Considering either 400w HPS or T5 setup

Hey guys, I'm currently considering getting either a 400w HPS light, to veg and flower about 12 plants. Problem is I don't know exactly what my options are when it comes to venting because I am not in the house I plan on moving into yet so I haven't been able to actually take into consideration room size, windows, possible nearby bathrooms, etc to use as methods to vent. SO, with that in mind heat could be a possible issue.

So I look to T5. I want to grow enough, and possibly to the point of a continous harvest. In order to achieve the same results of a 400w HPS light, what would I need in terms of a T5?

How many bulbs, and at what length per bulb would I need?

im in the same boat,im an electrican and can get 4ft 6 lamp t-5 fixture's with reflector and lamps from our shop for free.are they any good?

I think a 400 watter hps is 50,000 lumens, so you would need 10 4 foot t5's at 5,000 lumens a pop to equal a 400 watter.
Sparkey, you can grow nice nugs with t-5's just keep your plants on the short side as floro's don't penetrate the canopy as effectively as hps.

t5s will work from what i read, and you can actually get great results, but imo.

HPS is the way too go, you get more lumens per, and they work well in veg and bud.

But if you're getting them for free, then there is nothing wrong at all about that, and i would snatch them up.

I'm using a HTGSupply.com 400 w HPS, and it gets the job done, thats for sure, and the heat doesn;t seem to be an issue, but my grow room isn't enclosed.

T5's would probably be ideal to start with, then switch up to HPS after your seedlings have a node or two.

and for clones, i've heard HPS doesn't do the greatest if they haven't rooted yet.