Transplanting bigger plant question

I just started a small closet grow recently. A close buddy of mine said he had been given a 3 foot plant that was ready for flowering and he said he had no use for it and he would give it to me.

The story behind this plant is that it was growing in a guys backyard randomly where he had tossed out some seeds. The guy moved it into a pot and gave it to my buddy. My buddy let it sit on his deck for about a month in the pot before i got it.

So last night i get it home and realized that the dirt in the pot was just regular old dirt out of the ground. Since i had some good soil i wanted to transplant it to a pot with better soil because i thought the extra nutrients might help during the flowering process.

So i was trying to be very careful getting out the root ball, but by the time i was done, it was kind of mangled and the larger root ball was connected by some roots, but away from the base of the plant. At the base of the plant there was a mini root ball, maybe the size of a tennis ball. So I went on an completed the transplant.

My first question is...will my plant survive that transplant with the condition of the root ball? It has now been about 18 hours and the plant is showing no sign of shock or droopage or anything of the sort.

My next question is....has anyone had any luck flowering with flourescent tube lights? I have 2 24" double tube lights built into a custom shield (hanging) with 40w lights. And I have a double 48" tube light in the corner shining on the side of the plant. also 40w. A friend said this was the exact same set up he used for flowering and had a very nice crop. (so i guess its true, i was just wondering if anyone else had any luck with it.)
The reason i want to use these lights is because this is the only plant i have ready for flowering(and it is ready) and i dont want to break out the 400w just for this plant. it wouldnt be worth the extra electricity. Thanks for any advice.

ROFLMAO!!!

you are gonna be real disappointed flowering that thing under 80 watts even if it does survive your botched transplant.

Yes it will work, be sure to use Transplant solution, and you will lose about 2 weeks while the plant "recovers" from da surgery... knock off most of the old soils carefully trying not to damage the root structure,, get ur other larger pot ready mix 1/2 quality potting soil, 1/3 vermiculite and the rest perlite, pour into ur container use a 3 gal, and fill a bit more than half way be sure to put some 1/2 granite rocks a layer across the bottom 1st for drainage... them press the dirt down and form a bowl, get all this ready 1st, then get the plant knock off the old dirt till you see the roots, place it into the new container, cover with about 3 inchs of same soil mix, them pour onto it a who;e gal of purified water with transplant solution ( lowes / depot Green Container) be prepped for drainage.. errr.. then cover up rest of way and apply enough pure water to just make the dirt settle and be evenly wet, let drain and put immed into or do this right before its normal dark cycle, When you come back to turn on lights she should be perky and ready to go, stay in veg for another 2 weeks or longer then cut the light time back
Hope dat helps Brother
Cutter
Advisor to the Stars"

we'll see. its been about 24 hours now and seems to be doing fine...knock on wood. i am going to take the advice and keep it in veg for another couple of weeks before i try to flower it. im thinking now i should have just left it in the sandy dirt it was in and just nutrient the hell out of the dirt. ill know better next time. however if the transplant goes ok, its gonna be better off in the high quality soil it now has surrounding it