After doing research on ideal LED light color spectrum, it seems like cannabis plants need mostly red and blue lights, but also benefit from other colors as well. I want to do a plant racking system with a 2 week veg time straight from clone (sea of green), then 8 weeks of flowering. It seems like the best way to go for DIY strip lights would be to use mostly blue, small amount of red, and a smaller amount of cool white strip light combination for veg; and then mostly red, small amount of blue, and a smaller amount of warm white strip lights for flowering. That way the white light used (cool or warm) would still be optimal for the plants growth stage, while still getting a small amount of the rest of the spectrum. What are your thoughts on this? Do you have a rough idea on red:blue:white light ratio for each stage of growth?
Sounds like you are trying to reinvent a wheel that cannot get any rounder. You are starting from point B and current LED horticulture lighting is on point Y. I remember many years ago people on the forums were talking this and that ratio(s) when it came to designing custom lights. You can mess with ratios for weeks or months only to come to the conclusion of where current LED manufacturers are — it isn’t about ratios. It’s about creating and sustaining an intense light that outputs only the spectrum of light that the plant will actually use and absorb (380nm - 720ish nm) in order to undergo photosynthesis. IOW, make a light as close to the sun’s spectrum as possible, make it intense, and make the light efficient. We’re already there, so why start way back over here? Sent from the grow room using my fingers.
Mostly white yes. It's OK to supplement though. Many like to add some deep red during flower. I also add some blue during stretch because I want my plants short. You can also add Far-Red for certain effects (google, "Emerson Effect" and "far red flower initiation") But all these are in the end supplements and are only there for tweaking, your base light should be white, 3000k-3500k for flower, 4000k-5000k for veg.
What cannabis needs is the sun's spectrum, and that includes everything, not just red and blue. Those red/blue "blurples" are greatly out of fashion, and can be bought very cheaply nowadays.
White light is helpful for diagnosing plants. Green helps canopy penetration during flower. blue to far red ratio will control your shade avoidance response. Anything beyond that is ehhh