If at all possible try getting a high pressure sodium light,the complete 400 watt systems can be bought brand new off ebay from a highly reputible distributer for $120 & that light will be cheaper in the long run over buying a bunch of cfl's & the related lamp holders required,plus it will give much better results.
http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=47929
For soil i make my own mixture,buying super expensive soils like Fox Farms makes no economic sense unless its small grows & everything else in the grow is top of the line,lighting is by far the most important factor in any indoor grow operation,you can get kick ass buds by running top of the line lighting (hps or mh) in conjunction with good soil as oposed to running weak lighting (cfl's) in conjunction with top of the line soil.
Here is the mixture im now using with great success,all these products can be bought at any home depot or lowes very cheaply.
Home depot economy brand potting soil = $2 for 40lbs.
Home depot brand top soil = $2 for 40lbs.
Home depot brand Humus/manure mixture = $3 for 40lbs.
Home depot brand masons sand = $3 for 40lbs.
Miracle grow non fertilized perlite = $4 for 8 quarts.
Ace hardware brand vermiculite = $4 for 8 quarts.
Ace hardware brand dolomite lime = $5 for 5lbs.
Mixing ratio,rough estimates.
Potting soil = 40%.
Top soil = 10%.
Humus/manure = 10%.
Perlite = 20%.
Vermiculite = 10%
Masons sand = 5%.
Dolomite lime = 1/2 cup to every 5 gallons of mixed soil.
Soil that is light & fluffy along with being able to drain quickly is what pot plants want & thrive in,compacted soil makes it hard for roots to grow & can lead to oxygen depletion in the soil,the masons sand & perlite will assure excellent drainage,between the humus/manure mixture & top soil being added to the potting soil it will have plenty of built in nutrients to carry the plants through their 1st month of life without adding any fertilizer,this soil mix comes out to about $5 every 40lbs .
I have just recently added the use of Vermiculite to my soil mix to help keep the soil moist a bit longer since i grow using very small pots,this final mixture is very cheap to make & has worked excellent in my grows.
Here are the fertilizers that i use & highly reccomend,they are very cheap & offer the complete line of micro nutrients that pot plants will need later on in their life cycle,no need to buy expensive Fox Farms or Advanced Nutrients products when these work just as well at 1/10th the cost.
These will do several grows for $10 & give excellent results.
http://www.jacksclassic.com/dynamic_duo.html
