What Mars Hydro Devices Work?

GrowVPD Pro supports Mars Hydro's iConnect ecosystem — the family of smart devices that work with the MarsPro (or iConnect) app. Supported device types include:

  • LED grow lights — lights on a WiFi DimBox controller, with on/off and dimming. The light schedule, including sunrise/sunset, is stored in the lamp itself. Tested on real hardware.
  • iTime timers — two-outlet timers. Switch each outlet by hand, or give it a daily schedule or a repeating on/off cycle, which the iTime runs on its own. Tested on real hardware.
  • Inline fans — WiFi-enabled fans (FanBox controllers) with speed control from 25–100% and VPD-based automation. Implemented, not yet verified on hardware.
  • iHub fan hubs — Multi-port hubs with up to 4 fan ports and 1 light port. Clip fans connect to an iHub and are controlled through it — the iHub provides the smart layer. Implemented, not yet verified on hardware.
  • Clip fans — These are not WiFi devices on their own. They plug into an iHub, which handles speed control and automation on their behalf.

Non-iConnect Mars Hydro products (basic LED lights without WiFi, manual fans without a controller) cannot be connected since they have no smart capabilities. Clip fans require an iHub to be controllable.

Prerequisites

  • GrowVPD Pro — the free version covers up to 3 devices and 1 automation rule; Pro removes the limits
  • Mars Hydro device(s) — either already set up through the MarsPro app, or new ones that GrowVPD Pro sets up for you over Bluetooth
  • A stable WiFi connection for the devices
  • Your Mars Hydro account credentials (the email and password you use in the MarsPro/iConnect app)

How Mars Hydro Connection Works

Mars Hydro devices talk to a Mars Hydro cloud account. When you sign in inside GrowVPD Pro with the same credentials you use for MarsPro, the app reaches your devices through that cloud channel. Sending a command like “set fan to 60%” lands on the device within seconds.

Discovery: REST + BLE fallback

Once you sign in, GrowVPD Pro offers two ways to find your Mars Hydro hardware:

  • Show devices paired in your account (REST device list) — calls the Mars Hydro account API to enumerate every device already linked to your account. This works for any device that completed initial setup through MarsPro or GrowVPD Pro on a previous session. No proximity needed.
  • Pair a new device (Bluetooth) — the app scans Bluetooth for nearby iConnect devices in pairing mode. Use this path only when adding a device for the very first time.

If your account list is empty and you have not seen the device in MarsPro either, the device probably needs first-time pairing. Put it into pairing mode (next section) and choose Pair a new device (Bluetooth).

How BLE pairing fits in

For a brand-new device that has never seen WiFi, GrowVPD Pro uses Bluetooth once to bind the device to your account and hand over your WiFi credentials. As soon as the device has joined your WiFi, GrowVPD Pro registers it in your Mars Hydro account, so it also shows up in MarsPro, and Bluetooth is no longer involved. From there on, all control flows through the Mars Hydro cloud over WiFi.

Native sunrise / sunset ramp on the light

For Mars Hydro lights, GrowVPD Pro writes the light schedule — on and off time and brightness — into the lamp itself and reads it back to check that the lamp took it. When the plan includes a sunrise and sunset, the app also switches on the lamp’s own sunrise/sunset simulation. The lamp then runs the schedule on its own, so it keeps going even if your phone is offline or your network has a hiccup. This is much more reliable than the app having to fire a command every minute.

Silent re-login on session expiry

Mars Hydro allows one active login per account: signing in on a second device signs out the first. So when you sign in to GrowVPD Pro with the account you use in MarsPro, the MarsPro app is signed out, and signing in to MarsPro again signs GrowVPD Pro out. GrowVPD Pro keeps your password encrypted on the phone and, when its session is invalidated, signs itself back in with it — which signs the other app out again. Use one app for everyday control.

How it fits with MarsPro: We see GrowVPD Pro as a companion to the official MarsPro app, not a replacement. The simplest path is to complete the initial device setup in MarsPro the way Mars Hydro intends, then sign in with the same Mars Hydro credentials in GrowVPD Pro to bring your devices alongside the rest of your gear (sensors from other brands, diary logging, cross-brand schedules). Because Mars Hydro allows only one active login per account, the two apps sign each other out — after setup, use GrowVPD Pro for everyday control. If you’d rather pair a new device straight from GrowVPD Pro, Bluetooth is used once to hand over your WiFi credentials and everything afterwards flows over WiFi through the Mars Hydro cloud. Either way, we’d be delighted to work directly with the Mars Hydro team to make this experience smoother for their customers.

Connection Steps

1

Link Your Mars Hydro Account

Open GrowVPD Pro and go to Settings > Smart devices > Connected Accounts > Mars Hydro and tap Connect (you can also sign in when you add the device in step 3). Enter your Mars Hydro email and password (the same credentials you use in the MarsPro app). If you do not have an account yet, create one in the MarsPro app first. Remember that signing in here signs the MarsPro app out.

2

Put the Device into Pairing Mode

Your iConnect device needs to enter pairing mode so GrowVPD Pro can find it via Bluetooth:

  1. For lights with a dimmer knob: Turn the dimmer from OFF to 75%+ and back to OFF. Repeat 2–3 times quickly until the light starts blinking on its own (cycling 0%–100% intensity).
  2. For other devices: follow the pairing-mode instructions in the device’s manual.
Watch out: On the dimmer knob, the EXT position is right next to OFF. If you accidentally land on EXT instead of OFF, the pairing sequence will fail. Make sure you turn fully to OFF each time.

The blinking confirms pairing mode. You now have a 5–10 second window to start the next step before the device exits pairing mode.

3

Discover & Pair in GrowVPD Pro

Go to the Automation tab, tap Add tent device on a tent (or Room Devices for a room), select Mars Hydro and choose Pair a new device (Bluetooth). The app will scan for nearby iConnect devices via Bluetooth.

  1. Your blinking device should appear in the scan list within a few seconds.
  2. Tap it to start pairing. GrowVPD Pro binds it to your account and sends your WiFi credentials to the device over Bluetooth.
  3. The device connects to your WiFi network. Once it has, GrowVPD Pro registers it in your Mars Hydro account, so it also appears in MarsPro. Pairing usually takes 1–2 minutes.
  4. Once connected, the device appears in your GrowVPD Pro device list — ready to use.
Tip: Make sure your phone's Bluetooth is enabled and you are standing near the device during pairing. After the initial setup, Bluetooth is no longer needed — everything works over WiFi.
4

Assign to Rooms and Tents

Organize your Mars Hydro devices into rooms and tents:

  • Create or select a Room
  • Create or select a Tent within that room
  • Assign your Mars Hydro devices to the tent

You can mix devices from different brands in the same tent. For example, an AC Infinity controller and a Mars Hydro LED can share the same grow — GrowVPD Pro handles cross-brand logging and schedules in one place.

5

Test Device Control

From the tent dashboard, try controlling your devices manually:

  • Tap a fan to adjust its speed. The fan should respond within a few seconds.
  • Tap an LED light to adjust brightness or set a light schedule.
  • Tap an iTime to switch an outlet by hand (Manual), or give it a daily schedule (Timer) or a repeating cycle (Cyclic).

If manual control works, you are ready to create automation rules.

Understanding BLE vs. WiFi

This is a common source of confusion, so here is the breakdown:

  • Bluetooth (BLE) is used for the initial pairing in GrowVPD Pro (and if you later need to hand the device new WiFi details). It is how the device receives your WiFi credentials.
  • WiFi + Cloud is how the device communicates for all ongoing control, monitoring, and automation.
  • After setup, the device does not need Bluetooth at all. It operates entirely over WiFi.

This means your phone does not need to be near the device after setup. As long as the device has WiFi, you can monitor and control it from anywhere.

Troubleshooting

"Device not found" during BLE scan

  • Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on your phone and GrowVPD Pro has the Bluetooth (Nearby devices) permission — on Android 11 and older, the location permission as well.
  • The device must be in pairing mode (blinking). If the blinking stopped, repeat the dimmer reset sequence.
  • Stand within 2–3 meters of the device during scanning.
  • If the device is still registered to a different Mars Hydro account, delete it from that account in the MarsPro app first, while the device is powered on and connected, so it receives the release. It then shows up as a new device again.

"Can't control device" or commands not reaching device

  • Verify the device completed WiFi setup during pairing. If it paired via BLE but never connected to WiFi, repeat the pairing process and ensure you enter the correct WiFi password.
  • Check the device's WiFi signal strength. Mars Hydro devices in metal grow tents can have weak signals. Consider a WiFi extender if the signal is poor.
  • Power-cycle the device and wait 30 seconds for it to reconnect to the cloud.

"Connection drops" or intermittent control

  • Weak WiFi signal is the most common cause. Mars Hydro devices need a stable 2.4 GHz WiFi connection.
  • If you have many IoT devices on one router, check if your router limits the number of connected clients.
  • Avoid placing the device's WiFi antenna directly against the tent's metal frame.

Combining Mars Hydro with Other Platforms

GrowVPD Pro sits above the individual brand apps, so Mars Hydro hardware can live in the same tent as gear from other manufacturers. The realistic setups we recommend (AC Infinity, Vivosun, Spider Farmer and Bluelab are implemented and being verified with growers who own them):

  • Mars Hydro iConnect light + AC Infinity Controller — let AC Infinity run its native climate loop (own fan, own probe, own VPD target) while GrowVPD Pro schedules the Mars Hydro LED with sunrise/sunset and logs everything to the same grow diary.
  • Mars Hydro lights + Vivosun or Spider Farmer gear — mix LED brands freely in one tent. Each light gets its own schedule, with stage presets for the photoperiod and peak brightness.
  • Mars Hydro + Bluelab — a Bluelab Guardian tracks pH and EC (a Pulse meter EC and moisture) through the Edenic cloud and GrowVPD Pro pings you on drift, while Mars Hydro keeps doing the climate/light side. You stay in charge of any nutrient correction.

All platforms are managed from the same Automation tab with the same rule engine. The app handles the protocol differences behind the scenes.

Remember: Everyday control of Mars Hydro WiFi devices goes through the Mars Hydro cloud, so it needs an active internet connection. If your internet goes down, light schedules and iTime timers keep running because they are stored in the devices, and everything else stays at its last-set value until the connection returns. Consider having a basic backup like a standalone thermostat for critical cooling.