First Grow setup Q's

[DrFever]

i have tryed a bunch of florescents and found sunblaster to be the best so far

http://www.futureharvest.com/our-products/sunblaster-lighting/t5ho-lighting/ at 24 watts per comes in 2 foot and 4 foot there awesome

 

[Hushpuppy]

Cool that sounds good. If you can't get the I-Power bulbs, check around as I would think they aren't the only ones who make the MH bulbs in 6500K. If not just let me know and I would be happy to send them to you

 

[Delta9]

The only T5 HO i can find locally is this one from a pet store.
Its an Odyssea brand fixture with bulbs included.
Here is the blurb with specs:

4" T5 Quad Deluxe 96W Plant Version(4x 24W)
Excellent for freshwater and planted aquariums that need ample daylight.
Extendable brackets - 30" Max Length
Fixture comes with 4x 10,000K lamps.
Features:
Dimensions - 23.50” x 7.50” x 2.15”
Brackets add 0.50" in height
Supports 4x 24W T5 High Output lamps
Supports standard T5 HO lamps
96W total power
Quick disconnect ballast
Individual power cords for each function
Extendable bracket - 30" max extend
Non-corrosive powder coated aluminum housing
Reflector
Acrylic splash guard
CE Certified
Includes:
1x 24" T5 Quad fixture
4x 24W T5 HO lamps 10,000K

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

No--that is not really what you want. First the spectrum of the bulbs is not correct. You would need all new bulbs and....I just am not crazy about the 24W tubes. They only emit 2000 lumens, so one of these fixtures wouldn't do the job. With these bulbs only emitting 2000 lumens, you would need 15 of them to adequately light your veg space, or 3-1/2 fixtures. And then you would still have to replace the bulbs with something more in the 6500K range.

I truly believe that given where you are and the difficulty of getting things shipped that a dimmable electronic ballast and MH is your best option for vegging.