Quote Originally Posted by jon420
I want to stay below 500watts and still be able to get enough light to all five plants, plus all around the sides. Not worried about any heat issues, just mainly the electric.
Is the 500 watt cap a wiring issue? It does kind of limit your options.

These guys are steering you in the right direction. For penetration, the HID is the balls. I've gone from a 400 in a 30" square, to twin 400's in a 48" square, now running a single 1000 in the 48" space. More is better!

If you must stay under the 500 watts, maybe grab a 400 HID, and hang whatever flouro's that you can at the sides. It may not be much, but you can relocate it from day to day, to spread the love around.

Check out some of DTR420's grows. He uses T5's alongside, topped with a 600 HID. Good stuff!