ive had them in seperate pots before, but while what your saying is true (i have 2 cfls, and not 8) i decided to put them into that clothing bin because of space. the pots consumed so much space back-to-back that my plants grew at an annoying tilt towards the light because of the bulky pots. also i have 4 pots to work with... lol.

and idk how to measure square feet, but that bin is about 2.5 feet wide and 1.5 feet long. i had the crazy idea that if i eliminate the pots i could squeeze them more closer, still allowing enough space for roots and having them all grow straight.

wouldnt 8 lights at 18hours a day rack up my electric bill??? and i only have 2 socket spaces for lights. would 4 lights be ok? but then... my electronic timer only allows 2 sockets >_<