@NJPBG
If I could remake my setup I would've ran the 2 foot (22" actually) strips. The reason why is the 42" strips flex like crazy. Also you would be able to be as bland or as creative as you wanted to really easily in the lighting configuration i.e. leave a 1sq ft gap for UV bulbs in the center of a 4x4 or whatever...
This is 3500k spectrum only because this is what I used. I may have played with 2 or 3 different spectrums if I knew what I know now, but also maybe not. Just simpler I can add on at any point without adding more than maybe $50 at a time.
So I'm not going to tell you item for item what to buy I don't like spending others money but I'll answer whatever you want. Please remember that I chose 3500k and I'm happy with it but there are other options that seemingly would work great as well.
https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/bridgelux/BXEB-L0560Z-35E2000-C-B3/976-1734-ND/7907663
After you checkout this link please read the data sheet and try to figure it out. It may be a struggle but by the time you understand it you'll probably be way more confident in what you're purchasing.
Led drivers are something you really should understand a little about before you purchase. I went with a CV or constant voltage driver, it honestly seems safer to me than the CC stuff with thermal run away, but that's not a common thought. Most people use CC or constant current, atleast with COBs. If you go on other forums I think constant voltage or CV is more popular got strips. I could try to explain the differences but in afraid I would miss too much. Growmau5 on YouTube has a single video on cc vs CV or maybe 2 videos... they're a great introduction.
I'm showing a hlg185h just for an example. If you choose to get the
hlg 185 that drives at 1.050 Amps you'll run pretty much 1 watt per volt. Watts are determined by volts multiplied by amps. If you choose a 0.7 amp drive current you'll be able to fit more strips per driver and it will use the same watts. There's 2 major benefits to running your lights soft, one is less heat, 2 is you have a larger light coverage area, and 3 is there's an increased light efficiency when you run them soft.
That's not to say using a 1.4amp drive current is bad but you'll fit fewer strips per driver, each light will run a little harder, yadda yadda. I haven't actually seen any of these lights fail from running them in their mid range I'm sure somebody has thrown some voltage they weren't designed for and that probably didn't go great.
Basically what I'm trying to say is there's no wrong way as long as you put the proper driver to the lights.
Here. You can see the bridgelux data sheet showing that the 22" strips @.7amps draws a peak slightly over 20volts. That's probably way in the safe range of the driver overdrive or whatever it is, but if you go to a hlg185 it has a peak voltage of 24 and has a minimum of 12. Well within your range, the driver should be able to adapt to your LEDs as long as its within its range (it shouldn't give the full 24volts again if I'm wrong someone please correct me.)
At 1.4amps the same led strip draws 21.6v which again may be within the over ride of the hlg185h-20v driver but I would jump to the 24.
Sorry I'm not the greatest at explaining stuff I'm trying lol!