If you are able to dosome small wiring i recommend just buying a 400 watt hps kit off of ebay, I think that they are 55 bux and thats whether you go with a 250, 400,600 or i think even 1000 watter it comes with the ballast, capacitor, and the ignitor. you have to get your onw power cord, but mine has worked for at least 7months no problems and i think with my bulb i have 72 dollars in mine and that includes the shipping.

As for the moister meter, walmart sells them for 5 bux, and it is just a prong you stick in the soil and it tells you if its dry, I just wait until the meter says that its on like 2-3 which reads dry, then water them.

Also are you vegging them with 2700k cfl bc they looked like they were yellow which is on the red side of the spectrum which is better for flowering, I think you should have 6500K which is for vegging.

And think about that kit it super easy to wire and comes with everything but the bulb and cord for 55 bucks and they even have adding on options so you can add the cord and bulb.

Heres the link I guess they are a liitle more than when i got mine but still not bad about 75 shipped but you can still get a 1000 watter, I know that im getting another 1000watt bc this 400 has performed great.

400 watt HPS Grow Light BALLAST KIT MH 175 250 600 1000 - (eBay item 180157057252 end time Sep-30-07 18:30:00 PDT)