questions about lighting for my first indoor

Im curious if i could use regular florescent lighting for my first indoor. Or if i have to get the expensive sunlamps that i always hear about for indoor. The room is about 200 sq ft. Total im hoping to put 25 plants in the room with lights

then go for T5HO (T5 is superior to T8 and T12 tubes both in output and life length)

the HO is the High Output model, you can also get VHO= very high output, they are the best fluorescent light you can get when we talk output but the HO type works just fine

something like this





the only real down side of fluorescent is the penetration, according to my light meter and my plant`s they do best with in 2-4 inch`s from the top of the plant`s from 4-10" they still provide useable light, but after 12" my light meter don't even get a reading, so keep em close and keep your plant`s short, I would suggest a scrog


[video=youtube;GXBpN51Ui6s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXBpN51Ui6s[/video]

most important when buying tubes for growing is the Kelvin color (do some research so you can get a general understanding of the light plant`s need)

but in short go for 2700K for flowering and 6500K for Veg.
tho mix em up, IMO a 3-1 ratio is close to optimal Etc. 3x2700K and 1X6500K in flowering and vise versa in veg

T5 also have a much longer life span then other fluorescent and loose very little output over time, but I would still changes em every year as a minimum (when the ends get very dark its time)

hope this help

Slip

tose lights aren't cheap though,costs roughly the same as the expensive sunlamps the OP is hearing about

well how would you cover 25 plants cheap then ?

its either 4 of them or 3x 600W HIDs as I see it