Man for that price, I would go HID. You could pick up a switchable 400 watt ballast with everything, just get a MH bulb and HPS and you would be set for 2-3 plants. Usually the package comes with one or the other as far as bulbs so you would only have to get the other bulb. I hate conversion bulbs they are too $$. So thats why I always say switchable. check this out, and you can upgrade whatever you want like better ballast etc..
then you have your MH for vegg, and HPS for flower all in one :thumbsup:
400 Watt Sodium/Halide Switchable Maximizer Grow Light System
Twentyinches Reviewed by Twentyinches on . Questions on a light I've been looking at Ok so I was wondering how well this light I found on the internet would work for growing. Spectra Max High Output Fluorescent / HP Sodium Hybrid Plant Grow Light Systems by Sunlight Supply at Home Harvest Garden Supply Thats the link to the page, it says it produces 24,000 lumens or so at only around 246 watts of electricity but I read that and compare it to a HID lamp that puts out 90,000 lumens or so averaged and think that 24k seems a little skimpy to really be trying to grow with... So Rating: 5