Would the 16 - 18 hours of usage be needed because the wavelength from the bulbs is not as good as natural daylight wavelength?
No, from what I've been told this is a myth.
I keep my lights on 14 hours in summer, 12 hours in spring and fall, and 10 hours in winter. They all bloom and grow well this way and ''know'' their schedules.
I found this website to be a great source to find out how long to keep the lights on during different times of the year. It goes by which latitude you live on.