I prefer 18/6 for a few reasons
- less heat generated, lets plants cool down
- mimics nature
- plants need a few hours of darkness for respiration cycles
- chlorophyll cannot really process more than 16 hours of light per day
- less electricity used
oh and definitely get a timer. There's no way you'll be able to remember to turn them on and off at the right time. especially once you flip to 12/12