lighting

do i need to keep my t5s a little higher away from my plant for indica than i do stativia

No, I grow with T5's and I keep it the same hight no mater what the strain is. As long as you don't burn your plant, the closer the better.

T5 lights don't have a lot of penetration. Keep them as close as possible, regardless of strain.

If you are going to flower with them, then consider implementing a SCROG. It'll increase your yield