Hi mwmunford,

The difference of the tube lights is the color temperature, what kind of shoplight did you buy ? for example a 4 foot single or double fixture.

In a single one I should put a 4000 K tube (some times called cool white or daylight) in a double one warm white 3000K and a daylight 6500K. Sometimes the tubes have only a number for example 830, 840, 865 this is type 8 and 3000, 4000, 6500 K color temp.

You do not need special "grow" bulbs. Most tropicals and succulents [ie: houseplants] will grow well with full spectrum white "daylight" 6500K (or close as you can find - 5000 - 6500k is OK) bulbs.

If your want to overwinter plants or start seedlings that will live outside during the growing season, this will be fine. If you want to take fruiting/flowering plants (fruit/veggie/cut flowers) full term under lights you'll need to do more research and probably find something brighter than shop lights.