newbie help

I have a 6' x 8' room and a 1000 hps light. I was at first going to make myself 2, ebb & flow tables 4'x 4'. My first question is how deep should I make the flood tables? Second question, how many plants should I put in a 4'x 4' area, for maximum yield, I'm not that interested in a sea of green yet. Also the bio-pales look real interesting, but once again I don't have a clue on how many pales to put in a room that size, scared of choking everything out. Also, is there a difference in yield between the 2 systems. My biggest problem is I live way the hell up north, and getting the proper equipment is going to be a nightmare for the bio-pales, but if its worth it, what the heck. Any recomendations on what kind of system to build would be greatly appreciated. but please remember, I'm a little isolated as far as a lot of speciality parts that my be required.........Regards Wolfex