting factor? Thanks for any advice you can offer.
Steven says
A second 2000 would be a good bet in this case, since that light has a rectangular coverage area anyway. Getting COBs would result in an uneven coverage, since they are so different from the quantum board style lights.
Carl Joyce says
Thanks for the info Steven! I sort of jumped the gun as the cob lights were on sale and came sooner then the SF. Ive got two Aglex 1200w after doing a bit of reading on your site. I’ll be mounting them on either side of the SF2000 for a total possible output of 68 actual watts per sqft. Probably wont turn both switches on the Aglex. My reasoning was that they offered UV light which the SF didn’t and boasted deeper canopy penetration. I figured variety is the spice of life right!? Now that I think about it this might further complicate things as the distance required for each light will likely be different. I’ll be sure to rotate my plants often. Will keep you posted! Maybe I’ll invest in a decent light meter to dial it in. There is plan for a second tent later in the game. Maybe the SF will be my veg light in the 3×3 and I’ll get an Optic 6 or a Phlizon 3000 to join the budget Aglex in a 4X4.
Clare says
I have used 2 of these lights and tried some of your other lights you recommend and they do not even compare to the Gavita Pro 1700e. Have you not tested these lights or are you just pumping paid ads?
Steven says
The Gavita costs 3 times as much and the difference in performance is not nearly that great. If you have the money, sure, that’s a better light. This site is for people looking to spend less and find the best value lights on the market. The Spider Farmer is one of those.
Tom says
I just think about sf1000 to buy, is it timer also included like dimm or no, can be another timer used with it!? Thx
Steven says
The Meanwell driver is dimmable. You can hook the light up to a timer.
Paul says
Hi Steven. i got 2 bestva relector 2000w, id like to buy a 2x sf1000 to give it a try and if i like it ill buy two more later.
once i get 4x sf1000, do the bestvas still usefull for flowering in your opinion ?
if they are should i keep using both switch on or just the red one.
thanks for all the reviews and explainations, i learned so much here.
Steven says
I’d still use them. Extra light never hurts.
john says
hello steven . are any combination of these lights better or equivelant {yield wise} to a 1000 w hps in a 5×5 tent? Without actually having to pull out 1000w from the wall anyway? I must admit the cheaper costs are tempting but my 1000w hps has always done well for me. thank you
Steven says
Generally speaking, LED lights that use 600-700 watts are about equivalent to 1000w HPS.
Tom says
The manual says to not use a rag for cleaning which I’m assuming includes microfiber. How do you clean the lamps if they come in contact with sticky bud particles flying in the air loosened by fans, which will accumulate over time?
Steven says
I’m sure they’re just being overly cautious to avoid liability if someone damages their light.
I asked them directly and they answered: “You can use a towel or soft fur brush to clean the light.”
Scott says
Hi great site and great Q&As Precise accurate info given with sound advice.Thank you.
jim says
A friend had issues with the mars hydro ts1000 not making his autos flower?? More then 1 strain with this issue as well, he had to go 12/12 and add more lighting. seems lots of people have this problem and lots say the mars ts1000 doesn’t have the red needed for flowering. Would this be the case with the sf1000?
Steven says
If the 1000 (Mars or SF) is the only light you have, it may not be powerful enough. It’s really only good for a single smallish plant. Lack of red is not the issue. It’s just a small light.
Anonymous says
I’m flowering two auto plants in a 3×3 with an sf2000 and two budget aglex cobs added after they started to flower. With all three on I was having trouble with light burn. I needed to back them off to 18 inches despite what the par meter and the old schoolers at the hydro shop said. The sf2000 puts off very little heat compared to the aglex, you could have that thing within inches from the tops as long as a fan blows over the back of it. A little bit of training goes a long way with leds as the light energy doesnt travel far. I have no doubt an sf2000 would flower two autos alone no problem it got my cheese auto and critical mass auto into flower after 3-4 weeks of veg. I’ve seen plenty of growers online use them for all stages of plant growth and they seem to do fine. I guess it depends what youre going for. If your a budget beginner like me just shooting for 150grams of tasty flower per auto every 90days the sf 1000s/2000/4000 would work. If you plan on sealing your room off and adding CO2 and are trying to yield a pound or two a plant you’ll need something brighter. I imagine the sf1000 would do 1 plant no problem as the sf2000 seems like it would do 2 just fine.
Anonymous says
Hi Steven,
Thoughts on the Spider Farmer Grow Light SF-600 LED Grow Light. I’m looking for a better grow light just for seed starting. I use a blurple one now, but I happened on these Spiders when looking for peat pots on Amazon and they caught my eye. This one appears to be the smallest of the lot. TY
Steven says
Yes, it would work well, depending on how many seedlings you have. You’d want to hang it higher, though. Probably 2 to 2.5 feet away at least, which will give you a larger coverage area, too.
Candy says
Hi Steven,
Your thoughts on the Spider Farmer Grow Light SF-600 LED Grow Light. I am only using for indoor seed starting. I have a blurple one now and don’t need anything wide ranged or too hot. This seems like it might be a good fit.
Thanks
Steven says
It seems like you posted this comment twice, in which case I already answered it above.
Keith Hussein says
Hi Steven – thanks for the wealth of knowledge on here – I’ve bought three SF 2000s for my set up and I’m still unsure how to get the best use of them two weeks into flower?
Could you tell me what’s the best height and dimmer setting on the light for the first 4-5 weeks of the cycle?
I think I may have turned them up to full power too early on and the plants have become small dense bushes without any real height. I’ve replaced them with two HPS bulbs for now until the plants top out when I’ll put the SP2000s up to finish them off in later bloom stage?
I think I need to perfect usage of them.
Thanks again
Keith
Steven says
It’s hard to say exactly, because every situation is different, but generally you’d want about 2 feet of distance for seedlings and 18 inches to 2 feet for vegging plants. I don’t know if I’d dim the light at all, but if you want to save power, go with 75%.
It’s really just a matter of experimenting and finding what works best for your particular plants and setup..
Bradley Williams says
Would you do a SF2000 (alibaba) or a kingbrite 240W (alibaba)
Steven says
If you’re buying from Alibaba either way, just go with whichever one has the lower total cost, or the faster shipping time, depending on which of those factors is more important to you.
Ottorino says
Ciao Steven,che ne pensi della Viparspectra 1000 P e 1500P della nuova serie? Sono comparabili a spider farmer 1000 O mars :/ ero ts1000?
Grazie per le tue recemsioni
JM says
Hi Steven, I just received the Spider Farmer sf1000. It has a built in off switch and dimmer nob. Is this a new model?
Fusion Grown says
HLG 300L RSpec V2 or the SF-2000?
Steven says
HLG if you want an American brand and don’t mind paying a bit more, SF otherwise. They’re very similar.
Xavier says
Hello Steven, for a rectangular crop of 60 cmx90 cm what would you recommend an sf1000, an sf1000 or 2 sf 1000? Can I continue to use my Bestva 1000w in conjunction with the sf? Thank you.
Xavier says
Sorry for the mistake:
1 sf 1000 or 1 sf 2000 or 2 sf1000
Peter says
Hi Steven, thanks for the review. It, among a couple others were instrumental in my decision to buy the SF 1ooo. I just got it today and was happy to see the addition of the on/off switch with a dimmer knob not to mention 2 ports for stringing lights together……..although the use of a phone cord to do this threw me a little.
I saw somewhere that it was recommended to use the factory settings on the dimmer but would that apply to these newer models with a dimmer knob? Mine came set just over 60%. Of course I’d rather have it at 100% for max lighting but don’t want to push things. I’m a jack of many trades but electricity isn’t one of them. Any input on this dimmer question?
Steven says
Run it at a 100%. That’s what it’s made for.
Peter says
Thanks, that’s what I thought. What I had read was from before they added the dimmer controls. So far, fresh out of the box, I’m pretty impressed by the amount of light this thing throws. Thanks for curating such a great site. Very informative.
Scott Collins says
Hi
Which would be betters better for a 3×3 grow tent for bigger denser buds. A Phlizon CREE COB 3000 LED Grow Light or Spider Farmer SF 4000. The Phlizon is much lower in price and is 600 actual watts It contains 6pcs COB, 110pcs 630-660nm, 12pcs 470nm, 12pcs 6500k, 4pcs UV, 6pcs IR .
Steven says
Both work well, so it depends. SF has more even light spread across coverage area, but Phlizon gets deeper canopy penetration.
Pawel says
Hi, how sf 4000 heats up, will it be hotter than the hps 600, my box 3 * 3 180 tall (90cm-90cm 180 high) I’m struggling with temperature so I’m thinking about changing to Led
Thx for your help
Best Regards Pawel
Steven says
It will be a bit cooler than the HPS, but probably not as much as you would like. It’s a more powerful light, after all.
Jon says
Hey Steven, i am debating between 2 SF1000 and 1 TSL2000 in a 2×4 tent. Ive read reviews of people comparing the harvests w the two lights (was w a SF2000 though) and there were comments made from 2 growers about how the plants appeared to prefer the SF lights during bloom. Sounds like they performed similar during veg. Something to do w/ how SF uses more red light while the MH is more blue. Do u know much about light colors and what is best all-around for veg&flower?
Check out the post (w/ pics)
https://forum.grasscity.com/threads/spider-farmer-vs-mars-hydro-leds.1558539/page-2#post-25061406
Jon says
Lastly, i am wondering if you have any insight on which of the 2 proposed set ups would provide the best coverage for a 2×4 grow space.
1 TSL2000 at 300W
2 SF1000 spaced out at 200W total
I plan on growing 2 plants only (maybe a auto in the middle in the future). I guess its a trade off between the extra wattage from the MH versus having versus two SF1000 (i suggested 2 SF1000 vs 1 SF2000 because i figured it would give more flexibility for growing 2 different strains in the same tent and managing heights etc.). Plus getting each SF1000 DIRECTLY above each plant (2 in total) is definitely desirable?
Steven says
I would go with SF, because I prefer them as a company. They also use better components. You can always add a third 1000 in the future, if you need more power.
I wouldn’t worry about the difference in spectrum between the two. It is minimal.
Bryan says
Probably the only one here not growing wacky tobaccy. I was looking for a light to grow basil over the winter. May want to start veggie seedlings in the spring. Would the SF be a good choice for that? 2′ x 2′ would be plenty of room. Thanks!
Steven says
It would work great. The 600 would be plenty powerful, too.
Vince says
Hi Steven! Great site and good advice and answers from what I’m reading! I was hoping to get your advice on LED’s for my grow. I’m getting so many different answers and don’t know what to go with anymore.
I have a 5×5 gorilla tent with Four 5 gallon pots all soil grown. I will be using training and SCROG method. I was originally thinking about the HLG 650R but can’t get over the price of it 🙁 I was also looking at the Spider Farmer and Mars…. What would your recommendation be?!!! 1 good one, 2 for more even spread? Thanks man and hope to hear from you. Any advice appreciated.
Steven says
If the 650R is too much, go with the SF4000.
Vince says
Woooooow such great advice, way to explain yourself. Worse answer that I got so far. I didn’t say I can’t afford it. Sounds to me like your getting bored and annoyed on your own site 👌🏽 Thanks anyways champ. ✌🏽
Brian says
Hi Steven:
You do us all a great service. Thank you! I’m a newbie and my head is spinning. If I was to go with a 32x32x64 tent, and using only 1 light for the complete grow, would you recommend:
Phlizon CREE Cob Series 2000W LED Plant Grow Light Full Spectrum Indoor Plants Light Growing Veg Flower Cree Cob Grow Light with Monitor Adjustable Rope -2000W (Actual Power 400watt)
Spider Farmer Newest SF-2000 LED Grow Light or:
Grow Light, VIPARSPECTRA 2020 New Pro Series P2500 LED Grow Light with Upgraded SMD LEDs(Includes IR) Full Spectrum and Dimmable Function
or something else? I won’t be growing hydro, and will be using autos initially, if that matters. If you have a tent recommendation or any other tips, that would be much appreciated.
Thanks again,
Brian
Steven says
I’d just go with the SF. You can buy a tent on their website too.
Aaron says
I was being facetious. Trump, maga.. sarcasm is not easily done through text.. Did anyone see the debates….. Sorry no politics.. But good GOD
DEAN says
I purchased 1k watt spider light and I use to use small LED growing my medical cannabis. With the new light my plants had 3 weeks of veg and have hair on my critical purple already. Other LED lights I used, my veg stage last 5 weeks then I switched to bloom spectrum. My question is. Do I need to turn down my spider light to keep it in veg state to get the size I want for flower stage? Please someone help me with information because I can’t find anything online
Steven says
To keep it is veg stage, just keep running the lights 18+ hours per day. Switching to a 12/12 schedule starts the flowering stage. Light intensity has nothing to do with it.
Pete says
So would it be better to get 2 2000 SF Lights, or 1 4000 sf light?
I have a 4x4x72 tent and I can decide what’s better to buy 2 2000w, or 1 4000w?
Appreciate the feedback
Pete
Steven says
In that tent I’d get the 4000. One light is easier to manage than two. Two gives you more flexibility, but if you’re just going to be growing in a 4×4, that doesn’t really matter.
Scott says
well I have 2 bavagreen lights 1-320w lm301b,uv,ir,red,andfar red. i also have 1 -120w with red, far red uv, ir . These light have 4 switches to turn red, uv, ir on or off.
I also have one dimmer sf1000. I like the sf1000 but for the price i like the bavagreen better.
And after today when i was on spyder farmers website. I am looking to get a 4×4 tent . I loaded into my cart and spyder farmer said it will not ship a 4×4 tent to my missouri address. Well Screw spyder farmer the company is a joke. the sf series lights are truely china made. If i order 20 lights from bavagreen i can have any logo or words put on the light I want.
but having a website that wont send a 4×4 tent to a address they send a couple sf1000 too is crazy. they may have a cheaper product than hlg but if there customer service dont get better they wont be around to support there chia knock off lights very long.
J says
I have emailed SF and they recommended 2 sf2000 for my 1x2m tent and 1 SF2000 for my 1x1m tent, I have ordered these but will these be enough.
I usually have 2 600 HPS in 1x2m and 1 600 hps in 1x1m
I want to cut down electricity costs but don’t wanna suffer too much with yield.
Thanks
J
DCG says
I have the SF-2000. This is probably a dumb question, but the PPFD maps online are referring to the light being at maximum brightness, correct? I..e the dimmer knob is at 100%?
RM says
I don’t see the SF-1000D or the SF-300 listed in your comparison table. How does the SF-1000D compare to the SF-1000? It looks like the 1000D doesn’t include a dimmer? Does it use the same high-quality components and would you recommend the 1000D?
On a side note, it looks here like the SF600 is a square light, but on spider farmer’s website it looks oblong; did something change?
Steven says
Those are new fixtures. We actually just updated the table to include the 300 and new 600. The 1000D is mentioned in the review. Basically, it is the same, but has a different LED board that gives you a slightly more even light spread. It does not have a MeanWell driver and is not dimmable.
Amit says
Steven, please note that we build HLG Scorpion series, HLG 650, HLG 600, 550, 350, 225, 300,100, 65 are assembled in TN, USA. The Aluminum used in HLG 650, HLG 600, 550, 350, 225, 300 is also domestic. Currently half the LED modules are made in TN, USA in house and remaining at Samsung in S Korea.
Currently only low volume or research grade products are made in China.: Flowering Initiator bulbs, HLG Propagator, HLG SABER 150, Slate heatsinks and HLG 30 UVA
For most parts including LEDs and Power supplies HLG is moving supply chain out of China as much as possible
Steven says
I responded to Stephen’s comment above and have made the appropriate updates to the article.
Jeff Hooker says
I ordered the SF 4000, never got it. Then they stated it had been sent, they would follow up with UPS. End of story, no light, no refund, out $699, don’t deal with them over PayPal at least, it’s a scam.
dvdrw says
Where did you buy from?
I just sent 669$ to spider farmer EU, but used PayPal.
Mihail says
Spider Farmer will send you products with malfunctions . They don’t service products and will not give you money back . Keep your money and health .
dvdrw says
They probably do, but I received 2X SF2000 and 1 SF300 and the only problem that I have is that
the SF300 is too bright for a 60cm height tent, but perfect for a 60X90 and 90cm height.
Coming from 2X 24W T5, this panel with 33W beats the hell out the T5. Night and day.
I’m not sure how they do it or how much they will last, but until than I’m VERY impressed by them. In a good way.
Thanks for the warning!
dvdrw says
Regarding 400W of SF2000, coming from 200W COB,
I used to water every 4 days with 200W COBs and get around 150 grams.
Nowdays I water every day with 400W of SF2000 and get around 400 grams.
Already thinking of upgrading the pots…