What would be optimal; having two 4x54w HO t5 lights, or a 400w MH/HPS rig? The area I am lighting is maybe or slightly bigger 3x3x5ft, and I am doing mostly autos. This is for a small, personal operation. I just want some good quality bud of my own to smoke. Though I would like to get as much yeild as possible with economics in mind. Cheers.
54w t5 bulbs are 4 feet long, and obviously wont fit in a 3 x 3 tent. Regardless, anything over 250w and your better off with hps/mh as long as you can keep the area cool.
imo, i think you'd get way more lumens from mh/hps. i have a 400w atm, and get 36,000 lumens from my mh, and 54,000 from the hps. heres a shot of the mh and the hps