The bulbs cost me $9 each, I think. Seems worth is since I didn't have them in the beginning and my plants turned moldy and died. Now everything is growing and happy!
My bulb cost me $8.45 w/tax at Menards. Do you guys really think that I should just stick with the 13 watts? The hood is hot to the touch, but not burning hot.
You could stick with 13 watts and that might be enough to grow low or medium light plants, but to grow high light plants I would definetely go with the 23 watt bulbs. Since the bulbs are flourescent, there shouldn't be much heat given off.