my pontoons run probably 18-24 watts over a 5x5. No reflector like flood lights and no secondary lenses.
I almost went that route from Steve's,if I remember right they will even make you a custom driver,give them a call.
It's strain dependent,but as a general rule 12/12 first and last 2 weeks. I usually up mine after about 1 1/2 weeks with my strains to 13.5/10.5 then back to 12/12 the last 1 1/2 weeks,my critical kush can finish as fast as 50 days using one.
Do you do that with all your flowering lighting or just the 730nm? This whole thing with 730nm flower trigger and faster flowering times has my interest.
I wouldn't flower without using 730nm as a night time trigger now,you also need some 660nm in your lighting to wake them up fast. These are the two triggers for the phytochrome state.
Why start 12/12 and then up to 13.5? Why not start 13.5-14 then slowly lower?
way too much stretch and smaller yield with starting 14/10 and slowly drop. Starting with 12/12 didn't make sense to me at first but it works.
It would be kind of like starting into flower at 10/14 if you didn't use the 730nm,it makes them start faster,then the 13.5/10.5 is just to get the plant more energy intake. My Glues had lots of long pistils at the start of day 5.
if you run 12/12 the whole time they finish a week earlier. If you bump up to 13/11 or 13/5/10.5 after 2 weeks then back to 12/12 at the end. Then its the same flower time or slightly longer.
It took a week of my critical kush that usually takes about 57 days without it,I now chop day 50-51.
I use the 10 watt version that lists for $150 and it covers a 8'x8' area.
May also be strain dependent,sativa vs indica.