The short answer is no. As a rule of thumb, you need an minimum of 20W per square foot of of space for flourescent lighting. Having 51 W spread over 8 feet of space is way under that. If you put all 3 sticks right next to each other, side by side and have your seedlings almost touching the lights, you'll have just barely enough. Otherwise you'll get some really laggy seedlings.

I'm assuming that you get no natural light of course. If these seedlings are by a window, that they are there as a suplimental lighting, then it should be fine.

Good growing!

Hey thanks for the advise!! So what if I added 4 screw in fixtures, 1 every 2 feet? Also what kind of bulbs should be screwed in? Do regular cfb's work or do I need a special kind? Thanks again! I need all the help I can get.

It would be better if you can fit shoplights above your shelf...

Go to HomeDepot or Lowes and pick up 4 48" 2-bulb shoplights
(or you could also use 2 96" 2-bulb lights)

Right now I'm using a 4-bulb 48" (overdriven) light located
about 12" above my seedlings...even with that, I would say
the plants look 'just ok'