you gotta be cool with master shake as your avatar LOL
depending upon the strain, you may be able to tell the sex within a few days but probably a few more then that.
keep the light as close as you can. when i used cfls i put them so close i would burn the plants and it never seemed to hurt them and i knew i had then close enough. i use a 600 hps now and can get within a foot of the blub, i go vert with mine. sit back and watch colas fill in or bud sites multiply