T5 is better for veg IMO in a small to medium grow. If you look at most 8bulb 4ft they put out 40000 lumens which is about the same as a 400w hps. And the plus is you dont waste any lumens you can place the t5 4-6 inches away with a fan or two all day on 24/7 setup. When your a 12-18 inchs away...