lighting setup

I have 3 4ft t5 8 bulb 436 Watt fixtures. I was going to use one of these lights for vegging, clones, and my two mothers. I was planning on putting the other two fixtures side by side for flowering. But, I've been hearing so much about how I'm missing out by not using hps for flowering. So I'm thinking bout purchasing a 600 Watt hps. Now with the hps I I would still like to put the t5s to use. There are two different ways I was thinking of setting up my light. 1. Putting 600 hps in center with a 4ft t5 fixture on each side of hps all shining down. Or 2. Having 600 hps on top shining down with a t5 fixture on left and right side of plants for side lighting. Which method would produce a better yield? Opinions wanted

Probably on the mounted on the walls would work best, gonna be a bitch but would give the most usable light. I have tried to "hang" a t5 8 light vertically with the short side going up and down, did not work well. I guess could have stuck some hangers in the side of it but that fucker was expensive. That may be the best way to go, put a couple eye bolts on the side of it and hang it from those, well that would work with my full bodied one, not some of the open tops i have seen lately.

to be honest, i don't like this approach. well yeah adding watts on the sides would add some grams, but is it efficient? might as well add another 400HPS next to the 600 and reap the full benefits of the watts and space.

Which would produce better yield
1. 1000 Watt hps
2. 600 Watt hps w/ 2 4ft 8 bulb 436 Watt HO T5 fixtures (for side lighting)

2x436 watt? so like 872watts of sidelighting? add 600 thats 1472watts. i bet a 1kw hps alone can surpass the yield on this

for lumens per watt you'd be better using 2x600 rather than those t5 fixtures.


600w lights have a better lumen per watt ratio than 1000w .


J

grant it Im no pro but I personally feel that since you will be able to get the T5s closer to the plants they would work great side mounting to aid in lower lighting where the overhead is primarily being absorbed / blocked from canopy

For side lighting you are almost limited to CFL or tube florescents.