Hey CrossOps,
Thanks for all the confidence and trust in me, but I'm really just one guy, with one guys opinion/s. I always like to hear other peoples experiences, that's really what helps me learn too (especially what I can't afford to do myself). I usually try to give a useful reply to help people out when I can. After all when I was just starting out I was hoping for useful reply's to my questions, so I know what it's like hoping for a reply (I just want to help others out). And based on the past three years or so, most of the questions I hear aren't really new questions. But their from new people, or asked in a new way, or with a twist. But never be afraid to ask any question, the only dumb question is the one that was never asked. It simply cant hurt anything to ask (even if you know the answer, and are just looking for a second/third/fourth opinion).
That dosen't mean I always know the answer (or anyone else will reply either), but because of the research I have done this past 3 years, I can usually at least point you in the right direction to find the answers your searching for. Also I wish more people would chime in with more opinions too. Like I said, that helps me learn and provides a different perspective, and that helps us all learn. So I always want to encourage others to give their points of view (and many of them).
All I can really hope for is that many people continue to use the forum (it's not even mine) to share their experiences and knowledge with the rest of the forum community. The more the better, but typically people just gain enough knowledge that they don't really need to ask questions (or know where to get the answers they need), then they slowly stop logging in and sharing with the forum anymore. I guess that's why I try to answer questions as soon as I see them, I hope that will draw in more users because the questions were replied to quickly, then some of those users will become "long term users" that can share their experiences with us well after they gain experience from what they know and have learned (thus, others and I can all learn more together).
Now that I know one of the important factors of your planed grow space, the size of the space you want to grow in. Five feet tall, eight feet wide, and 3 feet deep (120 cubic feet), I would clearly say that 16-4 foot T5
lights would be plenty (even if you were using T8's). Though it sounds like there is only 2 light fixtures for all the
bulbs. That will make it hard to distribute the light evenly (from the sides and bottom too). But typically I would say one twin T5 or 8 light fixture placed every two feet would be sufficient. And if the fixtures were placed vertically, rather than just above the plants, that would provide better coverage to the lower leaves of taller plants when placed vertically (and very important for good coverage and plant growth).
Here are a few videos of the best setup for using florescent lights on tall plants that I've seen. The videos are from a member of this forum (not my videos), and what I would try and copy if I planed to use florescent lighting for tall plants. Notice how the light fixtures are placed vertical, as well as evenly spaced around the plants.
hydroponic grow room update - YouTube
Video 7.wmv - YouTube
2/2/2010 grow room update - YouTube
april grow room update - YouTube
P.S.
Considering the 5 foot tall space your working with, I can only assume either your unfamiliar with the size tomato's and cucumbers get, or you plan on using small bush varieties, or you just plan to trim the heck out of them. Peppers most likely wont be that bad in a 5 foot tall space, they will probably get about 4 feet tall unless your using Indeterminate varieties (like most greenhouse varieties), then they can grow 10-15 feet tall. Tomato's and cucumbers will grow 5 feet tall in just a few weeks (given the right conditions), unless your using small/miniature bush varieties